This video was a first attempt at using the YouTube capture and upload app on an iPad2. Seems OK.
This project was to put 30 LEDs in a circle in the rim of a plastic garden planter. I used a cut-down festoon of signage pixel LEDs. These are basically a parallel festoon of LEDs and resistors potted into a rubbery plastic designed to push-fit through a hole in a metal faceplate. I found 9mm was about the right size of hole in the plastic to grip them tightly.
They are powered by a cheap Poundland solar garden light originally designed to light a string of five plastic dragonflies. These little solar lights are actually very good. They're designed for the British climate with our low levels of sunlight and run their LEDs at very low level to give a long run time each night for modest daylight exposure.
I cut off the original string of 5 LEDs and put on a two pin mini Molex connector, then soldered a matching plug on the string of signage LEDs, using a dab of hot melt glue on the back of the plug to strengthen the wire connection and also keep water away to try and reduce the inevitable electrolytic rusting that happens with DC and water.
The solar module runs the thirty LEDs at very low level, but they still produce vividly coloured dots of light even at such low current.
I also put a drop of oil in the little slide switch under the solar module to try and coat the internal contacts, as I find that the switches on these solar lights are very prone to corrosion and failure.
The LEDs were bought on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110767954466 and typically cost less than 5 GBP in a few different colour choices.
This project was to put 30 LEDs in a circle in the rim of a plastic garden planter. I used a cut-down festoon of signage pixel LEDs. These are basically a parallel festoon of LEDs and resistors potted into a rubbery plastic designed to push-fit through a hole in a metal faceplate. I found 9mm was about the right size of hole in the plastic to grip them tightly.
They are powered by a cheap Poundland solar garden light originally designed to light a string of five plastic dragonflies. These little solar lights are actually very good. They're designed for the British climate with our low levels of sunlight and run their LEDs at very low level to give a long run time each night for modest daylight exposure.
I cut off the original string of 5 LEDs and put on a two pin mini Molex connector, then soldered a matching plug on the string of signage LEDs, using a dab of hot melt glue on the back of the plug to strengthen the wire connection and also keep water away to try and reduce the inevitable electrolytic rusting that happens with DC and water.
The solar module runs the thirty LEDs at very low level, but they still produce vividly coloured dots of light even at such low current.
I also put a drop of oil in the little slide switch under the solar module to try and coat the internal contacts, as I find that the switches on these solar lights are very prone to corrosion and failure.
The LEDs were bought on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110767954466 and typically cost less than 5 GBP in a few different colour choices.
here after watching his 8-year result of these leds 😀
Anyone here after watching the video about the lights 8 years after this?
The follow-up video: v=F6_mFIE7EbQ
Time will tell……8 years 🙂
Funny how these come together to make one wonder at the possabilities of putting them into one thing or another. Perhaps the little cells from the vaping deal could be used to increase the power to your little solar charged LED flower pot?
So how has this lasted over the years?
PS. thanks for sharing! I like it! 😀
Hi Clive, 19mm black tubing (used for aquarium systems, cheap as chips!) curled in a circle with circumference to match the width of the flower pot. The circle is closed / joined using a T-piece. You can thread your cable through the tube, drill holes to match the holes in the pot. The open end of the T-piece connects to your solar cell, (you may need an L-Piece to make it vertical). Affix tube inside pot, Done! All wires neat, hidden and insulated. Then you can fill your pots to the brim.
so jealous! I would love to live there 🙂
The background was "The TT". I live on the Isle of Man near the course and the races were on.
that is cool, what's that noise in the background sounds like motorbikes
Nice work there. Thats actually pretty neat. IT would be cool to see one in the dark.. But the camera probably wouldn't recreate the lights too well in darkness..