Chris,

We have tried to figure out the same thing; none of the vendors we have
spoken to know the shelf-life of the UV filter tube; we have been told
these things work indefinitely, blocking UV waves.  At the same time, it
kind of depends on how long the lights are left on in your storage and
exhibit areas.  Perhaps the thing to do is to set up a policy whereby you
switch the tubes out at a certain time, let's say 5 years for exhibits
and ten years or longer for the storage spaces.  There's a little booklet
out there that addresses UV in its quantifiable nanometers.   Something
about staying between 400 nm and 700 nm.  If you have a UV meter you can
take a reading and see if you are between those acceptable nm's.  Just to
be on the safe side we always frame with UV glazing and our plex tops are
UV filtered.

O

Olivia S. Anastasiadis, Curator
Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace
18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard
Yorba Linda, CA  92886
(714) 993-5075; fax (714) 528-0544; e-mail:  [log in to unmask]


On Wed, 2 Jul 1997 13:53:19 -0500 Christine Wolf
<[log in to unmask]> writes:
>Hello all,
>
>I'm trying to determine how long UV florescent light filters last
>before
>they should be replaced. I've called several archival companies that
>sell
>these filters and have gotten different answers.....