# LED Pin Spots



## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

I have been trying to create haunt lighting since I started. To me, it is just a good and vital part of a haunt. I had the idea lurking in the back of my brain, but when I saw Nepboard's post on making LED spot lights I was inspired. Nepboard had done what the dim recesses of my mind were looking for. I also incorporated a technique that Scourge demonstrates on his Skull Candles. In particular about using casting resin. I love this stuff. I got some LED help from Ghoulishgadgets, Hedg12 and Partsman. I also used the LED calculator located here: http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz

Now, on with the tut.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

I probably spent a month trying to find the PVC that Nepboard uses. I just can't find it in Los Angeles. So, I went with copper. More expensive, but really damn tough. Here, I cut the copper pipe to length and also cut one end off using a hacksaw to creat an angle. The angle will be used to put the lights into the ground.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

I next took a pipe cutter and cut a ring off of the straight end of each pipe. Throughout construction I would use a Dremel to deburr edges.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

I placed the rings on some clay and sprayed them down with some WD-40 as a release agent. I then poured the mixed SmoothCaste 320 from SmoothOn into the rings.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

When cured, about 5 minutes, I popped the new plugs out of their molds and cleaned off the WD-40. the plugs make a pretty snug fit.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

I then took the LED and marked the leads on the plug and drilled out a hole for the leads to go through.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

Slipped the LED through and soldered the resistor to the short leg on the LED.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

First test... we have LIGHT!


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

The 45 degree fitting gives you an idea of where this is going. This fitting is what I could not find that Nepboard was using, this is why I switched to copper.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

These are the completed light units. LED, plug and resistor.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

I marked the pipes for a hole to allow the wire to get through. I could have fished the wire up from the bottom but then I couldn't stake them into the ground.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

And, drilled and deburred the holes.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

I wanted to go the fancy the plug route but I ended up using speaker wire. Each coil is 50 feet and works just fine. I ran this into the hole and out the top of the copper pipe.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

Soldered the wire onto the remaining LED lead and the free end of the resistor. I soldered the striped wire to the resistor (negative side of the LED). This way, when I wire the LEDs up, I just match the striped wire to the negative terminal. I also taped all the connections to prevent shorts.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

Ran the bulb and wire through the 45 degree fitting, and slid the fitting onto the pipe.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

Next, I pulled the LEDs down into the pipe and got them pointing where I wanted them. I made sure I had a seal at the plug, I used butyl rubber, but I think Krazy Glue would work too. I then mixed some resin and poured it in. Once cured the LEDs were locked in place and are totally weather resistant. I then flipped the pipes upside down, plugged the hole where the wire comes out, and filled the pipe with more resin and let that cure. Now all the electronics were sealed in.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

I masked off the LED end and sprayed the light with black primer. And, Done!


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

To give you an idea I tossed the lights up on a beam in my patio. One is looking at you, light on. The other one is seen from behind and is hanging over the edge. The are pretty inconspicuous even in daylight, nighttime there will be no chance of spotting them.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

I noticed there was a question in Nepboards post about how bright the LEDs are. I am using 10mm 1 Watt LEDs from here: http://stores.ebay.com/HKJE-Led-Lamp-Center

This is a video of my patio with the LEDs off. Excuse the PVC candles, finished them the same night.

YouTube- LED Pin Spot Test OFF


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

And this is with the LED on. Again, I also filmed the PVC candles. The LEDs are bright enough I think I can use one to light my patio on Halloween. The video is showing only the one LED.

YouTube- LED Pin Spot Test ON

If you have any comments or questions let me know.
Mike


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## MsMeeple (Aug 21, 2004)

Nice tutorial! Might have to consider switching over to these.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

Thanks, Ms Meeples. Love your lips.

I bought my resin here: http://www.reynoldsam.com/

But the originating source is SmoothOn, here: http://www.smooth-on.com/

If, like me, SmoothOn is really distant from you, shipping will kill ya. On SmoothOn's website they list distributors, LOOK THERE, you can save yourself a lot on shipping charges, might even be able to pick it up locally. For those living near me, Reynolds Advanced Materials is near the Burbank Airport. Others, start with SmoothOn and find your local distributor.

Remember, I did fill the inside of the tubes at least to the hole for the wire. I wanted to seal the electornics from the environment, and I wanted to prevent the wire from chafing.


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## lorod (Apr 19, 2010)

Mike, that was a great tutorial! THanks so much for posting.


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## Nepboard (Sep 21, 2009)

Nice post Mike. It is amazing how bright 10mm LED's are. Did you get any other colors than blue?


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

Lorod, thanks, and welcome.

Nepboard, yep they are really bright, but I think it has a lot to do with the wattage. I've picked 10mm LEDs up at Radio Shack that just plain sucked. I also built some spots with the Yellow/Amber LEDs from that site. They turned out how I hoped. The yellow isn't too canary, it is somewhat amber. I shined (shone?) the yellow LED on our tomatoes when I hooked it up for a test, made them instantly creepy, aged and dry looking, like a corn field or dead weeds. Nice. I'm glad you posted, I now know you saw this, I owe you for this idea.


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## Nepboard (Sep 21, 2009)

I need to get some yellow ones.


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## Hallowennie315 (Oct 9, 2008)

Hey MikeBru, where did you get your LED's? I know what you mean about how the Radio Shack ones are horrible! I'm looking for some really bring 10mm LED's and yours look really good! Thanks!


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

Wow, somebody dug this thread up.lol I got the LEDs here: http://stores.ebay.com/HKJE-Led-Lamp-Center. They are the 10mm 1 Watt high power variety. Hope that helps.


