Rotating LED's

Spewn

2[H]4U
Joined
Jan 5, 2001
Messages
3,459
Basically what I want to accomplish is to have a set of rotating LED's in my case, kind-of like a light show. I was thinking about picking up a low rpm 120mm fan, wiring in a resistor, and then running it off the 5v rail, to make it run real slow, and then putting the LED's at the edges of the blades. If the fan is spinning slow enough, being off balance a little bit shouldn't be an issue, right?
 
It don't work like that you need a minmum speed to get it turning. I've stalled many fans. you would probably be better off with a electic motor running a worm drive. the hardset part will be getting the gearing right.

Also IIRC the LED on the blades is a royal pain in the ass to do.
 
Just wondering how you'd do wiring on something like that? It seems like it'd be hard to keep from getting twisted up wires.
 
You'll need to use a slip ring. The wires of the LED can't be hard wired to anything. You'll have to make two rings of conductive material - preferably something hard. A couple of steel washers might work ok. The wires will have to be touching the washers as the rotating part turns. One wire per washer. You may also need to use couple small springs or devise another way to keep some pressure between the wires and the washer surfaces for conductivity.
 
Why don't you just make a color wheel? (i.e. use white, stationary LEDs, with a flat disk with large windows with the desired colors... spin the disk, and the colors will change....) I've seen lots of people do this with xmas trees,etc... If you want more than one color at a time, place LEDs so that the light shines through more than one pane or color at a time...

edit: much like this.........

http://www.oldchristmaslights.com/color_wheels.htm
 
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