Glowies, Blinkies, UVies & Other Illuminations

[junglesmacks]

Holy shit! The cat is out of the bag
JungleSmacks is a Sparkle Mule!



Welcome to the brotherhood!

HA! What gave it away? Wasn't the 1360 LEDs that I'm attaching to my body this year, is it? Lol..

I looooooooooooooooooooove the lights. Love them. Transfixed. I could play with this shit all day and night...



..and dammit, I gotta draw the line here. I had the brainflash that mixing LEDs on the bottom and EL wire up top would look weird. Called Coolneon back quick and had them add 6' of the same pink wire to run twice down the fur strip, plus better driver and y connectors and extensions.

ENOUGH ALREADY!

lol

[illy dilly]

LOL, right once you get started you just can't stop.
Luckly (or unluckly) the funds run out, and I have to wait for another pay check.


But what gave it away was when you started talking about what kind of stocking your girl friend will need to wear to match the outfit. Any nerd can play with lights, but only a sparkle mule put lights on his girlfriend's(s') out fits so they look hot!

[junglesmacks]

Hey you know it's funny.. as I was sitting here sewing my LED patches, it occurred to me that I've got this giant bag of like 700 purple UV LEDs sitting here. You need some?

[illy dilly]

WHAT!?!?!
And here I've been waiting three weeks for these damned things, lol.

Maybe, but I'm not sure. (thinking out load, or thinking out typing?)
I ordered 50. I'm going to be putting them onto three outfits. Me, smAshly, and our friend Tiff.
So that is about 16 each, assuming they all work.
Which would work out to 4/leg, and 4/arm or torso. The 4 per torso will probably end up on the girls' bras, so 8 per chest should be fine. Though I guess 4/leg might not be enough.

Ya know if you really do have a bunch 10-20 more couldn't hurt. And if I don't use them I can give them back at the MnG.
I'll send ya a PM.
Thank you very much for the offer, I really appreciate it!

[Workinonit]

Be careful of LEDs they can suck your life up... just a little something I have spent the past 8 months working on...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7j45N2yLmA

[DustHand]

Be careful of LEDs they can suck your life up... just a little something I have spent the past 8 months working on...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7j45N2yLmA

I have been seeing your project pop up on ePlaya...I cannot wait to see it in person!! Very cool.

[illy dilly]

Hey Workinonit,
Apprently some of my posts are magicly disappearing because I left ya a nice long post last night and know I can't find it!

Your project kicks ass! Those LEDs are freaking amazing!
I especially like the patterns at minute markers 1:52, 4:15, and 4:55!

I'm really looking forward to seeing your project on playa! Do you know where it will be placed yet?

[junglesmacks]

Do you know where it will be placed yet?

FWIW it's worth, I friended them on FB and asked the same thing.. and got a response of a request for the 5:30 direction between the man and esplanade but no confirmation yet.

[illy dilly]

Sweet, thanks for the heads up.
I have a feeling that Workenonit will be around shortly to let us know.

[Workinonit]

Hey Workinonit,
Apprently some of my posts are magicly disappearing because I left ya a nice long post last night and know I can't find it!

Your project kicks ass! Those LEDs are freaking amazing!
I especially like the patterns at minute markers 1:52, 4:15, and 4:55!

I'm really looking forward to seeing your project on playa! Do you know where it will be placed yet?

Yes between 5-530 between esplanade and the Man!

[Workinonit]

Hey Workinonit,
Apprently some of my posts are magicly disappearing because I left ya a nice long post last night and know I can't find it!

Your project kicks ass! Those LEDs are freaking amazing!
I especially like the patterns at minute markers 1:52, 4:15, and 4:55!

I'm really looking forward to seeing your project on playa! Do you know where it will be placed yet?

Thanks! Finally seeing the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel! hehe...

My favorite is the stars one... probably becuause it caused me so much trouble, but also think its going to look so amazing with all 10,000 LEDs!

[illy dilly]

My favorite is the stars one... probably becuause it caused me so much trouble, but also think its going to look so amazing with all 10,000 LEDs!

O good lord!
We'll have to bring loan chairs and coolers the night we plan to *enlighten our selves.

[junglesmacks]

My favorite is the stars one... probably becuause it caused me so much trouble, but also think its going to look so amazing with all 10,000 LEDs!

O good lord!
We'll have to bring loan chairs and coolers the night we plan to *enlighten our selves.

Which night wouldn't that be?

[illy dilly]

Not sure just yet. But we'll figure it out.
And when you find us. We'll be the folks sitting there drinking cheap champagne out of the bottle going "WOW" every time the LEDs do something great.

[Workinonit]

Not sure just yet. But we'll figure it out.
And when you find us. We'll be the folks sitting there drinking cheap champagne out of the bottle going "WOW" every time the LEDs do something great.

I will personally be out there Wednesday night 10pm till I can't do it anymore. Gonna have the full UV facepaint, contacts, tooth paint, hair color, earrings, shirt and gloves on...

Also gonna get some of my friends to come out and try to get some sound set up and do some dancing and fire spinning. DJ friend of mine has a set on an art car at 10pm and he said he would request it go to the Tunnel too!