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## archos_user (Oct 20, 2009)

How about these http://www.oznium.com/high-intensity-led-floodlight


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## rebelxwing (Oct 7, 2008)

Those are great spotlights! I just made several strings of led spots with leds from Radio Shack and discovered the finished product is only suitable for close-up applications (lighting is too weak for lighting a full scene). Your lights are just what I need for my scenes... so I'm going to try and buy some with express shipping so I can build them in time for the big night! Thanks for the info.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

Go for it! Hope it works out for you, they do light up an area!


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## agentbud (Oct 29, 2008)

Mike,

Great instructions. Can you post a quick explanation on how you connected the other end of the speaker wire to your power source? 
Also, what gauge speaker wire did you use?

Thanks...
Mike


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

Hi Mike,

If you go to my page on this forum, by clicking on my name you will find my albums on the right side. One album is LED Control Box, or something like that, it shows what I did. Here is a quick picture:









The wire was 16 gauge. I put those forked crimp on terminals on the ends of the wire and simply screwed them to the terminal blocks, positve to positive and negative to negative.

Hope that helps.

Mike


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## Hellspawn (Jul 2, 2007)

have you experimented with 5mm leds? Im curious as to how well they compare in output, maybe 3 5mm leds would have the same output as 1 10mm led?


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

I haven't tried any of the other sizes for this project. I've used other LEDs but not for something like this. Try it and let us know.


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## yardhauntjunkie (Feb 26, 2009)

What adapter plug did you use?


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

Not sure I'm following you. I used crimp on spade terminals. You can see them in the photo, they have the blue plastic ends.


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## yardhauntjunkie (Feb 26, 2009)

What voltage? Is that more clear?


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

Yeah, that is more clear but my answer is going to suck. The transformer is packed away for the year. I think it was between 3-5 volts DC. What you should really do is use the resistor calculator and that will tell you the volts to use. Go as low as you can, three volts would probably be good. But again, use the calculator.
Mike


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## Nepboard (Sep 21, 2009)

Hey Mike,
How did your LEDs turn out in your haunt?? I took a few and dulled them with 400 grit to wash out the spot light circle effect. They worked great but I need to get a few yellows.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

Dude! Nepboard! 
I have no idea how they burned out. Maybe the voltage on the transformer wasn't exactly 'accurate'? I am thinking of a computer power supply with a regulated volatge when I try these again. Something got warm though, about where the resistor was, was warm to the touch and that was through the resin filler and the copper pipe. You think it was my power supply?


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## Nepboard (Sep 21, 2009)

Awe, Super Bummer Mike! Man I don't know why the trouble. I would think the power source was the issue. In my opinion a good ol'e computer power supply is the way to go for these projects whether it is lights or wiper motor. I ended up running 22 lights off my hubs and had zero issues.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

I guess I could dig a little hole, bury my LED lights, make a foam head stone, and 'resurrect' them next year as Zombie LED Spot Lights!


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## ColenJacksdad (Aug 24, 2010)

I just made a couple of pin spots this morning. I got my LED's from Fry's. They seem to work well. Thanks for the tutoral.


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

Hey, excellent! Glad it helped you!


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## Phil-the-fear (Aug 12, 2010)

Great tut!  Very simple even a fool like me can follow it!


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## Xane (Oct 13, 2010)

Yes, this is my favorite of all the spotlight tutorials. Doesn't require odd things like USB cables and hubs that some people may not be able to get cheaply, or guessing voltages on those clip-on LED lights that don't have any kind of specs. At least using a bare LED like this you know _exactly_ what resistor you need for it. I'll be redoing mine with PVC using this method this year.


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## mikentn (Nov 2, 2009)

MikeBru said:


> Dude! Nepboard!
> I have no idea how they burned out. Maybe the voltage on the transformer wasn't exactly 'accurate'? I am thinking of a computer power supply with a regulated volatge when I try these again. Something got warm though, about where the resistor was, was warm to the touch and that was through the resin filler and the copper pipe. You think it was my power supply?


Yep, I'm willing to bet the majority of your problem was your wall wart. Most of them are unregulated, and put out quite a bit more voltage than listed. I've seen 9V WW's put out as much as 12V, and 12V ones put out as much as 18V, and the output changes with the load. I've had good luck with the Motorola and Blackberry 5V wallwarts for old cell phones. The ones I've checked have been regulated supplies, and they're usually 5V 700mA supplies. 

Another possible contributing factor is that the LED forward voltage is different for different colors, with red normally being around 2V and blue and green around 3.4 V, iirc. The forward voltage will determine what value your current-limiting resistor should be. That should've been included with the specs for your LED's, though. 

One other issue I've encountered with high-power LED's is thermal runaway. Believe it or not, the high-power LED's do generate heat. I had this issue with some LED floods I built. You could sit and watch the current start climbing the longer the LED's were on, until it went past the rating for the LED's. I ended up having to go to a constant-current source to keep the LED's from burning out. 

Computer power supplies are great for supplying regulated power. Only downside is they can get rather hot if you don't provide room for airflow for their fans.


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## Xane (Oct 13, 2010)

Regulated supplies are indeed often expensive. "Switching" supplies are technically more likely to supply constant voltage but not always. However, these two got good reviews. I bought the 5v ones but since I'm very very lazy I didn't get started in time to build my power distribution box, so I'm still using the PC supply I modified last year.

5v 1 amp (1000 mA) power supply with bizarre power connector from All Electronics - $4.50 

12v 2 amp (2000 mA) power supply (looks like a laptop adapter) from Parts Express - $7.80


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## Old Man Bakke (Oct 18, 2011)

what did you use for a power supply?


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## MikeBru (Jul 30, 2009)

I used essentially a wall wart. I've tried an ATX (computer power supply) with the same result. I'm trying again this year with a really big resistor and a regulated supply. I was told that over time they would still dim and fail. I'd love a cheap solution to my dilemma.


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