Recommend me some LED strip lights.

[bloodhound31]

I'm looking for some strip lights to put under each tread of my stairs in the observatory. I prefer blue.

I was in Bunnings the other day and I found a set of four 30cm LED strip lights for $50.

I thought that was pretty pricey as I need enough for the twelve steps.

I was looking at this (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Waterproof-Blue-DC-12V-5M-3528-SMD-300-Leds-LED-Strips-Strip-Light-Lamp-/110904278467?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Access ories&hash=item19d268fdc3&_uhb=1), but it looks like I need a lot of other stuff with it.

Is this just the roll of LED's then you need to buy all the connectors, switches etc?

Baz.

[Marke]

I have several of the ebay ones and they are great , 12v all you need is a switch and power . They come with just bare wire on the ends but its easy to add a switch and a generic 240 - 12v dc converter
or I just run mine off the 12V battery in the Obs which has a Ctek trickle charger on it .

[bloodhound31]

Thanks Marke.

I've got 12V and switches under control then.

I see they have marks on them where you can cut them. I want to install a strip under each tread, without the zig-zagging of one continuous strip. Is it a simple matter of soldering wires to the ends where you cut them?

Baz.

[alpharipper]

I have purchased heaps of these and used them for cars, camper trailers, caravans etc etc etc.

NOTE - make sure you get the ones that are coated in a silicon cover. Some are just a flexible circuit board and with no protection over the leds.

These do look like they have the cover in the pic, but I would confirm with the seller first. A mate brought some and cant use them outside.

Worth every cent though you may need to glue them up as I have found some of the double sided tape they use doesn't hold.

have fun.

[Marke]

Yes you just cut to length and solder , and mentioned above the water proof
ones are better but I am using both and no problem .

[alpharipper]

You can cut to a min of three LEDs. I actually used 2 X 3 led bits left over to replace number plate lights in my wifes car.

[mithrandir]

Blue might look cool, but it has to be the most annoying colour for extended usage. Just about every new appliance in the house has blue LEDs to tell you they have power connected. Those LEDs have a negative effect on melanin production which makes it hard to sleep.

[blink138]

er...... i think in your observatory, you dont want to fall asleep ha ha!
pat

[Astro_Bot]

You could do it differently and save a lot of work, IMHO - e.g. install a long strip on the inside (left) edge to cast light across the steps with a reflective strip on each step's edge*. You could also use discrete LED clusters for the same thing.

* These work best when the light source is on the same line as the eye, so you might get equal value from any light-coloured strip.

[TWIGGY15]

I would recommend the RGB led strip with the 44 button remote controller.
I've used this before, it comes in a 5mt roll.
You can get it from eBay for about $35 inc postage from Sydney...not Hong Kong.
That way if you have any issues, you can contact someone who speaks English.
I would go for the SMD 5050 as a minimum (large diodes and very bright).
With the controller, you can dim or brighten it, change colour to whatever blue you like or yellow or pink. You can store upto 6 different custom colours.
You can choose different modes of light and make it flash, change colour or pulse. Options are a plenty.
There are 4 wires to solder though, just use 4 core security cable from bunnings, it's about $0.30 per metre and you'd only need a maximum of 5 metres depending in where your power source is.
Just make sure if you cut the strip, you dab a small bit of silicone on the bare end, otherwise you will have exposed live ends. It's only 12v so it would tickle more than anything.

Anyway, I think RGB is the way too go.

[bloodhound31]

Hey thanks heaps you guys!

The stairs are actually completely closed in from upstairs so the light from them won't be a problem. I have a vision in mind (I have from the very beginning) and downstairs is all about brigtness, warmth, comfort, luxury and spectacle. I really like blue LED's. I have plenty of opaque white perspex in the shed, which I will probably cut into two-foot-long strips to diffuse the LED's. My idea is to mount them UNDER each tread, pointing down to glow some soft light onto the tread below.

I know it's a bit of extra work and fiddling around, but I've come this far building this entire thing from the ground up, so I don't want to take too many short-cuts now. I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron, so it shouldn't present much of a challenge. The anamatronics I've been learning about in building my Iron Man suit have taught me a lot about amps, volts, resistance and much more.

Upstairs I am going to use a red LED strip, right around the skirt of the dome with a dimmer on it.

The lights upstairs are only on for moving about or chilling out on a cloudy night. Once I am imaging, I sit still in my chair behind the telescope and ALL LIGHTS ARE OFF.

Twiggy15, thanks for pointing out the RGB one with all the controllers and options to program colours etc. Not that I really need all these features under the stairs, but as it's so affordable, why not?

Thanks folks! Some handy advice there.

Baz.

[bloodhound31]

I ordered them last night. I should have them by Tuesday next week so I'll attempt to install them very soon.... gotta oil those stairs first!

[Jen]

Wow mark your observatory looks amazing ( I sooo want mine to look like that one day ) ;)


Ohhhh and baz yours looks like it's going to be awsome too :thumbsup: I love the stairs

[bloodhound31]

Thanks Jen. I'm about to start chopping up the LED lighting to install under the treads. Pictures soon.

Baz.

[bloodhound31]

I wonder if I can run an extra 5 metres of LED's on the same power source? I'm thinking that It would require more power?

[adman]

I have some of these Baz, a 5 metre strip will draw about 2 amps - so as long as your power supply is up to it, you can connect as many strips in parallel as you like...

Adam