So, here are some general thoughts on LEDs and UV to keep in mind.
LEDs don’t burn out like fluorescent and incandescent bulbs. Their output just fades over time. The life is determined by when the output reaches 70%. So, when you see a 60,000 hour LED lamp life, they are predicting that the light output will be down to 70% of new after 60,000 hours. It will probably still work for a while, but the curve starts getting steeper after that.
UVA, UVB, UVC. All can kill the little nasties. It is just a matter of time of exposure. And what harms them, also harms you. The light doesn't care what type of biological you are. UVA can kill viruses on surfaces after about 8 hours of exposure. And it won’t do much harm to you or the materials. UVB can drop that time to around 2 hours, give you a nice sun burn, and start to fade and damage materials. UVC can drop that time to less than 30 minutes, and can damage your eyes in less than 30 seconds. (REALLY try to avoid direct exposer to UVC!) UVC is also hard on materials. That is why UVC lamps have a really short life. While they are killing the bad stuff, they are also destroying themselves. UVC LEDs will have a significantly shorter life than LED used for lighting.
Not saying UV shouldn’t be part of your water treatment solution, but just some things to keep in mind for the long term.
LEDs don’t burn out like fluorescent and incandescent bulbs. Their output just fades over time. The life is determined by when the output reaches 70%. So, when you see a 60,000 hour LED lamp life, they are predicting that the light output will be down to 70% of new after 60,000 hours. It will probably still work for a while, but the curve starts getting steeper after that.
UVA, UVB, UVC. All can kill the little nasties. It is just a matter of time of exposure. And what harms them, also harms you. The light doesn't care what type of biological you are. UVA can kill viruses on surfaces after about 8 hours of exposure. And it won’t do much harm to you or the materials. UVB can drop that time to around 2 hours, give you a nice sun burn, and start to fade and damage materials. UVC can drop that time to less than 30 minutes, and can damage your eyes in less than 30 seconds. (REALLY try to avoid direct exposer to UVC!) UVC is also hard on materials. That is why UVC lamps have a really short life. While they are killing the bad stuff, they are also destroying themselves. UVC LEDs will have a significantly shorter life than LED used for lighting.
Not saying UV shouldn’t be part of your water treatment solution, but just some things to keep in mind for the long term.