Tiki Central / Home Tiki Bars
Better outdoor lighting?
Pages: 1 27 replies
BS
bamboo stu
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Oct 12, 2010 4:58 PM
I have a 12v lighting system in the Narrow Escape, using mostly cheap Malibu fixtures. I've bought a lot of the colored bulbs from the hardware stores, but the colors fade and they burn out fairly quickly. Has anyone found a longer lasting bulb, or a better approach to low-voltage lighting? |
H
Hakalugi
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Oct 12, 2010 11:52 PM
12v MR16 LEDs. The colors are extremely vivid, they don't fade, they're efficient, and they last a very long time. Superbrightleds.com sells a bunch. The best ones are the 1 and 3 watt Luxeons. They sell T5 wedge base LEDs as well. Not all outdoor low voltage fixtures have enough clearance for these LEDs so buy a few samples before splurging or maybe buy new fixtures. |
UB
Unga Bunga
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 12:14 AM
Ya, LED's are changing the entire lighting market landscape. I bet Thomas Edison would orgasm if he saw them. |
BS
bamboo stu
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 6:59 AM
Sweet, thanks! These are more like what I need: They aren't much more expensive than the incandescents, and efficient enough I could leave them on all night! And, AND! They have a UV-blacklight color!! "Did you know that bamboo sales were up 400% for the year ending 1963? If these trends continue... AAY!" [ Edited by: bamboo stu 2010-10-13 07:02 ] |
S
Slingerland61
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 5:01 PM
I happened upon a few old red tail light lenses, placed them over the existing white lights and the effect is really nice. I think it works best when you really can't see the light but it's a decent, low $$ solution... especially if y'like red. |
T
tikiskip
Posted
posted
on
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 6:24 PM
If you look for bulbs that are 130 volt not 120 volt that is the norm, |
MN
Mr. NoNaMe
Posted
posted
on
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 7:26 PM
I am not sure what fading implies but, I use Ecobulbs (the curly Q kind). They are set to go on at dusk and off if the sun EVER FREAKIN COMES OUT....sorry! :blush: |
T
tikiskip
Posted
posted
on
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 8:09 PM
That type of bulb burns not as hot as other bulbs as well. |
T
TorchGuy
Posted
posted
on
Sun, Oct 24, 2010 6:31 AM
Agreed re: the LED bulbs at that website. You can get color-changing ones, which can be good if used in just the right spot; these are good on actively-moving water, like a down-light on a really sparkly fountain spray. The dark blue LEDs make green plants look lush and mysterious. The UV ones could be used as up-lights or down-lights on items with UV paint, and you can make glowy fountains and waterfalls, too. To get neon green, like poison, pull the ink-soaked felt cartridge out of a hi-liter marker with a screwdriver and wring it out repeatedly in a bucket of water. Beware that this will stain porous surfaces brown with time, and any water added in the future will get some dye in it. A subtler effect with less in-your-face glow is blue; buy big bottles of cheap tonic water, let 'em go flat (the bubbles will slow down a pump) and dump it in. Looks clear and ordinary by day; turn on the UV light and you get a subtle icy-blue glow. The quinine sulphate that makes tonic water "tonic" is fluorescent. Notice that the LEDs on these bulbs point outward in a circle; these are good for tier lights with illuminated casings, like Malibu path lights. If you're using mushroom-type path lights where there's a hood or pagoda roof with a white, reflective underside on top, or if you're using a spot/flood, gently bend the LEDs until they all point generally forward; leave them splayed out slightly in a narrow cone unless you really want a concentrated spot of light from a direct-aimed fixture or are trying to send a narrow wash along a surface. I find that the hood-type deck lights (semi-circular hood, surface mount) are great for mounting to flat surfaces, anywhere, as up- or down-lights. They can be painted to blend in, or can be mounted up under permanently-fixed benches or under overhangs. Don't buy 'em for $12 a pop at the hardware store; I bought a box lot BIN on eBay for cheap. Craigslist is a good place to look for used outdoor light sets and random, interesting lights. I usually search "landscape lights" or "landscape lighting", or put "yard" or "garden" in place of "landscape". http://www.mainlandmart.com/ledmart.html And I wouldn't be TorchGuy if I didn't mention tiki torches. Got a few of those standard bamboo or rattan ones they sell these days? Or another container that could hold the oil canisters from those? Okay, okay... These are all new. We love vintage stuff. There's an item I want very much, but just can't spot in my budget right now. It's been on eBay for a month or so with a BIN of $99.95, it's vintage and nifty, and it really belongs in a tiki-phile's patio, especially one who likes mid-mod stuff. Feast your eyes, 'cuz you won't see one of these every day; I'll bet hundreds wore out and got tossed in the garbage: ~ TorchGuy |
T
TikiHardBop
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Oct 25, 2010 10:41 AM
I found a bottle of the red tiki flame oil at a local Lowe's the other day. Phantom Fireworks also carries colored tiki oil re-fills as well as the torches. You have to go to your local store to pick them up, though. If you search online, there are a couple of vendors, including Amazon, that stock the Tiki brand tiki oil refills. |
T
tikiskip
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Oct 26, 2010 4:25 AM
Great info TorchGuy! |
T
TorchGuy
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Oct 26, 2010 5:45 AM
Yep, use/repost anywhere ya like! Hope one of the TCers gets that fixture off eBay. It's just begging for a spot in a planter under a covered patio, if your bar has a mid-century-modern bent. If I could afford it, it'd be mine already. |
BS
bamboo stu
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Oct 26, 2010 12:01 PM
Wowee, TorchGuy, you have, in one post, established yourself as a TC Technical Lighting Expert. Do you have a home bar thread? |
MPP
Mr. Pupu Pants
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Oct 26, 2010 2:01 PM
Just want to add an fyi: Saw this company online (http://www.simflame.com/). Each circuit provides it's own rate of flicker so your lights all flicker at random rather than in unison. This type of flicker effect is seen in some of the lighting (lanterns, torches, candelabras) in Disneyland's Pirates of the Carribbean, Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion, etc. :) |
T
TorchGuy
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Oct 26, 2010 8:57 PM
I actually don't have a home bar, or any tiki-themed space. I do collect an awful lot of oddball things, including vintage light fixtures, and my collection spaces are jam-packed with stuff, but very little of it is really tiki. I have a fair few vintage all-metal tiki torches, a few mugs, and lots of mid-mod items. The flicker circuits are nifty, there are a few on the market. They're good for faux torches, or fake beds of coals for fireplaces. Another interesting product (I won't list a web site, many sites sell them) is a light bulb called a Feelings Flame. It's THE most realistic candle simulator. The bulb looks like a candle with a Candelabra screw base on the bottom; they sell them overseas, too, with bayonet bases, and I'm sure European screw bases, too. On top is a tiny 'wick' topped by a white tip shaped like a real candle flame, which glows a sort of creamy white color. The flame tip is built like a pendulum, and tiny pulses of current at random moments induce swinging. Remember, real candle flames, at least where there's no wind to make them gutter, don't flicker so much as they waver. These are pricey, about $25 each (if the site you're looking at charges more than $26 or so, try another) but they're hyper-realistic. You can cover them with the traditional plastic or wax 'dripping candle' sleeves, cut to the right length. |
H
Hakalugi
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Oct 26, 2010 9:13 PM
There's another LED candle which is also pretty good. This one is using a patent from Disney. These may be the most realistic electronic candles yet but unfortunately are also the most expensive. The cheapest is around $50.00! Here's a link. Be sure to check out the video: |
T
TorchGuy
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Oct 26, 2010 9:29 PM
Those are amazing! Thank you!! Will actually BE at Disneyland, for the first time in decades, next week, so I'll have to look for these. Edit: Having looked at photos and video of these Dream Candles, I 'get it' now. The Feelings Flame has a light inside the flame tip. The wick is a long, thin stem with a weight at the bottom, pivoted on a horizontal axis by two pins, which supply the power to the tip. An electromagnet pulls at the weight at random moments, inducing the oscillation of the flame pendulum. It seems the Dream Candles simply elaborate on this idea, but they do it perfectly. They have a flat flame 'tongue' with a weighted pendulum below, which has a wire inserted horizontally at midpoint. The motion in these is on two axes, it seems. One (X) is the flame itself, pivoting side-to-side as the wire itself rotates, moving the flame tongue side-to-side on its thin, narrow axis. The other (Y) is the wire; I figure the horizontal wire moves up and down, moving the flame back-and-forth on its flat axis like a fan. The light is projected up onto the flat sides from below, through the small hole around the base of the flame tongue, making a bright spot on the tongue. Thus, the X axis wiggles the tongue, and the Y axis moves the bright spot up and down on the tongue. With both happening at random times and with varying strength, it makes for an incredibly realistic candle flame! These are really amazing. For great big roaring fires, nothing beats the silk flame effect, but the home silk flames in black bowls, and in fact almost all you'll find in stores, are pretty poor. You need a nice blower fan, like a squirrel cage, a sheet of very thin white silk with a flamey cut to the top, and more than one color of light. The flame has to be long and wide enough to roll and ripple, and while orange should be the dominant color, you need small bits of white, gold and blue. If anyone here is looking for top-notch silkflames, I can dig up some links. As anyone who's seen one of the common 'black bowl' silkflames can probably attest, they tell the viewer 'this is supposed to be fire', but they don't make you look twice, thinking it IS fire. The best silkflames make you do a double-take! [ Edited by: TorchGuy 2010-10-26 21:51 ] |
MPP
Mr. Pupu Pants
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Oct 26, 2010 10:24 PM
