Protecting lens of add-on LED lights in blast cabinet

[Boswell]

I have seen many people add in-expensive LED lights to the inside of their blast cabinets but not how people are protecting the lens from getting frosted over time from overspray from blasting. I desperately need to add additional light to my blast cabinet so looking for how to do this is a sustainable way. Can you just put clear packing tape over the lens and replace from time to time? Something better? Am I overthinking this?

 

[Braeden P]

I have seen many people add in-expensive LED lights to the inside of their blast cabinets but not how people are protecting the lens from getting frosted over time from overspray from blasting. I desperately need to add additional light to my blast cabinet so looking for how to do this is a sustainable way. Can you just put clear packing tape over the lens and replace from time to time? Something better? Am I overthinking this?

safety glass? I think that that stuff will be strong

 

[macardoso]

I have seen many people add in-expensive LED lights to the inside of their blast cabinets but not how people are protecting the lens from getting frosted over time from overspray from blasting. I desperately need to add additional light to my blast cabinet so looking for how to do this is a sustainable way. Can you just put clear packing tape over the lens and replace from time to time? Something better? Am I overthinking this?

At work we had some thicker clear tape (like a high quality packing tape). Would put 30 sheets or so on at a time and peel off as needed. Worked OK

 

[markba633csi]

I was thinking of a roll of clear plastic film and a crank mechanism so you just advance it when it gets frosty
Probably easier to just do what macardoso suggested above
-Mark

 

[Weldingrod1]

Glass takes MUCH longer to booger up than plastic, but costs more per sheet. Peelable sheets are nice! When I re-did out big cabinet at work I added a layer of metal mesh spaced away from the glass and light. The idea is that it only blocks a little light, but it will block a lot of beads. It will be a while before I know if it works ;-)

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[Boswell]

I'm starting to think about using screw in glass LED replaceable bulbs. Just replace the bulb when they get to frosted and as mentioned, glass will not frost as quickly as plastic. Looks like the bulbs can be found for around $5 each. If I go this way, I will have to find the right socket and mount it in an electrical box as they will be 110VAC. on the plus side, it will be easy to wire it into the existing light switch. Still thinking it over though.

 

[Bi11Hudson]

The only experience I can bring to the table is when a new department manager was "promoted" into the department. A "tool junkie" at heart, he purchased a "Horrible Fright" quality blast cabinet at a "McMaster-Carr" price. The instrument shop really didn't need such a blast cabinet, but the new boss had money to spend or lose it. Ce'st la Vie. . . (loosely, "$#!t happens")

There was a light fixture inside for fluorescent tubes with a plastic shield. We (the techs) replaced the shield with a trpile layer assembly made from a cut down "hard" plastic tube (not plexi) and two layers of light, flexible plastic covering that. The "coating" was replaced with a new sheet whenever good light was needed. The frosted cover was used most times, being for "government work" as a rule.

In my hobby work (at home), I frequently make a diffuser shield for light fixtures by blasting hard plastic. There is some loss of light intensity, but it is made up for by being spread over the surface rather than strong point(s) of light. If using such a light is too dim, simply increasing the intensity of the light usually suffices. The double shielding at work was more for protection of the surface from the media. The physical "wear & tear" aspect, if you will.

I'm starting to think about using screw in glass LED replaceable bulbs. Just replace the bulb when they get to frosted and as mentioned, glass will not frost as quickly as plastic. Looks like the bulbs can be found for around $5 each. If I go this way, I will have to find the right socket and mount it in an electrical box as they will be 110VAC. on the plus side, it will be easy to wire it into the existing light switch. Still thinking it over though.

In reply to the most recent post above, most LED lamps in that price range have a hard plastic shell. Some sort of shield will still be necessary to prevent blasting through the globe. A possible alternative would be:

- MPJA.COM

www.mpja.com

with a hardware store protective plastic fluorescent lamp protector.

.

 

[hman]

@Boswell - I'm just wondering why frosting the surface of an LED would be an issue. The same amount of light will still get out. OK, it might get a bit more more diffuse, but you don't need tightly focused light inside a blast cabinet. General, diffuse illumination is what you want. And if you're thinking of "bulbs" or "fluorescent tube" type lamps, the good news is that they won't burn out just because you get pinholes in them. There's no hot filament or gas discharge in an LED lamp shaped to fit a "traditional" fixture. Of course, you wouldn't want to point the blast gun right at them for extended periods of time ...

PS - I've installed numerous LED light strips for a friend who owns a store and wanted to illuminate the merchandise. Love 'em! One especially nice thing about them is that they're electrically safe - 12 volts DC. I power them with wall warts bought at Goodwill. Two comments:
1. The "peel and stick" adhesive isn't too good, especially for extended periods of time. I always add dabs of "GO2" adhesive every few inches along both sides.
2. I've seen at least one "outdoor" grade LED light strip, fully factory coated with some kind of clear rubbery material, where the coating started to discolor. It eventually blackened. I'd strongly prefer @Bi11Hudson's idea of mounting the light strip in a fluorescent lamp protector. Maybe mount the light strip on a narrow piece of metal or wood, secure it with GO2, then slip this into the protector when the glue has set.

 

[Boswell]

The same amount of light will still get out

Interesting. I would think that the more frosted it got, the less light would get through.

most LED lamps in that price range have a hard plastic shell

Probably right and if so, no advantage other than easy to replace.

I have an LED strip for kitchen under-counter lighting. It has a plastic diffuser. I'll stick it in and see how it works. I just did a few hours of blasting. Not sure when the next time I will need to blast so it might be awhile before I can test.

 

[Weldingrod1]

My experience is the blasting frost ends up blocking a lot of light. For a big cabinet, consider a :
ZHMA 150W LED Flood Lights Outdoor

I was VERY happy with the additional light. Beat the heck out of the two tube fluorescent it replaced!

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