Jump to content
Light-O-Rama Forums

Rainbow Floods...ASSEMBLED!!


Ponddude

Recommended Posts

Thats me, I got bit and pieces from all over. Cant make up my mind on which to use. Good thing is all of them have a useable purpose. I too plan on modifying my landscape lighting to add to my xmas display. Keep us informed on how the solar thing goes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 342
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Ponddude

    57

  • Tim Fischer

    36

  • Bill Hoffman

    30

  • rgardner518

    21

I've been working on finishing and mounting two Rainbow flood lights in a Lowes Halogen worklight enclosure. I cut a piece of wood that was the right size to "wedge" into the enclosure and hot-glued it in place.

Then I hot-glued plastic standoffs to the wood for the 2 RF boards, and then a little more hot glue to the surface of the standoffs and pressed the RF boards down on the standoffs. It makes for a pretty solid mounting, leaving the front and glass free and clear.

I have finished four of these enclosures...I think they turned out pretty well...

Randy

Attached files 207060=11493-RF1.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice job, Randy. I have a few more of these to build, I might go with the wood idea, to see which I like best. Thanks for sharing.

Bill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In case anyone is interested, the size of the wood that fits just right is 6 1/16" wide by 3 13/16" tall. The width dimension is key because of the fit, but the height measurement could vary a bit (smaller). And the "fins" on the case left and right do a good job of wedging the board in place with the hot glue.

You'll notice that there is a gap in the top that allows the wires from the waterproof RJ45 cable to come up and solder in from underneath on the left RF board. If you cut the wood so it fills the space, then you'll need to cut access for the RJ45 wires to come up from underneath...

I didn't want to drill any holes or notch out the wood for the cable, so I made the wood a little bit smaller on the vertical dimension and it worked out just fine...

Randy


Attached files 207080=11495-RF7.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice job Randy. I was already thinking of the possibility of using wood. Probably the route I'll take also. Just rcvd 3 kits, will post pics when they are finished.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

rmturner54 wrote:

Not to step on toes here, but here is a site I found back in Janurary. He offers a smaller version of the RF. These are MR16 base. The owner will work with you in any way needed. You can jsut buy the boards and supply your own LEDS etc http://www.pcboard.ca

I bought and assembled 3 of each color for use on 12VDC. 9 each Superflux pirahna led's on each.

The MR 16 spots that I bought from besthongkong.com use standard leds. So the comparison between them is like apples to oranges.

Again I really look forward to getting the RF's that I just ordered. Very anxious to see the results.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Off topic
I been using the four RGB,as well as 3 of each color MR16 boards from http://www.pcboard.ca , I am doing a test with one of 3 of each color MR16 boards, I am using the 100ma 140° LED look like a 35W halogen output.:cool: but I need to some troubleshooting as all the LEDs are on :D..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finshed installing the floods in the housings. Again these are from Home Depot (thanks to Aprocot for the hint on these). they will be raised about 30" off the ground for better spread. I'm using metal electrical pipe - took a coupling and threaded one side to fit the male end of the housing.




Attached files 207129=11502-Rainbow Floods 012.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This then got attachted to the pipe. I drilled a hole about 7" down from the top, snaked the Cat5 wire thru and secured with zip ties. The pipe will slide over a section of rebar in the ground. The Cat5 ends will be fitted with Molex connectors.

Attached files 207130=11503-Rainbow Floods 015.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dan Ancona wrote:

Finshed installing the floods in the housings. Again these are from Home Depot (thanks to Aprocot for the hint on these). they will be raised about 30" off the ground for better spread. I'm using metal electrical pipe - took a coupling and threaded one side to fit the male end of the housing.



Dan, those look great, and exactly like what I pictured in my mind for doing. Could you please share more details about the brand/price of the Home Depot enclosure? Is it on their website?

I know you previously stated you soldered the cat 5 directly to the board (would they have fit in the enclosures had you not?). Could you educate me what purpose the molex connectors (type?) serve? I admit I am pretty naive with regards to this DIY DC stuff. (I have a CMB-16D-QC controller on the way, without much of an idea of what to do beyond that. Planning on 1-2 rainbow floods, and 2-3 spots.)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

J_Plak wrote:

Off topic
I been using the four RGB,as well as 3 of each color MR16 boards from http://www.pcboard.ca , I am doing a test with one of 3 of each color MR16 boards, I am using the 100ma 140° LED look like a 35W halogen output.:cool: but I need to some troubleshooting as all the LEDs are on :D..

You could EASILY use and add a 12v DC $6 DMX adapter to this for control. With LOR you will need the iDMX negating the savings.

Harrison
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everyone it best that I start a new Topic and not highjack the Rainbow Floods...ASSEMBLED!! Topic
RGB 3 of each color MR16 boards

Jerry

Harrison,
can you tell me more about this $6 DMX adapter

hbomb341 wrote:

J_Plak wrote:
Off topic
I been using the four RGB,as well as 3 of each color MR16 boards from http://www.pcboard.ca , I am doing a test with one of 3 of each color MR16 boards, I am using the 100ma 140° LED look like a 35W halogen output.:cool: but I need to some troubleshooting as all the LEDs are on :D..

You could EASILY use and add a 12v DC $6 DMX adapter to this for control. With LOR you will need the iDMX negating the savings.

Harrison
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Randy, I like your layout and purchased 5 of the Lowes enclosures. So, you basically hot glued the RF's right to the standoff's? Working pretty good that way? How hot do these boards get? thx!

Wayne

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Wayne,

I put just a small dollop (technical term!) of hot glue on each of the plastic standoffs and then pressed the Rainbow Flood board onto them and held them for about 30-45 seconds. They're firmly in place. I haven't had to take any of the RF boards off of the standoffs, but I think they'd come off with a little pressure. After glue has dried and cooled off, though, it is pretty firm...

As far as how hot do the RF boards get, I powered one on at full brightness with all LEDs on for 30 minutes. The board does get pretty warm to the touch, mostly in the area of the resistors (I think). I wouldn't expect that kind of duty cycle with real operation.

I haven't done it yet, but I was planning on setting up a DC controller with my laptop and running a looped sequence to exercise the floods to see how warm they'll get. My best educated guess right now is that I think they'll be okay during operation and the hot glue should hold up.

I'll keep you posted if I find anything out otherwise....

Randy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Randy,
Your Rainbows look great, Like all your work that I've seen.
I agree with you that the boards get hot near the resistors,
but I don't think It would soften the hot glue.
Keep up the good work!;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...