The top of the line Sim-Flame module ($149) independently controls up to 5 individual lighting fixtures. It has 8 different flame effect settings and works with any normal plug-in fixture using any kind of light bulb -- which is more efficient in the long run than.... Feelings Flame ($25 each) -- have to buy a whole new 'Feelings Flame' candle device when the light burns out. Dream Candles ($50-$70 each) -- battery powered (regularly replace batteries) and inconvenient for hanging fixtures when you have to climb up and switch them on individually rather than flip a light switch. [ Edited by: Mr. Pupu Pants 2010-10-26 22:38 ] |
T
TorchGuy
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 12:39 AM
These have different applications, too, though. The Feelings Flame is best where you want a thin, traditional candle and where the flame will be visible. Dream Candles also go in spots where you want the flame visible, like on tabletops and in big lanterns. Flicker effects units are best where you want lots of flickering lights AND the bulbs won't be visible. Hanging paper lanterns; 'fire' effects aimed up onto moving water; lights shining up on Moai or set behind masks; they've got their applications. I highly recommend single 7-watt white or clear candelabra-base bulbs if you're trying to simulate a candle flame, and a cluster of three+ of the same bulbs, I'd say amber, red and white, if you're simulating bigger flames, with each bulb on its own flicker circuit. Three bulbs (I'd say transparent/clear orange, red and clear) behind a mask with open eyes and mouth, or shining up on a standing Moai or tiki, would be fantastic. If you're using colored light anywhere, by the way, I highly recommend the following: First, candelabra base bulbs, aka E-12 or "c7", fit just about anywhere. Even the smallest spot can often hold one. Sockets: Grand Brass is your friend on these. http://www.bettyschristmashouse.com/lights/classic.htm A bunch of these sockets, a spool of cord, and you're set. |
T
TorchGuy
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 5:10 AM
Sorry, double post [ Edited by: TorchGuy 2010-10-27 05:11 ] |
H
Hakalugi
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 8:52 AM
I agree, the Sim Flame modules are great for hardwired applications. I have a three channel unit controlling some lanterns in my backyard which has been working great for years. But don't dismiss battery powered candles. As TorchGuy pointed out, they have their own set of advantages. Mainly portability. |
T
TorchGuy
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 9:49 AM
The simple flickering LED candles, either the tealights or the ones in wax or plastic "candles", are also very nice and not too expensive. Both can sometimes be found cheap on eBay. I suggest always buying the 'yellow' or 'amber' color; I'm not sure why white is an option, but the white ones are cold white. Though actually, if you're doing Halloween decorations, I can see decorating a room in your haunted house entirely in shades of black, white and gray, and using these white flickering LED candles - your guests just stepped into black-and-white! They'd be the only color or 'life' present. |
K
KeithH
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 4:11 PM
I picked up some globes from my local lighting store. Each kit comes with four globes (think paper/cloth spheres) each with a votive sized module inside. They run on low voltage (transformer and wire included) and each module has three micro bulbs inside that flicker very realistically. These were designed to be used outside. I'll be using the modules in a variety of different lanterns around my room - they are currently illuminating some of my Halloween decorations. I'll take a look at the box tonight and post again. I picked up four sets (of four lights each). |
J
jamaicabraden
Posted
posted
on
Fri, Oct 29, 2010 11:56 PM
Interesting topic. I suggest that you wait to implement LED's for your outdoor lighting. The technology is too new and most of the current LED fixtures have been rushed to market with inadequate testing. In two to three years bright light LED's for outdoors will be much more dependable and much cheaper. In the meantime, stick with low voltage outdoor lighting $$$$ [ Edited by: Hakalugi - spam link removed - 2010-10-30 00:19 ] |
H
Hakalugi
Posted
posted
on
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 12:18 AM
Huh? Whatever... I've had low voltage LED lighting in my backyard for close to four years now and it's been great! Luxeon is key! Very efficient and less expensive over time than the other options. Nevertheless, I look forward to even better and cheaper LED options. But there's no reason to wait! |
SF
Slacks Ferret
Posted
posted
on
Sat, Oct 30, 2010 8:00 AM
Agreed Hakalugi. I put LED rope lighting in my bar because they are low-heat, much lower in wattage (read: money saved), and I was able to add a flickering option that approximated the effect I was after (but it ain't perfect). They were also rated to last 30,000+ hours. That seemed like a great alterative to buying traditional bulbs. |
R
raito
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Nov 1, 2010 6:26 AM
I get my LED candles here: http://www.coolstuffcheap.com/inglowflamelesscandles.html Part of the reason they look good is that the LEDs are surrounded by real wax, like a candle that has burned down a bit. Makes the color a lot nicer. I looked these up after seeing something on HGTV. The manufacturer appears to hold a patent on the exact mechanism, but doesn't sell directly. Now, that was a few years ago, and I can't be certain that coolstuffcheap is selling now what I got then. |
MN
Mr. NoNaMe
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Nov 1, 2010 5:06 PM
This is probably too late but, the Halloween stores have 50% off today. I picked some LED e27 style bulbs. I hope $5/per bulb is a good deal. :) |
Pages: 1 27 replies