Hi, This is my first post. I'm trying to customize a pair of shoes with LED lights in the colors: red, blue, purple, yellow, orange and green. Ideally, I'd like that pattern to repeat around the sole of the shoes so it looks like the item in the link below. So, I have two questions:
1) Is there a 3.7 volt rainbow LED strip with those colors available? I haven't been able to find one, but it seems like there are some experts here who may know more than I do. The one in the link is 24 volt. I've seen 12. Obviously, both of those require power strips that are too large for a shoe.
2) Is it possible to individually wire together lights from separate LED strips? Like, could I get a red strip, a blue strip, a purple strip, a yellow strip, an orange strip, and a green strip, cut off LEDs one by one, and wire them up or connect them individually? I haven't been able to find any tutorials or anything like that online.
In case you're curious, I'm working on a pair of shoes that is modeled after the Infinity Gauntlet. Hence the colors...
I'd be grateful for any sort of help you might be able to offer. Thank you! -matt
Generally, those color-strips use RGBW LEDs and have chips controlling each LED’s color, which you control via a little pad-thingy or whatever to pick the color(s) you want, patterns, etc.
Dunno if you want a static display of just multi-color LEDs, or want to cycle through colors, patterns, etc.
If you want to go the chip route, you may not have a choice but to feed it the voltage it wants.
Ever consider those LED strips that go on bicycle spokes, to show pictures, patterns, etc., as you ride? Should be more compact, and a more reasonable power supply.
Honestly my son found a pair of shoes with multicolor LEDs in the soles on clearance in wal mart for $5, original price was something like $20. Have all kinds of different flash and color patterns controlled by a button on the tongue. Charged via micro usb hidden on the side. He likes them and says they are comfy but even the light gimmick wore on him after about 30 minutes. If he didn’t already have some other shoes and these were only $5 I would have passed on them.
Then again I only got them so in 3 months when he has outgrew them I’m gonna cut them open to see what makes them tick.
The voltage isn’t the only thing to deal with. Each shoe would require a battery, a controller, and the strip
” constant voltage LED driver, color changing controller, and RGB controller adapter are required” according to the listing.
It would be a pretty clunky arrangement to have on your shoe.
You can experiment with this on the cheap using a 5V version of the strip but one with all LEDs the same color. This one includes 1 meter of lights and a basic controller for $2 postpaid. https://www.ebay.com/itm/3528-RGB-USB-5V-LED-Strip-Light-Color-Changing-String-Tape-Ribbon-Controller/123365702128?var=423760230081&hash=item1cb92b39f0:m:mHxBDqS5XY8ULoJD6sw3lpw You could try powering it with a single 18650 or similar sized lithium ion battery. I have had success with some 5V LED strips like fairy lights using a 3.7V 18650 battery. This one is not waterproof but it probably comes in a waterproof version if you search for it. SMD 3528 LEDs are smaller and less bright than the SMD 5050 LEDs on the 1000 bulbs version but they run at much lower power drain too. I’ve used 3528 LED strips for Christmas lights in the past and they are bright enough to be easily seen from a distance at night.
If you want a rainbow pattern and individually addressable LEDs you need to go to using IC controlled LED strips like WS2812B strips. A 1 meter 60 LED strip costs about $7 in IP67 waterproof type. I just worked on a set of waterproof strips yesterday and they are much harder to cut into useful lengths and solder an end on them due to the polymer coating. A 3 button mini controller with a size suitable for a shoe is less than $2 Power consumption is 18W per meter for 60 LEDs/m so it probably would run a battery down rather quickly. I just pulled this information off of eBay seller sites. No links given because they change quickly so become out-of-date.
I have no idea how to program an LED strip. Are there people “for hire” who will do that? And, if so, would he/she be able to make a 24 LED strip light up in single color increments of 4 LEDs each? (Six colors, total)
Yes, there are people out there with the knowledge and ambition to program displays but it requires using a computer to control the strips. Wish I could but haven’t taken the time to learn this complex a task. What you want probably would be child’s play for a good programmer but you can’t get away from having the size of the controller not suitable for a shoe.
You can see what Christmas light fans do on a large scale. Here is a video for a family Christmas display, one of a bunch of them on the Planet Christmas site: Forums - PlanetChristmas
Peel off all the foofy stuff, leaving just the wires and LEDs, bend the wires between LEDs into ‘Z’ shapes to shorten as needed, rewrap in clear tape to insulate them, then in another layer of clear tape to stick ’em on your sneakers.