Are there any good LED UVB available yet?

[DocZ]

I have read about the spectrum of all the original LED UVB produced and they all had inappropriate UV spectrums. Some even produced UVC rays, and all lack UVA wavelengths
All of the decent fluorescent UVB bulbs produce even more UVA than UVB which is essential for appropriate regulation of cutaneously produced Vitamin D, and if UVA spectrum is lacking it is possible for a reptile to overproduce vitamin D at toxic levels

Does anyone make an LED UVB that actually has an appropriate UV spectrum yet?
Dr Francis Baines was involved in this recent paper

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/zoo.21806?saml_referrer

 

[DocZ]

This paper also has a really nice write up and references showing how Vit D3 is produced, regulated, and transported out of the skin and into an animal’s (including you) systemic circulation. Worth a read just for that.
And Dr Francis Baines has been researching and advocating for proper reptile lighting for many years

 

[nightanole]

https://zoomed.com/uvbled/

https://exo-terra.com/products/lighting/uvb-led-lights/terrasky-uv/

All these "second generation" bulbs are good, but may need multiple to get the same output as a T5HO.

So i assume you have been reading up on only the first gens. Those were made out of repurposed leds that were meant for "industrial applications" like curing epoxy and disinfecting. They were never meant for "animal use". Kinda like the early tanning bulbs and cfls that were never designed to "mimic the sun". And uv cure REALLY likes deep UVB. And there is always a spectrum spread. So yes a LED tuned for deep UVB may produce a bit of UVC. And there are also dedicated LED for producing "mostly UVC" for disinfecting.

But these Second Gen bulbs are meant for animal used. They have real 6500k white leds. They have 2-3 bands of UVA. And they have a dedicated UVB set tuned to the "bone growth" zone(295–315 nm) with a 308nm center(peak D3). And since its LED you dont have to worry about a wide spectrum burst bleeding into the UVC spectrum. They are very tight spectrum, its why they need several just to cover the UVA range.

 

[DocZ]

https://zoomed.com/uvbled/

https://exo-terra.com/products/lighting/uvb-led-lights/terrasky-uv/

All these "second generation" bulbs are good, but may need multiple to get the same output as a T5HO.

So i assume you have been reading up on only the first gens. Those were made out of repurposed leds that were meant for "industrial applications" like curing epoxy and disinfecting. They were never meant for "animal use". Kinda like the early tanning bulbs and cfls that were never designed to "mimic the sun". And uv cure REALLY likes deep UVB. And there is always a spectrum spread. So yes a LED tuned for deep UVB may produce a bit of UVC. And there are also dedicated LED for producing "mostly UVC" for disinfecting.

But these Second Gen bulbs are meant for animal used. They have real 6500k white leds. They have 2-3 bands of UVA. And they have a dedicated UVB set tuned to the "bone growth" zone(295–315 nm) with a 308nm center(peak D3). And since its LED you dont have to worry about a wide spectrum burst bleeding into the UVC spectrum. They are very tight spectrum, its why they need several just to cover the UVA range.

I’d be interested to see what studies in animals show as far as reproducing natural vitamin d cycling. It looks much more similar in spectrum to what T5 HO bulbs produce

I’m sure so of those folks above are looking at it right now

 

[nightanole]

I’d be interested to see what studies in animals show as far as reproducing natural vitamin d cycling. It looks much more similar in spectrum to what T5 HO bulbs produce

I’m sure so of those folks above are looking at it right now

Not sure about cycling . The T5HO bulbs only have 1 "UV" phosphor. Its a pretty wide spectrum burst that peaks in the UVA side. So you end up with a lot of UVA (a good thing) and a usable amount of UVB (that degrades the phosphor rapidly).

Odds are Mr. Lola is going to get a LED UVB bulb next season. He seems to get enough D3 through meat, suppliments, and a few hours per week during the summer of outdoor cage time. But he will not stay under his T5HO's unless i put him there, and then he just wonders off after 45min once he is warmed up. His cage of his choosing is a piece of plywood leaned up against the wall in the closet. So i could sneak a LED in that spot that a T5HO would not fit.