UVC Light Germicidal Cabinet

An elderly friend had an upright freezer that had gotten knocked out by lightning a few months ago so I used it to put together a UVC light germicidal cabinet to disinfect his incoming mail and groceries.

Step 1:

Parts

Any enclosed cabinet, chest, box, etc. I used an old upright freezer with a stainless steel interior to better reflect the UVC light around the inside but any enclosure should work fine. Even most plastics will not allow the high wavelength of UVC light to pass through.

UVC Bulb https://normanlamps.com/specialty-lighting/germic... or https://www.amazon.com/GE-11078-G15T8-Germicidal-F...

Fluorescent Light Fixture https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HJ75PW

Extension Cord https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HJ75PW

30 Minute Timer https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HJ75PW

Step 2:

UVC light can cause sunburn, skin cancer and eye injury. It is used in laboratory clean rooms and even at the entrances of some hospitals to disinfect visitors. It is thought that very short term exposure is relatively safe but it is recommended to use in an enclosed cabinet or box with a way to turn the bulb on and off from the outside. 15 to 20 minutes of exposure to UVC light is enough to penetrate and damage the RNA and DNA of coronavirus present on contaminated surfaces but I used a 30-minute timer just to be safe. Any radiation absorbed by contaminated surfaces is not re-emitted so after the bulb is turned off the materials can be removed and handled immediately. Stay safe and thanks for looking!