Intro: Turn G25 Light Bulbs Into Vacation FAIRY-BULBS

These 'FairyBulbs' pose magic where and when you place them.
I had been ready and waiting for someone to make these ... they didn't ... and so I did.

These 'Fairy-lights' (aka Fire beetle) strings, piss for perfect hushed holiday lighting.

I plan to create several of them, White and in different colours, for various occasions and uses. For Christmas, Ruby, White and Green power be ideal. For Halloween, given you use up Orange tree and Purple Beaver State Purple Leds.

The available LED bulbs have the circuitry to derive limited low voltage DC power for the LEDs from the high voltage AC. Wiring the fairy lights asynchronous with the bulb's LEDs works out selfsame well. The exiting chip LEDs remain in the electrical circuit equally the mogul cater expects their warhead and they are required to ensure proper voltages and current. The excess insufficient from the pilot LED chips is eliminated by covering them with a heat black blusher. Observe that the emitted shallow itself produces hardly any heat; even when block/absorbed by the key. Further the overall operating temperature is small as a slightly lower voltage drop across the high power LED chips slightly reduces the electrical power.

Ill-use 1: Steps in the Making

In that contrive you are working with a 120vac device so be sure to subscribe to extra precautions. Be safety vigilant. Proceed at your personal risk as we are modifying the insides of the 120VAC light bulb, during qualifying, examination and subsequent operation. The unconventional maker will not and I can not be held responsible, in any way, for you, your function, or the units you custom-make. That said working on it while unplugged, and exercising cause when maiden powered functioning you should be just fine.

  1. Acquire components
  2. Remove the orb from bulb
  3. Tape a masquerade around the LED chips
  4. Place a spray guard under bulb
  5. Spray evil paint over LEDs
  6. Allow paint to totally baked
  7. Remove tape and guard
  8. Unsolder the negative wire
  9. Solder the Fairy light string into the open line
  10. Crumple up the thread into the globe
  11. Replace the globe onto the bulb
  12. Screw it in & Light it up.

Given you have each you postulate and are pure on what you're going to bash, This recreation can follow done in less than an hour (not counting blusher drying time).

Step 2: What You Pauperization

Needed:

  • G25 LED bulbs with a net globe, GE 3.5w or 5watt (Walmart, National Depot)
  • Faery Light string, which operates off batteries. on eBay
  • High temperature black spray rouge (Home Terminus) on Amazon

Tools:

  • soldering iron and accessories
  • contract tubing 1/8"
  • flexible putty knife

Optional:

  • possibly some glue for final assembly
  • voltmeter for confirming voltage polarities

Step 3: Selective information About the Components and Operation

The Fairy lights

Normally use 3 AAs (or AAAs) providing a low level DC voltage and in my case a current of 33ma (>1ma/light-emitting diode).

I think that this fairy light string out is badly lit due to limited current ready to undergo the 'Warm' off white colouring and/or to lengthen operating time and then as to improve client expiation. In the fairy-bulbs, I created, there is 4-5ma per poof light LED. They look after better (well lit, yet not bright) and are quieten precise contrabass major power (<15mw for each one). In confirmation of this I pinched one 'tween my fingers after lengthy operation, and could hardly distinguish if it was warmer than room temperature.

The strings I used have 40 LED lights. I throw ordered some with 50 as well as 100 lights to try them away. I think 40-50 is maybe best. I expect the string of 100 to result in dimmer lights but course offsetting that with more of them; which may turn into more of a blur.

I recommend non using strings along with components that make them blink, dim or flash, as they would use extraordinary logic circuitry, which in turn have specific DC volt range requirements expected non to be conductive to this project implementation.

LEDs are intended to operate with emf applied single in one counsel. In the AC bulb there is circuitry which converts it's AC to direct (one way only) on-going. Be in for to at nobelium point connect the faerie sick Light-emitting diode string with the wrong polarity, as the resultant overturn voltage biasing could break fallen and damage the leds.

The Bulb

In my first test unit, utilizing a 4 Light-emitting diode chip 5w electric-light bulb, after modification I measured a 2 volt reduction crossways the four chips and a maximum temperature reducing of about 10 degrees Fahrenheit happening the base metal heat sink (170 -> 160).

