A family size UV sterilizer - intro

In this time of COVID is necessary to sterilize often things, like masks and objects.

To do so I decided to build an UV-C Box Sterilizer.
UV lights are used to sterilize object since ... forever :). On the market exists UV sterilizer for phones and small objects but this is the point, is not easy to fit in it many objects.

Thus the idea to build a bigger box capable to easily sterilize everyday objects, including facial masks and small PPE.
I will update this article every time I will add more information/details about the construction/test.

Abstract

The idea is to build or buy a container and installing in it some UV-C LEDs controlled by a timer.

Is possible to find lot of documentation about how UV-C can kill bacteria and virus, here's some to start :

• Ultraviolet Light Disinfection Data Sheet
• Mechanisms investigation on bacterial inactivation through combinations of UV wavelengths
• Microorganisms inactivation by wavelength combinations of ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs)

Shopping list

To build the contraption I decided to use :

• a standard mailbox in plastic
• one or more LEDs UV-C strips  (starting from one)
• a Plexiglass platform to facilitate the sterilization of objects (with a 3D printed support)
• a timer based on a trinket

The Plexiglass support

In order to keep the object to be sterilized surrounded by UV-C light, a transparent platform need to be built.
To do so, some Plexiglass is placed over some 3D printed support to give some space to the LEDs below.

The Plexiglass used is from a company called Plaskolite and is easily available at Lowe's for example.  

The Mailbox

The mailbox is a standard cheap plastic mailbox with (as first test) a single UV-C LED strip glued inside.

The strip is about 1 meter long and is enough to go end to end.
Note the Plexiglass support so to have the UV-C Lights under and above the object.