LED Strip Lights - Project

[gnihcraes]

I've been working on some emergency/camping/survival LED lighting. 12 Volt.

Purchased some LED strip lighting off amazon, 16 foot rolls @ $6.xx bucks per roll. Very rubbery, silicone based covering, flexible, cut to length. 2 Inch minimum, every two inches you can cut.

49023

shortest possible
49025

@ 12 volts

49029
placed in 3/8 x 3/8 aluminum channel. it's 3M sticky backed, but it doesn't stick well to anything. (probably why it's cheap)
49031

power pole connections and lit up. Strain relief as not to pull apart at the solder traces.
49033


49035

Some LED lighting kept us going on a camping trip recently where the deep cycle battery failed during the trip. No amps, limited volts, but ran some LED lighting several hours to play some board games with the kids. Good stuff to have on hand. (built in lights on camper are 1amp each 115x bulbs) LED direct replacement lights are expensive. $20 bulb or so.

Built all this lighting for about $20 per 16 feet.

[Irving]

I used this same LED product to do the lights on my corner pantry. I also bought similar lights from Radio Shack that are brighter, BUT, they aren't constructed nearly as well and are just slid into a bulky rubber sheath. Also, the Radio Shack lights were something like $30 for 6 ft, compared to $6 for 16 ft. The Amazon lights are a MUCH better deal, and easier to work with. You can't just cut the Radio Shack lights without completely ruining the water proofing.

Gnihcraes, did you drill holes in the aluminum track to run the zip ties through? Great idea by the way.

In picture #5, you have two zip ties close together at the end of the strip. I might consider tying the wire into a loose knot between those zip ties, so on the off chance that the light is ever dropped or falls, you're not pulling your connections apart. Basically the same thing they do with computer speakers. Great looking project.

EDIT: My idea for these strips, which I'll never do in the place I live currently, is emergency lighting for the house. One of those 2" strips in each living space in the house would be great emergency lighting for power outages. I think even a small 12v battery like this (http://www.amazon.com/12-volt-18-Rechargeable-Battery/dp/B000RAVT58/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1404720234&sr=8-8&keywords=deep+cycle+battery) would probably give you light at night for several days. You could use a portable drill battery as well I bet.

[kwando]

Would make a good light for a press as well to visually check for powder in each load

[Irving]

An 18v drill battery works, but the lights start getting too hot to hold almost immediately. So 18v is a bit too much. Good idea Kwando. Same for over the counter lighting.

[gnihcraes]

I used this same LED product to do the lights on my corner pantry. I also bought similar lights from Radio Shack that are brighter, BUT, they aren't constructed nearly as well and are just slid into a bulky rubber sheath. Also, the Radio Shack lights were something like $30 for 6 ft, compared to $6 for 16 ft. The Amazon lights are a MUCH better deal, and easier to work with. You can't just cut the Radio Shack lights without completely ruining the water proofing.

Gnihcraes, did you drill holes in the aluminum track to run the zip ties through? Great idea by the way.

In picture #5, you have two zip ties close together at the end of the strip. I might consider tying the wire into a loose knot between those zip ties, so on the off chance that the light is ever dropped or falls, you're not pulling your connections apart. Basically the same thing they do with computer speakers. Great looking project.

EDIT: My idea for these strips, which I'll never do in the place I live currently, is emergency lighting for the house. One of those 2" strips in each living space in the house would be great emergency lighting for power outages. I think even a small 12v battery like this (http://www.amazon.com/12-volt-18-Rechargeable-Battery/dp/B000RAVT58/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1404720234&sr=8-8&keywords=deep+cycle+battery) would probably give you light at night for several days. You could use a portable drill battery as well I bet.

Maybe that is where I got the idea of the LED strips, sorry if I stole it Irving! I remember the radio shack ones, and looked at them, but same thoughts as you, expensive and can't cut it down. $$

Yes, sticky stuff wasn't working on the aluminum, or anything else really, so I just drilled the holes and zip tied it down every foot. The ends wires are looped back on themselves on one or two, but it seemed to put more pressure on the wires than just zipping them down a couple times.

My friend has uses similar LED lighting for under counter and cove lighting in his new kitchen, on dimmer switches, so they could also be used as emergency lighting type situations if planned correctly. (cove lighting maybe?)

The 18ah battery is good, and there are various options out there. I'm going to try and use the 8ah batteries in my portable solar project, more to come on that. :) We'll have to compare notes Irving, i think you were doing one also.

[gnihcraes]

Would make a good light for a press as well to visually check for powder in each load

Yep. These do get hotter than you'd think though. Even at 12volts they get pretty warm. Maybe because of the rubber covering/smothering them? I tested and they will run up to 17 volts or more, then they start blinking and shut off due to over volt. They will come back on though, which is a good thing.

I believe each 4 foot piece is 0.5 amps @ 12 volts. They would run forever on a large sized battery. And, they do run on a 10 - 15 watt solar panel. So in theory, you can run the wires from a solar panel into the house and run the LED's during the day or in a dark basement/room. (panic room?) etc.