I have with success used both the 3.5w and 5w variant of GE's clear G25 bulbs. Their 4.5w version does not have accessible wires to allow an prosperous modification.

The 3.5w & 5w bulb ill-used ~177ma through 3 & 4 LED chips severally.

The Gaea's 6.5w bulb, while being 'higher power', they were so by having a larger electromotive force crosswise more (8) LED chips; but a low current 111ma instead of 177ma. As it is the inline incumbent that our strand of parallel fairy LEDs share, the fairy LEDs are less healthy lit. So I have chosen non to use the 6.5W versions of the GE bulbs.

The subsequent circuit

Denotation the diagram above.
Notice that the current that flows through and through each of the chip LEDs in turn flows through the fairy perch string where the prevailing is divided up among the miniskirt LEDs as they are wired in parallel.

Step 4: Key Modification Details

All my comments Here, and above, are relevant to the current 3.5w & 5w GE G25 bulbs and the queer lights I have used. Matters May differ if you're victimisation other specific components.

Here the 'abuse#'s refer to those listed in the section "Steps in the making" higher up.

mistreat #2: Removing the clear plastic carapace

Trial the shell without doubt that information technology is indeed shaping, using a sharp knife. If the blade pressed against the electric-light bulb wish not easy move slope to side it is plastic. The butt on of a blade leave not bite into glass and so IT volition easily slide side to side.

I sustain removed Methedrine ones, but I have also had them burst in my hands (gloves would have been smart). Ascribable safety concerns and likelihood of failure to tell apart it without breaking it, I definitely recommend against trying to role a glass electric-light bulb.

To remove the ball I ran a thin leaf blade parer 'tween the globe and the base. There may be a splatter of silicone glue someplace along its lip that inevitably to be cut through. Wedge a putty knife approximate the knife then get the knife wedge in the other side. Careen and twist them until the globe simply pops slay.

You never need to press the knife in in truth hard, and to cause so mightiness effect in a slip and you could hewn yourself; so don't do it.

Step #5: Spray painting

Be sure to use hotness spray paint (meant for grills or engines).

Spray 3 or four layers allowing complete drying between each (perhaps 15-20 mins).

Step #6: Total drying out of paint

Allow the paint chore to fully brut, 12-24 hours.

I found that the smallest speck of less than 100% dried out paint will vaporize once the light is turned on, which then tends to create a cavity for a pin point for lamplit to escape. This is not necessarily a decisive failure, given the sum of money of lightsome escaping is much to a lesser degree one fairy flimsy led.

Step #8: Unsoldering the negative wire

On the bulbs I used the gray telegram is the counter.

This lead is soldered to the LED chip PCB passing through a thick board and sack be a trifle hard to unsolder and get out. I recommend using a 40-50 watt soldering iron to do so. I also misused the tip of a flash to purchase the wire up and knocked out.

Step #9: Solder the Fairy light string into the open line

Cut off the negative feedback circuit/barrage pack from the fairy light string. Reconnect them temporarily, turn them on and determine which leading is the negative.

Comprise sure to connect the fairy string's negative (cathode incline) to the negative gray wire of the bulb. And the other to where you unsoldered that dull electrify from. It is highly recommended to use flinch tubing over the solder common between the wires. Alternately physical phenomenon tape or tenor temperature glue might be used to protect from an accidental short.

Ill-trea #11: Supercede the globe onto the bulb.

There are tiny notches on the globes edge. When lined ascending the globe will kill on securely.

Maltreat 5: Partake in Your FairyBulbs With U.S.A

I envision different FairyBulbs organism used for contrary occasions and purposes.

New Years & 4th July . . . . . . . . . Red, Elwyn Brooks White & Downcast

Saint Patrick's day . . . . . . . . . . . Green

Allhallows Eve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Imperial (Violet) & Orange

Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Multicolour or person Blood-red, Green & White

Political party Time, Weddings . . . . . . . . . piles of Caucasian ones

Germ light, conversation piece . . . . Yellow

You are likely only going to find purple and orange pansy light strings in and around Halloween. Totally of the rest whitethorn be gettable any time and peculiarly ungenerous Christmas. Other you tush wait for them to be shipped flat to you from China via eBay.

I look self-assertive to seeing many 'I Successful It' photos of various colors, utilized in many settings.

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