The fiber optic lighting system for a bathhouse is one of the most efficient, durable and safe. Selecting components for its installation and performing installation is within the capabilities of every owner. Our recommendations will help you understand the process.
Content:
The organization of lighting in a sauna using optical fiber has recently become increasingly popular. Such fiber optic bath lights are much more functional, safer and more economical than traditional light sources. They are optimally suited for installation in the steam room, washing area and auxiliary rooms.
Features of fiber optic lighting in the bathhouse
Due to their high performance and technical characteristics, these lamps are often installed in steam rooms. Among the main advantages of these designs are:
- Heat resistance. Optical fiber can operate at temperatures up to +200 degrees. Therefore, it can be mounted even on the ceiling of a steam room, where the highest temperature is usually maintained.
- Moisture resistance. The fiber optic system is used for pool lighting due to its resistance to high humidity.
- soft light. This lamp does not require the installation of additional lampshades. Its light is diffused and does not hurt the eyes.
- Compactness. The lighting system can be mounted directly into the casing. There is no need to allocate a special place for it.
- Safety. Optical fiber conducts only radiation (not current), and therefore its installation in a steam room is absolutely safe. Due to the specific nature of the fastening, you cannot get burned on the fiber bundle.
- Durability. This type of backlight needs to be replaced much less frequently than its analogues.
- Easy to install. You can install the projector, lenses and fibers yourself, even without special technical skills.
- Abundance of design solutions. Using a rope, you can create an animation of the starry sky, northern lights, fire, waves, storms. The kit includes attachments of various colors that can change the tilt of the lighting to embody original style ideas. In addition, the tourniquet is flexible, which allows it to be given the desired shape.
- Economical. Fiber optics consume significantly less energy than other types of lighting.
The disadvantages of such lamps include the relatively high cost.
Elements of a fiber optic lighting system for a bath
Complete, effective and pleasant fiber optic lighting for a bath can be created by supplementing the fibers with special crystals and lenses. A combination of optical harnesses with other types of lighting, for example, LED, will look original. In the steam room, light pipes are used to decorate the main elements, such as shelves and benches.
You can buy fiber optic bath lights as a set, or you can select system components separately:
- Projector. The amount of light released depends on its power. The device uses 12 V halogen lamps. Each of them consumes 50 V and has a high luminous efficiency.
- Fibers. The amount of light emitted also depends on their diameter. With the right selection, you can create directional, general or accent lighting in the bathhouse. For installation in a steam room, you should choose models with a glass rather than a plastic shell. They function better at high temperatures and withstand changes more easily. When selecting, keep in mind that there are side and end glow harnesses. The first type can be intertwined with each other and create light patterns. The second one is installed pointwise, for example, simulating a starry sky.
- Final products. These are lenses, lamps and crystals that are fixed to the edges of light pipes. The direction of the light and its brightness will depend on them. Traditionally, the end of an optical fiber scatters light at an angle of 40-60 degrees. If you attach a lens attachment, the refraction angle can reach 20-25 degrees. When using decorative crystal attachments, the light is focused into a beam at an angle of 180 degrees or more.
- Accessories. Color wheels allow you to create an original imitation of radiance and shimmer in a room.
Fiber optic side glow system in the bathhouse
The operating principle of such a lighting system is extremely simple: the projector is installed outside the steam room, a bundle of fibers transmits light purified from infrared and ultraviolet radiation. You can carry out the installation yourself, because it does not require drawing up electrical circuits.
To do this, we proceed in the following sequence:
- We install a projector in the dressing room. Choose a place near the wall bordering the steam room. It should be placed at a safe distance from the heat source if it is located in the same room.
- We install color disks on the projector if desired.
- We mark the installation locations of the light guides in the steam room, according to a pre-prepared diagram.
- We fix the fiber optic elements with segments. Please note that the fiber contains a flexible light-guide core with a high refractive index. If it needs to be cut, then we do this procedure only with a hot knife, after which we carefully polish the cut so that it turns out to be mirror-like.
- If desired, we equip the system with lens color attachments. This effect can be controlled manually or automatically. In the latter case, we additionally install a switch.
Fiber optic end glow system for sauna
Before starting work, you need to draw up a diagram of the placement of point elements in the room. It is better to install such lighting before interior finishing.
We work in this order:
- From the projector we measure the distance to each point of the glow and cut the bundles to the appropriate length.
- We lay the fibers, fixing them temporarily with tape.
