DIY - multi-purpose LED light

C

ck chan

Member
I've been making my own portable 12V LED lights for the last 1 years since I got hooked on its portability, lightweight, cool temp & low power comsumption. I thrashed out the flaws in version 2 last month shooting a travelogue in Thailand. Had some free time lately so I decide to build version 3. I made mine slightly bigger than those available in the market cuz u I like a nice "wrap around" lighting on my subjects. I basically mounted 6 strips of 12V LED lights i bought from a store on to an aluminum frame that I cut to size & spray it black. Then I mounted a 15amp DC controller behind as a dimmer & added a 1/4 20 thread nut at the bottom for mounting on a light stand, super clamp, camera shoe, etc.
 

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ck chan said:
I've been making my own portable 12V LED lights for the last 1 years since I got hooked on its portability, lightweight, cool temp & low power comsumption. I thrashed out the flaws in version 2 last month shooting a travelogue in Thailand. Had some free time lately so I decide to build version 3. I made mine slightly bigger than those available in the market cuz u I like a nice "wrap around" lighting on my subjects. I basically mounted 6 strips of 12V LED lights i bought from a store on to an aluminum frame that I cut to size & spray it black. Then I mounted a 15amp DC controller behind as a dimmer & added a 1/4 20 thread nut at the bottom for mounting on a light stand, super clamp, camera shoe, etc.
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Looks fantastic.. can you give me a guideline to construction costs, fabrication skills involved, and time to build?

Also, any suggestions on where you bought the "STRIPS OF 12V LIGHTS"??
 
WOW, really impressive! Do you have any footage?


I made a 40 leds light about 7 months ago, but my calculations were off a bit and the leds eventually died.
 
That's amazing! I'd love to see a how-to and a parts/source list. How much did it cost in the end? Very nice indeed.
 
Looks so professional!! I would love to get details on how you built it, costs, and how much light it provides.
 
huh, very impressed

I'm feeling inspired to give this a go

I've actually also had my eye on LED torches-- there seem to be quite a few cheap high-output models that could be easily disassembled and fashioned into a good on-camera light...
 
I got the strips of LED lights from a local store, apparently they are locally made (I'm in Singapore). They cost about US$15 / strip, 30 LEDs each & I trimmed it to 24 LEDs to make the design more compact.

Here is a cost breakdown in USD

- LED lights $90 ($15 x 6)
- aluminum plate (1.2mm) $10
- dimmer box w/ switch, knob, etc $40
- bolts & nuts $5

Took me a few days to put together cuz of work commitments & many hours sourcing for the right parts & lots of trail & error, R & D, etc

It is possible to cut metal sheet with a pair of good cutter & some brute strength but the edges are rough as u can see.

I do have plans to make them professionally in a metal shop, slightly thicker aluminum for more durability. & powder coat black it. But the shops won't entertain me if I don't have volume. I did thought about a limited production for folks interested in this.

I have shot a travelogue recently on the Sony Cinealta & HDV using an earlier design for some of the night scenes. I'll post them up soon.
 
here are some more detail pics. it shows how the hinge works & how the LED strips are mounted.

The strips are mounted on a 5mm sponge/rubber material to take any shocks or accidental knocks. It also doubles to protect the soldering at the back of the LED strip

The LED strips comes in a length of 30 bulbs when i purchase them. The cool thing is, when any LED light blows, which hardly happens, I can just replace the strip on the spot.

i don't have a meter to measure the lux on this light but I wanna compare it tmw with the other lights I have like the dedo & the luxmen 100w camera mounted light
 

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ck chan said:
here are some more detail pics. it shows how the hinge works & how the LED strips are mounted.

The strips are mounted on a 5mm sponge/rubber material to take any shocks or accidental knocks. It also doubles to protect the soldering at the back of the LED strip

The LED strips comes in a length of 30 bulbs when i purchase them. The cool thing is, when any LED light blows, which hardly happens, I can just replace the strip on the spot.

i don't have a meter to measure the lux on this light but I wanna compare it tmw with the other lights I have like the dedo & the luxmen 100w camera mounted light
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Nice work, Chan.. it looks outstanding.. Im going to try and find some of these strip lights...

J
 
ck chan said:
I've been making my own portable 12V LED lights for the last 1 years since I got hooked on its portability, lightweight, cool temp & low power comsumption. I thrashed out the flaws in version 2 last month shooting a travelogue in Thailand. Had some free time lately so I decide to build version 3. I made mine slightly bigger than those available in the market cuz u I like a nice "wrap around" lighting on my subjects. I basically mounted 6 strips of 12V LED lights i bought from a store on to an aluminum frame that I cut to size & spray it black. Then I mounted a 15amp DC controller behind as a dimmer & added a 1/4 20 thread nut at the bottom for mounting on a light stand, super clamp, camera shoe, etc.
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What temp are the lights?
 
TeamJoeDawn said:
What temp are the lights?
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Its slightly cooler than daylight, closer to a cloudy day. I wanna check the color temp the next time I use a professional cam to color balance & find out the reading from the camera display.

THANKS for all the compliments folks!!
 
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Gorgeous. What price do you think you would be asking for your limited run for those of us without much DIY skills?
 
TeamJoeDawn said:
Hmmm.. two options..
http://www.myledlight.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1281

The second is only 6 LEDs, but several together may work to mount on a portable fake-fig rig or something..
http://www.opentip.com/products/SS_Electrical_LightingSeaSense_Utility_Strip_Light_WPigtail_White_Switches_Electrical_Lighting-104765.html
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I have tried other LED lights like the flexible ones but i find them flimsy & the plastic around the LED bulbs don't help in the light projection, the light is kinda everywhere.
 
Bus No. 8 said:
Gorgeous. What price do you think you would be asking for your limited run for those of us without much DIY skills?
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I'm going to hunt around a few machine shops tmw & find how much it cost to fabricate the aluminum mount & barn doors & powder coat them. I can get the rest of the stuff & fix them together. Will let u know the cost soon.
 
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