# Overkill for a Lightning effect?



## ScaryLane (Jun 3, 2013)

I've been getting into 12 Volt powered LED Lighting systems for my haunt over the past few years. Last year, I added Thor: Thunder and Lightning controller to my display. (It was also CalHaunts group "Make and Take" project that I lead.)

The array LED lights were mount up high on a water tower and gave my two story Ghost Town facade effect of Thunder Storm hitting the place.

I used about 3,800 lumens in LED light to create the effect of Lightning and ambient lighting effect. It work well for for the price limit on the lighting.

We are now about a year later and I was doing a bit more shopping over on eBay and got 12 units of pure white 10 Watt LED "chip" and their drier boards for about $40 for the lot. ($3.33 per LED and driver.) I was going to first use them for a kitchen project, but I think it's time to upgrade the Lightning effect with over 10,000 Lumens of pure white light. That bright of a flash could put of mother nature to shame.

The LED chips are about an inch square and I'll mount them on Big Blocks of aluminum heat sink pulled for a (dead) big old power amplifier. The whole thing will be mount in black wood boxes with plexiglass fronts to help protect them from the weather. Since the Lightning is just flashing for only a few seconds and off for about another 30 seconds, I should not need active cooling (fans) to keep the LED chips from over heating.

The question I got is this a bit of an overkill to do a Lightning effect for a yard haunt? Also, has anyone else worked with these 10 watt LED chips before. I have 10 Watt LED garden light units using this system of LED and drivers. This is my first time work with the LED/drivers on their own.

Oh yes, here is the link on ebay for the LEDs and drivers that I ordered...
LED: http://www.ebay.com/itm/261203008584
Driver: http://www.ebay.com/itm/261266778014


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## Offwhiteknight (Sep 17, 2008)

As long as you've got the booming sound to go with it, I say it's not overkill!!!


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## Hippofeet (Nov 26, 2012)

No such thing as overkill. I don't eat one pancake, or one strip of bacon. If I had your lights, I would have to put them up, just like I have to try to eat all the pancakes, no matter how many might be put in front of me.


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## ScaryLane (Jun 3, 2013)

My order of 12 ten watt LED lights and drivers came in over the weekend. (That was fast since it was from China.)

Later today, I will mount them on some big old heat sinks that I pulled from a old (bad) power amp. Tonight I will know just how much light they put out with an outdoor test.

Should the test go well, I'll build a control circuit that interfaces the new lights into my Thor Lightning controller. Not sure if I can take a video of the Lightning test. But should it work, I'll post it on line.

Thanks for the input!


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## ScaryLane (Jun 3, 2013)

Offwhiteknight said:


> As long as you've got the booming sound to go with it, I say it's not overkill!!!


That's one thing I've done right over the years is sound. Powerful amps, sub-woffers and lots of speakers around the haunt pumping out sound without over-driving. The music and sound effects are controlled via mixer board with the Thunder mixed in with a little extra punch.

A great sound source is the stuff from The Recordist. (www.therecordist.com) I've been using licensed recordings of his stuff for years. Best part is they are original and don't sound like the "caned" Halloween stuff. The thunder sounds are real thunder recorded (very well) out in Nature. Lot of good high end crackle and low end rumble. Well worth the money.


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## The Red Skull (Dec 23, 2010)

I like that you ask if the lights are too much for a yard haunt, but you gloss right over the water tower and two story facade.


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## David_AVD (Nov 9, 2012)

I've used the 20W cool white LEDs for strobes and the heatsink was not all that large as the duty cycle was quite low. I drove them with a micro and an LM350T regulator in CC mode.


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## ScaryLane (Jun 3, 2013)

The Red Skull said:


> I like that you ask if the lights are too much for a yard haunt, but you gloss right over the water tower and two story facade.


For me, my yard haunt even with a two story facade and water tower is a small haunt when compared to other members of CalHaunts.

The specs for the facade is 12 feet tall with the second story balcony at 6.5 feet. The shorter second story (at 5.5 ft.) is an old forced perspective trick to make it look taller. The over width of the facade is about 25 ft.

The water tower was added to give me a platform for the effects lighting. It's also a great place to put props up high and out of grubby hands of thefts. (The balcony is great for props too.)


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## goneferal (Sep 8, 2010)

David_AVD said:


> I've used the 20W cool white LEDs for strobes and the heatsink was not all that large as the duty cycle was quite low. I drove them with a micro and an LM350T regulator in CC mode.


I was thinking the same thing. Sounds like the lightning will fit right in- in a good way.


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