PCB based neon fairy lights
bigclivedotcom 17:35
51,912 views · 3,308 likes Watch on YouTube ↗
A novel twist on a vintage set of soviet neon fairy lights (Christmas lights) that I saw online. I've already made a version with loose resistors and multiple layers of heat shrink sleeving, but thought that a tiny PCB with surface mount resistors on it would make it easier to build.
The PCBs are double sided and have a large pad for soldering the looped power cables to, with a section of the fibreglass PCB at the base designed to provide good separation of the ends of the cables in case of cheeky strands or sleeve meltage. The live is on one side, and the neutral on the other, to provide excellent separation.
There are two 1206 sized resistors on either side, which could be classed as overkill, but spreads the heat dissipation and also increases the electrical rating.
The neon solders to the end with one leg on either side of the PCB, and the whole assembly is then covered with one or two layers of heat shrink sleeving.
This string of neons is only really aimed at the geeks who love novel lighting items. It is way less efficient than a set of diffused orange LEDs. It also has a spicier voltage running along it.
Assembly was easy, but a touch of flux could be a good idea while reflowing the pre-soldered pads during installation of the wires and neons.
It was an easy, and pleasant string of lights to make, and the resultant diffused orange glowing lamps are very gentle on the eye.
I used four 56K resistors in series for a total of 224K on a 240V supply. For 120V the value will be much lower.
Here's the PCB file. Note that it is a single PCB and not a panel of them. It seems a lot cheaper to order them individually anyway.
The PCB is so small that JLC's page doesn't fill in the size. It's 8mm by 24mm.
YouTube may block the direct link to a zip file. If clicking the link doesn't work, copy and paste it into a new browser window.
http://www.bigclive.com/neonfairy.zip
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
http://www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
This also keeps the channel independent of YouTube's advertising algorithms allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
#ElectronicsCreators
The PCBs are double sided and have a large pad for soldering the looped power cables to, with a section of the fibreglass PCB at the base designed to provide good separation of the ends of the cables in case of cheeky strands or sleeve meltage. The live is on one side, and the neutral on the other, to provide excellent separation.
There are two 1206 sized resistors on either side, which could be classed as overkill, but spreads the heat dissipation and also increases the electrical rating.
The neon solders to the end with one leg on either side of the PCB, and the whole assembly is then covered with one or two layers of heat shrink sleeving.
This string of neons is only really aimed at the geeks who love novel lighting items. It is way less efficient than a set of diffused orange LEDs. It also has a spicier voltage running along it.
Assembly was easy, but a touch of flux could be a good idea while reflowing the pre-soldered pads during installation of the wires and neons.
It was an easy, and pleasant string of lights to make, and the resultant diffused orange glowing lamps are very gentle on the eye.
I used four 56K resistors in series for a total of 224K on a 240V supply. For 120V the value will be much lower.
Here's the PCB file. Note that it is a single PCB and not a panel of them. It seems a lot cheaper to order them individually anyway.
The PCB is so small that JLC's page doesn't fill in the size. It's 8mm by 24mm.
YouTube may block the direct link to a zip file. If clicking the link doesn't work, copy and paste it into a new browser window.
http://www.bigclive.com/neonfairy.zip
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
http://www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
This also keeps the channel independent of YouTube's advertising algorithms allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
#ElectronicsCreators
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