 |
Advice - How to make a standard LED light red? |
ESP182
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Jun 24, 2008
Posts: 51
From: Orange, CA
|  Posted: 2011-02-11 3:16 pm Permalink
Hello
I've recently purchased these LED lights from Ace:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3266862&cp=2568454.2632231.2632298.1259144
After installing the lights, they give off this "dull" glow. I'd like to make them red. Was thinking of adding a red filter over the lights. Was hoping some suggestions could be given on how this could be accomplished.
Mahalo
|
Tiki Trav
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 25, 2006
Posts: 631
From: NSW Central Coast, Australia
| Posted: 2011-02-11 4:26 pm Permalink
Most sign shops would have some scrap translucent (lightbox) adhesive vinyl you could apply to the face...
[ This Message was edited by: tiki trav 2011-02-28 23:38 ]
|
Hakalugi
Site Administrator
Joined: Aug 10, 2004
Posts: 2817
From: Redondo Beach, CA
| Posted: 2011-02-11 4:29 pm Permalink
Another source for red translucent tape would be at auto parts stores like Pep Boys. They sell it for "repairing" brake lights.
|
ESP182
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Jun 24, 2008
Posts: 51
From: Orange, CA
| Posted: 2011-02-11 4:55 pm Permalink
Cool, thank you for the replies. I'll take a look and see which one i can acquire locally.
|
Chip and Andy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 13, 2004
Posts: 2084
From: Corner table, Molokai Lounge, Mai-Kai.
| Posted: 2011-02-11 8:17 pm Permalink
How red do you want it?
You can take a red sharpie and 'paint' the lens covers. It won't give you a 'red' light but it will warm up the color from the basic blue/white.
If you have a good art supply house around look for Rubylith. It is a red film that print makers and printers used for masking out printing and photography plates.
The red repair tape is quick and easy, but will have a tendency to peel away from the plastic lens after not too much time which gets annoying because it has that uncanny ability to look great until you have guests over when the whole thing decides to give up its adhesive qualities all at once and fall off and manage to make it into someone's plate of appetizers.
|
MadDogMike
Grand Member (3 years) 
Joined: Mar 30, 2008
Posts: 6492
From: The Anvil of the Sun
| Posted: 2011-02-12 12:08 am Permalink
Michael's sells transparent paint for faux stained glass, that might be worth a shot.
|
TorchGuy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 24, 2008
Posts: 200
From: Renton, WA
| Posted: 2011-02-23 08:36 am Permalink
Theatrical supply stores and some DJ supply places will sell what's called a 'gel'. Gels are transparent colored plastic sheet, very thin but not crushable like colored cellophane - strong enough to be used for their intended purpose, which is coloring stage and nightclub lights.
Gel comes in about a billion different shades - a subtle shade difference can make or break stage lighting designs. Bring your lights to a theatrical supply shop and see how different colors look over them; most have these in sliding trays or rows of folders, where you can easily leaf through them.
|
Bonj
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Nov 17, 2008
Posts: 26
From: Brisbane, AU
| Posted: 2011-02-28 4:40 pm Permalink
If you are confident with soldering, you could replace the white LEDs with high intensity red ones. With 5 LEDs in series running off 4.5V (from 3x AAA cells), you're aren't likely to even need a current limiting resistor, so no need to worry if the original circuit has one or not.
|
Polly
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 09, 2010
Posts: 118 | Posted: 2011-05-04 7:14 pm Permalink
You can wrap it with a red plastic paper bag.
|
