1. Does GE sell any UVB emitting lamps (for use in aquariums and terrariums)?
No. GE does not make a UV-B lamp designed to keep reptiles, fish and plants healthy.
To improve the appearance inside your aquarium or terrarium, GE makes the F40PL/AQ Plant & Aquarium Wide Spectrum lamp. This lamp has a major emission in the blue and red regions with emissions in the UV-A (315 nm to 400 nm) and near IR (700 nm to 800 nm). The amount of UV-B is minimal.
See the complete line of lamps for aquariums and terrariums.
2. How do I minimize UV radiation from fluorescent lamps?
Lamp manufacturers generally strive to minimize ultraviolet (UV) radiation in all lamps used in general lighting applications.
The amount of UV produced by standard fluorescent lamps, such as those in your office, home, or school, is not hazardous and does not pose a major health concern. In fact, a paper by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) explores this subject in more detail. It cites a study in which it was determined that UV exposure from sitting indoors under fluorescent lights at typical office light levels for an eight hour workday is equivalent to just over a minute of exposure to the sun in Washington, D.C. on a clear day in July.
Some applications require the absence of UV. To completely eliminate UV, we would recommend using CovRguard® shatter-resistant lamps. Where CovRguard is not available, UV sleeves or filters are also used to eliminate UV.
Regular fluorescent light bulbs used in your home and office do not produce a hazardous amount of ultraviolet light (UV). Most light sources, including fluorescent bulbs, emit a small amount of UV, but the UV produced by fluorescent light bulbs is far less than the amount produced by natural daylight. (UV light rays are the light wavelengths that can cause sunburn and skin damage.)
All of our light bulbs designed for general public use and minimize the amount of UV light emitted.
If you're looking for a low-UV bulb for an especially sensitive area, try our Saf-T-Gard® bulbs. They block most ultraviolet light emissions, and they're also shatter-resistant.
4. Does an MR16 halogen lamp provide much UV?
Tungsten filament lamps, such as halogen and incandescent, provide minimal UV. GE's ConstantColor® MR16 lamps are made using special quartz, which has properties that enable it to filter out nearly all of the UV portion of the spectrum.
5. Do Sunshine bulbs give off UV like the sun?
No. UVA and UVB output of fluorescent lamps, specifically Sunshine bulbs are minimal and comparable to other standard fluorescent lamps that you would find in places such as office buildings.
6. What is the ultraviolet (UV) output of GE lamps?
The only full spectrum lamps GE manufactures are in the visible light range. They do not incorporate the ultraviolet (non-visible) output found in natural sunlight.
Full spectrum lamps in the visible range are designed to simulate the color range of sunlight. These include the sunshine, Chroma 50, and Chroma 75 fluorescent lamps. Visible light is found in the wavelength range of 400-700 nanometers and emits some UV, but the amounts are well below those found in daylight and sunlight, even when filtered through a window. These are not considered harmful. This is where normal, everyday use lamps (incandescent and fluorescent) fall.
For practical purposes, ultraviolet radiation is any radiant energy within the range of 100-380 nanometers. It is beyond the blue or violet region of the spectrum, and is invisible to the eye just like the silent ultrasound dog whistle is inaudible to the ear.
Incandescent lamps are not a source of ultraviolet radiation, and do not normally need UV filters. Incandescents do, however, generate heat (infrared radiation, or IR), which should be considered when illuminating plants or materials subject to drying damage.
The only lamps we make in this range are germicidal (UVC 100-280M) and blacklight / blacklight blue (315-400NM). We do not make any UVB lamps which are sometimes used for medical purposes or tanning beds.
You can find more information and spectral distribution curves in the Learn About Light section of our site.
7. How can I find the surface temperature of a lamp?
GE does not publish the surface temperatures of our lamps because there are too many factors which can affect the measurement of the bulb wall temperature, such as:
The ambient temperature of the room?
Whether or not the surrounding air is still or moving (from wind, a fan, air conditioning, etc.) and at what rate?
The specific characteristics of the recessed fixture, such as its baffling, reflection, insulation, and ventilation properties.
For more information, contact your fixture manufacture directly. Fixture manufacturers are able specify the maximum wattage and bulb shape of the lamp which can be safely utilized in your fixture.