DiyLightAnimation
Hardware => Other Projects => Topic started by: jem5136 on February 02, 2011,
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Hey guys,
I have seen videos of people who have used water fountains in their displays and I think they look really cool. Obviously I cannot have them for my Christmas display because it get cold here in Indiana, but I was thinking about maybe doing something with some fountains in my 4th of July display. I am wondering if anyone knew of some water fountains that would work well with Lynx controllers or if there was a way to use regular water pumps to get the same effect. I have looked at some pumps online, but they are completely out of my price range. I'm just looking to see if it is possible and affordable for me right now, nothing concrete.
So if you have and idea, please share them with me.
Here is a video of someone who had some what I am kinda looking for. I don't know who they are or I would ask them, but their display has the fountains that I am talking about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEygFqODiOo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEygFqODiOo)
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Those are done by a person that goes by OrangeDog (i think) in Modesto CA.
There web site is LightsOfmodesto you should be able to contact them there.
I know he uses LOR. I think the fountains were store bought, but not sure.
There are some others around that are DIY that use PVC and compressed air.
-Jeff
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Google is your friend!
http://lightsofmodesto.selfip.com/
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Wow, that guys animation is really good. Very tight with the music and active. I like it.
The fountains don't stand out much at all. In fact it was hard to see them at all in the video I watched. What's the attraction?
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I have googled the heck out of this and I cannot seem to find anything on how to build one of these. Any thoughts?
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I can think of a few ways to do this but what kind of budjet are you talking about and how big do you want to make it?
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The fountains may play better in person than they do on video. As cool as it would be to play around with that technology, the sub-freezing temps up here in NH at Christmas time pretty much rule them out for me. I do like his animated fireworks displays. Might have to steal, I mean borrow, that idea.
BTW you might want to connect with the new user, May, who posted in this introduction thread :
http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=4592.0
Sounds like May is connected with the company that makes the dancing fountains in the video in that thread. They don't seem like DIY technology, though.
-Mike
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I have been to his website a couple times, but all I could find was that he had the fountains, not where he got them or how he made them, but I'll keep looking. I don't need anything thats too big, just something that will shoot a jet of water 5 or 6 feet into the air. I was think I could try building them myself by using an RGB light(with a water tight enclosure) and a water pump? Not sure about it though. I saw that he used LOR, and my thought was, if he ran these from his LOR AC or DC controllers, why can't I run them from my DIY controllers?
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Looks like there is a contact link on his website. Have you tried asking him directly? If you uncover any additional info be sure to post it here. I'd certainly be interested in the details even if I can't actually use them in my display.
-Mike
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I can think of a few ways to do this but what kind of budjet are you talking about and how big do you want to make it?
I wouldn't say my budget is huge. I live in the south so super cold temps aren't a problem. I just thought that somthing small like water shooting 5-10 feet high would be cool.
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Thats what I would like to do too, but like I said, I live in Indiana, so Christmas would be a problem for the fountians.
I emailed him earlier today and I am waiting on a reply. I'll post any information I find out.
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Thanks for giving him a holler. From futher inspection of the video it looks like the water is just going into the yard. I wonder if it would be possible to use some sort of pool to catch it so it is not a muddy mess...
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Thanks for giving him a holler. From futher inspection of the video it looks like the water is just going into the yard. I wonder if it would be possible to use some sort of pool to catch it so it is not a muddy mess...
I would bet you probably could. Or you could put it in the garden or next to your flower bet and it would water your plants for you too lol >.d9
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for us cold weather folks...
If the water had some sort of safe non-freeze in the liquid (i dont want to say antifreeze, cause people immediately think of car liquids that are very harmful, and might even violate some sort of epa law used inthis manner.) but some other liquid that could be catchable in a basin, but still wouldnt harm people that might want to run up and touch it, or the plants nearby.
I was thinking salt water, but that still freezes at some point, and would kill the grass.
thoughts?
(EDIT: or even that electrical cable that warms water pipes?) i forget what it's called. I used to see it all the time near horse barns for the water spout
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for us cold weather folks...
If the water had some sort of safe non-freeze in the liquid (i dont want to say antifreeze, cause people immediately think of car liquids that are very harmful, and might even violate some sort of epa law used inthis manner.) but some other liquid that could be catchable in a basin, but still wouldnt harm people that might want to run up and touch it, or the plants nearby.
