HOW TO: Reject shop 100mm ball modifications

lytnin

Full time elf
Joined
Jul 26, 2010
Messages
117
Location
North Richmond NSW
I had loads of comments from visitors to my show about the 100mm RGB balls I had along my fence line.

Here's a quick HOW TO, on what I did to wire up these 100mm Balls from the Reject Shop (AUS)

Materials:
- Balls (Reject Shop)
- 2m 3 pin extension Cables (Ray Wu)
- WS2811 3leds 12V rgb pixel led module (Ray Wu)
- Heat Shrink

Tools:
- Phillips head screwdriver
- Tube Cutter / Hacksaw
- Drill
- Wire Cutters
- Soldering Iron

PREPARATIONS:
- Separate the riser tube from the base
- Remove white ball from the black base
- Remove the original solar panel/LED assembly from the base
- Cut the pixel string into single pixels (CUT equidistant between pixels so there is enough wire for both the in and out)

Instructions:
- Remove the spike from inside the riser tube
- (optional) Cut the riser tube to desired length
- Drill 2 holes (same diameter as your cables) through the tube approx 35 - 40mm from one end (So that the spike has clearance when inserted)
- Elongate both holes so that the cable passing through them will angle upwards. (see pic)
5527-5625a90ffee1c124e53c380b71d7dd11.jpg

- Cut the extension cable (approximately 5cm longer than the riser tube) from the female end
- Remove 2-3cm of outer insulation from both cut ends
- Insert both cables ends into the riser tube and feed through to a workable distance (5cm or more)

- Strip wires on both the extension cable ends, as well as the pixel
- PLACE BASE over the extension cables and attach to the riser tube
5528-2991d67dcb9474508640b0fb07a7bf61.jpg

- Install heatshrink prior to soldering
- Join pixel to the extension cable (TAKE NOTE: of the in and out as well as pos/neg/data)
- DOUBLE CHECK the wiring before soldering
- Solder all joins
- position and shrink the heatshrink
5529-1da761907c96d949b5485be88ac4d37e.jpg

- Pull the cables back down the riser tube to bring the pixel closer to the base and to take up any slack
5530-0210afac66871571b6c9c35540d0d035.jpg

- Reattach the ball to the base
- Repeat for the rest

Hope it helps someone.
Dave
 

David_AVD

Grandpa Elf
Community project designer
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Victoria Point (Brisbane)
I actually bought one as a sample the first time they appeared. That was early last year?

It's been outside for a lot of that time. Not in full sun for the whole day, but quite a bit.

The plastic on that one seems just fine, so I'd expect they'd last many Christmas seasons.
 

Jay.S

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Dec 31, 2016
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221
Location
Narangba
One thing to note, not all spikes/stakes fit properly in the riser tube (hey it's a 2 dollar thing, what do you expect?) if you find the stake doesn't fit in the tube nicely, don't try to jam it in you WILL BREAK THE TUBE. I destroyed a few that way...

As for how long they last... I had them out all December, in full sun... seems just fine.
 

David_AVD

Grandpa Elf
Community project designer
Generous elf
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Victoria Point (Brisbane)
If you went that route, I'd be using some spray lacquer on them to seal against the inevitable moisture ingress / condensation.
 

burnt

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Nov 17, 2014
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Last edited:

cdjazman

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lytnin

Full time elf
Joined
Jul 26, 2010
Messages
117
Location
North Richmond NSW
@burnt That must be one fast printer ... mine is 86 mins :sleep:

Also, if you only have the one pigtail in, how did you wire up for multiple lights. (I'm assuming you used more than one)
 

burnt

Full time elf
Joined
Nov 17, 2014
Messages
189
i use a 4 pin pigtail. with all the +ve and -ve wire connected together before the pigtails and data daisy chain from one lamp to the next.
 
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