A black light flashlight is a tool that is commonly used by law enforcement officers and military personnel. However, these days it is possible for anyone to purchase this simple tool, and for those that own them there are a few uses it can be put to.
Most people will have a standard flashlight in their home for use in the dark. While a black light flashlight may resemble this, it differs in that it is designed to emit ultraviolet (UV) light and for this reason it is also commonly known as a UV flashlight. While a standard flashlight is used to light up an area when it is dark, a UV flashlight is more commonly used as a detection tool that can show up fluorescent materials and it has a number of applications.
Some of the common uses of a black light flashlight include showing up stains. It can be used to show up urine stains and this can be useful for pet owners and can also be used to show rodent contamination. For those that live in areas where scorpions are common, a black light will illuminate these and this can be a useful way to detect and remove them from a home. Other common uses of black lights include in the repair of leaks to machinery. In many cases the fluids in these can have a UV dye added and where this is leaking it will show up under a black light.
UV flashlights can also be used in security control and detecting forgery. They can be used to detect forged ID’s which can be useful for bars and clubs that need to check the age of those entering. Another use is in showing up the invisible stripe shown on US bills which can assist in detecting forgery.
For those that want to purchase a UV flashlight, they can be found for sale in a few locations. The internet retailer Black Light has some models available and this includes the Tank 007 1-Watt LED Ultra Violet 365nm Black Light Flashlight. This retails for $70 and features a high strength aluminum case and a super bright UV bulb. Other models include the Arachnid A14 Ultra Violet 14 LED Scorpion Class Black Light which is more affordable at around $20. While it can be used for hunting scorpions, this model can also be used for other black light applications.
The online operations of Walmart also have a black light flashlight available. The Coast V2 6-Chip Dual Color LED Flashlight with UV Light retails for $49. This has the advantage that it can work as both a regular and UV flashlight. It has 3 white LED bulbs which enable regular flashlight use. However, it also has 3 UV LED bulbs and these allow the flashlight to operate as a black light.
A black light flashlight can be used for a variety of purposes from hygiene control to forgery detection. They can therefore be a useful tool for both homeowners and businesses to have available and as they are relatively affordable to purchase it is possible for anyone to own one.