>>>With so many inferior products coming out of China, is it possible that even the quality of "party bulbs" would be suspect and could generate UVC as well?



Not likely.



Party bulbs / blacklights produce near-UV and some UVA, which is at the opposite end of the UV spectrum, around 370-350 nm. UVB is 320-280 nm and UVC is below 280 nm. Past UVC below 180 nm are X-rays! Different phosphors are used to produce blacklights than those for UVB.



The suspect Chinese lamps apparently used a phototherapy phosphor to get higher UVB outputs than some more expensive competing products. It was the "if a little is good, a lot must be better" philosophy. Unfortunately, this phosphor also produced some dangerous UVC as well.



The best internet site on reptile UV is linked below.
UV Guide

[ Hide Replies ]

• blacklights - drugscrub, Tue Mar 17 00:40:40 2009
• RE: blacklights - Reptaquatics, Tue Mar 24 22:03:43 2009
• Party Bulbs *Don't* Produce UVC - Bryan OKC, Wed Mar 25 09:07:46 2009
• Typo correction - Bryan OKC, Wed Mar 25 09:18:15 2009
• Just a thought... - laurarfl, Thu Mar 26 11:47:41 2009
• RE: Just a thought... - Bryan OKC, Fri Mar 27 09:09:20 2009
• RE: Just a thought... - laurarfl, Sat Mar 28 22:21:09 2009