UV Killer Tests 11/06/2008

Tell the shaman and Dan what you think of the tests: Comments

The purpose of this report is to document the tests I performed on UV-Killer on November 6, 2008. I had been supplied a sample of UV-Killer by Dan Gutting of Atsko, Inc. Let me say at the outset that I was on the record as highly skeptical of not only the claims of Atsko regarding this product. In fact the reason for this test grew out of a weblog entry I made on 9/22/2008 on Genesis 9:2-4 Ministries. Dan took umbrage with my assertions, and a conversation ensued. If you follow the link, and click on the comments, you can see what has transpired. Eventually Dan offered to send me a sample of UV-Killer to test.

To test the effects of UV-Killer sample supplied by ATSKO, Inc. I have what’s left of a darkroom in the basement laundry room. It was an ideal environment for testing the UV-Killer. I also had available a large sampling of camouflage fabrics taken from over 20 years of collecting at the local fabric store. When I see camo fabric on sale, I snatch it up for use in making blinds, ponchos, and other hunting-related projects.

My purpose was to document the following things:

  • Whether or not I could photograph the UV effect
  • Whether or not I could photograph the difference between UV-bright fabric and control fabric
  • Whether I could show a reduction in UV-fluorescence using the UV-Killer product
  • Whether I could show this reduction in proper comparison to various controls.
  • Whether I could see the effect of detergents on non-fluorescent fabric.

I installed this in a fixture about 2 ‘ from the center of the test stand. In most of the photographs, you will see that the light source is coming from above and from the upper right quadrant of the picture.

For documenting the various tests, I used my Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi with a Canon EF Zoom Lense. If you click on the thumbnails, you should be able to get the exposure information from the full image.

In each of these tests, I tried to take one frame of flash photo, showing the setup, so the reviewer could see how the test objects look in ambient light. I then turned off all the lights, except the light coming from the 75 watt bulb.

The seven tests I conducted are documented on pages attached to this one, click on the links to the left at the top.

OVERALL CONCLUSIONS:

  • I believe that I have shown that my equipment was able to photograph the UV fluorescing effect that Atsko claims is evident in some fabrics. You can see that the Hunter Orange fabric does glow rather significantly compared to the non-fluorescing control and the background.
  • The results with the UV-Killer were more problematic. The test strip that was soaked in UV-Killer never dimmed in any of the photos, nor did it visibly dim to me.
  • UV-Killer did effect the fluorescence of the copier paper. It did make one side of a cotton swab get dark. It did not effect the Hunter Orange Camo.
    I could not find a single piece of camo in my entire collection that either showed the fluorescing described by Atsko. This collection of camo pre-dates my days as a hunter and goes back to before 1982, when I was first involved in paintball activities.
    Samples of camo from 1986, 2002, and 2005 showed no fluorescence. All the while, the Hunter Orange, both treated and untreated was glowing like all get-out.
  • Let me state up front that I did not use the 350nm light source recommended by Atsko. I did not have one available. However, after all this is through, if someone wants to provide me with such a light source, I will be happy to repeat the experiments. All I had was a 75watt incandescent black light:
  • The test of the random laundry detergent was a complete flop. The glow was not bright enough to detect with the camera.
    I suppose that if you are in the habit of hunting behind a blind made of copier in the bright sun, UV-Killer may have some utility. Beyond that, my testing of the UV-Killer product is moot.
  • A different light source might have some different effect on the test, but I do not know how. I have shown that the glowing stuff glows, and the non-glowing stuff doesn’t glow, and UV-Killer doesn’t make the glowing stuff stop glowing.
  • What this all has to do with field conditions of hunting deer is beyond me. No deer were used in these tests, as there were none in my basement at the time I was conducting them.
  • I recant one part of my original assertion from the 9/22/2008 weblog entry. I now see that a product such as UV-Killer block the reflectance of UV light off a fabric. The ‘X’ on the copier paper proved it. I stand by the rest of what I wrote on 9/22; UV-Killer is still hogwash to me, and Atsko would need to go a long way now to prove otherwise to my satisfaction.

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