LED Light Up Robot Helmet
.png)
Hello Costumers, Cosplayers, and Sci-fi geeks. I have for you a quick and easy way to add some exciting lights to your sci-fi helmets. Not only will they Glow i the dark, and set your helmet apart from the other helmets, but you can change the colors too!
Materials: (or at least what I used for this particular helmet)
(1) Rechargeable Li-ion Battery Pack
(1) DC Wire Plug (Male)
(1) 1 Meter RGB LED Strip-to-Strip Extension Cable
(1) Mini RGB LED Controller
(1') Color Changing LED Strip
(1') High Density RGB LED Strip Light
Hot Glue Gun
Small Flat Head Screwdriver
Pair of Scissors / Wire snips
Soldering Iron
I was able to purchase all of the above listed lighting components for this project from Elemental LED. www.elementalled.com
Step 1: Planning: Only the foolish rush in. Planning is essential. You should plan out where you would like light to be install on your helmet.
Step 2: Measurements: The first thing that you should do is to measure the areas that you want to put your lights. For my helmet I required 9 inches of the High Density RGB Strip Lights to go around the Eye section, and 6 inches of regular Density RGB Strip Light for the Mohawk area.
I also wanted to make sure I had room for the 9 oz. Battery, and the small Color Controller. It will be important to put the color controller where you can press the small white button on it. That is how you can change the color, and the fade/strobe patterns(I built a compartment on the back of the helmet for the battery, and the color controller fit nicely along the left chin area of the helmet.)
Step 3: Placement/Wiring: This will be where the bulk of your work will be. The first thing to do is to cut the 1 Meter RGB Extension Cable into lengths long enough to run from each area the lights will be installed, back to the color controller. (You may want to leave the Splice connection ends on where the wire will meet the strip light)
Then, strip the ends of the Red, Green, Blue, and Black wires, inserting them into their matching connections on the color controller (R is for Red, G is for Green, B is for Blue, and + is for Black). Screw the connectors tight using a very small flat head screwdriver. (You can connect multiple RGB wires into the connections on the color controller as long as they match colors. ie. 2 red wires in the red connection will power the red channels on both RGB Strips)
Next, cut a length of the red wire, and the black wire from the Extension Cables long enough to run from the color controller to the battery. Strip them back as well, inserting the Red wire into the '+' connection on the color controller, and inserting the Black wire into the '-' connection, screwing them down.
On the opposite end of the red and black wires, insert the red wire into the '+' connection on the DC Wire Plug, and the black wire into the '-' connection, screwing them down.
Next, using the Splice connection on the ends of the RGB extensions, pull the little black tab out, insert the RGB Strip Light into the Splice connector, then push the black tab back down. This will connect the Strip lights to the controller.
Step 4: Testing: This is very important. Nothing is worse than putting all of this great work into a project like this, then have to tear it apart because two wires got crossed.
Connect all of the wires together, and connect the battery. Turn the battery on. The lights should immediately light up. Then press the white button on the color controller, testing your channels. Make sure you see the full Red, Green, and Blue Channels light up individually at some point while cycling through the settings. This will ensure that none of the wires are touching each other, or are crossed.
Step 5: Final Construction: At this point, everything should be pretty well set in place. Create the pieces that will cover the lights. (using some translucent paper found at a local craft store, you can create some great diffusion to ensure an even light throughout your section).
Make sure the Strips fit correctly, using either the adhesive on the back of the strip, or some hot glue, make sure all of the RGB Strip Light is secure, then attach your housing for the lights.
Now you are ready to vaporize Bounty Hunters, and blast enemy Space Marines out of the Airlock!
It's a dark universe out there. You're going to need some light!
Materials: (or at least what I used for this particular helmet)
(1) Rechargeable Li-ion Battery Pack
(1) DC Wire Plug (Male)
(1) 1 Meter RGB LED Strip-to-Strip Extension Cable
(1) Mini RGB LED Controller
(1') Color Changing LED Strip
(1') High Density RGB LED Strip Light
Hot Glue Gun
Small Flat Head Screwdriver
Pair of Scissors / Wire snips
Soldering Iron
I was able to purchase all of the above listed lighting components for this project from Elemental LED. www.elementalled.com
Step 1: Planning: Only the foolish rush in. Planning is essential. You should plan out where you would like light to be install on your helmet.
Step 2: Measurements: The first thing that you should do is to measure the areas that you want to put your lights. For my helmet I required 9 inches of the High Density RGB Strip Lights to go around the Eye section, and 6 inches of regular Density RGB Strip Light for the Mohawk area.
I also wanted to make sure I had room for the 9 oz. Battery, and the small Color Controller. It will be important to put the color controller where you can press the small white button on it. That is how you can change the color, and the fade/strobe patterns(I built a compartment on the back of the helmet for the battery, and the color controller fit nicely along the left chin area of the helmet.)
Step 3: Placement/Wiring: This will be where the bulk of your work will be. The first thing to do is to cut the 1 Meter RGB Extension Cable into lengths long enough to run from each area the lights will be installed, back to the color controller. (You may want to leave the Splice connection ends on where the wire will meet the strip light)
Then, strip the ends of the Red, Green, Blue, and Black wires, inserting them into their matching connections on the color controller (R is for Red, G is for Green, B is for Blue, and + is for Black). Screw the connectors tight using a very small flat head screwdriver. (You can connect multiple RGB wires into the connections on the color controller as long as they match colors. ie. 2 red wires in the red connection will power the red channels on both RGB Strips)
Next, cut a length of the red wire, and the black wire from the Extension Cables long enough to run from the color controller to the battery. Strip them back as well, inserting the Red wire into the '+' connection on the color controller, and inserting the Black wire into the '-' connection, screwing them down.
On the opposite end of the red and black wires, insert the red wire into the '+' connection on the DC Wire Plug, and the black wire into the '-' connection, screwing them down.
Next, using the Splice connection on the ends of the RGB extensions, pull the little black tab out, insert the RGB Strip Light into the Splice connector, then push the black tab back down. This will connect the Strip lights to the controller.
Step 4: Testing: This is very important. Nothing is worse than putting all of this great work into a project like this, then have to tear it apart because two wires got crossed.
Connect all of the wires together, and connect the battery. Turn the battery on. The lights should immediately light up. Then press the white button on the color controller, testing your channels. Make sure you see the full Red, Green, and Blue Channels light up individually at some point while cycling through the settings. This will ensure that none of the wires are touching each other, or are crossed.
Step 5: Final Construction: At this point, everything should be pretty well set in place. Create the pieces that will cover the lights. (using some translucent paper found at a local craft store, you can create some great diffusion to ensure an even light throughout your section).
Make sure the Strips fit correctly, using either the adhesive on the back of the strip, or some hot glue, make sure all of the RGB Strip Light is secure, then attach your housing for the lights.
Now you are ready to vaporize Bounty Hunters, and blast enemy Space Marines out of the Airlock!
It's a dark universe out there. You're going to need some light!