Dust in UV light canister

[105man]

I opened the canister to change the bulb in my Double Helix UV sterilizer and there was a lot of white or light grey dust inside.

Any idea what the dust is?

 

[John_Brandt]

I think that may be an ash from the production of ozone by the UV lamp. An oxide? I don't suggest you breathe or touch it.

 

[PeeJ]

i bet 105mans next comment will be "crap i just ate it..what should i do?" haha just kidding

 

[PeeJ]

that was probably the stupidest comment ive ever posted

on the serious side, is the container sealed? i would agree with john....probably not condusive to good health...

 

[taikonaut]

Can it be plastics that destablized by the UV and turn into a powder? Just a wild guess...

 

[105man]

Wow...it did register with me that its probably not the best stuff to be playing with or cleaning out, whatever it is. It's very powder-like, fine...and as a result, of course, difficult to gather without becoming airborne to some degree.

I don't recall whether there is a white liner inside the unit. The casing is black plastic, totally sealed. The spiral tubing that the water runs through, which encircles the UV bulb, is made of some sort of plastic or pvc or polymer, and it is basically clear...it would also be worrisome if that is somehow breaking down. The maker says that the space age material they use for that is one of the features that distinguishes their product in terms of durability, in addition to the design, which has the water spiralling twice, I think, so that the exposure to the UV is lengthened.

I sent an e-mail to Custom Sealife, the maker...waiting to hear back.

 

[liquid]

Let us know what you find out as I'm just getting ready to buy their 18 watt UV.

Shane

 

[105man]

They just wrote back and answered a few of my other questions as well as this reply regarding the dust:

"The UV light reacts wit the reflector causing it to oxidize. We have actually stopped using the reflectors inside the units. This is not a danger. The dust can be blown or wiped out. "

Let me know if you think I should insist on a replacement. I don't want to make a needless hassle out of it, though, and the guy who wrote back seemed knowledgable and sincere.

 

[taikonaut]

Most reflector is made out of aluminum. The white powder is probably al. oxide, but I have a tough time thinking of a way that the UV can react with alumin... :?

Is the reflector on the UV bulb, or inside the casing?

 

[liquid]

Germicidal UV lamps can create ozone so my gut feeling is that if there is an aluminum reflector in there that it reacted with the ozone to produce the white powder that you see there. It can also react with certain plastics too.

Shane