Would any red light bulb work?
- Thread starter Brendan
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2007
- Messages
- 1,413
I'm pretty sure that coloring the bulb red has anything to do with making it infrared.
A normal bulb white or yellow emits visible light and UV rays. Wrapping or coloring it doesn't change the color spectrum from Visible Light to Infrared on the spectrum scale I believe it has to do with the filament inside.
I've tried to do more research on this from howstuffworks.com and google but can't find anything. I know from that site that "Incandescent light bulbs give off most of their energy in the form of heat-carrying infrared light photons -- only about 10 percent of the light produced is in the visible spectrum"
I assume that is why we can see the light from the normal IR bulb we purchase for our heat sources. Then when you think about your TV remote and the IR signal/light it emits we can not see at all.
Not quite sure why I have written all this but I was curious and still left unsure. Just go out and buy a bulb which is labeled "Infrared"
Quote taken from http://home.howstuffworks.com/light-bulb2.htm 7th paragraph
Images taken from http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/nightvision1.htm under 1st paragraph
A normal bulb white or yellow emits visible light and UV rays. Wrapping or coloring it doesn't change the color spectrum from Visible Light to Infrared on the spectrum scale I believe it has to do with the filament inside.
I've tried to do more research on this from howstuffworks.com and google but can't find anything. I know from that site that "Incandescent light bulbs give off most of their energy in the form of heat-carrying infrared light photons -- only about 10 percent of the light produced is in the visible spectrum"
I assume that is why we can see the light from the normal IR bulb we purchase for our heat sources. Then when you think about your TV remote and the IR signal/light it emits we can not see at all.
Not quite sure why I have written all this but I was curious and still left unsure. Just go out and buy a bulb which is labeled "Infrared"
Quote taken from http://home.howstuffworks.com/light-bulb2.htm 7th paragraph
Images taken from http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/nightvision1.htm under 1st paragraph
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2007
- Messages
- 342
IF you just get a red bulb it is not the same as Infared. Infared is not visable to the human eye so we cant see it, but the bulbs appear red because it is not fully infared. I would suggest getting an infared bulb, they are much better for heating and wont affect an emp as much as using just a plain red bulb. You can find infared bulbs at petsmart or petco for a good price.
If the bulb was infrared then we wouldn't see it.I'm pretty sure that coloring the bulb red has anything to do with making it infrared.
A normal bulb white or yellow emits visible light and UV rays. Wrapping or coloring it doesn't change the color spectrum from Visible Light to Infrared on the spectrum scale I believe it has to do with the filament inside.
I've tried to do more research on this from howstuffworks.com and google but can't find anything. I know from that site that "Incandescent light bulbs give off most of their energy in the form of heat-carrying infrared light photons -- only about 10 percent of the light produced is in the visible spectrum"
I assume that is why we can see the light from the normal IR bulb we purchase for our heat sources. Then when you think about your TV remote and the IR signal/light it emits we can not see at all.
Not quite sure why I have written all this but I was curious and still left unsure. Just go out and buy a bulb which is labeled "Infrared"
Quote taken from http://home.howstuffworks.com/light-bulb2.htm 7th paragraph
Images taken from http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/nightvision1.htm under 1st paragraph
I don't know why they call it infrared.
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2007
- Messages
- 342
It IS infared, but its still crosses over a bit to the red visable light, so thats why it appears red. But infared lights to emit infared light.
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2007
- Messages
- 1,413
They can see the color red and so can we.
Infrared has no "color", we can not see it. That red coating on the bulb is what makes that "10 percent of the light produced is in the visible spectrum" red. So no the wrapping method will not work.
Edit**
Infrared photons that are emitted are a high heat source so that's why it is best to use considering they can't see it. You have to consider their primitive eyes can not get anywhere near as acute as humans and that's why we detect that slight 10% of visible light.
You can go ahead and wrap or whatever you'd like but those bulbs will emit UV rays which are said to cause harm to scorpions on prolonged contact and the scorpions will be able to see it. Some desert species I believe can actually die promptly when exposed to sunlight or UV emitting bulbs I read a thread or care sheet can't source that info and don't quote me one it
Infrared has no "color", we can not see it. That red coating on the bulb is what makes that "10 percent of the light produced is in the visible spectrum" red. So no the wrapping method will not work.
Edit**
Infrared photons that are emitted are a high heat source so that's why it is best to use considering they can't see it. You have to consider their primitive eyes can not get anywhere near as acute as humans and that's why we detect that slight 10% of visible light.
You can go ahead and wrap or whatever you'd like but those bulbs will emit UV rays which are said to cause harm to scorpions on prolonged contact and the scorpions will be able to see it. Some desert species I believe can actually die promptly when exposed to sunlight or UV emitting bulbs I read a thread or care sheet can't source that info and don't quote me one it
Last edited: