# Homemade UVB lamp for vitamin D?



## avalon11

Hello, I want make UVB lamp for vitamin D production since vitamin D supplement are not only less effective but also more expensive. Regular tan lamps produce only 1% UVB and too much useless, harmful UVA. UVB narrowband, 311nm or also called lamps for skin diseases are more effective but every expensive and not so powerful. Vitamin D along with other benefits can be produced only in UVB and UVC spectrums. Cheapest option seems to be 10.0 UVB reptile lamp.






How these UVB lamps are made? Are quartz lamps with air or ozone gap suitable? I read that medium pressure mercury lamps unlike low pressure produce more UVB but where such are utilized? Regular glass blocks UVB so they are probably made from quartz.


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## scout24

Hello, and welcome to CPF! I'm going to move your thread to the Special Application Lighting subforum. There will be a re-direct here for a couple days, so it should be easy to find...


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## Marcturus

avalon11 said:


> Hello, I want make UVB lamp for vitamin D production since vitamin D supplement are not only less effective but also more expensive. Regular tan lamps produce only 1% UVB and too much useless, harmful UVA. UVB narrowband, 311nm or also called lamps for skin diseases are more effective but every expensive and not so powerful. Vitamin D along with other benefits can be produced only in UVB and UVC spectrums. Cheapest option seems to be 10.0 UVB reptile lamp.


Compared to possible detrimental effects of UVC-spewing lamps, both supplements and UVB narrowband might eventually turn out to be cheaper. On the other hand - and this not to be construed as medical advice - any pure UV-sources are in no way natural. In order to mimic sunlight, think about adding (non-IRC) halogen lamps to your UV lamps. 
BTW, last time I looked, some of the X-axis labeling of spectral output graphs for Havells-Sylvania Reptistar T8 seemed faulty on their website.


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## usdiver

Hi, have you tried Zepter Bioptron? I m familiar with these devices and are very safe to use as well as very beneficial. I have used myself.


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## TinderBox (UK)

Chicken Eggs contain quite a lot of Vitamin D, So eat a egg or two a day and you should be fine, And they are very cheap to buy at least in the UK 15 eggs for £1

John.


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## avalon11

Marcturus said:


> Compared to possible detrimental effects of UVC-spewing lamps, both supplements and UVB narrowband might eventually turn out to be cheaper. On the other hand - and this not to be construed as medical advice - any pure UV-sources are in no way natural. In order to mimic sunlight, think about adding (non-IRC) halogen lamps to your UV lamps.
> BTW, last time I looked, some of the X-axis labeling of spectral output graphs for Havells-Sylvania Reptistar T8 seemed faulty on their website.



UVC is indeed harmful and damages DNA that's why it's effective at killing germs. But if I'm correct UVC is completely blocked by air and ozone, since even few centimeter barrier of ozone gas with PE film seems stop UVC judging from no smell of it. In Soviet Union germicidal UVC lamps where also used for vitamin D production and still are used in Ukraine, Russia. But people keep distance of at least on meter:





Natural UV is more harmful since it contains 99% UVA that penetrates deeper skin, ages it faster, produces no vitamin D. So that's why ideally you want have as pure as possible UVB spectrum.


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## Marcturus

avalon11 said:


> Natural UV is more harmful since it contains 99% UVA that penetrates deeper skin, ages it faster, produces no vitamin D. So that's why ideally you want have as pure as possible UVB spectrum.


From only knowing that a "substance X" plus "substance Z" is worse than substance Z alone, one cannot conclude that substance Z is ideal. (Industrially produced chicken eggs, or vitamin A+D fortified vodka might be moar ideal, I really don't know....)


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## lucca brassi

Premature babies or babies with jaundice disease have been irradiated with UV B. 
https://www.google.si/search?q=Your...UiIpoKHbKgCxYQ_AUIBigB&biw=1680&bih=914#spf=1

I have myself also light psoriasis and try with ''reptile lamps'' ( they are designed for desert where is the largest concentration of UVB rays) you need 300nm +/- 10nm wavelength
http://www.petmountain.com/product/...-terra-exo-terra-reptile-uvb-200-ho-bulb.html but no big effect 

But problem with D vitamin is that you can consume only D3 vitamin and not D4 vitamin which is created in you under sun rays 
http://www.reptileuvinfo.com/html/spectral-character-of-sunlight-modulates-previtamin-D3.htm

look on similar like : https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/300nm-310nm-UVC-led-wholesale-price_60540298278.html ( point is that you use only wavelength that you need )


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