- We install dowels at the exit points so that they stick out 2-3 cm outward. We attach the harnesses to them using wire or clamps. This is necessary to maintain the pattern and vertical fixation of the location.
- We cover the surface, removing unnecessary dowels and tape in the process.
- We cut the fiber to the level of the sheathing and sand it with fine-grained sandpaper.
- We cut and sand the reverse ends, assemble them into a connector and connect them to the projector.
Using the same scheme, light guides can be mounted in the washing compartment. If it has a pool, then this type of lighting will look very impressive at its bottom. In the break room, fiber optic lights can be combined with other lighting fixtures. Light pipes in this room can be used to illuminate individual elements, for example, a mirror or ceiling. With their help, you can create an optimal atmosphere for relaxation.
Watch a video about the fiber optic lighting system:
It is not difficult to install fiber optic sauna lights in a steam room with your own hands. The main thing is to follow the instructions and choose the right components.
Today there will be a scientific and educational post :)
Fortunately, this time there was no accident, but planned work, so the process took place, one might say, under greenhouse conditions.
Typically, an optical cable is welded into a special cross-connect, each fiber to its own port, from where it is already connected to equipment or another cross-connect. But this time it was necessary to weld two cables together, bypassing the optical cross-connects. The process is, in general, similar to welding a cable at break, with the exception that the cable does not need to be pulled out of the cross-connect first.
This is what two working optical cross connects look like, which you will need to get rid of and connect the cables directly. Now the data is running along the yellow patch cords between the crosses.
Optical crossover from the inside. Carefully unravel and pull the cable out of the cassette.
Colored wires are fiber optic cables, only insulated for now. The optical fiber itself is colorless, and the insulation is specially colored to distinguish the fibers.
There can be many fibers in a cable. It can be 4, 12, or 38. As a rule, a pair of fibers is used for data transmission, one fiber in each direction. Such a single pair can transmit from 155 Mbit/s to several tens of Gbit/s, depending on the equipment at the ends of the fiber-optic route.
This cable contains 12 fibers, which are packaged 4 pieces in 3 colored (white, green, red) modules.
Since the fiber splice is a potentially fragile area, this part of the cable is packaged in an optical sleeve. Before welding, the cables are inserted into the coupling through special holes.
Now you can begin the welding process. First, the insulation is removed from the fiber using precision tools, exposing the fiber optic core itself.
Before welding, it is necessary that the end of the fiber is as smooth as possible, i.e. a very precise perpendicular cut is required. There is a special machine for this.
Chick! The angle of the chip should deviate from the plane by no more than 1 degree. Typical values are from 0.1 to 0.3 degrees.
Scraps of clean fiber are immediately tidied up. You’ll find it on the table later, but it can easily get stuck under the skin, break off there and stay there.
And here is the most important device in this process - the welder. Both fibers are placed in special grooves in the middle of the device on both sides (blue in the picture) and secured with clamps.
After that comes the hardest part. Press the "SET" button and look at the screen. The device itself positions the fibers, aligns them, instantly solders the fibers with a short electric arc and shows the result. The whole process happens faster than I wrote these three sentences above, and takes about 10 seconds.
A heat-shrinkable tube with a metal rod is placed on the fiber to strengthen the welding site, and the fiber is placed in an oven in the same apparatus, only in its upper part.
Each fiber is then carefully placed into the coupling cassette. Creative process.
And the result.
To seal the cable entry point into the coupling, heat-shrinkable tubes are put on and treated with a special hair dryer. The tube contracts due to high temperature, preventing water and air from entering the coupling.
And the final touch. A cap is placed on the coupling and secured with special fasteners. Now you are not afraid of either humidity, heat or frost. Such couplings can float in a swamp for years without damaging the cable inside.
The entire process of welding two 12-fiber cables together takes about an hour and a half.
Well, now you know all the intricacies of this process, you can safely buy a welding machine and entangle whatever you want with fiber optic networks.
What made by hand costs about $200, but looks much better! In addition, the chandelier is controlled by a remote control and can be successfully used for information notification.
Note : Sometimes the photos don't exactly match what is described in the step.
Step 1: Equipment and Tools
- Sheets of black plexiglass sizes 50*50 cm and thickness 4-6 mm.
- 200 glass beads diameter 1.7cm;
- 3 W RGB LEDs with remote control;
- Plastic container;
- Heat shrink tubes;
- IR receiver;
- Epoxy glue;
- Chain;
- Transition pipe;
- 120 m fiber optic cable;
- Wires;
- Adhesive tape;
- Black paint;
- Screws;
- Three-pin electrical plug/socket;
- Lamp socket.
