Hacking a Non-Dimmable LED Fixture
For most of us, the solution to having a non-dimmable LED light bulb but needing a dimmable one is a simple as a drive to the store to get the right kind of bulb. But that seems downright boring, not …read more
Tag Archives: Lighting
Nite Ize brightens camp and van life with colorful fiber optic strand
Thanks to options like Mpowerd Luci solar strings and BioLite NanoGrid hanging lanterns, string lighting has started to creep in on the old, reliable lantern as the campsite ambient lighting source of choice. Such hanging lights create as much atmosphe… Continue reading Nite Ize brightens camp and van life with colorful fiber optic strand
“Artificial Sun” Lighting Via Old Satellite Dishes
Real sunlight is a beautiful thing, but due to the vagaries of Earth’s orbit and local weather systems, it’s not available all the time. [Matt] decided this wasn’t good enough, and set about building a rig to replicate the sun’s rays as closely as possible.
The great distance between the …read more
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Oh, Holey Light
We consider ourselves well-versed when it comes to the technical literature plastered on hardware store parts. Acronyms don’t frighten us, and our Google-fu is strong enough to overcome most mysteries. One bit of dark magic we didn’t understand was the gobbledygook on LED lamps. Wattage is easy and color temperature …read more
Reviving a DOA Smart Bulb With Custom Firmware for Its ESP8266
There are some incredibly cheap WiFi smart bulbs on the market these days, but as is often the case, you tend to get what you pay for. When [Viktor] took delivery of his latest bargain basement bulb, the thing didn’t even work. So much for Quality Assurance. On the plus …read more
Continue reading Reviving a DOA Smart Bulb With Custom Firmware for Its ESP8266
Dim Hallway Gets Lighting Upgrade
There’s nothing worse than a lightswitch that’s nowhere near where it should be, leaving you fumbling around in the dark. [supersquirrel72] had just this problem, and decided to put an Arduino to work instead.
Rather than using the original mains lighting that was poorly positioned and not enough to light …read more
NowLight illuminates off-grid darkness with handmade power
Off-grid lighting innovator Deciwatt is back with a new manually powered light to illuminate unwired spaces, ranging from remote villages, to campsites, to backyards. The NowLight drops the weight of Deciwatt’s previous gravity-based design, leaving a … Continue reading NowLight illuminates off-grid darkness with handmade power
It’s Not An Arc Lamp, It’s A Lamp Arc
One wouldn’t expect there to be much to cause envy in the world of desk lamps, after all whether it’s a classic Anglepoise or a dollar store LED affair if it does its job of casting the requisite quantity of light where it’s needed, most of us are happy. But …read more
It’s An LED Cube, But Maybe Not Quite What You Were Expecting
LED cubes are a pleasing ornament and still something of a talking point, but now they have reached the point of being available as inexpensive kits from China. The simpler ones don’t have quite the cachet they used to. It’s still a project that can deliver a few surprises though, …read more
Continue reading It’s An LED Cube, But Maybe Not Quite What You Were Expecting
Building a 3D Scanner with a 3D Printer
Using a 3D printer to make high quality parts is a great way to improve the look and appeal of any project. If you want to replicate something exactly, though, you’ll need either a very good set of calipers and a lot of time or a 3D scanner. Using the …read more