They're wonderful for certain applications. I have about 15 little flat panels with these sorts of devices in them which are night lights. I calculated that at the current stamped on them, they cost somewhere around $0.25 or $0.30 to operate per year each...so a "whopping" $4.50 for the whole lot of them...PER YEAR.
There was a light installation on the way from Helsinki to Helsinki-Vantaa airport. It was on all the time because time switching would cost too much. It had thousand one milliwatt leds. So whooping one watt power consumtion. It was teared down because so many people complained about wasted energy. People are morons.
Oh wow, watching this almost 8 years after release, and the controller looks pretty much identical to the one I bought last week. That's funny. I converted mine to USB-C power, so now I don't have to worry about those batteries anymore.
@@blizzlakecustom9328 Buy a bare USB-C connector with a PCB on it, then get a regular buck converter you can adjust, and hook it up. Buck converter takes 5v in from the USB-C plug and then it outputs 3v (because two AAA in series = 3 volts)
@@mortenmoulder Oh, I thought you connected it to a power supply, not a power bank but I guess the power bank is better because it allows the whole setup to maintain portability
You could, but then you have to wire each cut section to the Power Supply as if they were new EL Wires (because they are: since they're connected in parallel). It's far easier to just buy shorter EL strands or just make it all with a single wire and either hide the junctions or just put tape on top of it. Mind you to be sure that the shorter strands (or cut ones, if you went that tedious route) can take the power from the inverter, or they're gonna short and fail. At least that's what an absolute noob in Electronics thinks.
+Mickey Mishra It's because the little transformer is run at low frequency. They always seem to make a buzzing or squealing noise. It might be possible to make a silent one with a power supply and H-bridge driver, but I'm not sure.
hi great video ! so do you know if is there any schematic to use electroluminescent wire using just solar panel with rechargeable battery and small charger/controller module please?
Clive - You said in the bad old days it suffered from serious light intensity degradation. Does that mean that the coil you are demonstrating no longer has this drawback ? I ask rather than just buy one and see for myself because they are not that cheap.
Flourescent tubes are vacuum tubes and they require an electronic ballast. EL wire can be powered by 2 AA batteries in an inverter. The inverter changes the DC back into AC and ramps up the frequency to 2kHz.
Hi Clive, in your opinion, would you say that these devices are generally safe or is it possible to stumble on a dodgey/deadly one? (I suppose actually any electric device if not done properly could be deadly so maybe that question isnt answerable)
You can get a zap off the terminals if you manage to jam something conductive into the JST connector, but nothing particularly harmful, just feels like a strong static shock.
could this be run from a usb ac adapter? would it require current limiting or would the adapters own limit be alright? I have some old ones that are only rated to 0.6 A and newer ones that go up to 2.3 A. I know there are charging cables that chase but I'm hoping for a cable that will just light all the time that I can power via USB.
+gskaloyan I think this is their shop... www.ebay.co.uk/usr/sureelectronics But I don't see the EL wire on it. Try a search on eBay for chasing electroluminescent wire or chasing EL wire.
amp hours in batteries vary by manufacturer. I suppose it could be possible to make a usb connector to the inverter so that rechargeable USB battery packs could be used.
I love your video's I watch them all the time but there is one thing i will ask for all the inexperiance but intreauged falk like me. Instead of just saying what components are inside also tell us a little about them. E.g. what is the purpose of a triarch?
Neat video. Ive had an idea i have been trying to figure out how i would go about it or if its possible at all with el wire or lumilor paint. Id like to make a word light up from a swtch. Only the whole word wouldnt immediately be illuminated. I want to have a word tjat ill choosrelluminate from left to right letter by letter using , the effect or look iguess.(Thhe same way that a a fuse would bu:5c55. 5vf/y/rn lile on dynamite or cannon. And then when it reaches end of wort stays illuminted till switched off
The nicest application of this I've seen is a USB charging cable that indicates the current draw through varying speeds of the chasing effect
Ohhh, that's super cool! I've only ever seen the regular on or off stuff
They're wonderful for certain applications. I have about 15 little flat panels with these sorts of devices in them which are night lights. I calculated that at the current stamped on them, they cost somewhere around $0.25 or $0.30 to operate per year each...so a "whopping" $4.50 for the whole lot of them...PER YEAR.
There was a light installation on the way from Helsinki to Helsinki-Vantaa airport. It was on all the time because time switching would cost too much. It had thousand one milliwatt leds. So whooping one watt power consumtion. It was teared down because so many people complained about wasted energy. People are morons.
Oh wow, watching this almost 8 years after release, and the controller looks pretty much identical to the one I bought last week. That's funny. I converted mine to USB-C power, so now I don't have to worry about those batteries anymore.
How you do that
@@blizzlakecustom9328 Buy a bare USB-C connector with a PCB on it, then get a regular buck converter you can adjust, and hook it up. Buck converter takes 5v in from the USB-C plug and then it outputs 3v (because two AAA in series = 3 volts)
So you're converting AC to DC and stepping it down so you can step it up and go back to AC? I love it
@@VeProducctions No. The power source (batteries) are DC. I just use a constant voltage source (USB-C with a buck converter)
@@mortenmoulder Oh, I thought you connected it to a power supply, not a power bank but I guess the power bank is better because it allows the whole setup to maintain portability
I always thought a light emitting capacitor was an unhappy tantalum capacitor.
