Glow ropes

Lightbringer · 2019-08-06T15:24:19.000Z

Was just thinking… someone could just fidget something together out of a set of LED Christmas lights. Split the 3-wires into a strand of 2 (they “switch tracks” in the middle), and while they’ll all be in series, a cheap circuit that just dumps a quick HV pulse through ’em every few seconds would be enough, and the battery would last a loooooooong time.

Agro · 2019-08-06T17:44:45.000Z

I hate blinkies in general so they are not really for me…

I will surely try reflective rope. I already purchased it and it covers 70% of those passing by if not more.
For the rest? I still like throwies.
But I’m also thinking about ordinary solar lawn lights, $1.2 a piece and should do the trick. I paid more for lightweight pegs recently. And the fact that they are NOT fancy is nice.

Still thanks for the suggestions. I love this forum.

Ijon · 2019-08-21T12:22:39.000Z

I have also wanted to mark my tent’s guy lines. I have used HGV contour markings adhesive tape. It is sold in form of wide tape or 5cm squares, with different versions for rigid surfaces and tarpaulin. I have used squared one for tarpaulin, cut in half and attached to guy line.

Shown glued to guy line:

rockhound42 · 2019-08-23T10:02:41.000Z

I’ve used these before for marking various things, not tried them on guy lines though.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AtomLight-Keyring-Kit-Marking-Function-UK-Made/dp/B0733D5VTY/ref=sr_1_26?keywords=luminous+zip+pulls&qid=1566554425&s=gateway&sr=8-26

or maybe something like these?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nite-glow-keyring-illuminates-colour/dp/B000EXZNA0/ref=sr_1_20?keywords=luminous+zip+pulls&qid=1566554425&s=gateway&sr=8-20

I’m sure cheaper versions of both can be found somewhere.

Agro · 2020-02-17T10:54:37.000Z

I remember seeing the first article about throwies…less than $1 a piece…it was quite a bit cheaper when I saw it.
But this has caught me by surprise:

Remotely controlled RGB throwies with 2*CR2032 batteries included, costing $1.1 a piece. OK, if you need a magned you need to add it.

Lightbringer · 2020-02-17T14:40:16.000Z

Funny, but I was just looking for this thread…

Vipon has a bunch of vipons for “fairy lights” that can be looped around tie-down ropes, etc.

WW, CW, RGB, etc., mostly AA-powered.

Go crazy…

Starkm32 · 2020-02-17T14:54:28.000Z

12 hour glo sticks might do ya (duct tape most of it to minimize acquisition angst)

https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Bright-Glow-Sticks-Earthquake/dp/B01GTU597I?ref\_=ws_cp_f469fa74ba3b46a8a6ea_pcr_1_i

Agro · 2020-02-17T15:03:53.000Z

Lightbringer:

Funny, but I was just looking for this thread…

Vipon has a bunch of vipons for “fairy lights” that can be looped around tie-down ropes, etc.

WW, CW, RGB, etc., mostly AA-powered.

Go crazy…

I haven’t thought about that.
Quick estimation:
My large tent (the one that matters) has 10 guy lines. Say 15m total length.
Cut a 20m string into sections, wire together to a single USB plug, add some resistor to reduce output….sounds like an interesting solution.
More involved than I’m willing to do now but I’ll keep that in mind for later. Thank you for this hint.
As to strings themselves - Ali is still cheaper than even these deals (and for me - much easier as well). My recent purchase was a 20m remotely controlled string for $3.64

Agro · 2020-02-17T15:11:53.000Z

Starkm32:

12 hour glo sticks might do ya (duct tape most of it to minimize acquisition angst)

Amazon.com

Thanks for the suggestion, but 10 sticks per night would definitely be too much waste…

Starkm32 · 2020-02-17T16:24:39.000Z

You can get them on the cheap, in bulk. Not Amazon.

Come to think of it, Agro, stakes/ropes & drunks were the reasons my tents
Became selfstanding tents. You can pitch them in 10 minutes, or less.

No ropes, drunks, pass on bye.

Agro · 2020-02-17T15:31:29.000Z

Starkm32:

You can get them on the cheap, in bulk. Not Amazon.

Yeah, quick search gave me 100 pcs for $8 shipped. But it’s about the waste rather than price.
Something that can be recharged and used over and over seems just better.

