Backlighting with LED stripes

[jackpilot]

First, a big thank you to Scott for "enlightening" me on the subject.
Here are some pics from a test I did today.
I use a orangy red acetate behind the panel and the final result is very interesting.
Color is a little bit more redish than the photo shows , and real close to IBLs color,  the LED stripe (12v) is dimmable.
BTW I used a Ebay new surplus 20hms 3A pot for dimming. It works and does not heat at all.
Maybe it is not good to use that? Please advise.
Here are the pics:

[matta757]

Looks great!

[XOrionFE]

wow, nice. brilliant idea with the red acetate Jack.  from the picture it is a close match to the real deal.

Scott

[Kennair]

Simple and easy way to backlight Jack, thanks.

As for the coloured film background, I did similar with my EFIS and MCP but used a tip from Claude Keiffer from his A320 build.  To get a really good orange colour use one layer of orange and one layer of yellow gel.  I bought sheets of lighting gel off ebay which are tougher than your hobby shop type of cellophane (you may well have done the same).  It's a little extra work but results in a strong colour glow without hindering light intensity.

Cheers,

Ken.

[jackpilot]

The color is also adjustable depending on cool/warm white leds.
I used warm.

Note :would be easier to order an IBL set!!!! but I got those panels too early I guess 
Thanks for the appreciation Guys.

Oh, and what do you think of the pot dimmer? Am I right?

[Joe Lavery]

Hi Jack,

First of all I'm no expert, but a pal of mine who is an electronics wiz said that the circuit below was a better, (more elegant he said) solution for a dimmer.

I built the circuit on vero board and it's been in place over a year now and doesn't get hot at all, although I got a decent transistor in a can, rather than the usual plastic variety.

Hope that's helpful.

Joe.

[jackpilot]

Wilco..thank you.

[Emesis]

Jack,

These are the ones that I use with my LED strips, they work great and are cheap!

http://cgi.ebay.com/LED-Bulb-Dimmer-Adjustable-Brightness-Controller-DC-12V-/300522532102?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f889ed06

Cheers

[jackpilot]

Grrrrrrr. Stupid EBay   cant access from Canada due to legal restrictions.....Hey Mau, add the dimmers to the list of potential weapons!!!!

Edit: found that one . Same?
http://cgi.ebay.com/PWM-Dimmer-Dimming-Controller-LED-Light-Strip-12V-/110644323673?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c2ea6559

[Emesis]

Yeah Jack it's the same one, if you keep looking on Ebay you might find it a little cheaper. I believe that Scott posted a link a few days ago to the same type of dimmers from a different place.

Rand

[Garys]

No problems getting these into Canada Jack. Beeen using one for about a month and just ordered a couple more. Good seller.

http://cgi.ebay.com/LED-Bulb-Dimmer-Adjustable-Brightness-Controller-DC-12V-/180612444849?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a0d5732b1

[jackpilot]

Do you think that they can handle a ¼mile of stripes...have to do the entire MIP...and the overhead ..and the pedestal...

[Garys]

LOL... it certainly does add up. these are rated to 8 amps and I have seen 5m led strips ranging from 0.4 amps/meter to 1.2 amps so you can have alot of lights running of one. The only reason I ordered more was to adjust the areas seperately as well.

[saabpilot]

 Hi, I will use LED strips too for my OH.

Great tip with the colored sheets.  I spoke with a German guy at the Lelystad simshow and he recommended to "color" the white LEDs with glasspaint (yellow+red), but the idea with foils is easier I believe.
Regarding the 1$ dimmers from Hong Kong, they are superb for the 12V  LED strips. You can easily detach the PC board and the pot from the "box".

The PC board and pot are connected with a 10 cm cable so very easy to place the board.  Rated for 8A so you will never have any problems even if you run ALL backlight LED:s from only one dimmer.

Best,
Bjorn in Sweden

[NeoMorph]

Hi Jack,

First of all I'm no expert, but a pal of mine who is an electronics wiz said that the circuit below was a better, (more elegant he said) solution for a dimmer.

I built the circuit on vero board and it's been in place over a year now and doesn't get hot at all, although I got a decent transistor in a can, rather than the usual plastic variety.

Hope that's helpful.

Joe.

Damn, those 555 timers are so darned useful... Never would have thought of using it for an LED dimmer but as most seven segment displays are in essence dimmed like that (the individual numbers are actually lit a lot brighter than the final multiplexed display) then it really does make sense. The more LED's you use though, the dimmer the whole string of LED's would be though.

[Joe Lavery]

As I understand it a multiplexed seven segment display is normally controlled by a PIC. The PIC is capable of turning each segment on and off again many times a second, much faster than the human eye can see. So in fact in this scenario only one segment is ever lit at one time. It's the persistence of vision and the very high speed that makes the segments appear to be lit continuously.

I hope that makes sense, as I said earlier I'm no expert but I've been messing about with seven segment displays and PICs to get a working 737 style clock.

Joe.

[NeoMorph]

You are right which was why I said I had not seen a 555 timer used that way.

Most people think that all the segments on their LED bedside clocks are lit at once because all the numbers are lit. If they were to see a single digit lit without the multiplexing they would see it loads brighter than the multiplexed display  which is basically how the dimmer seems to be working here.

Seeing it work in a video is going to be interesting as cameras work different to the eye. Was watching a video of a Bonanza yesterday and it looked like there were venetian blinds at the front instead of a prop heh.