Gameroom lighting: Purple Blacklights VS White Blacklights

ajcrm125

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Gameroom lighting: Purple Blacklights VS White Blacklights

Looking to put some 48" florescents in the gameroom. Been shopping online for bulbs and I see they make White bulbs and Purple ones. Is there a difference?
Also I see 20watt and 40watt bulbs. I'm assuming I want 40watters?

I have a blacklight gameroom carpet so I'm looking for whichever bulb would really make it 'pop'.
Thanks.
 
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Go purple. White blacklights actually light up the room way too much...
 
BLB (Black light blue -- e.g. purple bulb) is the only good option. 48" should be T12 (1.5" diameter) 40 watt or T8 (1" diameter) 32 watt tubes. 20 watts won't be very much light.

Also, spray paint the fixtures holding the bulbs with either Chrome or Aluminum or Silver coating (something highly reflective and not containing white phosphors). If not, it causes the phosphors in the white paint to glow significantly and basically turn them into BLW (black light white) bulbs with all the light that gets reflected on the fixture's metal.

Finally, do not place any plastic screen over the bulbs. Plastic will absorb most of the UV waves and significantly reduce the impact the bulbs have. If you must cover it with something use tempered glass or some material you know will allow UV to pass. Some people use chrome coated grid-pattern with 3/4" openings in the grid pattern. Protects the bulbs from accidental damage but allows UV through.


Also, be aware of the side effects of black light: Any game that you have that doesn't have a smoked colored plexiglass over the monitor will cause the monitor to glow a light grey color even when the game is turned off. When on, there won't be any pure blacks, just light grey. Games with glass over them will glow the most, ones with plexi will glow less. Another layer of smoked plexi blocks most of the UV and also hides the remaining glow due to the tinting.
 
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BLB (Black light blue -- e.g. purple bulb) is the only good option. 48" should be T12 (1.5" diameter) 40 watt or T8 (1" diameter) 32 watt tubes. 20 watts won't be very much light.

Also, spray paint the fixtures holding the bubls with either Chrome or Aluminum or Silver coating. If not, it causes the phosphors in the white paint to glow significantly and basically turn them into BLW (black light white) bulbs with all the light that gets reflected on the fixture's metal.

Finally, do not place any plastic screen over the bulbs. Plastic will absorb most of the UV waves and significantly reduce the impact the bulbs have. If you must cover it with something use tempered glass or some material you know will allow UV to pass. Some people use chrome coated grid-pattern with 3/4" openings in the grid pattern. Protects the bulbs from accidental damage but allows UV through.

My entire ceiling is painted black, so I was going to paint the fixtures black as well. Do you think this will absorb the light too much? I hadn't thought about painting it some sort of reflective color.
 
My entire ceiling is painted black, so I was going to paint the fixtures black as well. Do you think this will absorb the light too much? I hadn't thought about painting it some sort of reflective color.

The fixtures I have are black... And give off a ton of light. The silver might make it brighter, though. Tinfoil, maybe? :D (Probably a bad idea)
 
Black would be better than white for sure (to remove the glow of the white paint). The outside of the fixture coudl be black and inside (against the tube) could be silver if you want as well.

I haven't done any tests to see how much UV (if any) the silver actually will reflect. But it definitely doesn't glow like the stock white. If I get any reflected UV, it's something :)
 
Public service announcement: prolonged exposure to blacklight is bad for eyes. It is confusing to your pupils.
 
Public service announcement: prolonged exposure to blacklight is bad for eyes. It is confusing to your pupils.

Agreed. When I was testing mine (5 48" 2 bulb strips) I learned that if you keep another light on in the room your pupils do not tend to dilate. In a running game room full of lit marquees and monitors I don't see it as being an issue.

You also want BLB (Black Light Blues), or the "purple" lamps. The spectrum of light through the purple filter is suited for, more or less, direct viewing. The BLW, or Black Light Whites, can damage your eyes and are for indirect lighting. At least that is as I understand it and remember it. I researched it like a year ago when I was shopping.

Related aside, I need to start another thread to pass along my source. I wanted to put my lights up before I commented. I ended up purchasing from a local lighting company. The prices were better than I found on-line, I did not have to ship but they have will gladly do so if needed, and it was nice to be able to pick up the phone and know who I had on the other end. What are the going rates for the F32T8BLB's? I gave my guy a call, he is in the $13 per range as a one off. Less with more lamps purchased. He is at $3 for F15T8 BLW lamps as used in a lot of games with black light florescent effects.
 
Round here F40T12BLB's are like $11.69 at Menards, higher at Lowes/Home Depot/specialty stores. I have not seen F32T8's anywhere yet like I do regular CW/WW white bulbs.

About 4 years ago the price jumped from $8.99 to mid $11's on the BLB's. The Lowes here did a blow out a couple years ago on F15T8BLB's for 75 cents each (original value was insanely high like $7.50 or something)
 
Blacklights

Go with 40 watters 4 footers. I painted the walls and ceiling black and put glow stars on ceiling. Go to my page and click on games i have messed with to see it. Matt
 
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