Lightbringer · 2020-02-17T16:59:51.000Z

Agro:

I haven’t thought about that.
Quick estimation:
My large tent (the one that matters) has 10 guy lines. Say 15m total length.
Cut a 20m string into sections, wire together to a single USB plug, add some resistor to reduce output….sounds like an interesting solution.
More involved than I’m willing to do now but I’ll keep that in mind for later. Thank you for this hint.
As to strings themselves - Ali is still cheaper than even these deals (and for me - much easier as well). My recent purchase was a 20m remotely controlled string for $3.64

Wellp, those doodads also come in usb-powered, not just AA. I usually go by LED-count. So 600 LEDs (2×300) cost me something like 13bux.

Difference is that I got these in like 4 days (non-prime), not 4 months.

And the controllers not only let you do fades, blinks, etc., but you can also throttle down the brightness, too. So on minimum, you should still be able to see the lines quite clearly in the dark, and get decent battery life.

And being that they’re 3×AA or 4.5V, I imagine they might work with a Li cell (haven’t tried it yet, though).

Agro · 2020-02-17T18:13:50.000Z

Starkm32:

Come to think of it, Agro, stakes/ropes & drunks were the reasons my tents
Became selfstanding tents. You can pitch them in 10 minutes, or less.

No ropes, drunks, pass on bye.

I bought my first tent for the Pol’and’Rock festival (named “Woodstock” back then). It was the cheapest tent from Decathlon that I meant as a throw-away item, I didn’t mean to take it back. I chose a reasonable brand because I wanted some waterproofing. But it fared so well that I took it home and used for a few trips. I used to call it my studio apartment.

Later I grew to desire more space. I purchased a Fjorn Nansen Bastia 3. It was a great combination of comfort, low weight, ease of setup and price. It is not self-standing, needs some nails. It came with 8 guy lines and 20 nails (plus spare). I removed all the guy lines and usually used just 5 nails. 4 was minimum, sometimes I would use up to 8 (bad weather + several days). So it had the same footprint as a freestanding tent…and I indeed had few troubles with people stomping on it. But not zero.

Most of my camping trips have been with it. I call it a 2-room apartment (in polish: M2).

But as I grew older I desired something with standing height. And so I got a villa…and started worrying more about drunks. For a large tent this one is quite simple and easy to set up (but still not as quick as I hoped for, definitely no good for 1-night stands). And it really needs to be well attached to the ground.

Yes, I can take the smaller tent but I’d rather have the comfort of the larger one.

Agro · 2020-02-17T18:41:15.000Z

MoreLumens:

MoreLumens:

Lightbringer:

Agro:

I haven’t thought about that.
Quick estimation:
My large tent (the one that matters) has 10 guy lines. Say 15m total length.
Cut a 20m string into sections, wire together to a single USB plug, add some resistor to reduce output….sounds like an interesting solution.
More involved than I’m willing to do now but I’ll keep that in mind for later. Thank you for this hint.
As to strings themselves - Ali is still cheaper than even these deals (and for me - much easier as well). My recent purchase was a 20m remotely controlled string for $3.64

Wellp, those doodads also come in usb-powered, not just AA. I usually go by LED-count. So 600 LEDs (2×300) cost me something like 13bux.

Difference is that I got these in like 4 days (non-prime), not 4 months.

And the controllers not only let you do fades, blinks, etc., but you can also throttle down the brightness, too. So on minimum, you should still be able to see the lines quite clearly in the dark, and get decent battery life.

And being that they’re 3×AA or 4.5V, I imagine they might work with a Li cell (haven’t tried it yet, though).

I got one xmas light string too, nice warm white tint, with all those blinky-blinks and stuff, but I did that mistake and ordered it with battery case so I am going to get it into usb powered. Not sure if that works, but not much to lose.

Well did a quick test and they do work, straight from usb and straight from the cell too:

Looks like I got new camping light with remote. :partying_face:

Interesting.
I have USB ones only, it’s quite inefficient to boost power to 5V only to have the lights use resistors to bring it down. And also I lack a powerful enough powerbank, direct connection is better in this regard. This battery box variant may be nice…but I need to figure out some reasonable 18650 / 21700 box. Maybe some cheap plastic powerbank with electronics replaced….