I wish I had a lawn chair... do you have an extra one you can bring out????

[junglesmacks]

Illy.. sounds like it's sparkle pony show and tell night at the Tunnel on Wed!

[MyDearFriend]

Illy.. sounds like it's sparkle pony show and tell night at the Tunnel on Wed!

Ooh ooh ooh yes!

*making notes in the book: lotta sparkles cheap champagne extra chair...*

ETA: *TToQE thong*

[illy dilly]

I wish I had a lawn chair... do you have an extra one you can bring out????

Hell yeah! There just the folding camp chairs, but I'll bring one for you too!

Sadly, My sister is supposed to arrive Wednesday afternoon, so hopefully she gets their early, we get her settled in, and then she is on her own! I'm not holding her hand this year!!!!

[illy dilly]

Illy.. sounds like it's sparkle pony show and tell night at the Tunnel on Wed!

Ooh ooh ooh yes!

*making notes in the book: lotta sparkles cheap champagne extra chair...*

ETA: *TToQE thong*

MDF, you can only come if you bring a Sparkle Pony!

[illy dilly]

OK, now I need some help from the DIY Light it up Veterans

So, I soldered my first El Wire last night. Lost the original connector that came on the El wire. The two lead wires broke off of the plastic connector. Instead of just soldering the new lead wires to the ends of the old lead wires, I thought I'd be brave and go straight to the EL Wire. I lost about 7" because I couldn't get the protective layer to come off without taking the phosphor layer with it. Had it a couple times, then as I would move the back pack around, the connection would short, and the Inverter/battery pack would turn off. Do you know if most of the inverters automatically turn off if they get shorted out?
Then on try 3, before I shrink tubbed it, I was looking at it real close in low light, and I could see it arcing between the two corona wires and the center conductor. I thought I had the center conductor entirely shrink tubbed. Each time, after I had it soldering and working, in a little while it would eventually just come apart where I believe it was arcing. I got one last time, and it seemed real good. So I went to bed. This morning I was showing my girlfriend that I'd gotten it, I could swing the backpack all around and it would stay on. Then all of a sudden it kicked off again. SHIT!

I think the main reason I'm having so much trouble stripping the protective clear layer back, with out the phosphor crumbling is that the EL wire has been on the back pack since before last burn. Its been through hell and back. There are places along the wire that are "dark" then I pinch them and that spot lights up. Which leads me to believe there are already issues with the El wire.
I'm figuring that since the EL wire is on a backpack that gets used and abused 24/7 at the burn, its been damaged.
I've already lost about as much El Wire as I can spare. The leads/connector that came with the new inverter/BP are already as far as they can go, with out having to find a new place for the battery pack. I could extend the leads from the connector, then solder the extended wire to the el wire. But then from the battery pack to the el wire there would be 1 connector, 1 solder joint, and then a 2nd solder joint to the el wire.

Any tips?

[junglesmacks]

Any tips?

Say F it and get yourself some nice, new quality outdoor/costume grade "3.2mm phat" wire from Coolneon. I just got mine in an hour ago, and the stuff is sweeeeeeet. Super quality with nice, thick, rubbery coating. Use coupon code "JRS" for 10% off which makes it like $1.30/ft.

..and yeah.. it sounds like the phosphor coating has flaked off inside the wire and is shorting to the angel wires. It's toast. Get some new, quality stuff.

[Workinonit]

Any tips?

Ditch the EL Wire is my advice. I can't stand that stuff... Its so finnicky...it looks cool and all but if its not on something that won't be subject to movement, it wears down and does not work (ie: requires a lot of maintenance and has a short life span). The thicker stuff will definitely be better for durability (they should put something like that on their web descriptions!).

I just put LED xmas lights on my camelback. this year I might go with a cold cathode tube on the backpack (http://www.xoxide.com/coldcathodes.html) or I would even suggest the LED strips (http://www.xoxide.com/leds.html). LEDs will probably go a lot longer though...

[illy dilly]

Any tips?

Say F it and get yourself some nice, new quality outdoor/costume grade "3.2mm phat" wire from Coolneon. I just got mine in an hour ago, and the stuff is sweeeeeeet. Super quality with nice, thick, rubbery coating. Use coupon code "JRS" for 10% off which makes it like $1.30/ft.

..and yeah.. it sounds like the phosphor coating has flaked off inside the wire and is shorting to the angel wires. It's toast. Get some new, quality stuff.

O man, I wish!
But sadly, with so little time and so little loot tell we head to BRC, starting over isn't an option at this point. Maybe in September or October I can replace the whole set up.

[illy dilly]

I just put LED xmas lights on my camelback. this year I might go with a cold cathode tube on the backpack (http://www.xoxide.com/coldcathodes.html) or I would even suggest the LED strips (http://www.xoxide.com/leds.html). LEDs will probably go a lot longer though...

How durable are those "cold Cathodes" they are only 5 bucks. From what I saw they only need 12VDC, and they come with the inverter.

I'm pretty hard on my day pack out there, If it were sewn on to my day pack, would it get broken?

