Ok, I concede I am dumb and am having a hard time making sense of all these numbers. I just read several AC/DC adapter guides and don't feel any smarter. I'm interested in backlighting a poster. The size of the area that I'm trying to light is 1ft x 3ft and I'd like it to be as bright as possible. I'm trying to compile the parts list that I need and so far I'm pretty lost. In fact, the only thing I've managed to calculate correctly is the number of 1m strips of EL tape needed to cover that amount of surface area, which is 30 strips. In order to achieve maximum brightness, it sounds like I want to avoid battery packs and, instead, get a rather beefy inverter I can plug into the wall. Can anyone help me assemble a parts list?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Parts list for powering 30 strips of 1m EL tape
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- beachrunnerfred
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- adafruit_support_bill
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Re: Parts list for powering 30 strips of 1m EL tape
To power 30 strips from a wall-socket, you would need 30 of these (1 per strip): https://www.adafruit.com/product/448
And probably 2 of these: https://www.adafruit.com/products/352
Are you sure you want to use EL for this? LED strips would be much brighter.
And probably 2 of these: https://www.adafruit.com/products/352
Are you sure you want to use EL for this? LED strips would be much brighter.
- beachrunnerfred
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2014 8:13 pm
Re: Parts list for powering 30 strips of 1m EL tape
Thanks so much, that helps a lot. I have a few more questions.
1. Could I buy some splitters and use a single 12V inverter to power four strips? That way I'd only have to buy 8 inverters instead of 30.
2. I sense there are still some parts missing in this list. How would I connect the 12V inverters to the 2 12V power supplies?
3. As far as the LED strips go, brightness is very important, so I am interested in using these instead of the EL tape. However, a uniform distribution of the light is also important. If I'm placing the LED strips behind the poster, will the light be distributed as uniformly as the EL tape or will I see the individual LEDs shining through? You may or may not know, but I thought I'd ask.
Thanks again!
1. Could I buy some splitters and use a single 12V inverter to power four strips? That way I'd only have to buy 8 inverters instead of 30.
2. I sense there are still some parts missing in this list. How would I connect the 12V inverters to the 2 12V power supplies?
3. As far as the LED strips go, brightness is very important, so I am interested in using these instead of the EL tape. However, a uniform distribution of the light is also important. If I'm placing the LED strips behind the poster, will the light be distributed as uniformly as the EL tape or will I see the individual LEDs shining through? You may or may not know, but I thought I'd ask.
Thanks again!
- adafruit_support_bill
- Posts: 88153
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am
Re: Parts list for powering 30 strips of 1m EL tape
1) No. The inverters are rated for the total area of EL they can drive. The 12v inverters can drive 100 cm^2 or 100cm x 1 cm length of tape.
2) You can solder the connections, or use one these for each power supply: https://www.adafruit.com/products/368
3) You would need some diffusing material such as translucent plexiglass to diffuse the leds for even illumination. You would probably need something similar for the EL tape as well, since the luminescent stripe does not extend all the way to the edge of the tape.
2) You can solder the connections, or use one these for each power supply: https://www.adafruit.com/products/368
3) You would need some diffusing material such as translucent plexiglass to diffuse the leds for even illumination. You would probably need something similar for the EL tape as well, since the luminescent stripe does not extend all the way to the edge of the tape.
- beachrunnerfred
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2014 8:13 pm
Re: Parts list for powering 30 strips of 1m EL tape
Thanks so much, huge help!!
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