Black Lights - Black Light Bulbs, Fluorescent Tubes & More Customer Reviews

What is a Black Light?

There are two different kinds of black lights. A black light-blue bulb keeps almost all visible light inside the bulb so only a slight purple glow is emitted. The rest of what the bulb emits is ultraviolet light in UVA form, which makes fluorescent colors glow but is not seen by the human eye. A true black light emits more visible light than a black light-blue bulb. However, the light emitted is bluer instead of purple.

What Glows in Black Light?

Black lights respond to phosphors in the environment around them, making things containing phosphors glow. Lighter articles of clothing, especially white colors, often glow under black lighting. Some paints, posters, TV screens, and all glow-in-the-dark products glow in response to black light. There are even natural phosphors in our teeth and fingernails!

Types of Black Lights

Black lights come in fluorescent, incandescent, mercury vapor and LED technologies. Fluorescents are especially common. We offer a variety of T8 and T12 tubes, U-shaped tubes, and CFL bulbs.

Black lights in various tube shapes are great solutions for places such as bowling alleys and amusement parks. If you’re looking for something to use on a smaller scale, CFL black lights are a convenient way to add some spooky vibes to your Halloween house party.

Black Light Uses

We often see black lights in bowling alleys, amusement parks, clubs, for Halloween displays, and in other fun locations. However, they aren’t just for show, they have many functional uses as well.

Restaurants and grocery stores use black lights for insect protection, and forensic scientists use them for crime scene analysis. Black lights can also be used to authenticate artwork or test counterfeit bills.

How Black Lights Work

What we see glowing under black lights are phosphors, which is any substance emitting visible light when responding to radiation. Phosphors convert the energy from UV radiation in black lights into a small amount of light we can see. The light emitted by black lights is mostly UV, which is invisible to the human eye.

Most of what we see from a black light is the effect it has by making things such as our shirts and teeth glow.