I'm assuming I could get the boards to work with UV LEDS or leds of any other color, as long as they are all the same?

Yes, *if* you know what you're doing. You might need a higher power supply voltage (26-28 V?), but will need to keep it under 30 V, and watch the current on the IR LEDs....

Ah ok, do you have a schematic published somewhere so that I can do circuit analysis on the voltage and current requirements?

According to your page specifications : http://evilmadscience.com/component/content/article/78

I quote:

"The LEDs should be low-power (~20-30 mA) superbright types with a typical forward voltage 3.2-3.6 V. In practice, the voltage requirement means that you need to use LEDs from the "blue" end of the spectrum: white, blue, violet, pink, UV, or "pure" green. "

If I have consistent set of UV Led with the following specs, I don't see why I would need to make voltage adjustments unless your specifications have changed from the page? As these UV Leds have forward voltages in the same range and max current at 30mA. Please advise accordingly. Thanks.


Emitted Colour : UV (ULTRA VIOLET)
Size (mm) : 5mm T1 3/4
Lens Colour : Water Clear
Peak Wave Length (nm) : 380 ~ 400
Forward Voltage (V) : 3.2 ~ 3.6
Typical Voltage (V) : 3.4
Reverse Current (uA) : <=30
Luminous Intensity Typ Iv (mcd) : 2000 ~ 3000(Max)
Life Rating : 80,000 ~ 100,000 Hours
Viewing Angle : ±10°
Absolute Maximum Ratings (Ta=25°C)
Max Power Dissipation : 80mw
Max Continuous Forward Current : 30mA
Max Peak Forward Current : 75mA
Reverse Voltage : 5~6V
Lead Soldering Temperature : 240°C (<5Sec)
Operating Temperature Range : -25°C ~ +85°C Preservative Temperature Range : -30°C ~ +100°C

Will they *just work* if you plug them in? Yes. Will it be safe? Absolutely. Will they work optimally? Probably not; I'd expect them to run a bit dimmer, and have not such a perfect "zero crossing" that we get with the standard blue and white. (We've fine-tuned the performance "just so" with the blue and white LEDs.) The UV ones tend slightly higher (in practice) in terms of typical forward voltage.

I have tried this with UV Leds and the strange thing was the normal size Leds did not seem to work but i got hold of some super bright mini UV Leds and they worked great?