I was thinking salt water, but that still freezes at some point, and would kill the grass.
thoughts?
(EDIT: or even that electrical cable that warms water pipes?) i forget what it's called. I used to see it all the time near horse barns for the water spout
I would have to do some research for some kind of non-freezing liquid that wouldn't harm people, animals, or the plants. I'm not sure if a heated tape would work or not. We have some for your water spout in the barn, but we really only use it after the water turns to ice. I know there are heated buckets that keep water from freezing, we have some in our horses' stalls. I bet they would work pretty for something like this, they wouldn't look real pretty, but they would work. The only thing I can think that could go wrong is if it get windy and the wind causes the water to land on the ground instead of in the buckets. Hmm....
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I like another poster don't understand the attraction for Christmas.
But if you want you can Google "laminar fountains" , you will find lots of stuff on them.
There is also another forum called "PlanetChr .... " <fp. >:D something or other that has lots of info on them. A 16-17 year old did a write up on them as I remember.
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"The" main company that has come up with a bunch of this technology is WET Enterprises. If you want nearly step-by-step instuctions on how to build things like the items used in the Bellagio resort they are right here:
http://www.google.com/patents?tbm=bks&tbo=1&q=WET+Enterprises
http://www.wetdesign.com/
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The owner of Lights of Modesto is an LOR user. All the fountains were controlled via LOR equipment. There is a post on the LOR forums about the display. He said he would put up some other pictures and videos, he just hasn't gotten around to it. His forum name is webbie...don't know if he is a member here or not.
http://lightorama.mywowbb.com/forum82/25441.html
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The owner of Lights of Modesto is an LOR user. All the fountains were controlled via LOR equipment. There is a post on the LOR forums about the display. He said he would put up some other pictures and videos, he just hasn't gotten around to it. His forum name is webbie...don't know if he is a member here or not.
http://lightorama.mywowbb.com/forum82/25441.html
I knew he was an LOR user and I knew he was on the LOR forum, but I wasn't sure what his forum name was, so thank you for that.
I emailed him earlier today, and I am still waiting on a replay, so once I know something, I'll post what I've found out.
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You can see, we have all been asking him for some detailed info (myself included) but he hasn't responded with much :-\
Let us know what you find out!! <res.
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Daryl who own D-Light has a video on his website showing how his 4th of July show and how he did it.
http://www.d-light.us/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=137&Itemid=77 Basically he used stock lawn irrigation valves which are 12 volt and then connected his hose to them with some 12 volt landscape lights and controlled them with one of his low voltage controllers. (You could do the same with SS4's)
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It's a little late/early but this guy only lives about 2 miles from me, if he won't divulge his secrets I will take pics when he is set up for July 4th. Mission Possible. dun dun dunna dun dun dododoo
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SSR4s are 120V AC. Using a MR16 would be better - you would need to add some diodes to the selenoids to protect the MR16 from the wild voltage swings that can occur when you turn on/off an inductive load like the coil in the selenoid.
RM
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There is some good information here:
http://laminar.forumotion.com/
Rick S
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I want to see the How To on the LED Fireworks...
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here a couple of links to water fountains making. it may give you some ideas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L34BZIXCUM&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L34BZIXCUM&feature=related)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S21scBIZhN0&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S21scBIZhN0&feature=related)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RniFxhseBR8&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RniFxhseBR8&feature=related)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVkgZdjyvNI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVkgZdjyvNI)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYQPK6waCFw&NR=1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYQPK6waCFw&NR=1)
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I've seen that video (OP) previously - I think someone found out he was using plain 'ol lawn sprinkler heads with the diffuser (or whatever you call it) pulled off. I know the older brass heads will shoot up just like that so it makes sense. I believe he used standard electric sprinkler valves as well. Can't get much cheaper than that!
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other things that can be used for heads. pressure washer with a adjustable nozzle, adjustable shower head. the old brass garden hose sprayer or good old plastic pipe cap with proper drilled size for the jet required. for solenoid valves, cloths washing machine or diswasher and you can take the washing jets on some models.
here a link to brass nozzles http://www.thegardenhosestore.com/page/243018205 (http://www.thegardenhosestore.com/page/243018205)