Glowing tube thingies that don't require any power source!

phaxx

Just stumbled across something you all may like.

This place in england are making a little tube with some slightly radioactive substance in it, Tritium, and this gives off a glow. Tritium is apparently used in the military for things like emergency lights in submarines and watches.

From http://www.traser.com/technical.htm

The technical term for a traser light is a Gaseous Tritium Light Source (GTLS) These low level light sources have unique properties, they are unaffected by water, oil and most corrosive materials and require no external power source or exposure to light in order to work. They remain fail-safe and maintenance free and have a useful life in excess of 10-20 years.

Each traser light is a laser sealed borosilicate glass vial which has been coated internally with phosphor. In one single process the traser is sealed by a CO2 laser and injected with gaseous Tritium. The low energy electrons emitted by the Tritium, excite the phosphor and this creates a cold energy which produces a low level light without filaments or heat dissipation and no risk of fire or explosion.

From http://www.traser.com/cgi-bin/products.cgi?act=list_product_detail&id=982870357&x=71&y=55

• Can be clearly seen in total darkness from up to 30 ft!
• Glows (in the dark) for 10 years without batteries or recharging
• From £9.99 for a pack of two (+ P&P)
• Five fabulous colours - Green, Ice blue, Yellow, Purple and Orange.

These are available in various colours, two for STG£9.99. http://www.traser-uk.com/

Would be nice to mount one inside my case to provide some light to work by.



Spiffy, eh?

hacktavist

Arent they like them things people have at raves.
They dont look very bright

Chaos-Engine

Those glow tubes at raves are chemical... Where as these tritium tubes are radioactive.... And those tritium tubes look really weak. 10yrs??? I assume the Rate of Decay is involved. Shouldn't that not mean that it will diminish its brightness at a rate equal to its rate of decay... ?

GoneShootin

yes i may glow in the dark for ten years, but as has been said, surely the brightness would dimish over time ?

phaxx

That's a valid point, but what the hey, I've just had a set of five ordered for me. (STG£20) Will keep you posted.

po0k

Can you take em out of that thick plastic covering???
Looks mingin'

phaxx

I'm sure you can, but there's no way I'm cracking open any of them!

elexes

anyone else thinking that they are just key rings????? its what im thinking

Clinical Waste

Aye, they look like little keyrings to me.

Could use them as earings at your next LAN?

Redshift

These are also available a www.firebox.com at least they were last time I was there.

Redshift

phaxx

Em, yes they are keyrings.

koneko

Size/Duration: 50x10mm

That's nexto useless
The only thing it's really handy for it for finding your keys.

Was thinking of getting that glow-wire type thing, tho most places seem out of stock lately. Would fit nicely into the case mod i'm planning.

Edser

I've had one of these for about a year now, and it is only a key ring. It does not project 'enough light to work by' but I suppose it could look cool.
The actual light is only about an inch long and about as thick as the lead from a pencil, encased in thick plastic, (I suppose you could open it) however it is handy for finding your keys

Ed

phaxx

Originally posted by koneko
Was thinking of getting that glow-wire type thing, tho most places seem out of stock lately. Would fit nicely into the case mod i'm planning.

Yeah, me too, but it's a bit too expensive. Have lost the links to places that stock it, gah.

koneko

phaxx, found some here:

http://www.oc-shop.nl

I think they had them here too, but can't be sure
http://www.xoxide.com/cabling1.html

Kairo

I've a fairly stict policy about radioactive substances in the house ever since the time that hamster followed me home from the nuclear power plant.....

phaxx

Recieved them today, unfortunately they're much smaller than they appear, but they glow nicely in the dark. Not much use for case modding as I had hoped, though.