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- 1/7/13
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Hi All,
A Quick DIY suggestion to upgrade your brewing enclosures to LED lights.
Its very easy and because its Low Voltage its mostly safe.
I did this on my chest freezer but it could be easily modified to your fridge or fermentation box/enclosure.
You may or may not want to remove the bulb from your current setup.
Things You Will Need:
- A 12V power Supply with 2 or more amps on the output. (pending how short you cut the LEDS)
For the power supply some of you may already have a sutible power supply already running your fans but have a dig through your old technology box/area and you may have one lying around.
- Some LED strip lights.
The LEDs are easily ordered of EvilBay, I use the search term "Waterproof LED Lights 5m" you want one with a controller to make the lights easily dimmable.
I prefer the 'cool white' color as it suits fridges the best, you can get them in any color you want OR get them in multicolor and program them to do funky color changes if you so desire.
I also like to order from an Australian supplier to get them in fast, this costs more but you can get them significantly cheaper from the land of china etc.
EG:
12V Cool White 5M 3528 SMD 300 Leds LED Strips Strip Light Waterproof + Dimmer
- A Way To Turn The LEDs On And Off
I made my LEDS turn on and off via the original light switch circuit, this is an option ONLY if you know what you are doing as in my fridge it is 240V and is dangerous!
Else you have a few options,
A) turn the lights on and off at the controller,
B) wire in a switch that you can manually turn on and off, IE: Jaycar http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=SK0984
C) Wire in a door/lid sensor, IE: Jaycar http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=sp0732&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=978#1
OR http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=SM1038&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=978#1
- A Fuse
Again Look on ChineseBay look for one that matches your power supply but is bigger than what you LED's draw.
This will protect your power supply should anything happen
- Some Wire
- Some Crimps/Lugs/Soldering/electrical tape/Any other method you choose to connect the wires together
I prefer to Solder and shrink but if you dont know how to do this or dont want to its probably easier to use some terminal blocks or crimps. again these are easily found cheap on FleaBay.
- Basic Tools and tape+Screws+ETC
- Basic knowledge of electricity and circuits
, IE: + goes to + and - goes to -
Steps (may or may not be followed in order)
1) Order everything and work out how you will turn the LED's on and off (see above for tips)
2) Work Out How you are going to wire it up.
Its verry simple, Power Supply Positive or RED --> Your Fuse --> Your Switch --> LED controller on the '12V' side --> out of the controller on the 'LED' side of it, still RED --> your LEDs on the red wire.
Return in the same way minus the fuse and switch.
LEDs 'out' or black wire --> The controller on the 'LED' side --> Out of the controller on the '12V' side still black --> back to your power supply
3) Find a power source for you power supply, Install all components with the power un-pluged.
4) Rig up your switch, jerry rig if required
and work out how you want your LEDs
You can cut the LED's to your required length but be shure to seal the end with tape or silicone, also only cut them on the cut mark (approx every 3 LED's).
You CAN join them back up to each other but you will have to solder them back together, This is also the case if you want to upgrade the crappy wire that the LED's come with.
5) Tape Up any parts that require it
6) Turn on and most importantly thoroughly test by pouring many beers!
The Results:
Vid + Pics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IeSdJ7k37Q
NOTE+Disclaimer: I wired mine up off the old light wiring, this is not advisable unless you know what your doing with mains electrical and of course I take no responsibility or liability for your actions!
It dose however show you the end result.
:beerbang:
A Quick DIY suggestion to upgrade your brewing enclosures to LED lights.
Its very easy and because its Low Voltage its mostly safe.
I did this on my chest freezer but it could be easily modified to your fridge or fermentation box/enclosure.
You may or may not want to remove the bulb from your current setup.
Things You Will Need:
- A 12V power Supply with 2 or more amps on the output. (pending how short you cut the LEDS)
For the power supply some of you may already have a sutible power supply already running your fans but have a dig through your old technology box/area and you may have one lying around.
- Some LED strip lights.
The LEDs are easily ordered of EvilBay, I use the search term "Waterproof LED Lights 5m" you want one with a controller to make the lights easily dimmable.
I prefer the 'cool white' color as it suits fridges the best, you can get them in any color you want OR get them in multicolor and program them to do funky color changes if you so desire.
I also like to order from an Australian supplier to get them in fast, this costs more but you can get them significantly cheaper from the land of china etc.
EG:
12V Cool White 5M 3528 SMD 300 Leds LED Strips Strip Light Waterproof + Dimmer
- A Way To Turn The LEDs On And Off
I made my LEDS turn on and off via the original light switch circuit, this is an option ONLY if you know what you are doing as in my fridge it is 240V and is dangerous!
Else you have a few options,
A) turn the lights on and off at the controller,
B) wire in a switch that you can manually turn on and off, IE: Jaycar http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=SK0984
C) Wire in a door/lid sensor, IE: Jaycar http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=sp0732&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=978#1
OR http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=SM1038&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=978#1
- A Fuse
Again Look on ChineseBay look for one that matches your power supply but is bigger than what you LED's draw.
This will protect your power supply should anything happen
- Some Wire
- Some Crimps/Lugs/Soldering/electrical tape/Any other method you choose to connect the wires together
I prefer to Solder and shrink but if you dont know how to do this or dont want to its probably easier to use some terminal blocks or crimps. again these are easily found cheap on FleaBay.
- Basic Tools and tape+Screws+ETC
- Basic knowledge of electricity and circuits
, IE: + goes to + and - goes to -
Steps (may or may not be followed in order)
1) Order everything and work out how you will turn the LED's on and off (see above for tips)
2) Work Out How you are going to wire it up.
Its verry simple, Power Supply Positive or RED --> Your Fuse --> Your Switch --> LED controller on the '12V' side --> out of the controller on the 'LED' side of it, still RED --> your LEDs on the red wire.
Return in the same way minus the fuse and switch.
LEDs 'out' or black wire --> The controller on the 'LED' side --> Out of the controller on the '12V' side still black --> back to your power supply
3) Find a power source for you power supply, Install all components with the power un-pluged.
4) Rig up your switch, jerry rig if required
and work out how you want your LEDsYou can cut the LED's to your required length but be shure to seal the end with tape or silicone, also only cut them on the cut mark (approx every 3 LED's).
You CAN join them back up to each other but you will have to solder them back together, This is also the case if you want to upgrade the crappy wire that the LED's come with.
5) Tape Up any parts that require it
6) Turn on and most importantly thoroughly test by pouring many beers!
The Results:
Vid + Pics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IeSdJ7k37Q
NOTE+Disclaimer: I wired mine up off the old light wiring, this is not advisable unless you know what your doing with mains electrical and of course I take no responsibility or liability for your actions!
It dose however show you the end result.
:beerbang:
