Glowies, Blinkies, UVies & Other Illuminations

[capjbadger]

You should be ok with 4 AA's.
1.5 x 4 = 6volt
Rechargables are 1.2volts, so even better (4.8 volts)

-Badger

[epic_elite]

can you just cut the elwire and solder it to a battery pack, like the usuall means of lighting it?

[gyre]

You can custom cut it, but it has to be attached to a power supply.

And you need reinforcement at the connections.

[factoid]

So midway through building lightbar floods for XyloVan out of loose resistor-equipped LEDs from our 2008 bike-trailer-cocoon project, we've (gasp) run out of LEDs.

I bought the last batch from DealExtreme, but their shipping speed is too glacial to risk ordering again, as we need these lights - like - yesterday to stay on track for hitting the playa fully lit.

I couldn't find 'em at http://superbrightLEDs.com (not with resistors, anyway), Google is getting me nowhere, and my third art-car aneurysm (so far this month) is upon me.

Can someone recommend a good, cheap, fast-shipping source for 5mm LEDs with integrated resistors that can be plugged right into 12V and come in a wide assortment of colors, including UV?

[capjbadger]

Might want to check out Jameco. They ship fast and might have the LEDs you need.

-Badger

[factoid]

Thanks capjbadger.

Hm ...

Jameco doesn't seem to have much of a 12-volt selection, or at least nothing labeled that way. I'm pretty dim on electronics, and am not sure what power rating I should be looking for with sites that don't list the supply voltage for which they're designed. "Maximum forward voltage per color?" U ... duhhhhhh:

http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores ... 1_94511_-1

Then I'm looking at stuff like LEDtronics, which requires a minimum buy of much more than I need (or can afford), like 500 or 3000 units
http://www.ledtronics.com/products/Prod ... =C361K1760

... and http://hongkongbest.com, our original 2007 supplier, which promises shipping within 21 days (shudder) and now I'ma starting to sweat.

Can anyone recommend another North American LED supplier with a good online catalog geared towards burners or pathetic 'lectronic n00bs or both?

[capjbadger]

Ahh... Yeah, Jameco isn't really a source for "plug-n-play" type stuff.
That "forward voltage" is in refference to that fact that it's a diode. It's basicly the voltage you need. So for that one you would wire 4 of them up in series if you were going to power the with 12vdc.

I'm assuming you meant http://besthongkong.com/

-Badger

[gyre]

Have you looked at regular electronic suppliers?

How many do you need?

Why are you using 12 volt LEDs?
Just so you know, they are considered specialty LEDs.
Is there no way to use native voltage LEDs?

I mostly buy from carlton-bates or a similar supplier I can't think of without looking for the catalog.
There are also surplus sellers.
Catch as catch can there.

What output, angle and colors do you have in mind?

[factoid]

@captbadger, yep, http://besthongkong.com. Thanks for the series instruction. In terms of MCD-per-connection, that sounds like more wiring than I'm game for. 20 days to liftoff.

@gyre, I'm using 12v LEDs because that's what I have a ton of - prefab LED-plus-resistors that run off 12V native. It should work nicely, since the whole light-and-sound rig runs off a deep-cycle marine battery.

I suppose I could go for native-voltage LEDs if I had had the first clue what the benefits were back before I bought a ton of the 12-volters from the aforementioned BestHongKong, or even today if I weren't neck-deep in last-minute projects (shade canopies need to be sewed and PVC-boned, rigged and tested, etc.).

Hell, I could go for 'em if I understood how to use them (I need an LED driver of some kind?) but I guess I'm trying to take the fastest route to completion, and for that I just need a fast-shipping supplier of LEDs-for-dummies.

My biggest challenge is also trying to get a good source of radical illumination going without breaking the bank. I don't know enough about propane to go for flames, so I'm looking for 12-V solutions. (That said, I have an onboard power inverter, and might hook up a nice disco strobe to it ...)

[kman]

If you use zip ties, be very careful how they are facing when you cut them. I sliced up the inside of my thighs on the cut edges while riding my bike and didn't notice until I was quite bloody. Make sure the cut part is out of harms way.

AIEEE! maybe it would be good to cover them in some kind of duct tape or something after trimming?

No need. Trim them as usual (leave about 1/8" sticking out).

Hold a lighter to the sharp edge for a moment until it starts to melt. A second or two later, you have a nice rounded edge that won't hurt you. Super simple, no need for anything but a lighter most people already have.

[gyre]

LEDs run on straight DC voltage normally.

It has typically been 1.2/1.5 volts dc, but as they have become larger different voltages aren't rare now.
Any that use a resistor, as for 12 VDC, are using part or most of the power in the resistor.
On a bright 5 mm, the loss won't be as great.

You don't need a special power supply for high frequency, just something that matches voltage.
Some controls for incandescent don't seem to work with LEDs because of the low power involved, but that is usually easily solved.

LEDs need enough voltage to trip them into lighting and not so much as to cause early failure.

