Does light in rooms damage collectibles?

[cartman | 195]

Is there anything that emits nothing harmful or is such a thing a paradox in and of itself? I understand lamp bulbs emit UV light, are there other types of rays/lighting solutions that are commonly available that are better?

[Gloves | 11,761]

Just live in a dark basement and never turn on the lights, like me.

[MrWunderful | 2,926]

LEDs emit the least amount of UV. Expensive ones even less so. 
 

Sunlight is the worst, followed by fluorescent and incandescent. Metal halide and high pressure sodium dont count because they arent used indoors normally, unless in a warehouse or gym (and those are being replaced by LEDs as well)
 

The best way to mitigate light damage is with a minimum amount of light exposure. 

[cartman | 195]

36 minutes ago, Gloves said:

Just live in a dark basement and never turn on the lights, like me.

Yeah but the fact that you must turn the lights on doesn't mean it isn't harmful. it's not like different materials are accounting for common sense and then giving you a pass. Let's just stick with the topic scientifically and to the point.

[cartman | 195]

12 minutes ago, MrWunderful said:

LEDs emit the least amount of UV. Expensive ones even less so. 
 

Sunlight is the worst, followed by fluorescent and incandescent. Metal halide and high pressure sodium dont count because they arent used indoors normally, unless in a warehouse or gym (and those are being replaced by LEDs as well)
 

The best way to mitigate light damage is with a minimum amount of light exposure. 

So LED is the ultimate choice. Or is there something else emitted other than UV to account for too?

Is there written out specs. in regards to LED to look for rather than just cost?

[Gloves | 11,761]

14 minutes ago, cartman said:

Yeah but the fact that you must turn the lights on doesn't mean it isn't harmful. it's not like different materials are accounting for common sense and then giving you a pass. Let's just stick with the topic scientifically and to the point.

My answer, though jovial, IS scientific and to the point.

If you want the ULTIMATE safety for your games/boxes, stick em in a dark room. Preferably zero light. You literally asked if such a thing exists as a light source with zero damaging effects, or if that's "paradoxical". 

The "fact" that I "must" turn the lights on is not a fact at all - if my primary concern is to not damage my games in any way whatsoever, then they are going to need to go into a light-free vault, climate controlled.

[sp1nz | 611]

It can damage collectibles, mostly by fading colors. Type of light, power of light, distance between a collectible and light source, and if there is any protection or not between the light source and collectible are all things to take into account. For example an incandescent light bulb in very close proximity of NES box can fade the colors quickly. Having something next to a window that gets direct sunlight can fade colors quickly. Having LED lights that reflect light from walls instead of direct exposure should be of no issue.

If you can dim the light by having some kind of cover / obstacle around the bulb or if you make the light bounce from walls instead of being direct should be safe even with bad light types or the damage would take multiple years at minimum to accumulate. LED strips with intelligent setup could be one way to go. Blinds for windows would be very helpful, if there's any chance of direct sunlight exposure.

Just some of my own observations on the issue.

[BriGuy82 | 762]

This is why I store my stuff in a closet and only look at my things with night vision goggles. 

[BriGuy82 | 762]

I like turtles

Edited March 10, 2021 by BriGuy82
Quoted myself!

[cartman | 195]

59 minutes ago, Gloves said:

My answer, though jovial, IS scientific and to the point.

If you want the ULTIMATE safety for your games/boxes, stick em in a dark room. Preferably zero light. You literally asked if such a thing exists as a light source with zero damaging effects, or if that's "paradoxical". 

The "fact" that I "must" turn the lights on is not a fact at all - if my primary concern is to not damage my games in any way whatsoever, then they are going to need to go into a light-free vault, climate controlled.

You don't have to literally i was talking in an everyday living type of sense.

The topic is about lights (differing) effect on games even after we've concluded that darkness is the ultimate.

[MrWunderful | 2,926]

1 hour ago, cartman said:

So LED is the ultimate choice. Or is there something else emitted other than UV to account for too?

Is there written out specs. in regards to LED to look for rather than just cost?

Not really.

 

You can look for museum quality lighting, if you have deep pockets. And no- there arent really any specs outside of decent quality LEDs. 

[Tulpa | 3,488]

21 minutes ago, cartman said:

You don't have to literally i was talking in an everyday living type of sense.

The topic is about lights (differing) effect on games even after we've concluded that darkness is the ultimate.

So what's the endgame? To keep them looking good for as long as possible?

As long as they're out of direct sunlight and you're not shining a light a few feet away on them for hours on end every day, they'll probably last for decades. In fact, the glue will probably give out before the colors fade.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Tulpa

[Lincoln | 230]

This has been a concern in the back of my mind for a while. Most of my stuff is stored away from light right now, but eventually i want it in shelves. You can get uv blocking film to apply to glass, so that's my general plan, shelves with glass/plexi doors and uv film.

[Tulpa | 3,488]

3 minutes ago, Lincoln said:

This has been a concern in the back of my mind for a while. Most of my stuff is stored away from light right now, but eventually i want it in shelves. You can get uv blocking film to apply to glass, so that's my general plan, shelves with glass/plexi doors and uv film.

