Thread: Trouble with Prop Lighting

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Okay guys, I've had trouble figuring out what to use for lighting on some of my individual props. I was lucky this year and got away with a couple of large 90 watt outdoor lights. I'll still use them next year as the main lighting source, but I need something smaller, weather- and water-proof, and uses batteries. Plus, I have to be able to position it in a way to light up my smaller props (like the gargoyles I put up last minute this year). I've tried the small LED lights, but I have my yard setup usually for at least a week, sometimes two weeks before Halloween (depends on my schedule) and the batteries simply run out way too fast. Has anyone found anything like this that works well and does cost an arm & a leg? Figuratively speaking, of course. ...

There are these little battery operated spotlights people have been showing that can be clipped on to almost anything and have a swivel neck, I can't remember the store, but I feel like it had "shed" in the title or something

Found it:

http://www.jackstoolshed.com/p-76-su...ext=led+swivel

I like these http://shop.minispotlight.com/produc...5&categoryId=3

They're not battery powered (12VDC), but you could certainly make them that way. You can run alot of them off one wall wart and they're perfect for highlighting small objects, prop faces, etc.

Originally Posted by Empty_W

Found it:

http://www.jackstoolshed.com/p-76-su...ext=led+swivel

I've seen that thread before. I got some similar to those at the Dollar Tree and so assumed they were of a similar, if not equal, quality. If you've used them, do the batteries last any longer in these or are they better in any way? The ones I got at DT are kinda flimsy and even with fresh batteries aren't bright enough for a distance of about six feet.

Originally Posted by thisain'tmayberry

I like these http://shop.minispotlight.com/produc...5&categoryId=3

They're not battery powered (12VDC), but you could certainly make them that way. You can run alot of them off one wall wart and they're perfect for highlighting small objects, prop faces, etc.

Those would be do-able. Only problem is they're $11 a pop. I need about 10 of these, and shelling out $110 plus shipping and tax is a lot more than I wanted to spend. Thanks though, Mayberry.

not sure how much light you need, but also consider the out door yard light kits, you know the ones that HDepot or Lowes with 8 to 12 flood light, they sell blue, red and green bulbs, you can reduce the light by using electical black tape on the lens (or paint) and it will run all night, depending on your yard you can hid them in bushes, behind tombstones, etc, will turn off during the day and never run out of batteries... just and idea....

We introduced a number of new lights to our graveyard this year and we were very impressed with the cheap $5 Home Depot malibu lights I hacked. I took out the white bulb that it came with and put in a blue multi-LED bulb with a MR-16 base. The spread and color of the blue light was perfect and the wiring was super easy. I wired each light with a simple female RCA connector and a short lead. Then I made wires with male RCA connectors and ran those back to a 12volt power supply.

I used 12 volt leds from ebay hot glued them in small tubes and a metal rod to the ground used 9volt battery connector on them and they will last about 4 days snapped into a 9volt at night I ran them 4 hours each night. I had previously tested and you can get about 24 + hours on 1 9volt. Get a 30 degree spread or better on the LED you buy and it will be nice. I used alot of blue to go along with the red works out nice you can place them anywhere

I tried to use the malibu lights for my haunt this year and they were nowhere near bright enough. I was also using the color bulbs and they are much dimmer. I had to go out and buy 5 yard spike flood lights. They were less than $4 each without the bulb. If you are going to use the standard 4w malibu lights they have to be close to what you are going to light. The spot lights are better and if you can get a set of them they do better.

i have posted it before but homedepot has a gift pck of 8 LED flashlights that come with batteries turned aluminum weathertight for $10 they have 6 LED's in each one and are quite bright i used some as foot spots and used 2 to illuminate my sign by the street instead of running cords up there this year. i also used them to illuminate eyes in a huge ghoul i built I have tested them and am going to hack them to use RCA adapters on a lox voltage cord instead of all the AAA batteries for next year but it works out to 1.25 ea so not so bad i did slide a piece of acitate gel on the lens and it worked perfect i got that at micheals crafts in floral dept.