RGB Light Bulb

[Little_b]

Has anyone seen a Standard Size RGB Light Bulb that can be hacked?  I've found plenty that come with a remote control, but I want to be able to control it with the light show.  I have 3 light fixtures on the front of the house and I think it would be fun to be able to control the color of those as well.

[kiplorenzo]

Look at different sized bulbs from Ray Wu, You will have to make the fixture provide 12 V power as well as ac (Transformer) and also you would need wireless DMX. I too have looked at transforming the house lights outside. I have plans for it, just not the time...yet.

 

Kip

[Santas Helper]

I didn't know there was a Standard Size RGB Light Bulb. LED RGB comes in lots of sizes, shapes and forms.

What kind of Standard Size RGB Light Bulb are you referring to?

I link or pic would help a bunch.

[oilmoney]

You could put these in there if you wired it up for an off/on configuration....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWiIVq6F8z4

[kiplorenzo]

Ok, so I haven't done these yet, but here is the plan.

 

Take a standard outdoor fixture Where the AC comes in, you could place a small Transformer., I would use a small amount of PVC Pipe to cover the transformer. THen buy Dumb RGB Strip. You can either circle it, which could take a String each Or just line them up going down the tube... You would also have to get a small DMX Controller, and then also the DMX Wireless stuff which is XLR connections.. It is Alot of Work for Custom stuff... but the end result is really cool.. My driveway lights are a great example of a custom build. They took weeks to seal, and get special bulbs for. Now if you are not afraid of running wire -3 string type, then there are a few other ways.

 

Does that help?

[Little_b]

So kiplorenzo- I've looked into using Strip Lights as well.  I did something similar in my blowmold snowmen this year.  The fixtures I have on the house now are clear glass so you would be able to see what's inside which is why I'm looking for something more of a "light bulb" than DIY.  I already have the DC controllers mounted in my garage so running wire isn't a problem.  I may just have to by 1 or 2 and see if I can take them apart.

[kiplorenzo]

Hi,

 

I would look into covering the lights with Diffusion Gel (after mounted to the PVC) which can be purchased from any theatrical lighting company

[k6ccc]

I modified fixtures that originally held three candelabra bulbs with RGB dumb strip wrapped around two inch ABS plastic pipe.  Drive each fixture with three channels from a LOR DC controller card.  I did replace the outer glass with a frosted glass since the fixtures my wife wanted came with a clear glass.  A local glass shop made the required eight panes for me. I will likely add some more diffusion to it in the form of a square of the stuff used in florescent fixtures about half way between the strip and the outer glass.  Photos and some description at:

http://newburghlights.org/Landscaping.html

 

The lights in question are the two on top of the brick columns in the center of the first photo.  Closer up views and inside views and descriptions a little way down the page.

[Little_b]

Hey k6ccc-

 

I saw your lights on another forum and I like the idea.  Do they give off much light like regular bulbs would, or are they just effect?  I made a "bulb" similar to what you did using some 5050 150 light Dumb Strips I had left over.  The weren't very bright.  So I ordered some that are 300 lights and I'm hoping they are brighter.  I want to have the color changing effect, but still have that same white brightness as the regular bulbs.

[k6ccc]

They are bright!  I'm using three meters of 60 pixel per meter 5050 strip.  Therefore there is 180 RGB LEDs per fixture.  The only real downside is that the strips are pretty blue-ish if I bring all three colors up full.  My normal evening "white" from them is R=100%, G=70%, B=13%.  One of these days I'm going to add a little additional red and green along the corners pointing inward to warm up the color (which will let me make them even brighter if desired).

 

I did that with when I built the address sign which has 75 RGB LEDs that have all three colors wired, and 12 additional RGB LEDs with only the red and green wired.  I had previously put the first column light up when I built the address sign so I knew that the RGB LEDs were pretty blue so at initial construction of the address sign I added the extra red and green.

[Little_b]

Jim I liked your lights on your columns and hope you don't mind, but I took your idea and came up with my own similar bulb.  My original thoughts were to wrap lights around a regular bulb, but I like your idea of using a piece of pipe instead.  Here's what I did-

 

 

 

 

[Plumber Plays with Lights]

That's better than what I did last year. I just shoved red and blue 50 count light strands in my outside lights. Homemade Rgb lights. I ziptied each light to the wire to make them fit.