Comparing Fiber Optic System Quality

Is the system safety tested and listed for use as a museum lighting system?
Fiber optic systems for exhibit lighting should be tested and listed as either portable lamps (with cord and plug) or recessed lighting fixtures (connected through metal conduit). Some fiber optic systems being sold to museums (even those manufactured by some large firms) are listed as electric sign accessories, swimming pool lights or even theater and stage lights.
NoUVIR fiber optic systems, projectors, power supplies, and even the mountings and connecting cords are listed by ETL, which is the country's oldest test lab (actually founded by Thomas Edison) for portable lamp use (Conforming to UL Standard 153 and CSA Standard 22.2) or for recessed lighting fixtures (Conforming to UL Standard 1571). Any other listing would be illegal for museum exhibit illumination.

Does the fiber have documented service life and a warranty?
Some fibers can age to uselessness in a few months. Their manufacturers have carefully-worded warranties that specifically exclude yellowing, embrittlement, or damage from moving a system. NoUVIR has replaced a number of such failed "solid-core" fiber optic systems that have lasted no more than a year in museum use.
Some manufacturers of glass fiber optics claim that "glass is permanent". This fiber is called "glass" but is really a half and half combination of glass and epoxy. The epoxy bonding the glass threads together is not permanent. Thus, NoUVIR has replaced a number of failed glass systems in museums in which the common end bushing has literally disintegrated into blackened epoxy powder and loose glass fibers, and where the lumianire end has broken apart. These systems slowly grow dimmer and dimmer with age. Again, check the warranty. The manufacturer of a glass system is careful to not warranty against dimming or eventual failure in the field.
NoUVIR's pMMA acrylic fibers have been documented in 24-hour-a-day outdoor service for over 12 years; and have been in use for over 18 years in outdoor service without change. This is the equivalent of 40 years of indoor or museum use. NoUVIR offers an excellent ten-year warranty. See our catalog for details.

Is the actual in-service lamp life reasonable?
Some fiber optic companies quote the lamp manufacturer's published lamp life (tested under ideal laboratory conditions) which cannot be duplicated in normal field use. Manufacturers of projectors with dimmer controls often claim their brightness at full voltage, and then quote the lamp life at reduced voltage. They never say, "But you can't have both at the same time."
Some systems use metal halide lamps (several with a $600.00 replacement lamp cost) citing "long-life". But they do not mention a lamp color shift in a much shorter time.
Some units use special lamps that are both expensive and hard to get (often only from the projector manufacturer).
NoUVIR publishes only field test life data, using standard, inexpensive lamps (around $10.00) available from several manufacturers through most lamp suppliers.

Is the projector easy to maintain? Is the lamp easily and quickly replaceable by an unskilled worker without tools?
One widely-used fiber optic projector requires 21 parts to be removed with tools before you can remove the lamp. Try that over a case of priceless exhibit of ancient glass, or above a 14-foot ceiling in a gallery, without losing one or more parts into the bowels of the projector.
A NoUVIR lamp can be replaced in less than 60 seconds with no tools.
Also, many projectors must be removed entirely for service, disturbing their embrittled fibers. NoUVIR COLD-NOSE™ projectors have pull-out drawers which include all the electrical parts including the lamp. They can be serviced on a work bench while a spare drawer (recommended for multi-projector installations) operates the system in the gallery. NoUVIR will immediately replace any failed drawer under warranty. If anything fails after the warranty has expired, NoUVIR will exchange the failed drawer with a factory rebuild (all electrical parts replaced) and upgrade the drawer to the latest design at very low cost.

Is the projector quiet?
One curator said his projectors sounded like B-52s taking off. He was not joking. Needless to say, a dozen of them in a gallery is not going to work. The unit of sound is the decibel (db). At the lower end of the sound scale the rustle of leaves in the breeze is about 10 db. As sound level doubles, it increases the reading by 3 db. Thus, an average whisper (that you can hear) is about 20 db, a quiet conversation is 40 db, and normal conversation is around 65 db. At the high end, OSHA requires ear protection for sound levels above 100 db, and the threshold of pain is 120 db.
We measured the sound levels of a number of fiber optic projectors and compared them to the NoUVIR™ CLDN projector having a sound level of 7.5 db. We found that one widely-sold brand produced 40 db, another 30 db; and one "desk-top unit that measured 15 db. Thus the quietest one of the lot is five times noisier than a NoUVIR system, and the noisiest one is 100 times louder than NoUVIR! Of course, few museums have a sound level meter, so how do you evaluate them? Compare the candidate systems side-by-side. The differences will not be subtle!