Tools:
- Sanding disc;
- Drill and drill bits;
- Hot glue gun;
- Engraver with nozzle;
- Saw;
- Jigsaw;
- Varnish and paint brushes;
- Hacksaw;
- Plane;
- Compass;
- Vise;
- Plasticine;
Step 2: Wooden Base Top - Part 1
Using a compass, draw a circle with a radius 225 mm. Then use a hacksaw to cut it out.
Sand the edges of the circle with a disc sander.
To complete the decoration, paint the top side black (in three layers).
Electronics :
Cut a hole large enough in diameter to accommodate a three-pin socket.
Then we secure it with self-tapping screws.
Place the plastic box on a wooden circle. Drill holes for four short 7 mm screws
Let's connect the wires from the power supply to the lamp base.
The photo does not take into account the fact that the lamp lamp is in a plastic box. Because these photos were taken after the project was completed.
Step 3: Wooden Base Top - Part 2
Let's take the chain and cut it into three sections, each of them in length 25 cm.
In the wooden base, drill three holes in 20 cm from the center. These holes, if drilled correctly, will form an equilateral triangle.
Insert a pin with an eye (with a washer on the top and bottom) into the drilled hole and tighten it with a nut.
Place the ends of the chains in each loop.
We will install the opposite ends into carabiners.
The hanging mechanism is ready.
The support posts will support the plexiglass plates.
We use a plane and sandpaper to make the surface of the block smooth.
We will apply varnish to the supporting parts to further protect them from moisture.
Let's make marks on the block every 7 cm(a total of 42 cm), and then cut the workpiece into 6 parts.
Now we will place six hexagon-shaped blocks along the lines on the plexiglass plates between the 3rd and 4th rings.
The last photo is the only picture that shows exactly how all the supports should look at the end of all the operations performed.
Step 4: Perspex Plate - Part 1
Using a compass, draw a circle with a radius 225 mm.
We use a jigsaw to cut out the circle and a sander to clean up the edges.
Now you need to divide the workpiece into five rings. They will divide the chandelier, creating multi-level transitions.
Workpiece marking:
- Let's draw the first circle with a diameter 205 mm, lightly scratch the circle, then draw the outline with a pencil;
- Second circle - radius 160 mm;
- Third circle - radius 115 mm;
- Fourth circle - radius 70 mm;
- Fifth circle - diameter 50 mm.
The width between the marks on the circles is 20 mm.
Step 5: Perspex Plate - Part 2
Circumference of the fifth ring = diameter (5 cm) x π = 15.7 cm. (We round the number to avoid any errors when working with tools).
Diameter of each glass ball 1.7 cm. Therefore: 15.0 / 1.7 = 8 pcs. The ring used 7 balls to create a small gap between each element.
We repeat a similar procedure for each ring, making sure to leave the required gap between the balls.
Now is the time to make marks on the rings where the balls will be placed.
To do this (we take the fifth ring as an example), take 7 glass balls, plasticine and attach the balls to the workpiece. After that, outline their outline with a pencil.
Make sure that the pencil is perpendicular to the base. After this, mark the centers of future holes.
We repeat this procedure for the remaining four rings.
After all places are marked, use a drill 0.5 mm Let's drill a hole.
Step 6: Light Box
The light source and receiver are inside the box.
Mark the center at the end of the plastic box. Let's drill a hole of the same cross-section as the diameter of the base. Install the pipe adapter on the opposite end of the box.
Now let's install the IR sensor on the pre-existing terminal. (Sorry, no photos).
Let's cut three wires of length 20 cm every.
Let's strip the ends of the wires.
Let's connect one wire to the lead on the existing IR sensor
Cover the connection with heat shrink tubing and then tighten it with wire (no soldering required).
Let's attach the corresponding wires to the IR sensor and apply heat shrink tubing.
Place the lamp in the light box and close it. Now we can screw the light box onto the wooden base using the screws and pilot holes that were made earlier.
Step 7: Mounting the Balls
In this step we will use an engraver with a ball-shaped nozzle.
Let's make a conductor that will hold the balls (two clamps are attached to the wood). The entire structure is very stable and also allows you to work freely with tools.
Let's repeat the procedure 180 times!!! Yes, I know this will take the most time, but be patient even when some of them break...
