Color Changing LED Lava Lamp

[Dr. WHAT?!]

 I was able to convert my heritage century into a LED color changing lamp for fairly cheap! roughly $25!!

This was the first part I purchased, its a 50w ceramic heater. It gets hot so a dimmer is a must use. You can see the size comparison with the standard bulb. It wont fit in the standard 32oz or 52oz "premier" bases, I tried. The century has a larger bulb opening allowing you to screw it fully in. Ebay Link

Next purchase was the LED rings. They are 70mm halo rings made for car custom headlights. Cost about $19 for a set of 4 rings that come with a remote 24 buttons and IR remote box and some adhesive pads. I did purchase new IR remote boxes with 44 button remotes that have more color phasing options and dyi options cost under $5.00.  Ebay Link

Here's how it looks with the globe off. The ring fits on the base inner rim perfectly. You can see the ceramic heater is showing its red hotness!  The one thing I was worried about is the LED ring wiring being so close to the heater so I took some tin foil and rolled it around heater so it keeps the heat down for the wiring and flowing upward toward the globe. Speaking of wiring, the only modification I made to the base was that I pulled off the cord plug and then feed the led wiring thru the hole. Then pulled out all the slack of the led wires and tied it off to keep the wiring away from the heater.

Here are a couple pics of the 3 main colors look and a couple videos of the color changing.

[Claude J]

Finished product

Notice tight-fit cooling fan location which is a carefully designed position for airflow to cool the SCR dimmer and remaining components. Probably not necessary but better to be safe when it comes to heat and electrical components.

8 conductor cable exiting the back (4-color change-2 lamp-1 ground-1 shield)

This is the ideal way of creating a color change Lava Lamp when the room is limited in the base of the lamp and/or heat is an issue.

This particular one I built for my Mathmos Lunar conversion project.

Talk about a tight fitting component layout~!

barely room to wire it

[Claude J]

I still have a variety of these smaller heating elements if anyone wants to try this for themselves

[Terry bass]

Thats fantastic work man..

[Terry bass]

How did you wire the leds to 120v

[Terry bass]

Im very interested in your heaters if still available. 

Text would be great 

757-310-9740

Claude J said:

I still have a variety of these smaller heating elements if anyone wants to try this for themselves

[Claude J]

step down transformer from 120 VAC to 12 VDC then to a remote control for LEDs

Terry bass said:

How did you wire the leds to 120v

[Claude J]

Here are some Color Change in Grande Size

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRxguFDMZOM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxnvdR8D5F4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5hl1JmpoHs

[Claude J]

The last 2 color change kits for Grandes/Giants are sold.

I do have smaller heating elements for 52oz if anyone is interested

Mostly 100 watt

[MichaelN77]

Oh wow, I never knew you gave it a second and successful short Claude. I would like to do this for my Opal (White) Fluidium if that is possible. Does the box have to be next to the lamp or it be near the outlet with a four or six foot cable running to the lamp?

[Claude J]

you HAVE TO make the RF or IR controller remote on smaller lamps.

 it will melt from the heat if it is crammed inside a smaller lamp housing

[MichaelN77]

Oh I know especially since the Fluidium base is made of plastic. That is why I wee hoping to keep it a few feet away in the space underneath the dresser and the floor would be nice. 

[Claude J]

one 6 wire cable

Red, green, blue, 12v neutral or positive depending on the controller, and white 1290v neutral, 1230v hot, and ground