A PWM controller can dim them, by maintaining voltage and regulating amperage.

I presume you need wide angle LEDs?
How many and what colors?
I can ask my local suppliers.
Have you considered companies that use this particular type in massive quantity?

Have you looked at the LED Museum for reference?
It is extremely useful.
It's a one man show and I hope you contribute.
The guy running it is disabled and has done an amazing job.
It is strictly non-profit in practice and the owner has suffered some severe setbacks recently.

[factoid]

Thanks, gyre.

IN short, I know I need about 50 white 5mm LEDs to fill in a pair of lightbars I built out of the stock we already had, but we also need a much faster solution to the immediate get-radically-lit problem.

I think at this point, after much googling, consulting, soul-searching and chewing of nails, we're going to go for the big, fat storebought solution, an array of strobes or color-controllable lightstrips from http://virtualvillage.com (thanks to Matt of the aluminum-walking-machine project for the pointer. http://rodiponer.com/mv/ )

I'll post back here when/if we get our act together, but in any case, we'll see you all out on the playa - lit up in some fashion or another.

Counting the days one hand and the tasks on another, and I've run out of fingers and toes.

[capjbadger]

A PWM controller can dim them, by maintaining voltage and regulating amperage.

FYI:

PWM: Pulse Width Modulation.
It pulses the LEDs, full on/full off, to fool your eye into seeing it as "dimmer".
Normal light dimmer switches don't really work for LED's.

-Badger

[factoid]

The Marianas Trench is but a dry puddle compared to the depths of my electronics ignorance. Thanks for the good info.

[junglesmacks]

Someone posted a link to a super cool glow store that had an insane amount of toys and the lowest prices I've seen for glow stuff yet. I can't find it now to save my live. Any help?

I know that narrows it down.. lol. Sorry..

[junglesmacks]

Found it:

http://www.extremeglow.com/

10% this month, too.. cheap cheap.


(Referral.. I sure as hell don't work for them lol)

[gyre]

The Marianas Trench is but a dry puddle compared to the depths of my electronics ignorance. Thanks for the good info.

Someone should have them in your area.

Did you try carlton-bates?

Can you use a single source light?
If so, there are some option in HID.

[Korwedge]

Just got my shipment from EG today and used the 10% BM code I found in the JRS newsletter. Used them last year, they ship fast, and the LED stuff is super neat! They have some neat LED color changing drinking cups I think will work great to take around to the bars!

[Bexx]

I just got these @..:::COUGHcostcoCOUGH:::.. they blink, run steady, turn off.. and glow in the dark. 5 of them for about 10+bucks. They were in the middle of the store with the Halloween stuff. Oh, and they already come with batteries! they can also connect at the bottom too. I can't wait to use them out there!

thought some of ya'll might like to know!!

[gyre]

How bright are they compared to other brands, if you know?

[Bexx]

How bright are they compared to other brands, if you know?

I'm not familiar with other brands.. but they are pretty bright! The green and blue one especially! I tried them all out in the bathroom and they looked cool.

ok, I just took a picture of them in the bathroom with them on steady..



the camera didn't catch the colors correctly.. but from left to right
Orange-Red, Purple, Yellow, Green and Blue

[gyre]

Home Depot , or maybe Lowes has some.
If you get the chance let us know if they're similar.

How do you mean they hook together?

Replaceable batteries?

[Bexx]

Home Depot , or maybe Lowes has some.
If you get the chance let us know if they're similar.

How do you mean they hook together?

Replaceable batteries?

you can replace the batteries.. they take 3 AAA each. And they fit kinda a little like legos... with male and female bits on the bottom - only I can tell they would need to be duct taped to have any lasting hold on the Playa.

I forgot to mention the name of them! DOH! they are called Mega Glo-Stik and made by a co. called Oglo. I tried doing a search and came up with people selling them through amazon for nearly double at what I paid. I think the original intent of them is to help kids when they are trick or treating!

[gyre]

I like that they use AAA batteries.

[mzfit]

is it really that bad to tell us the store that you got them at? $10 for a set looks pretty good to me! I did a google search and found a single result at Amazon for 23.88. I would love to know where I might find them locally for $10 though...

[gyre]

It's posted.

[Bexx]

is it really that bad to tell us the store that you got them at? $10 for a set looks pretty good to me! I did a google search and found a single result at Amazon for 23.88. I would love to know where I might find them locally for $10 though...

@Costco! It was up there in the first post between my coughs!

[Cap'nTrevor]

This may be a simple trick, but I thought I'd share it! I got a bunch of those paper chinese lanterns down in chihiatown, and hang a small LED flashlight inside!

I think they're gonna look wicked on the campsite! Total cost: about $4!

[knowmad]

Ran into One Eyed Dick on the playa this year. got me thinking of flame effects. that and my tushie is a bit tender.

[AntiM]

Halloween sales have begun and the Christmas lights are already on the shelves. Get thee thy blinkies posthaste!