UV Question

[Light1984]

So as many people are doing, I'm getting ready to upgrade to the latest and greatest and I'm planning out the build. My system currently runs distilled water a silver plug and UV lights with white UV reactive soft tubing. I have had zero issue with build up, scale, corrosion, etc. In the 7 years it's been running, I've only drained and filled once because my XSPC radiator developed a pin hole that would hiss on occasion. I typically just top it off when it gets a little low due to evaporation.

I never thought about it, but could my "good luck" be due in part to the use of the UV lights in the case? They are old style cold cathode tubes, and I have no idea if they are the type of UV that can be used for sanitation, UV-C I believe.

I'm curious if anyone has ever thought about using a purpose built water-purifying UV system in a PC before? Seeing pricing in the $100-200 range. Makes it kind of high, but just thinking out loud. I'd like to replicate the maintenance free operation on my new build if possible.

 

[Kardonxt]

I've always had a similar experience with just distilled water and a silver kill coil. Your UV could be helping but in my experience it's fine without it.

I haven't run any sort of additives since off the shelf watercooling parts evolved past using aluminum. (or at least exposing it to the loop)

 

[pendragon1]

I never thought about it, but could my "good luck" be due in part to the use of the UV lights in the case? They are old style cold cathode tubes, and I have no idea if they are the type of UV that can be used for sanitation, UV-C I believe.
I'm curious if anyone has ever thought about using a purpose built water-purifying UV system in a PC before? Seeing pricing in the $100-200 range.

all UV will sanitize and you built one already.

 

[Light1984]

all UV will sanitize and you built one already.

Are you sure about that? I thought there was only a certain type of UV light that would kill bacteria. The next question would be can I use LEDs instead of cold cathode if all UV does in fact sanitize.

 

[pendragon1]

Are you sure about that? I thought there was only a certain type of UV light that would kill bacteria. The next question would be can I use LEDs instead of cold cathode if all UV does in fact sanitize.

yeah they all do, C is just more focused and efficient.
dont know about that but it should.

 

[Supercharged_Z06]

Most LEDs and Cold Cathode tubes aren't spitting out true UV. They are typically "blacklights" that run way above it in the spectrum at around 390nm or higher - they are more a near UV/violet light that still causes things to fluoresce quite nicely. True UV is invisible to the eye and depending on power, can be quite dangerous to be exposed to as it will fry your retinal tissue with prolonged exposure. UV-C, which is germicidal, runs between 100-280nm and you DO NOT want to be looking at it. So, you wouldn't want to run that exposed inside a case unless it was inside a box that was also shielded from your eyes.

Germicidal effects (sterilization and disinfection) of UV is only really effective between 200-280nm and that's something that you are not getting with your typical LED/Cold Cathode case lighting devices/kits.