What is LITELINE?
LitELine is electroluminescent "String" or
"Rope" or "Spaghetti" or
""Tubing" that gives off light when an AC
voltage is connected to two fine wires at its end. It comes in
many colours and can be "blinked" or
"flashed" or "dimmed."
It is very similar to miniature neon tubing as seen in outdoor
signs and makes an ideal miniature version of a neon
sign.
requires an AC voltage of
approx 100v @600Hz to produce good brightness. This
can be obtained via a miniature inverter and
these are available from 3v to 12v operation.
For the 3v inverter supplied in the kits described below, up to 1 metre of
can be illuminated. The supply
current requirement is 45mA. can be bent and twisted to any
shape and can be used to create all types of signs, from
miniature lighting effects on pictures and prints to signs for
"in-store" advertising such as "EXIT,"
"WELCOME" or "OPEN". comes in a range of 12
colours, here are a few:
When supplied in short lengths, it comes in a loose coil.
For long lengths, it comes on a spool.
When creating a sign, it is normally placed in a groove in a sheet of
clear perspex to create a "mystical" effect,
where everything seems to be "hanging" in space.
can be glued in position with
clear silicon sealant. Some glues, such as "super glue" become
white when set and detract from the clearness of the
sign. Of course
can be wrapped around items or
threaded through holes in a sheet of foam or simply hung by
fine threads to give a "spiders web" effect. A more-open
display will create more intrigue.
It
can also be used under water or in automobiles, around or
outside a house to produce the house-number or to highlight the
outline of a window or door. It can also be used to identify a
dangerous step or illuminate a keyhole - anything decorative to
safety to security. The possibilities are limitless.
Here are some of the signs you can produce with
:
is almost identical to working
with a miniature version of neon. All the advertising signs,
effects and displays you have seen using neon, can now be made
in a miniature form with . The final result is
almost identical but the cost is considerably less and the
voltages are not the very high voltages required for neon.
Both and Neon signs can be
constantly illuminated or placed in "flashing" mode. has one additional advantage.
It can be put into a "dimming" mode as shown in the example
below. Place your mouse over the display to so see it dim:
The articles on the following pages concentrate on the 2.3mm
size however the information can be used for all sizes.
is available in five sizes:
1. The thinnest is
0.7mm
diameter and is called
"MicroLitE Line".
This size is only available in OEM quantities and must be
totally encapsulated in the product you are developing.
2. The next size is 1.25mm
diameter and is called
"MiniLitE Line".
This size is ideal for sewing into garments and fitting into other
items where its extremely thin diameter and high flexibility
is an advantage.
3. The next size is 2.3mm
diameter and is called
"MidiLitE Line".
This size has a larger diffusion surface area and therefore the
light-output is enhanced due to the scattering effect within
the fibre.
4. The next size is
3.2mm
diameter and is called
"MaxiLitE Line".
This size has a much larger diffusion surface area and therefore the light-output
is enhanced due to the scattering effect within the fibre.
This size is recommended for signage and visual displays.
5. The largest size is oval
3.2x5mm.
It is called "MonsterLitE
Line".
This is a twin light emitting fibre cable, and exhibits a much larger broadside surface and therefore the light-output is almost double. This
fibre is the recommended size for large signage and visual
displays.
All
sizes can be purchased in full rolls of 250 metres
or cut to any length.
GETTING STARTED To get you
started in this "World of Illumination," we have 5
kits available:
KIT 1 US$19.00
KIT 1 consists of 5 lengths of different coloured
electroluminescent (each 10cm long) plus a 3v
inverter with batteries. All you have to do is prepare the ends
of each piece of electroluminescent
and solder them to the flying
lead from the inverter. The 5 pieces can be connected to the
lead or added end-to-end to get an effect 50 cm
long.
KIT
2
US$18.50
KIT 2 consists of 1 length of coloured
electroluminescent 50cm long plus a 3v inverter
with batteries. Please specify the colour required (red is
normally supplied in the kit). Connect the electroluminescent
to the flying lead of the
inverter.
KIT
3 US
$26.00
KIT 3 consists of 2 lengths of coloured
electroluminescent
50cm long plus 1 small flat panel of electroluminescence suitable for backlighting a
small sign on a model railway display, plus a 3v inverter with
batteries. Connect the electroluminescent pieces to the
flying lead of the inverter as explained
above.
KIT 4 US$17.00
KIT 4 consists of 5 lengths of different coloured
electroluminescent (each 10cm long) plus a kit of
components to make your own 3v inverter (batteries included).
If you are into electronics, this is the project for you. You
will see how electroluminescence works and how the power
supply operates. The kit Order-Number is:
TE-3V-INV-4
KIT 5
US$18.00
KIT 5 consists of 2 lengths of different coloured
electroluminescent 10cm long plus 2 small flat
panels of electroluminescence suitable for backlighting a
small sign on a model railway display, plus a kit of components
to make your own 3v inverter (batteries included). This kit is
also for the electronics experimenter. You will get an
understanding of how electroluminescence works and how the
power supply operates. The kit Order number is:
TE-3V-INV-5
On the following pages you will learn more about EL
(Electroluminescence) and "How it Works."
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