Step 8: Cutting the fiber
Exists 5 levels fiber optics
Using a centimeter and scissors, cut the fiber in accordance with the table:
- 7x - 75 cm threads + 10 cm = 85 cm each;
- 21x - 60cm thread + 15cm = 75cm;
- 35x - 45cm thread + 20cm = 65cm;
- 50x - 30cm thread + 25cm = 55cm;
- 64x - 15cm thread + 30cm = 45cm.
ATTENTION!: This is the length of each fiber including the ball. In order for each layer to connect to the light box you must add additional length to the fiber to mount it into the system.
Step 9: Install the threads
Let's collect the bunches. For example, 7x 85cm or 50x 55cm will be connected using heat shrink tubing to hold them together. We repeat these steps for all other groups.
Take 7x 85cm thread and pass each strand through the hole on the inner ring of the bottom plate.
You must pull all the threads through one hole! This will allow light to pass through much better and the threads to be mounted in a closed housing.
To make an even cut on the end, heat the spatula with a blowtorch until it is hot enough to melt the fibers.
Step 10: Installing the Balls
For fastening, you must use epoxy resin, not super glue.
Place the fibers in the hole and press everything with tape to make a small cradle for the ball. The cradle should “hug” the ball and take on the weight of the glass, thus allowing the glue to dry. I recommend wrapping it with a second layer of tape to avoid the chance of loss of rigidity.
The final effect is that you cannot see the glue, the fiber magically touches the glass when viewed from below and from the side.
Step 11: Basic Decorations
Long pieces of plexiglass 303 mm, divide into 3 parts and cut with a band saw, their width is 30 mm.
Divide the squares into 3 equal parts
Use a saw to cut out these rectangles
Let's remove the plexiglass paper
We attach the plates using superglue to a wooden base, using a square for precise alignment.
Let's repeat this procedure for all 47 pieces.
Step 12: Final Result
It turned out so unusual craft —
Many will ask the question - why make an LED chandelier with your own hands, if such a thing can be bought in a store?
This question is partly true. There are inexpensive Chinese chandeliers that are easier to purchase ready-made because... the price gain from making such a thing homemade will still not be that significant.
However, the situation is completely different with expensive large models, such as you can see in nice restaurants, hotels or theaters. Their price most often ranges from 60,000 rubles or more. In many cases, this amount may be unaffordable. At the same time, the cost of such a product may well fall within 3000 - 6000.
In addition, situations arise when an absolutely individual approach is required for interior design, and no standard model purchased simply will look good.
In general, sometimes making a chandelier yourself can be very profitable.
Today we will look at a small example, the goal of which was not to make a masterpiece. We would just like to show some interesting practical techniques in this matter. Knowing them, you can come up with your own interesting design and bring it to life.
So - we need:
1) Black plexiglass plate 50cm by 50cm
2) 200 pieces of transparent glass balls
3) RGB LEDs
4) Controller for LEDs
5) Heat shrink
6) Power supply
7) Glue
8) Optical fiber
9) Sheet of plywood
10) Electrical tape, a socket and a number of other little things, the list of which directly depends on your idea.
First of all, let's mark the base of our chandelier on the plywood. In this case it will be a circle. Carefully cut it out, install a socket there and connect the power supply. In our case, we used a socket similar to the one on the back of the computer system unit. This choice, in fact, is not conditioned by anything - you can use any other option.
Then we make a mount for our chandelier and cut off the chains of the required length, so it will hang on them. We cut out a second plywood circle and a very even circle of plexiglass, so that it is 5 millimeters larger than the plywood one. Then we will connect them together. This step is needed to strengthen the plexiglass, which is not designed for loads.
Now we have one plywood circle and one two-layer one (plywood + plexiglass). This is the basis of our chandelier.
Let's connect these 2 levels with small, neat planks to create some semblance of a cylinder.
We mark the circle with concentric circles, thereby marking the contours where the balls will be located.
We drill small holes where the centers of the balls will be.
Now you need to assemble a box in which the light from the RGB LED will go into the optical fiber. In the example we used a 12 Volt LED, however in real life we would advise using 4 3 Volt RGB LEDs connected in series. We connect the controller to the LEDs.
We use a plastic fitting as a clamp for the optical fiber.
We begin to prepare the balls, in each of which a non-through hole should be drilled approximately to the center. This is not an easy task and requires quite a lot of time. It's best to use a Dremel. It is also important to consider the issue of securing the ball during the drilling process.
The main feature of our project is the use of fiber optics. This is what we will deal with next. We cut the fiber very carefully.
ATTENTION! Consider the fact that in addition to the length of the fiber from the ball to the plexiglass, there must be some margin for connecting to the LED.
