Raytech Ministar Ls-4 Ultraviolet Light.

Picked this up tonight at our local stamp club.
It is a Rayteck light for with dual lights...

1 - Shortwave Ultraviolet lamp (For tagging)
2 - Long wave Ultraviolet lamp (For papers and inks)

Look at the original prices below (WOW)..I bought it for $5.00
Can't wait to try it out...

Wow!!! What a steal! Congrats on getting that.

I have one exactly like this (same make and model) which was given to me by fellow philatelists in the 1970's. It still works, and is obviously a more solid instrument than the ones available today. I've been working through a big pile of GB Machins and this lamp is a tremendous help.

I sold and used a LOT of UV lights in my day since they were used extensively for sterilization in fish tanks and ponds. Typically those bulbs lasted about a year but note that they were burned 24/7 (about 9000 hours). The bulbs will fire and light for years and years but they lose a lot of their UV capabilities after about 9000 hours. The bulbs also lose capability if the bulb/light gets impacted. I have had bulbs that had lost most of its effectiveness from shipping and poor handling, even through the bulb was 'new' it fell below the recommended <70% manufacturer UV strength when tested. UV lights also find use in room/air sterilization. So when looking for bulb replacement do not limit your search to 'stamp sources' or OEM. Get the bulb out, note the marking on it, and search all online sources for the best deal.
Don

Welcome to the forum clearsig...Enjoy

Don is correct..Purchase a bulb...You won't go wrong with this unit
Thanks for the link rod222.

Here are the other 2 devices I use..Battery driven.




Here is a good example what your UV lamp can do...Look at the regular Scott 1164and look at it under the UV light..Good eh..???


Robert

Robert,
I am curious to find out how did you manage to get to a local stamp club when most (all of us but PM Troudeau) are confined to our homes?

Hi Gilles,
This 2019 thread was 'bumped' by new member 'clearsig'.
Don

You can find these units on ebay sometimes. I have two.

These older units have longer lasting bulbs (survive more power on off cycles which is the real weakness).

Very true angore

Makes it a good unit and comes with a hands free stand
Only bad thing is it is not mobile.

Funny thing is some rock collectors use it to bring out hidden colours in rocks...see below

The two used units I purchased came in the original box but did not include a stand. The flyer included in one only referenced rocks withad a sample rock.

I had purchased an 11W unit last year and the lamp is already hard to start with reduced output. Mark Stockburger gave me a tip to swap ends and this helped extend the life.

Angore...I hope I dont sound stupid, are you saying go from plus to negative, to negative to plus..??

Robert

You just swap ends in the bulb mounts.

The Ministar literature looks like it came from the Jetson's. Perhaps they used a couple of Spacely Sprockets in the lamp?

shermae....You mean....

Robert

I also have Raytech LS-4, but it did not come with instructions or a manual. Any chances you could post it here? Thanks...