Agro · 2020-02-17T18:53:47.000Z

Lightbringer:

Agro:

I haven’t thought about that.
Quick estimation:
My large tent (the one that matters) has 10 guy lines. Say 15m total length.
Cut a 20m string into sections, wire together to a single USB plug, add some resistor to reduce output….sounds like an interesting solution.
More involved than I’m willing to do now but I’ll keep that in mind for later. Thank you for this hint.
As to strings themselves - Ali is still cheaper than even these deals (and for me - much easier as well). My recent purchase was a 20m remotely controlled string for $3.64

Wellp, those doodads also come in usb-powered, not just AA. I usually go by LED-count. So 600 LEDs (2×300) cost me something like 13bux.

Difference is that I got these in like 4 days (non-prime), not 4 months.

And the controllers not only let you do fades, blinks, etc., but you can also throttle down the brightness, too. So on minimum, you should still be able to see the lines quite clearly in the dark, and get decent battery life.

And being that they’re 3×AA or 4.5V, I imagine they might work with a Li cell (haven’t tried it yet, though).

300 LED per string from DC power? I fail to see any source for this in China, the longest I see is 20m / 200 LED. Could you please share a link? Maybe it will help me find them…

Lightbringer · 2020-02-17T21:17:52.000Z

Agro:

300 LED per string from DC power? I fail to see any source for this in China, the longest I see is 20m / 200 LED. Could you please share a link? Maybe it will help me find them…

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y9JD2F7/

These are 6×AA, but they’re 3S2P, so just sticking in one “layer” of cells will work.

Same issue like 3×AAA lights, in that they’ll be hella bright at first, but drop like a rock pretty quickly as the cells wear. So I’d probably rig up something to use USB power if I could.

Also, they’re 3-wire, so there’s “channel A”, “channel B”, and ground. That’s how you get alternating blinkies and fades and chases and whatnot. So actually they’re 150 LEDs on a string.

I intend to snip off what I might need from the end, then (if needed) reseal the end with a dab of epoxy or whatever.

Lightbringer · 2020-02-17T21:17:24.000Z

MoreLumens:

Using AA with these seems kinda bad. Max brightness starts to dim very soon and it just drains cells empty.

Yeh, same issues like those crappy 9-LED lights…

Agro · 2020-02-18T06:51:22.000Z

Lightbringer:

Agro:

300 LED per string from DC power? I fail to see any source for this in China, the longest I see is 20m / 200 LED. Could you please share a link? Maybe it will help me find them…

Amazon.com

These are 6×AA, but they’re 3S2P, so just sticking in one “layer” of cells will work.

Same issue like 3×AAA lights, in that they’ll be hella bright at first, but drop like a rock pretty quickly as the cells wear. So I’d probably rig up something to use USB power if I could.

Also, they’re 3-wire, so there’s “channel A”, “channel B”, and ground. That’s how you get alternating blinkies and fades and chases and whatnot. So actually they’re 150 LEDs on a string.

I intend to snip off what I might need from the end, then (if needed) reseal the end with a dab of epoxy or whatever.

Thanks, these look nice.
For 30m string you would need a USB PD-capable plug because you’re going to exceed 3A.

Starkm32 · 2020-02-18T11:30:02.000Z

With all those lights, blinkies + the tent, you will certainly will be attracting
The whole of the fest in your mini Times Square?

You will have achieved your intent, no flipping drunks aloud.

But with focused attention, there inevitably come loss. Fireflies will
Be attracted.

Perhaps a few motion activated LEDs on the GLO ropes will suffice.

As some would say, less is more. YMMV

Tentless, at Woodstock.

Agro · 2020-02-18T11:33:35.000Z

Starkm32:

With all those lights, blinkies + the tent, you will certainly will be attracting
The whole of the fest in your mini Times Square?

You will have achieved your intent, no flipping drunks aloud.

But with focused attention, there inevitably come loss. Fireflies will
Be attracted.

Perhaps a few motion activated LEDs on the GLO ropes will suffice.

As some would say, less is more. YMMV

Indeed. And blinkies are a big no no no no no no no.
My plan for this year is to try reflective rope plus cheap CR2032 lights that I intend to buy for other uses anyway. Cheap and simple. If they work well enough I can upgrade them with rechargeable batteries, tweak resistance to achieve desired (low) brightness and call it success. If no I’ll keep searching.