Being LED, they do not Cast like a regular bulb, so lighting a room with them is difficult. (the other one below does a better job)

Various colors available too I think on amazon.

The other LED Light that works great is:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008XZAQDU/ref=pe_385040_30332190_TE_3p_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

I've got one on the mobility scooter and one for the emergency kit/camper. Worked great with a nearly dead battery in the camper. .4 amps, runs on voltage from 7 beyond 12. I test them on a variable power supply and mark them with the amp rating for future reference in the field. :)

[Irving]

The 18ah battery is good, and there are various options out there. I'm going to try and use the 8ah batteries in my portable solar project, more to come on that. :) We'll have to compare notes Irving, i think you were doing one also.

Yes we will compare notes, as I'd like to build one as well. Also, of course you never stole any idea from me. Preposterous. Back in my 4 wheeling days, I wanted some rock lights under the truck for night wheeling. I think these would be a perfect, low power option for something like that. Thanks for posting up that LED flood light.

[TheGrey]

Great ideas! This is definitely going on The List. Thank you for posting pictures; that helps tremendously!

[Irving]

The other LED Light that works great is:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008XZAQDU/ref=pe_385040_30332190_TE_3p_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

I've got one on the mobility scooter and one for the emergency kit/camper. Worked great with a nearly dead battery in the camper. .4 amps, runs on voltage from 7 beyond 12. I test them on a variable power supply and mark them with the amp rating for future reference in the field. :)

I'm going to order one of these to test out. If it works like I want, then I'm going to replace the house mounted lights on either side of my garage with this light mounted in the soffit. I like to have my house lit up, but not have lights glaring every where at the same time. I've grown to dislike bright lights every where when they blind you at the same time. Plus I think it will look nice.

[Duman]

I picked up one of these at Costco for ~$30. Just plug it into an inverter connected to the deep-cycle, good to go. I use it for emergencies only, don't know how fast it will drain the battery.

http://www.amazon.com/Snap-On-Work-Light-LED/dp/B00H5GRL3Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409587103&sr=8-1&keywords=snap-on+led+work+light

[gnihcraes]

I'm going to order one of these to test out. If it works like I want, then I'm going to replace the house mounted lights on either side of my garage with this light mounted in the soffit. I like to have my house lit up, but not have lights glaring every where at the same time. I've grown to dislike bright lights every where when they blind you at the same time. Plus I think it will look nice.
Come borrow my light before you buy..

[Wulf202]

I picked up one of these at Costco for ~$30. Just plug it into an inverter connected to the deep-cycle, good to go. I use it for emergencies only, don't know how fast it will drain the battery.

http://www.amazon.com/Snap-On-Work-Light-LED/dp/B00H5GRL3Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409587103&sr=8-1&keywords=snap-on+led+work+light
It would be much more efficient if you just wired lights to 12v. I've been told most of the Ikea lights are 12v dc so you can just cut the transformer off.

[jerrymrc]

I ordered some of these along with a couple of remote control units to go with them. Wall-warts are free so i picked one that will work. used the entire string with 3 rows across the sink. power pack will be hidden in the space behind the corner cabinet. the remote is handy with its adjustments. Forgot some stuff to tie up the wires and i have a 2" strip of oak I will place over the sink to shield the lights.

I love the way it came out and it only cost about $15 total to do this. The range with the overhead microwave is next. I think if the light is 110v I have enough room to put a power pack where the old light used to be. 52681

[Irving]

Another success story. I still want to do this as well.

[gnihcraes]

A friend of mine, put all his on a dimmer control. (electronic) and also put some in each drawer, activated by a contact switch. Open the drawer, lights come on. :)

Also another set along the toe kick area, on dimmer also. He can just press buttons 1, 2, 3, 4, etc and the lighting changes accordingly.

Options are many.

[jerrymrc]

A couple more. I have some clean up to do but the result was oh so well worth it. Things were not perfectly straight but unless the grandkids are over one will never see it. going to make the wires brown/tan and i have mounts to put them up. [Flower] 5268352685


A friend of mine, put all his on a dimmer control. (electronic) and also put some in each drawer, activated by a contact switch. Open the drawer, lights come on. :) Mine are on a electronic dimmer. i can even put on a strobe show that will cause a seizure. I thought about the drawer/switch thing long ago. Thought it would be very nice to have.[Flower]

I do have two more rolls of lights and another controller/dimmer. Some of the lights are going in the trunk of a couple of cars. No more little 197 bulb trying to light up a large area when you are trying to find things. [Beer]

[Irving]

Like the drawer and toe kick idea.

[gnihcraes]

Like the drawer and toe kick idea.
Lots of work. But cool.

[Alpha2]

Works in gun safes, too. 12a 2.3ah battery needs to be charged every 6 to 8 months or so. I have a magnetic switch that turns it off when the door is closed.
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/jhallrv4/safelight_zps3e17ac1f.jpg (http://s126.photobucket.com/user/jhallrv4/media/safelight_zps3e17ac1f.jpg.html)

[gnihcraes]

Nice!

I have some IKEA lights in mine and they suck.