Light Bulbs and Lego

[Deeker]

Does anyone know if light bulbs will effect fading on my displayed lego?   

Right now I just put a shelf up in my office to display my imperial flagship, Hogwarts, and my Arkham asylum.   I am worried if these will fade since pretty close to a ceiling can light using a florescent bulbs.  Will these have any effect, should I switch to Led bulbs.

 

Any information or experience would be greatly appreciated.

 

Derek

[10230]

​Yes, I believe it does - I don't know the precise sun to artificial light comparison ratios - but artificial light can cause discoloration over time (especially being so close to strong lighting, as you have described).

​Yes, it probably also fades sets, but I would imagine by far not as much as sunlight will.

The only way to protect your sets would be to put them in dark boxes, and only write what's inside on the outside. But once you do that, why bother putting something in? Well, and you can ask yorself: "Is Harry Potter dead, or alive, or half of each, or possibly both at the same time?"

[KShine]

Does anyone know if light bulbs will effect fading on my displayed lego?   

Right now I just put a shelf up in my office to display my imperial flagship, Hogwarts, and my Arkham asylum.   I am worried if these will fade since pretty close to a ceiling can light using a florescent bulbs.  Will these have any effect, should I switch to Led bulbs.

 

Any information or experience would be greatly appreciated.

 

Derek

​Yes, I believe it does - I don't know the precise sun to artificial light comparison ratios - but artificial light can cause discoloration over time (especially being so close to strong lighting, as you have described).

[gregpj]

If you're at all concerned, use an LED light. LED lights do not produce UV and therefore should be better suited to what you've described. CFLs and the good old incandescent bulbs do produce UV (though apparently there are shielded CFLs that produce much less).

It's important to note that LEDs do produce that blue light that is particularly harmful to your eye when you look right at them from up close.

[Deeker]

Perfect, thank you for the information.   I guess it is LED's and no staring into them for me  

[TheOrcKing]

It's important to note that LEDs do produce that blue light that is particularly harmful to your eye when you look right at them from up close.

​It should go without saying anyone staring that close directly into a light bulb is harmful to the eyes like looking at the sun.

[gregpj]

​It should go without saying anyone staring that close directly into a light bulb is harmful to the eyes like looking at the sun.

​It should ... but then again, people do it all the time especially with LEDs since they think they're not nearly as powerful as incandescent, CFL or halogen lights. Turns out they produce less blue light but from sufficiently close it's pretty bad. And blue light more akin to solar eclipses where your eyes "think" they can look and you don't tend to squint or close your eye lids like looking directly at the sun. 

[Grolim]

The only way to protect your sets would be to put them in dark boxes, and only write what's inside on the outside. But once you do that, why bother putting something in? Well, and you can ask yorself: "Is Harry Potter dead, or alive, or half of each, or possibly both at the same time?"

​Ah the old Schrödinger's Lego paradox

[Mindbender]

This conversation has been most illuminating.

 

 

 

 

Thanks, I'll be here all week.

[Thumper]

Does anyone know if light bulbs will effect fading on my displayed lego?  

Right now I just put a shelf up in my office to display my imperial flagship, Hogwarts, and my Arkham asylum.   I am worried if these will fade since pretty close to a ceiling can light using a florescent bulbs.  Will these have any effect, should I switch to Led bulbs.

 

Any information or experience would be greatly appreciated.

 

Derek

​UVA & UVB ...  actually it's a misconception that LED & CFLs do not emit uv radiation, technically they do emit some, however most bulbs phosphors coatings filter it nearly completely,  so there's very miniscule passage if any (on good brands).  LED has the advantage in lower power consumption, longer life, lower profiles & the nearly UV-free light doesn't attract bugs or hum/resonate & is so much more environmentally friendly when disposed of.    also, unlike CFLs you can turn them on&off if in rapid succession if you so feel like it - turning on/off CFLs quickly will reduce their life span, you're not supposed to turn off a CFL for 3 minutes after you turn it on, & they glow for several minutes once they are turned off too... which is just weird.