Argos is a high street catalogue shop in the UK. One of their lighting products is the rather splendid Laser Sphere. A light that has 9 LEDs and three lasers mounted behind a rotating lens with a random pebbled lens effect that creates a continuous slowly morphing aura effect with three red laser "entities" that warp about over the aurora.
It's a great effect, but is let down slightly by the accuracy of the plastic moulding that can make the lens shaft very stiff and the lens itself may hit the cover as it rotates. You can improve the movement greatly by loosening the screws on the shaft support and also on the motor itself.
The motor is a synchronous unit that runs on 12V AC and is very slow and quiet. It's not got a specific direction.
This light is being sold off at a reduced price as of August 2019 (getting hard to find as I type this). It's worth buying one for the lens and motor alone. The product is quite mature, so in this era I might have considered using 1W LED chips for a brighter effect. Target price online is around £25 or less as I see a lot at very inflated prices.
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16 thoughts on “Inside the awesome argos laser sphere. with schematic”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars ethzero says:

    I'm wondering if drizzling hot glue on a transparent surface you give an optically clear enough Lumia plate?

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Kim Sleep says:

    The funny thing is that you could probably just use some ultrabrite Colour-Changing leds, and forget the programmed COB…Your welcome China

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Kim Sleep says:

    This is the first Truly cool thing, that I wish I could buy here

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Kim Sleep says:

    ARGOS
    , entertaining high people for years!

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars J River says:

    could easily replicate the lens using a silicone mold.. and some epoxy..infact now im inspired to make my own lens this way lol

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Dan Baker says:

    hot glue earth protection maybe i do it often. lasers how do i tell if it is one that is slowly melting my veiwng ports? most lasers should be viewed with protective eye wear i have heard these rumors?

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Simon Zinc-trumpet Harris says:

    Glow Company still sell these.

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars NerdofNorthStar says:

    I used to work at a planetarium that had a similar device to make the auroras. It was from the 80s so it used seed bulbs and a glass coca-cola bottle on slow turntable for a lens.

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Plokman040 says:

    That inner lens, that rocky like look isn't rocky. That is a clear Turtle Shell casting. No really looks just like the shell my old pet turtle had only clear.

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Brian Jones G8ASO says:

    I bought one of these after seeing this, not really impressed with the brightness, so I strapped out the resistor in line with the laser diodes, no improvement. They have redesigned it a bit, slightly better main board that now looks like fibre glass, no COB circuit and the lasers are on removable plugs. Always interesting stuff.

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Leo TheCrafter says:

    Something tells me these laser modules are the ones where the die is directly soldered to the PCB. Look it up on eBay, you can get them VERY cheap.

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jay Are says:

    Todays video is brought to you by the word "shaft" Get yours today!

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars michael farrell says:

    I appreciate your time and knowledge. Id love to see who wins in a game of rock paper scissors with the other" hands ". Hands on learning lol

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Will Howell says:

    wouldn't mind having one of those but they want about 30 – 40 dollars when you include their INFLATED shipping charges.

  15. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars WELSHENTERPRISE says:

    Laser?.? I have heard in the past about in you shine a laser in a camera it would destroy the sensor. Do you if it's true or is it just BS?

  16. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars WELSHENTERPRISE says:

    Cool. You fine the coolest stuff.

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