UV Light

[CrackMagic]

What is the average lifespan of a UV light? Should I have a few extra bulbs on hand?

[SGT]

I do not know the average bulb life, that would probably depend on brand, better answered by the mfg. I do know I have been at it since 2002 and a only replaced bulb in one of my lamps once. Then again, I am part time. I have all Delta Kits Lamps.

I do also have spare bulbs just incase.

[Brent Deines]

There are several schools of thought on this. Some manufacturers would have you changing bulbs regularly, but even very busy repair technicians are only using their lights for a total of 1-2 hours a day, or maybe double that if they are using a battery operated light. In other applications that same bulb may be used for a total of 18+ hours a day, and this is only one of the variables that must be considered.

Although I sell UV bulbs and would love it if every windshield repair technician changed his or her bulb monthly, I can tell you that I never replace bulbs unless they are not functioning properly, which is generally due to having dropped the lamp. I am very careful with my equipment, so even in my busiest years a bulb typically lasted me several years.

We have special test equipment here at Delta Kits that allows us to measure the amount of UV light that a lamp and/or bulb is producing, but a simple test you can do is to place a drop of Delta Kits pit resin on a glass surface, cover it with a curing tab, cure for one minute, and scrape off with your razor blade at a 90 degree angle to the glass. The resin should be hard all the way through. This works with all 12V and 115V lights that Delta Kits sells, but you will need to add 1-2 minutes if using battery operated lights. If the resin does not cure all the way through you may have a problem with the bulb, but more than likely you have a problem with the light. Please note that I cannot say if this test will work with competitor's lights or pit resins, but I would think that any good UV light used with any good pit resin will properly cure a drop of pit resin on a glass surface within 2 minutes at the most.

[GlassStarz]

I use the big ole yellow one alot its about a million years old but have had the same battery operated one in the box for a couple years I think you are more likely to break one than have the bulb wear out if you rely on them a spare bulb wouldnt hurt