You should revisit this stuff and stick it on a bench supply. Overdrive it with current and voltage to the point of fail.
Is it possible to create letters with this material; to cut and splice a "Y" or "T" without a noticeable junction...?
Not easily.
You could, but then you have to wire each cut section to the Power Supply as if they were new EL Wires (because they are: since they're connected in parallel). It's far easier to just buy shorter EL strands or just make it all with a single wire and either hide the junctions or just put tape on top of it.
Mind you to be sure that the shorter strands (or cut ones, if you went that tedious route) can take the power from the inverter, or they're gonna short and fail. At least that's what an absolute noob in Electronics thinks.
can the led module light up without pressing the switch? The plan is to modify it using an old laptop battery
I wonder if they make some that don't make that noise. I tired putting hot glue in mine and it still was very audible.
+Mickey Mishra It's because the little transformer is run at low frequency. They always seem to make a buzzing or squealing noise. It might be possible to make a silent one with a power supply and H-bridge driver, but I'm not sure.
+bigclivedotcom I am going to try and look into that. The noise drives me bonkers. Thank you so much for the reply! I love your show !
hi great video ! so do you know if is there any schematic to use electroluminescent wire using just solar panel with rechargeable battery and small charger/controller module please?
Clive -
You said in the bad old days it suffered from serious light intensity degradation. Does that mean that the coil you are demonstrating no longer has this drawback ?
I ask rather than just buy one and see for myself because they are not that cheap.
Not a Clive here, but he was talking about the tech at that moment
What I don't understand is, that if it's just phosphor in a dielectric then why can't they make them as bright and long lasting as fluorescent tubes?
Flourescent tubes are vacuum tubes and they require an electronic ballast. EL wire can be powered by 2 AA batteries in an inverter. The inverter changes the DC back into AC and ramps up the frequency to 2kHz.
Hi Clive, in your opinion, would you say that these devices are generally safe or is it possible to stumble on a dodgey/deadly one? (I suppose actually any electric device if not done properly could be deadly so maybe that question isnt answerable)
AlpakaWhacker . this kind of inverters has very low current output, so it isn't dangerous but it hurt when is touched
You can get a zap off the terminals if you manage to jam something conductive into the JST connector, but nothing particularly harmful, just feels like a strong static shock.
what is the life span of the el tubes.
could this be run from a usb ac adapter? would it require current limiting or would the adapters own limit be alright? I have some old ones that are only rated to 0.6 A and newer ones that go up to 2.3 A. I know there are charging cables that chase but I'm hoping for a cable that will just light all the time that I can power via USB.
can we control el wire with dmx 512 driver?
I have a USB cable that does this, would I be right to assume it's the same method as this?
+RandyDarkshade I've seen those online, but never bought one. I think they probably are the same technology.
Interesting thanks... hmm circuit board for a "pulse motor" purhaps
you said the company was called *Sure Electronics*? I looked it up but I suspect it wasn't the same company you were thinking of. Do you have a link?
+gskaloyan I think this is their shop... www.ebay.co.uk/usr/sureelectronics
But I don't see the EL wire on it. Try a search on eBay for chasing electroluminescent wire or chasing EL wire.
bigclivedotcom Thanks friend! =)
555 timer?
Is there anyway to make ewire brighter?
Yes. Overdrive it at higher voltage or frequency, but it's life will be very short. EL has never been very bright.
3:26 but how many amp hours to you get from those batteries? ;)
amp hours in batteries vary by manufacturer. I suppose it could be possible to make a usb connector to the inverter so that rechargeable USB battery packs could be used.
Do these need Current Limiting? Can I just hook 110 AC to them?
I found the answer. Yes but it may not be as brite. I guess the voltage could be higher. But it wears out faster.
I love your video's I watch them all the time but there is one thing i will ask for all the inexperiance but intreauged falk like me. Instead of just saying what components are inside also tell us a little about them. E.g. what is the purpose of a triarch?
Do you mean triac? It's a device specifically designed for switching current in both directions. It's often used for switching lights.
Yeah my spelling is terrible. Thank you just shows how much of a legend you are 😊
What's the website where you bought this?
Couldn't you make it brighter, you would be the guy to go to
Ha! I like that stuff.
Neat video.
Ive had an idea i have been trying to figure out how i would go about it or if its possible at all with el wire or lumilor paint.
Id like to make a word light up from a swtch. Only the whole word wouldnt immediately be illuminated.
I want to have a word tjat ill choosrelluminate from left to right letter by letter using , the effect or look iguess.(Thhe same way that a a fuse would bu:5c55. 5vf/y/rn lile on dynamite or cannon. And then when it reaches end of wort stays illuminted till switched off
The scripting effect for EL would probably have to be done in lots of small sections.
It feels weird being on the otherside...still a good video though
Bravo......need scope....10x.......close up......cheers
The channel now features mega close ups.
my God that's pretty!
Could you please state where this particular type (chasing) can be obtained Thanks
i would like to know too, not seen this before!
+Andi Trev The key-words for ebay are:- chasing EL wire
+bigclivedotcom I can't believe you actually had to say this.
thanks for job (turkey)
wow
Thank you for the review, albeit, extremely uninformative...