Underwater light (update)

I give credit to "snooze" for this idea and it works great.

Use a mason jar as your enclosure.
Drill a hole in the centre of the metal top
where your wire will go through. Use a 20 Watt
halogen bulb and if you wish add some coloured filter at the
bottom of the jar (where the light will shine through).
Silicone both sides of where the wire goes through
the hole on the metal top and attach the wire to the bulb
by any means (I soldered mine).

Wait at least 24 hours for the
silicone to dry. Before sealing the jar add some pebble rocks for
weight so the jar sinks to the bottom. Seal the jar up with the top and
ring. You can line the inside of the jar with aluminum foil to give the
light more direction.

Note: Use a DC wall adapter for power with 1 - 2 Amps output.
ie: 12 volts DC with a 20 watt bulb

"CanadianPonder©" wrote in message
...
I give credit to "snooze" for this idea and it works great.

Use a mason jar as your enclosure.
Drill a hole in the centre of the metal top
where your wire will go through. Use a 20 Watt
halogen bulb and if you wish add some coloured filter at the
bottom of the jar (where the light will shine through).
Silicone both sides of where the wire goes through
the hole on the metal top and attach the wire to the bulb
by any means (I soldered mine).

Wait at least 24 hours for the
silicone to dry. Before sealing the jar add some pebble rocks for
weight so the jar sinks to the bottom. Seal the jar up with the top and
ring. You can line the inside of the jar with aluminum foil to give the
light more direction.

Note: Use a DC wall adapter for power with 1 - 2 Amps output.
ie: 12 volts DC with a 20 watt bulb

Where did you get your adapter at? I might take a crack at one of these.

You could also use spray glue on the jar inner (masking the bottom) so the
aluminum foil stays put.

For tinting the bottom manually, pick up some Future Floor wax (google it,
to find multiple brand sources worldwide), and mix it 50/50 with walmart
apple barrel paint in your choice of colors. paint that on the inside of the
jar, although it let to cure properly, you could probably paint it on the
bottom of the outside of the jar, since Future is literally liquid polymer.

(Now ya gotta figure out some sort of adjustable stand for your mason jar
lamp.)


--
Gareee©
(Gary Tabar Jr.)

"Gareee©" wrote in message
...
Note: Use a DC wall adapter for power with 1 - 2 Amps output.
ie: 12 volts DC with a 20 watt bulb


Sounds like he's talking about the DC wall adaptors you get to charge cell
phones, portable electronics, cordless phones etc. Just cut the end off,
usually a barrel tip.

On the adaptor it will say something like input: 120v ac, output 9v dc 500
mA. In this case you're looking for something that has an output of 12v dc
and 1000 mA, which will give you a slightly dimmer bulb, but a longer bulb
lifespan. An output if 12v dc with 2000 mA would give you a brighter bulb.

If you can't find one in that kitchen drawer, or your local electronics
surplus shop, or radio shack, then there's always mail order.

http://www.allelectronics.com/matrix...nsformers.html

Good luck

Snooze wrote:
"Gareee©" wrote in message
...
Note: Use a DC wall adapter for power with 1 - 2 Amps output.
ie: 12 volts DC with a 20 watt bulb


Sounds like he's talking about the DC wall adaptors you get to charge cell
phones, portable electronics, cordless phones etc. Just cut the end off,
usually a barrel tip.

On the adaptor it will say something like input: 120v ac, output 9v dc 500
mA. In this case you're looking for something that has an output of 12v dc
and 1000 mA, which will give you a slightly dimmer bulb, but a longer bulb
lifespan. An output if 12v dc with 2000 mA would give you a brighter bulb.

If you can't find one in that kitchen drawer, or your local electronics
surplus shop, or radio shack, then there's always mail order.

http://www.allelectronics.com/matrix...nsformers.html

Good luck



Yeah ...I'm an electronic technologist so I have lots of these
transformers lying around. I never throw one out from old phones or
games etc.

Yes ...if you want the full Wattage from the bulb then
ex: 12 volt bulb at 20 watts 20W/12V= 1.67 Amps is the minimum
transformer you will need but as you said if you want lower brightness
then you can go lower as you please.

even if you look hard on e-bay this would cost you about $30.00.

