LED light and beer

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Phideaoux44

Phideaoux44

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I have recently been the fortunate recipient of one of those monster commercial fridges, the ones with two sliding glass doors. It looks really snazzy with it all lit up and whatnot but I was bothered when I remembered how I always read to "never let your beer get in the sunlight or fluorescent light". I know there's a debate there for some people, but I personally believe it affects it. I lager as well as store my hops, yeast, and beer in it.

Then I found out that you can get these fluorescent tube shaped led lights that just snap in like a normal fluorescent (no ballast mods or anything) and then rock and roll with led light. So my question is can I switch out the fluorescents in the fridge's interior and use these LED's without trouble or will the same problem occur. I'm imagining that they give off far less UV but I'm hoping that this panel of experts before me might have a definitive answer.

Thank you in advance.
:rockin:
 
Good questions - and I don't have an answer - but keep in mind you said it has glass doors - so any natural light will get in there too, no?

Perhaps you could blackout the doors and switch the inside lights off? Is that an option?
 
I know they use LED's for salt water aquarium lighting, my guess is the are putting of plenty of UV.
 
MA_Brewer said:
Good questions - and I don't have an answer - but keep in mind you said it has glass doors - so any natural light will get in there too, no?

Perhaps you could blackout the doors and switch the inside lights off? Is that an option?
Click to expand...

Oh it has a switch inside where you can turn it off. I just like the idea of having a light in there when I'm searching through my hop containers and whatnot. Also, it's in the garage and whenever the door is open, I throw a shirt over the carboy to make sure it gets no sunlight. It spends most of its time in the dark though.

Basically I'm just seeing if there's a way to have A light on there without it messing everything up.
 
I usually take a paper shopping bag and put a carboy neck sized hole at the top and cover it. If I really need to take a peak just lift it up. Don't know about the light, but why take the chance.
 
If your only turning the light on to search for hops or something, I wouldn't worry about it. If you want to leave the light on to display your fermenting wort, that might be another issue altogether.

Linc
 
LEDs produce light in very specific wavelengths this is one of the reasons they are so efficient. as I understand it only UV light really skunks beer, UV light is 400nm and lower. so any LEDs rated above 400nm the only problem is that LEDs are usually specific colors which may not give you the color light you want.
From what Ive found online white LEDs are really a mix of red green and blue LEDs they produce little to no UV light.
 
Yeah, right now I only turn it on intermittently. But I'm trying to have it to where I can see the fermentation (years later and I STILL can stare at it all day). Furthermore (but of less concern) is the fact that the marquis light on the top of the fridge is wired to the inside light and it would be nice to not have to rewire it so that it would come on without the interior. I am imagining that LED's emit very very little UV and that this idea would work, but I'm hoping one of our resident geniuses here will pipe up and hit me with a dose of certainty.
 
Not sure about the LED, but I have a fluorescent light right over my fermintifreezer. The fluorescent light only hits the carboy for a few minutes anytime I need to check on it (not often) so I'm not worried about it. I think I read that it takes a couple minutes to skunk a glass of beer in sunlight, takes a couple hours to skunk one under fluorescent.

Edit: UV and near UV can skunk beer, keep it above 500 nm
 
Based on this article
Worldchanging: Bright Green: White Light, Less Heat
which shows that a white LED has wavelengths below 500nm (I was just looking at the chart, and it makes sense if it is white light)

According to this you can skunk beer with 500 nm or less light.
What Gives Beer the Skunk or Stale Flavor? - At least three chemicals - Softpedia
Riboflavin, a yeast chemical, absorbs light energy with wavelengths of 350 to 500 nanometers (nm). This energy makes the iso-alpha acids release free radicals that combine with sulfur chemicals produced by the yeast, resulting the stinky thiol.

I have some "bug light" covers for my fluorescent lights (Ok I still need to actually put them on...) that turn the light yellow, and really what they are doing is mostly blocking any of the blue/violet light (500nm and less...). So you could just get some of these covers (from McMaster, I can get you a part #) and put them over your current fluorescent tubes.
 
I'd be interested in those bug covers, thank you. Perhaps that would work. I appreciate all your help; you guys are awesome!
 
Or just slather some SPF 50 on your carboys after you pitch the yeast :) Careful picking them up!

Do a 1 Gallon test batch of a highly hopped Light pale Ale (maybe a lb of DME for a 1044 beer and hop to 50-60 IBUs) and leave the lights on. If it skunks you know you're answer and are only out 1 gallon of beer. Which can be choked down no problem even if it's skunked :D
 
LED's are really really expensive right now. Just stick to normal incandescent lighting. And yes - "white" diodes do release UV as they are a combination of a UV LED and a Blue LED.
 
Based on the chart and text in this wiki article
Fluorescent lamp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yellow fluorescent lights The spectrum is nearly identical to a normal fluorescent bulb except for a near total lack of light below 500 nanometers. This effect can be achieved through either specialized phosphor use or more commonly by the use of a simple yellow light filter. These lamps are commonly used as lighting for photolithography work in cleanrooms and as "bug repellent" outdoor lighting (the efficacy of which is questionable).

I figured the bug light cover from McMaster would help protect the beer from skunking
48 . . . . .Yellow Bug Lite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1626K45. . . . . 5.45 4.90
McMaster-Carr
 
So am I to understand then, that these UV filters should work?

