Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!usc!samsung!uunet!pilchuck!ssc!markz
From: markz@ssc.UUCP (Mark Zenier)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Cheap EPROM eraser?
Message-ID: <634@ssc.UUCP>
Date: 8 Apr 90 21:41:58 GMT
References: <1990Apr7.202331.15694@mthvax.cs.miami.edu>
Distribution: na
Organization: SSC, Inc., Seattle, WA
Lines: 29

In article <1990Apr7.202331.15694@mthvax.cs.miami.edu>, dnelson@mthvax.cs.miami.edu (Dru Nelson) writes:
>      I purchased an eprom eraser kit at a hamfest a couple years back. 
>      It didn't work.  After recent postings of bulb types I pulled it
>      out to check the bulb.  It is a F4T5-BL bulb.
> 
>      Is this the right bulb or is the UV output too low?

I've seen this published too, which means a lot of people are very patient
or authors of magazine articles lie.

About 8 years ago, I ran a search for a cheap eprom eraser and and found
that there are (at least) 3 types of bulbs that fit into flourescent
fixtures.

BL or BLB phosphors.  This peaks at 350 nanometers and is used for
psychedelic posters (the BLB suffix with a dark purple filter) or
curing UV sensitive glue or other photochemical stuff.  I erased an eprom 
on a poster light once, but it took 3.5 Days. 

Sunlamp phosphors. (Suffix unknown).  These peak at 300 nanometers.  Another 
posting said that eprom erasure time is about 1 hour.

Germicidal bulbs.  Not really a flourescent at all, because there isn't a
phosphor.  A naked mercury arc in a quartz glass tube at 258.? nanometers.
I use a G15T8 to erase eproms in 6 minutes.

Get a G4T5 for probably $25.

markz@ssc.uucp