Blacklight or UV

[timsabre]

 

It does indeed look like open 400W UV lamps that have exploded when the rain hit them. The trouble is that it's actually really hard finding a suitable protected fixture that can take a 400W mercury lamp that isn't huge and ugly.

 

Didn't see from the video that they were completely unprotected lamps. That's a scary idea for a number of reasons. It's an impressive float though.

[alistermorton]

Was it the old classic of the exploding uv cannon bulb? Had a few of them on wet gigs where someone decided to use an indoor fixture outside.

 

I should have banned the veterans from the competition, since it was obvious they would instantly know what had happened.

 

It does indeed look like open 400W UV lamps that have exploded when the rain hit them. The trouble is that it's actually really hard finding a suitable protected fixture that can take a 400W mercury lamp that isn't huge and ugly.

 

The 400W lamps are a pretty abysmal UV lightsource anyway. They work by filtering the desired notch out of the mercury vapour emission, whereas the fluorescent tubes use phosphor to create output in the UVA band much more efficiently.

 

I guess that's the really bright blue source at the feet of the guys around the edge - some of them are clearly out.

[bigclive]

Didn't see from the video that they were completely unprotected lamps. That's a scary idea for a number of reasons. It's an impressive float though.

 

The Carnival Clubs of the UK. One of those little known secrets that boggles the mind. Those clubs are run entirely by volunteers and produce a new set of carts every year. It's very competitive, hence why the floats are an orgy of motors, slip-rings and lamps with a big fat generator stuffed in the last cart.

 

This is one of my favourites from recent years. It blows Disney out the water.

 

[alistermorton]

Wow!!