How long do tritium gas tubes last?

How long do tritium gas tubes last?

However, tritium gas tubes have a half life of 12 years and will need to be replaced after roughly 24 years (modern lume such as Super LumiNova doesn’t last forever, either). Tritium glows less brightly than many lume applications at full charge, but will often be brighter within the first hour as the lume fades.

Are tritium gas tube watches safe?

Tritium decays giving off a “beta ray”, which is easily blocked by any material, including the tube that contains the tritium. Radiation that does not reach your body can not do any harm. In normal use, the tritium betas do not penetrate the face of the watch owing to their extremely low energy.

What are tritium gas tubes?

Tritium gas tubes are these extremely tiny (about 0.5mm thick and at least 1.3mm long) glass tubes that are filled with (mildly) radioactive tritium gas – although, as we will see, there is a lot more to them than that.

How long do micro gas tubes last?

Ball Watches’ Micro Gas Tube luminosity is long-lasting, up to 10 years, and fully self-powered, needing no external re-charging source.

Why is tritium illegal?

Tritium does not in itself emit light but excites phosphors, thereby generating light. Due to U.S. regulations regarding radioactive substances, all of the above items can be legally sold in the U.S., as the manufacturers of such products require special licensing in order to integrate tritium into their products.

Are tritium vials safe?

These Tritium Glow Tubes are perfectly safe to handle as the beta radiation generated from the Tritium decay cannot pass through the glass wall of the vial. Incidentally, the collision of the beta particles with the glass does produce a very tiny amount of x-rays, but not enough to harm anything.

Can tritium sights leak?

The rated half life of tritium is approximately 12 years. This means that after twelve years, handgun sights will be approximately half as bright are when there were first sent to the dealer. If a tritium vial ever breaks or leaks (which is rare), there is no required clean-up or precautionary handling procedure.

Is luminox radioactive?

Conclusion. Luminox were pioneers of GTLS technology. By partnering with MB-Microtec they have been able to safely use radioactive Tritium in watches.

Is tritium illegal in the US?

Can you buy tritium?

Purchasing tritium on Amazon is fairly safe, most of these dealers are reputable and there is little risk of not receiving your order. There are also a number of other resellers of tritium vials from countries outside the US who sell either directly to consumers or through other marketplaces such as eBay.

Does luminox use tritium?

Luminox is a modern watch brand that was created around the use of Tritium illumination. The brand produces military and outdoor tool watches, having created special editions for the US Navy Seals and others.

Can you legally own tritium?

What is the lifespan of a tritium tube?

However, tritium gas tubes have a half life of 12 years and will need to be replaced after roughly 24 years (modern lume such as Super LumiNova doesn’t last forever, either). Tritium glows less brightly than many lume applications at full charge, but will often be brighter within the first hour as the lume fades.

What is a tritium gas tube illumination watch?

Tritium gas tube illumination was pioneered and developed by the Swiss company MB Microtec, which not only makes its own watches under the brand Traser, but also supplies other companies with these glowing tubes. Other uses for this tech include emergency exit signs and gun sights.

How many tritium tubes do the Dievas use?

Equipped with a total of 15 Tritium Tubes to illuminate the dial, the hour, minute and second hands the Dievas uses what is considered the industry gold standard in Tritium illumination, the top of the line GTLS (Gaseous Tritium Light Sources) made by Swiss company MB-microtec’s trigalight technology.

How long does tritium last in watches?

Tritium has a half life of 12.3 years so its brightness will start to fade after that and most manufacturers give the tritium illumination a longevity of between 10-20 years. After that the watch needs to be sent back to the manufacturer to have the Tritium vials replaced. Mb Microtec is the main supplier for tritium in watches.