>John de Stigter wrote:
>
>> > Buy a UV tube from lamp supply company and fit it to a cheap battery
>> > operated mini flourescent lamp. Cost me around $15 Australian. I run it
>> off
>> > a plug pack and it works well.
>> > rob
>>
>> Rob,
>> Could you give me the name of a lamp supply company and/or a make/model for
>> the tube. All I've been able to find is a fluorescent tube with a UV
>> coating, which isn't suitable.Even though Jaycar has eprom erasers on
>> special this month,they are still over $100.
>> Regards,
>> John.

Be aware that to erase EPROMs you need to use UV-B at 253.7 nm. The "Black
Light" UV tubes used for entertainment (sunbeds, nightclubs, etc) are UV-A
and don't work. I bought some UV-B tubes at my local electrical wholesaler.
Ask for germicidal lamps. Hospitals use them for disinfecting. A 40W tube
cost me about $12. The only disadvantage is that in this form it's quite
large, more the size of an office flourescent. Then you have to buy a
ballast, a starter and the fittings, but it still works out really cheap,
albeit bulky.

As well as UV (which you can't see), these tubes put out a visible purple
light.

Warning! The invisible UV is dangerous radiation that will harm you without
you realising it! Running an exposed UV-B lamp is always bad for you.

Stephen.