Do the systems emit white light?
Fiber optic systems should be tested side-by-side. Can you see the difference in a color between a warm gray verses a cool gray? Can you see the difference between Mars Black and Ivory Black? Check it out using a color chart from a paint store. Does a violet turn dull or do yellows turn orange?
NoUVIR spectral output has a perfect CRI (Contrast Rendition Index) of 100, a color balance very close to sunlight, and the light color temperature of 3200° Kelvin, like a studio photoflood light for Type B color film. With NoUVIR, you see all the colors. None are missing. None are dominant, so they overwhelm other subtle colors. None are distorted.

Does the manufacturer provide measured photometry?
If the manufacturer only gives the lamp output in lumens, watch out. A high output lamp in an inefficient projector, using bad quality fiber, won't get much light out of the fiber ends.
Conversely, NoUVIR provides full, measured photometry for every luminaire... and light output per luminaire exceeds most competitors' units by a factor of two.
Another trick to catch is the claim of high candlepower in just a bright central peak in the beam, instead of the smooth, uniform NoUVIR beams for which NoUVIR is famous. Once again, compare the candidate systems side-by-side. The projected beams will clearly show the differences.

Does the manufacturer stand behind the product? Is the warranty voided by moving displays as a traveling exhibit (a clue something is not quite right even if you are not traveling)? Are field repairs or replacements timely and inexpensive? Has the manufacturer's equipment been pulled out of a museum because of field failures or non-performance?
NoUVIR provides a TEN-YEAR limited warranty for fiber, all luminaires, tracks and projector optics; and a one-year warrranty on the drawer. If anything on the drawer fails during warranty period, it will be replaced immediately at no cost. After the warranty period, a failed drawer will be exchanged for a factory rebuilt drawer, with all new electrical components of latest upgrade, and shipped overnight if needed for a modest cost.

What is the installed system cost?
Fiber optic costs should be compared as complete systems, installed in the museum. They must be evaluated on the basis of the footcandle levels produced over the specific number of square feet of the exhibit artifacts being illuminated. Some manufacturers have inexpensive projectors, but they sell fiber that costs 5 to 15 times per foot more than NoUVIR.
Also, performance dictates cost. A NoUVIR fiber optic system will produce 15 footcandles per square foot for each of 32 standard 3mm fibers in a projector. Therefore, the projector will illuminate 48 square feet of artifact or exhibit area to a typical 10 footcandle museum light level. That is twice or three times the output of any competitor! NoUVIR installations normally require half as many of projectors, fiber and luminaires to be purchased and installed.

What is the availability of the systems?
Most fiber optic manufacturers quote 6 to 12 week delivery. Glass fiber systems normally require the longest lead times, because they must make each harness to order.
NoUVIR maintains an extensive inventory from which to assemble orders. Our typical shipment times are less than one week and three weeks on very large orders.

Do the systems being compared infringe any patents?
Most government bid documents require vendors to warrant that their products do not infinge any U.S. Patents. Please notice we have 16 issued U.S. Patents on our products... with many more pending. In simple terms, NoUVIR has patented features to provide outstanding performance, versatility and reliability.
It is said, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." We call it infringement: the unauthorized making, selling, or using a product containing an element claimed in an issued patent. Thus, someone using an infringing product is actually infringing the patent, and may be subject to damages... even including removal.
Use superior performance and quality in fiber optic lighting. Get it from the source that created and owns the technology. Use NoUVIR.

Have you compared candidate products side-by-side?
NoUVIR invites side-by-side comparison against any competitors' products. You can see the differences. You can tell NoUVIR surpasses all others in light intensity, color rendition, color balance, noise, maintainability, cost, delivery, etc.