Conservation UV Filtering

Paper, textiles, and watercolors fade. Their molecular bonds break under high-energy photons. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation carries the highest energy. Infrared (IR) radiation causes localized heating and desiccation. Museum standards mandate absolute zero exposure to both.

LED Baseline

Modern LEDs naturally emit negligible UV and IR compared to halogen predecessors. However, phosphor-converted white LEDs still generate a marginal blue peak (400-450nm) that borders on the near-UV spectrum. Specialized filtering glass or polycarbonate lenses truncate this curve.

• UV Block: Cuts off all wavelengths below 400nm.
• IR Block: Cuts off wavelengths above 700nm.
• Lux Limits: Highly sensitive objects max out at 50 lux. Moderately sensitive at 150 lux. Insensitive (stone/metal) at 300+ lux.

Dimming without Shift

Maintaining 50 lux requires aggressive dimming. Standard phase dimmers cause color temperature shifts. DALI-controlled constant current drivers dim to 0.1% without altering the spectral distribution. The light stays at exactly 3000K, even at whisper-low outputs. This ensures correct visual rendering without risking artifact integrity.

Pros and Cons

Pros: Preserves irreplaceable artifacts. Complies with international loan agreements. Stabilizes microclimates by eliminating radiative heat.

Cons: 50 lux appears dim to unacclimated eyes. Requires transition zones (gradient lighting) in gallery layouts. Filters reduce total lumen efficacy by 5-10%.

Installation requires precise commissioning. Installers measure every surface with a calibrated lux meter. Measurements go into a permanent log. If a fixture is bumped, the lux levels shift. Precision is mandatory.