In our case, the dimensions are as follows:
7 threads 75cm + 10cm = 85cm
21 threads 60cm + 15 cm = 75 cm
35 threads 45cm + 20cm = 65cm
50 threads 30 cm + 25 cm = 55 cm
64 threads 15 cm + 30 cm = 45 cm
We collect the optical fiber into a bundle, put a heat-shrink tube on the end, rest the bundle against the table (as a result, all the fibers will be at the same level), heat the heat shrink so that it tightly compresses the fibers to each other. It looks like a “broom” with a handle. We fix the end compressed with heat shrink in the fitting and spread the fibers along the holes drilled in the plexiglass.
Pour a little glue onto the paper, dip a toothpick in it and carefully coat the hole in the ball. Insert the fiber there and temporarily secure the connection with tape. Give it a little time for everything to harden. Check the connection strength. It is important to exclude the possibility of the ball falling off.
We hang the chandelier together with the balls and carefully adjust the lengths of the fibers for each ball. It is necessary to ensure that the balls hang perfectly at the planned level. We secure the correct position of the optical fiber with hot glue.
Then we make the sides for our cylinder.
All! As a result, we have an original chandelier with luminous balls that can change their color depending on the button you press on the remote control. You will also have many interesting effects at your disposal.
This idea seems very promising to us and has several extensions, for example:
Obviously, in the scheme described above it does not shine with ordinary light and can only be a decorative element. But no one is stopping you from making a more complete version yourself by adding ordinary white LEDs to it.
You can make the outer rings of the balls glow in one color (for example, red), and the inner ones have a controlled color. You will get a very beautiful multi-colored chandelier. In this case, you will need to make several fittings, each of which will shine a different color.
In general, this approach provides a truly wide field for maneuver!
Question: “Is it possible to make an LED with your own hands?” It will certainly cause surprise among ordinary craftsmen. It would seem, why invent something that has long been invented and mass-produced? However, there is a category of people who love to make something unusual. For them, designing an LED is an opportunity to repeat the experiments of O.V. Losev, held about a hundred years ago, and a chance to prove to yourself and friends the reality of creating an LED at home.
What you will need
The main construction material is a piece of silicon carbide. You can’t buy it in a regular store, but if you try, you can find it on the Internet among private advertisements. In addition, you will need a pin needle, connecting wires, two furniture nails with a wide head and an adjustable voltage source (0-10 volts). You will also need some solder and some skill with a soldering iron. A simple multimeter is suitable for measuring the parameters of a homemade LED.
Preparatory work
The first step is to find an area on the surface of the silicon carbide that is capable of emitting light. To do this, the source material will have to be crushed into several pieces 2-5 mm in size. Then each of them is placed in turn on a metal plate connected to the plus of a power source with a voltage of about 10V. The second electrode is a sharp probe or needle connected to the minus of the power source.
Then the piece under study must be pressed against the plate with tweezers, and its upper part must be probed with a sharp needle in search of a luminous area. Thus, the crystal with the highest brightness is selected. It is worth noting that silicon carbide can emit light in the spectrum from orange to green.
Making a LED
For ease of installation, it is better to take a nail 10-15 mm long with a large head and tin it well. It will serve as the base and heat sink for the crystal. Using a soldering iron, the tin on the cap is brought to a liquid state and the prepared carbide specimen is slightly pressed down with tweezers. Naturally, the emitting section should be directed upward. After the solder has solidified, you need to make sure that the crystal is securely fixed.
To make a negative electrode, you will need the sharp part of a pin and a single-core copper wire. As can be seen from the photo, both parts are tinned and reliably soldered together. Then a loop is made on the wire to give it the properties of a spring. The free end of the wire is soldered onto the head of the second nail. Both studs are attached to the circuit board at a short distance from each other.
At the final stage, power of the appropriate polarity is supplied to the legs of the nails. The electrical circuit is closed with a needle, which is fixed at the point of the crystal with maximum luminescence. By gradually increasing the supply voltage, you can determine the value at which the brightness stops increasing rapidly. As a result of the measurements, the voltage drop was 9V and the forward current was 25 mA. When the polarity is reversed, silicon carbide stops emitting light, which partially explains its semiconductor properties.
I wouldn’t be surprised if experienced radio amateurs express their negativity towards the resulting unusual design, which resembles a simple LED. However, sometimes collecting such things yourself is interesting and even useful. An example is amateur radio clubs for schoolchildren, in which children become familiar with the properties of different materials, learn to solder and learn the basics of semiconductors.
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