[DustHand]

Ditch the EL Wire is my advice. I can't stand that stuff... Its so finnicky...it looks cool and all but if its not on something that won't be subject to movement, it wears down and does not work (ie: requires a lot of maintenance and has a short life span). The thicker stuff will definitely be better for durability (they should put something like that on their web descriptions!).

I just put LED xmas lights on my camelback. this year I might go with a cold cathode tube on the backpack (http://www.xoxide.com/coldcathodes.html) or I would even suggest the LED strips (http://www.xoxide.com/leds.html). LEDs will probably go a lot longer though...

Damn you, sir! You may have pushed me to spend MORE money...

I hadn't seen these before...very neat! Have you used them before? Wondering about battery life. I am using, for the first time this year, a motorcycle ground effects kit on my bicycle, with a 12 volt gel cell. Should look pretty cool, but it's LED, so not as bright as these look. But the battery life should be excellent, and I brought two batteries so I can alternate nights and charge the other whenever the RV genset is running. But MAYBE I should add a couple of these cold cathode tubes...

[Workinonit]

Damn you, sir! You may have pushed me to spend MORE money...

I hadn't seen these before...very neat! Have you used them before? Wondering about battery life. I am using, for the first time this year, a motorcycle ground effects kit on my bicycle, with a 12 volt gel cell. Should look pretty cool, but it's LED, so not as bright as these look. But the battery life should be excellent, and I brought two batteries so I can alternate nights and charge the other whenever the RV genset is running. But MAYBE I should add a couple of these cold cathode tubes...

Here is a spec I found for some
Specifications:
12 V input voltage of inverter
680 V output voltage of inverter
5.0 mA current draw
28,000 - 30,000 cd/m2 brightness
30,000 lifetime hours

So looks like 680*.005 = 3.4 watts which is actually a lot better than I thought they were!!!

I have in the past used 12V AA battery packs for the cold cathodes. Two tubes would run for most if not all of the week. I would think with a "big" battery that it would be fine. This year I intend to get a pretty big NiCad 12v for the bike, but I also have to deal with a small compressor for the 135db air horn I want to run too in addition to 2 cold cathodes and a 5m strip of leds

I cannot remember if the tube is glass or not? but I would definitely try to take care to not throw them down on the ground or smash them on your backpack. Hey, they are $8 for a pair, so if one breaks you have a backup for the week. Once you break one, you have something to gauge how rough you can be with them...

[illy dilly]

Hey, they are $8 for a pair, so if one breaks you have a backup for the week. Once you break one, you have something to gauge how rough you can be with them...

LOL, thats one way to do it!
I wonder if there is a way to encase it in some sort of plastic shield.
I was really hopping you were gonna say "O fuck man, these things are indestructible" Then have some video of one getting run over by an elephant.

[DustHand]

Damn you, sir! You may have pushed me to spend MORE money...

I hadn't seen these before...very neat! Have you used them before? Wondering about battery life. I am using, for the first time this year, a motorcycle ground effects kit on my bicycle, with a 12 volt gel cell. Should look pretty cool, but it's LED, so not as bright as these look. But the battery life should be excellent, and I brought two batteries so I can alternate nights and charge the other whenever the RV genset is running. But MAYBE I should add a couple of these cold cathode tubes...

Here is a spec I found for some
Specifications:
12 V input voltage of inverter
680 V output voltage of inverter
5.0 mA current draw
28,000 - 30,000 cd/m2 brightness
30,000 lifetime hours

So looks like 680*.005 = 3.4 watts which is actually a lot better than I thought they were!!!

I have in the past used 12V AA battery packs for the cold cathodes. Two tubes would run for most if not all of the week. I would think with a "big" battery that it would be fine. This year I intend to get a pretty big NiCad 12v for the bike, but I also have to deal with a small compressor for the 135db air horn I want to run too in addition to 2 cold cathodes and a 5m strip of leds

I cannot remember if the tube is glass or not? but I would definitely try to take care to not throw them down on the ground or smash them on your backpack. Hey, they are $8 for a pair, so if one breaks you have a backup for the week. Once you break one, you have something to gauge how rough you can be with them...

Thanks for the details on the tubes. Power consumption isn't too bad. However, since I already shipped my batteries to San Diego and won't have a chance to test, I have bookmarked that page and I will put them on the list for 2012.

BTW...this is the brand of battery I got. No affiliation, etc. They are lead acid gel cells instead of NiCad, which are probalby cheaper. There are a lot of options with these, and you can use any trickle charger or small automotive charger to keep them charged.

http://www.power-sonic.com/images/powersonic/literature/SLA_Batteries/PS_PSH_and_PSG_Catalog_Web_Ready_July_5_2011.pdf

[BBadger]

3.2Watts?! That's quite a bit compared to what you're get from an LED. Try checking out these Light Pipes with white cores. That way you can shine and LED down the end of it and achieve a light much like an EL wire.

[Workinonit]

3.2Watts?! That's quite a bit compared to what you're get from an LED. Try checking out these Light Pipes with white cores. That way you can shine and LED down the end of it and achieve a light much like an EL wire.

ooh... that stuff looks cool... so expensive though!!!

I guarantee you won't get the lumens off that that you would off the cold cathode though... for that wattage, they are very bright!