Starfield drop ceiling - Halogen lights?
#1
08-15-20, 11:26 PM
Starfield drop ceiling - Halogen lights?
Hello, I'm not entirely certain if this is the right place for this question, so if it's incorrect please let me know.
I'm very enamored with starfield/galaxy ceiling fixtures, sometimes panels. Which is usually a board with holes drilled in to thread lights through, having a starry sky like effect. The lights I've seen most commonly used are fiber optics, since you can easily thread through a lot of them..? And there's not much chance of it catching fire, I guess. I don't really know a lot about lights.
I seem to have an issue with LED lights, however, and they feel unpleasant to look at. In photos, the LED star ceilings are gorgeous, but I know that if it was in my own room, I'd have a hard time looking at it. If that makes sense?
So my question is, can this sort of fixture be done using halogen lights? Specifically, halogen string lights, since those would probably be the easiest to stick through a board? Again, I really don't know much about lighting, so if anyone has experience with anything of this sort, I would appreciate the advice. If halogen string lights are too inconvenient (like if one of them goes out it would be difficult to replace? or if it's somehow a fire hazard), is there a way to thoroughly soften and dim the light of an LED light or fiber optic?
I'm very enamored with starfield/galaxy ceiling fixtures, sometimes panels. Which is usually a board with holes drilled in to thread lights through, having a starry sky like effect. The lights I've seen most commonly used are fiber optics, since you can easily thread through a lot of them..? And there's not much chance of it catching fire, I guess. I don't really know a lot about lights.
I seem to have an issue with LED lights, however, and they feel unpleasant to look at. In photos, the LED star ceilings are gorgeous, but I know that if it was in my own room, I'd have a hard time looking at it. If that makes sense?
So my question is, can this sort of fixture be done using halogen lights? Specifically, halogen string lights, since those would probably be the easiest to stick through a board? Again, I really don't know much about lighting, so if anyone has experience with anything of this sort, I would appreciate the advice. If halogen string lights are too inconvenient (like if one of them goes out it would be difficult to replace? or if it's somehow a fire hazard), is there a way to thoroughly soften and dim the light of an LED light or fiber optic?
#2
08-16-20, 06:51 AM
Group Moderator
Halogen lights/bulbs get very hot and would likely be a fire hazard if installed close to combustible material. LED would likely be the easiest and most user-friendly for the type of project you are describing.
What exactly do you not like about looking at LEDs? Are they too bright?
What exactly do you not like about looking at LEDs? Are they too bright?
#3
08-16-20, 07:12 PM
Group Moderator
Welcome to the forums.
Halogen lights would be too bright for there and as mentioned their heat is a problem with wood.
Fiber optics is a good way to go. You buy a bundle of fiber optics. It's all tied together at one end and the other end fans out. You can use one bulb to run the fiber. It could be halogen or even an LED or two.
My choice is LEDs. You can buy all different sizes and colors as well as flashing and color changing. The good thing about LED's is that they run off a low voltage power supply. You use resistors between the supply and the LED to control brightness. You can also buy strings of LED's and modify them for your application.
With a pre-made string all you would need to do is to drill a hole and press them in place. Many types of strings are available from multicolor to flashing. You may also find them as fairy lights.
premade LED string
another pre-made string
Halogen lights would be too bright for there and as mentioned their heat is a problem with wood.
Fiber optics is a good way to go. You buy a bundle of fiber optics. It's all tied together at one end and the other end fans out. You can use one bulb to run the fiber. It could be halogen or even an LED or two.
My choice is LEDs. You can buy all different sizes and colors as well as flashing and color changing. The good thing about LED's is that they run off a low voltage power supply. You use resistors between the supply and the LED to control brightness. You can also buy strings of LED's and modify them for your application.
With a pre-made string all you would need to do is to drill a hole and press them in place. Many types of strings are available from multicolor to flashing. You may also find them as fairy lights.
premade LED string
another pre-made string
#4
08-16-20, 11:28 PM
Thank you for the advice. I can't really explain why I don't like LEDs, it's a weird brain chemistry thing. They feel sharp to look at, even though that sounds strange, haha.
So fiber optics can be lit using a halogen light? For some reason I was under the assumption that they could only be used with LEDs. I will look into both that, and maybe a softer LED string light. Thank you for the links, Pete.
So fiber optics can be lit using a halogen light? For some reason I was under the assumption that they could only be used with LEDs. I will look into both that, and maybe a softer LED string light. Thank you for the links, Pete.
#5
08-17-20, 09:13 AM
Group Moderator
I was researching more into this project and I came across the fiber optics store. Interesting site.
They have a section on star ceiling construction.
Fiber optics store
They have a section on star ceiling construction.
Fiber optics store
#6
08-17-20, 07:18 PM
Group Moderator
LEDs come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. You can even get ones that change colors by themselves. Here are some that I have used that are only 3mm in diameter and run on 3VDC: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Fiber optics will work on any type of light.
Fiber optics will work on any type of light.
