# Mini LED's Outdoor



## Crematory Keeper (Sep 27, 2011)

I am going to make the transition to some form of Mini LED lighting for my yard haunt this year. I am wondering if the Mini spot lights, such as the type "Mini-Spot-Light" sells, are waterproof, water resistant, or not water proof at all? I know they, along with other Manufactures sell the waterproof high output variety, but like all home haunters, I would like to make this as cost effective as possible. The type I am referring to are the "tubular type" of Mini LED's. Plus I really like the ability the Mini "tubular" LED spots can be concealed.

As long as I am posting, I would appreciate any advice as to the number of lights that are needed for decent illumination. For instance in a graveyard scene, is it necessary to illuminate each tombstone with a mini LED or will they cast a sufficient amounts of light as a incandescent spot light would illuminating several tombstones at a time? Thanks


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## The_Caretaker (Mar 6, 2007)

There are many LED spot how to's I made some Blue/UV spots, I only used one blue and 6 UV to illuminate a tombstone from 6 feet. I posted in on GOE.


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## Vesheou (Mar 2, 2012)

These would be great for the yard, try it: http://haunttheyard.blogspot.com/2009/08/led-spots.html


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

I bought several mini led's last year, and was highly disappointed with all of
them. Not only did they not illuminate all that well, they weren't waterproof, and I spent all that money for nothing, as they all went out over the course of the month. If your planning on using them one night, they'll be ok if your not using them for prolonged periods of time. But if they're to be used all night, I found that they don't last very long. I used incandescent spots with hoods, and they worked much better, give off large amounts of light without compromising other props or area's. Plus, the plug in type lights (spots), are much more cost effective. Hope this helps.


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## Bethene (Jan 19, 2008)

haven't tried led;s but have been wondering,, I set up in a campground , and have to worry about the electric out put, well, also at home, will be watching this thread,, I use flood lights, to use several is quite a drain on electric, with the other things used,, thought that led;s would save on that,, but don't want to run in to the problem howling mad jack did!


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## steveshauntedyard (Nov 16, 2008)

howlin mad jack said:


> I bought several mini led's last year, and was highly disappointed with all of
> them. Not only did they not illuminate all that well, they weren't waterproof, and I spent all that money for nothing, as they all went out over the course of the month. If your planning on using them one night, they'll be ok if your not using them for prolonged periods of time. But if they're to be used all night, I found that they don't last very long. I used incandescent spots with hoods, and they worked much better, give off large amounts of light without compromising other props or area's. Plus, the plug in type lights (spots), are much more cost effective. Hope this helps.


I had the same issue with the LED spots I bought a few years ago. They almost all burned out from moisture. And did not light up everything as well as I would have liked. I will say that was over three years ago LED spots have come a long way from the ones I had at the time.


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## niblique71 (Dec 2, 2009)

My LED system (tutorial) is weatherproof (outdoors for 40 days/year) Provides adequate light for most applications (Won't replace 150W floodlights, but getting closer every day). Cheap- $1 per fixture. Flexible as heck (Move lights around with ease, No need for extra chords). and Saves a TON on Electricity (My electric bill went from $700 for the halloween month to $150). AND other folks are improving the fixtures, so perhaps one day soon we can eliminate floodlights entirely. Besides in 5 years incandescents will be unavailable anyway. Oh... and Reliable as heck with still less than 1% failure after 3 years of use.


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## stagehand1975 (Feb 22, 2010)

Done right, an led will last you longer than your incandesent floods. One problem with the mini manufactured spot is that there is also a tiny circuit in there to allow you to not have polarity issues, in a moist enviroment, that circuit will fail before the led does. I recomend the make your own recipes or buy led flood bulbs. Aside from some that I have made myself, I have also taken several led landscape spots, taken them apart and replaced the white leds with the colors that I want. As long as you don't have a lot of.light polution then individual leds are bright enough.


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## Crematory Keeper (Sep 27, 2011)

Thanks for all of your comments and suggestions. I think I will try the build method and if that fails I am going with the revamped landscape lighting suggestion.


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

I used the LEDs from nixtronics( i think thats how it is spelled.) They were from the allen h tutorial. They are shrink wrapped and never had one fail. It rained 20 days of the month of october and with then out all month they still all worked. Pre wired, no resistors to mess with, definitely the easy way to go.


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## wandererrob (Aug 8, 2007)

I build a bunch of my own last season that worked out well. The housings were 1" PVC with 3W LEDs and these drivers, driven by a computer power supply.

By coloring them with gels, I got a decent amount of light out of them in whatever colors I want.


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## wandererrob (Aug 8, 2007)

niblique71 said:


> My LED system (tutorial) is weatherproof (outdoors for 40 days/year) Provides adequate light for most applications (Won't replace 150W floodlights, but getting closer every day). Cheap- $1 per fixture. Flexible as heck (Move lights around with ease, No need for extra chords). and Saves a TON on Electricity (My electric bill went from $700 for the halloween month to $150). AND other folks are improving the fixtures, so perhaps one day soon we can eliminate floodlights entirely. Besides in 5 years incandescents will be unavailable anyway. Oh... and Reliable as heck with still less than 1% failure after 3 years of use.


Got a link to this tutorial? I'm always looking for new ideas and better ways to light my haunt. :jol:


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## niblique71 (Dec 2, 2009)

wandererrob said:


> Got a link to this tutorial? I'm always looking for new ideas and better ways to light my haunt. :jol:


LED Spotlight Tutorial It's a long read but fairly thorough. The Bottle caps mentioned to hold the LEDs are slowly being Phased out and some are now using "PVC Test Caps". THe only issue is that Bottle caps are Uber Cheap (Usually free) and those Test caps are kinda pricy for what the are. Also Check out HPropmans mods to the design and connection methods


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