There's glass made for document/diploma frames that is museum quality, used to preserve diplomas (which are usually on display in a lighted area for decades.) It blocks like 99% of UV light. I wonder if they use that film.

[a3quit4s | 4,093]

I'd be less concerned with the lighting more keeping stuff out of the sun so it doesn't all fade like the games at a flea market. I'm lucky my basement has small windows so a little sunlight gets in but isn't hitting the games. 

[Lincoln | 230]

59 minutes ago, Tulpa said:

There's glass made for document/diploma frames that is museum quality, used to preserve diplomas (which are usually on display in a lighted area for decades.) It blocks like 99% of UV light. I wonder if they use that film.

That sounds expensive and probably overkill for all but the most valuable collection pieces. The stuff im thinking of you can buy rolls of from like home depot and cut to fit windows. Its probably not preservation grade but good enough for most collection stuff.

[cartman | 195]

1 hour ago, Tulpa said:

So what's the endgame? To keep them looking good for as long as possible?

As long as they're out of direct sunlight and you're not shining a light a few feet away on them for hours on end every day, they'll probably last for decades. In fact, the glue will probably give out before the colors fade.

Yes to mitigate damage.

You think it's safe? Just the light in your room being turned on that's and there's games in a shelf. But i also had display signs in mind too perhaps even more so.

 

[Tulpa | 3,488]

1 hour ago, cartman said:

Yes to mitigate damage.

You think it's safe? Just the light in your room being turned on that's and there's games in a shelf. But i also had display signs in mind too perhaps even more so.

 

What type of light and where is it in relation to where you store the games? If it's not blasting the games directly for hours, I can't see it being that damaging for at least another few decades.

Keep in mind these games are now pushing 30-35+ years, and kids/teens used to have them strewn about the room or stacked on top of the TV with incandescent or fluorescent lights lighting up the room. Maybe some were in their boxes, or shoved into closets, but the average lit room will probably not to a whole heck of a lot of damage for awhile.

Most of the faded labels are from flea markets that had games outside under the sun for hours on end, usually in spring/summer when the sun is shining full force.

If you're concerned, I'd say do as Mr Wunderful said and get some good LEDs. They're energy efficient and will save on your electric bill anyway, so that's reason enough to use them.

I mean, at some point in the future the labels will deteriorate, but that's just how glued paper rolls.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Tulpa

[DefaultGen | 5,400]

3 hours ago, Tulpa said:

There's glass made for document/diploma frames that is museum quality, used to preserve diplomas (which are usually on display in a lighted area for decades.) It blocks like 99% of UV light. I wonder if they use that film.

I put UV film on my windows, but I know it's not a magic bullet (neither are VGA/Wata cases or anything, they're more piece of mind that actual protection). This is a thread I always remember, where a guy tested 3 pieces of paper, one in darkness, one in a window, and one behind 99% UV film. The one behind the UV film was like... half faded after a month instead of completely blown out. Anything of utmost importance should basically just be in darkness.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/uv-window-protection

I mean I'm not going to let that prevent me from displaying my favorite games. Most of this stuff has sat on shelves for decades already and looks fine as long as it hasn't been in direct sunlight in a store window for years. But if I had like... a $100,000 Super Mario Bros I would not trust the UV protection of an acrylic case or window film.

[Splain | 2,560]

Keeping games in boxes/drawers FTW. I'd display them if there were fewer small children around though.

@MrWunderful you mention museum-quality lighting, what do museums use?

[MrWunderful | 2,926]

14 minutes ago, Splain said:

Keeping games in boxes/drawers FTW. I'd display them if there were fewer small children around though.

@MrWunderful you mention museum-quality lighting, what do museums use?

It depends, but it may be custom built lights that can end up being close to 1000$ per foot of LED (that may be way off, but that was the price of one “art installation” I did- not in a museum)

 

Its more about using a UV filter over the source itself. 
 

Honestly, for us, as long as you are using any LED light, that should be more than fine. The expensive museum lights are used for priceless works of art like Van Gogh, or Picasso. Meant to be enjoyed for hundreds of years, before they had modern printing methods and cardboard. 

[Reed Rothchild | 9,510]

And my wife though I was the sucker for taking dibs on the windowless room deep in the recesses of our house.  Joke's on her!

[Gloves | 11,761]

8 minutes ago, Reed Rothchild said:

And my wife though I was the sucker for taking dibs on the windowless room deep in the recesses of our house.  Joke's on her!

Suddenly - flood.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,510]

4 minutes ago, Gloves said:

Suddenly - flood.

Those EGMs were sacrificed for the greater good!

Also, I'm hoping being up at a high Ricky Mountain elevation (and having the house on a hill) mean that's less likely to happen.  Also the work room next door has a drain.  So we shall see!

[Gloves | 11,761]

1 minute ago, Reed Rothchild said:

Those EGMs were sacrificed for the greater good!

Also, I'm hoping being up at a high Ricky Mountain elevation (and having the house on a hill) mean that's less likely to happen.  Also the work room next door has a drain.  So we shall see!

Good ol' hills. Natures flood deterrent.