Mcmaster Carr No. 1626K71

I could cover the interior light, filter the UV and leave it on inside? Does anyone know if these work? I know one of you said you own them but have yet to use them.
 
conpewter said:
Based on the chart and text in this wiki article
Fluorescent lamp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yellow fluorescent lights The spectrum is nearly identical to a normal fluorescent bulb except for a near total lack of light below 500 nanometers. This effect can be achieved through either specialized phosphor use or more commonly by the use of a simple yellow light filter. These lamps are commonly used as lighting for photolithography work in cleanrooms and as "bug repellent" outdoor lighting (the efficacy of which is questionable).

I figured the bug light cover from McMaster would help protect the beer from skunking
48 . . . . .Yellow Bug Lite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1626K45. . . . . 5.45 4.90
McMaster-Carr
Click to expand...

D'oh. You beat me to it. I think I might try that. If anyone knows for sure that they work, let me know. Gonna give it a shot in the meantime. Seems like it will work in theory, but we know how that goes....
 
Well as soon as my pale ale is done I'll bottle some in clear bottles, put one in the dark, and set the other under my yellow fluorescent for 24 hours and test (means I have to actually install the covers)..

Also I started to research this when building my brew-rig in the basement since I have fluorescent lights in that area. Once I found out that you can't skunk beer until yeast have been introduced I felt much better

This also explains why you can brew out in the bright sunlight, transfer to a clear carboy, sit around and drink some... carry into the dark basement and pitch yeast and not get skunky beer.
 
conpewter said:
Well as soon as my pale ale is done I'll bottle some in clear bottles, put one in the dark, and set the other under my yellow fluorescent for 24 hours and test (means I have to actually install the covers)..

Also I started to research this when building my brew-rig in the basement since I have fluorescent lights in that area. Once I found out that you can't skunk beer until yeast have been introduced I felt much better

This also explains why you can brew out in the bright sunlight, transfer to a clear carboy, sit around and drink some... carry into the dark basement and pitch yeast and not get skunky beer.
Click to expand...


Yeah, I'm less concerned about it once it's bottled as I am when it's fermenting. We all know that's when it's at the biggest risk for screw ups. I wonder how "yellow" these yellow lights are.
 
Phideaoux44 said:
Yeah, I'm less concerned about it once it's bottled as I am when it's fermenting. We all know that's when it's at the biggest risk for screw ups. I wonder how "yellow" these yellow lights are.
Click to expand...

I would be JUST as concerned when it's in bottles. This is when the commercials get skunked. Go buy some Pilsner Urqell at the grocery store. I guarantee it wasn't skunked like that when PU bottled it.
 
True, but I more meant that when it's bottled it's in brown bottles which helps. Also, they are usually in a box and not as close to the light. I didn't mean they weren't at risk when bottled, rather, I meant that when bottled in my setup they are not at as much risk. The carboy however sits on the bottom near the light.
 
Phideaoux44 said:
I have recently been the fortunate recipient of one of those monster commercial fridges, the ones with two sliding glass doors. It looks really snazzy with it all lit up and whatnot but I was bothered when I remembered how I always read to "never let your beer get in the sunlight or fluorescent light". I know there's a debate there for some people, but I personally believe it affects it. I lager as well as store my hops, yeast, and beer in it.

Then I found out that you can get these fluorescent tube shaped led lights that just snap in like a normal fluorescent (no ballast mods or anything) and then rock and roll with led light. So my question is can I switch out the fluorescents in the fridge's interior and use these LED's without trouble or will the same problem occur. I'm imagining that they give off far less UV but I'm hoping that this panel of experts before me might have a definitive answer.

Thank you in advance.
:rockin:
Click to expand...

I have a very high intrest in those fluorescent tube shaped LED lights that can snap in like a normal fluorescent light. Do you have a forum site or email address to the manufacture of these LED lights? Any heads up or direction to help me would be great. Thanks in advance. Carl......
 
BrewBeermer,

Here's the url. These bad boys are pretty damn expensive, what with being a new technology and all that, but a neat concept. Still not sure what I'm going to do for my application, but maybe this will help with yours.

EverLED - LED Upgrade Replacement

Hope that helps
 
Phideaoux44 said:
BrewBeermer,

Here's the url. These bad boys are pretty damn expensive, what with being a new technology and all that, but a neat concept. Still not sure what I'm going to do for my application, but maybe this will help with yours.

EverLED - LED Upgrade Replacement

Hope that helps
Click to expand...

Thanks for the LED address. A little on the expensive side for the use I had in mind plus needing 14 seperate lighting units. I wanted to get away from those ugly black plastic 12 volt garden lighting units that burn out all the time mounted under the rain gutters around the property. I have 1 1/2" x 10" long thin brass tubing with end plates that will be a 270 degree shield, inside a strip mounted with 18 white super bright 25 degree angle LED's for night lighting around the property. Simple small and clean looking. I'll end up building my own LED light strips and change out the fixtures. Already wired with #6 awg years ago. Thanks for your efforts.
 
I just started researching this myself with the concern for lighting in a retail "bottle shop" atmosphere. I came across an article which points out
...adding that the blue light necessary to obtain white LEDs causes "toxic stress" to the retina
Click to expand...
. Basically, it's my understanding from the article that "white" LED's emit a whole bunch of the Blue light that is most harmful to hops. Considering this, I'm going to try to find out if yellow or even red LED's might be a better alternative... or if it's even a possible and pragmatic solution?
This is the full article from LED Magazine: http://goo.gl/Mm6iZ2
 

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