How long is the service life of a UV sterilizer?

As a UV pactitioner, I first refute the irresponsible answer above: the more the UV lamp can meet continuous work, the fewer times it is switched on and off, and the longer its life. It is exactly not what the above said. It does not need to be started when working. This is very harmful to extending the life. This is because the UV lamp is a gas discharge lamp. Each start-up is an impact on the filament, which will cause the electronic powder on the filament to sputter. The disappearance of the electronic powder will be earlier than the damage of the filament. Even if there is a preheating function, it is better to reduce the number of starts as much as possible.

The life of the UV lamp cannot be independently said to be how many hours, because it is wrong to judge the life of the lamp by whether it can still be lit. The UV sterilizer is used for sterilization, and the sterilization mainly relies on UVC short-wave ultraviolet rays (200-280nm). Each bacteria needs to be inactivated only when it is exposed to a certain amount of ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, the sterilization effect depends on: dose = intensity x time. Most UV lamps are replaced because the intensity cannot meet the requirements rather than because they cannot be lit.

There is no unified standard for ultraviolet lamps. Generally speaking, low-pressure mercury lamps are used in household or small sterilizers. The commonly used lifespan of such lamps in the market is defined as the time that the lamp can be used when the intensity of the lamp tube decays by 20%, which is generally 8,000-9,000 hours. If a longer lifespan is required, a long-life coating can be selected, which can generally reach 12,000 or even 16,000 hours, but the price is also higher.