I figure the homemade one will cost you under $10.00 and even less if
you have the transformer lying around.

"CanadianCowboy©" wrote in message
...
Snooze wrote:
"Gareee©" wrote in message
...
Note: Use a DC wall adapter for power with 1 - 2 Amps output.
ie: 12 volts DC with a 20 watt bulb


Sounds like he's talking about the DC wall adaptors you get to charge
cell phones, portable electronics, cordless phones etc. Just cut the end
off, usually a barrel tip.

On the adaptor it will say something like input: 120v ac, output 9v dc
500 mA. In this case you're looking for something that has an output of
12v dc and 1000 mA, which will give you a slightly dimmer bulb, but a
longer bulb lifespan. An output if 12v dc with 2000 mA would give you a
brighter bulb.

If you can't find one in that kitchen drawer, or your local electronics
surplus shop, or radio shack, then there's always mail order.

http://www.allelectronics.com/matrix...nsformers.html

Good luck

Yeah ...I'm an electronic technologist so I have lots of these
transformers lying around. I never throw one out from old phones or games
etc.

Yes ...if you want the full Wattage from the bulb then
ex: 12 volt bulb at 20 watts 20W/12V= 1.67 Amps is the minimum transformer
you will need but as you said if you want lower brightness then you can go
lower as you please.

even if you look hard on e-bay this would cost you about $30.00.

I figure the homemade one will cost you under $10.00 and even less if you
have the transformer lying around.

I save all those old transformers as well.. I'll have to root around and see
what I have here.

Thanks for all the info!

On the adaptor it will say something like input: 120v ac, output 9v dc 500
mA. In this case you're looking for something that has an output of 12v dc
and 1000 mA, which will give you a slightly dimmer bulb, but a longer bulb
lifespan.

Yes ...if you want the full Wattage from the bulb then
ex: 12 volt bulb at 20 watts 20W/12V= 1.67 Amps is the minimum
transformer you will need but as you said if you want lower brightness
then you can go lower as you please.

This will overload the transformer and it will get hot.

Andrew Burgess wrote:
On the adaptor it will say something like input: 120v ac, output 9v dc 500
mA. In this case you're looking for something that has an output of 12v dc
and 1000 mA, which will give you a slightly dimmer bulb, but a longer bulb
lifespan.

Yes ...if you want the full Wattage from the bulb then
ex: 12 volt bulb at 20 watts 20W/12V= 1.67 Amps is the minimum
transformer you will need but as you said if you want lower brightness
then you can go lower as you please.

This will overload the transformer and it will get hot.

If a transformer is rated for a certain current then it can take this
current. It is when you go over the rated current that a transformer
gets too hot (they all get a little warm).

"CanadianPonder©" wrote in message
...
I give credit to "snooze" for this idea and it works great.


Thanks but I'm not that creative, I stole the idea from someone else here.

Just please make sure you're using a GFIC outlet near the pond, don't want
to have to sit by the big pond in the sky too early.

-S

Snooze wrote:
Just please make sure you're using a GFIC outlet near the pond, don't want
to have to sit by the big pond in the sky too early.

This is a must and the building codes here require a GFIC outlet
whenever it is close to a water source or outdoors.

"CanadianCowboy©" wrote in message
...
Snooze wrote:
Just please make sure you're using a GFIC outlet near the pond, don't
want to have to sit by the big pond in the sky too early.

This is a must and the building codes here require a GFIC outlet whenever
it is close to a water source or outdoors.

SPEAKING of which... the GFCI's in my manufactured Clayton home have fuses
that are too low for outdoor electric tools, like my leaf blower, and my
pressure washer.

Can I just replace those with higher wattage ones, like some of the other
fuses in my home? (The laundry rooms fuse is MUCH higher, and is where we
plug the outdoor tools into when we use them, bu tit would be MUCH easier to
just use the outdoor plugs.)

Plus, I'd like to beef up the Christmas lights next year, or add a bigger
pump for the pond, and I'd need to increase the GFCI's power for that.

The breaker box looks pretty "plug n play".. turn the main power off,
replace the breaker with a higher volt/watt one, and then turn the master
breaker back on.

Kinda stupid to have an electrician do it if its something that simple.

--
Gareee©
(Gary Tabar Jr.)