Colored Position Light Lenses
12-01-2010, 04:45 PM
#1
Colored Position Light Lenses
Where can you get transparent red tinted .040 plastic for vacu-forming wingtip/position light lenses? Is anyone doing colored lenses? If so, how are you getting the right red and have you been able to achieve that funky blue-green that was used on the right tip in so many WWII warbirds? I've thought about using transparent paint but am wondering about how difficult it is to get a uniform tint and whether to tint before or after vacu-forming. I have no experience with the tints-just opaques. If the tints work ok, I think I've got the green covered...Mountian Dew bottles! (backed by blue transparent paint) I've already used Dew bottles for plain green lenses, but now I'm wanting a bit more accuracy.
While we're at it maybe someone can expain the reason for using a blue-ish lense and a yellow light bulb to acieve green instead of just using a green lense? This is still done today on certain stoplights, Xmas tree lights and some boat/ship lights. Something to do with being able to get the right intensity/brightness and hue of green at the same time maybe?
Hope this is the right place to post this question...If not, then Moderators please feel free to move it.
Thanks Ya'll
While we're at it maybe someone can expain the reason for using a blue-ish lense and a yellow light bulb to acieve green instead of just using a green lense? This is still done today on certain stoplights, Xmas tree lights and some boat/ship lights. Something to do with being able to get the right intensity/brightness and hue of green at the same time maybe?
Hope this is the right place to post this question...If not, then Moderators please feel free to move it.
Thanks Ya'll
12-01-2010, 08:16 PM
#3
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RE: Colored Position Light Lenses
Can you get LEDs with the proper color? Here is a little data on the proper colors to look for. I know it's technical (a little more than I'm used to), but it should give you the best color for the green and red.
For green, you would need aviation green which is basically the same green as traffic signals. Technically it is closer to cyan. You would want the dominant wavelength = 505 nm. For red you would want the dominant wavelength >626 nm.
Hope this helps (at least a little).
For green, you would need aviation green which is basically the same green as traffic signals. Technically it is closer to cyan. You would want the dominant wavelength = 505 nm. For red you would want the dominant wavelength >626 nm.
Hope this helps (at least a little).
12-02-2010, 01:01 AM
#4
RE: Colored Position Light Lenses
Tamiya make 'tint' type paint for clear plastic.
The red is No X27 & the green is No X25. Other colours may be available.
Works great, put extra coats on until the tint is to your liking. - John.
The red is No X27 & the green is No X25. Other colours may be available.
Works great, put extra coats on until the tint is to your liking. - John.
12-02-2010, 07:15 AM
#5
RE: Colored Position Light Lenses
ORIGINAL: Laird SS
Can you get LEDs with the proper color? Here is a little data on the proper colors to look for. I know it's technical (a little more than I'm used to), but it should give you the best color for the green and red.
For green, you would need aviation green which is basically the same green as traffic signals. Technically it is closer to cyan. You would want the dominant wavelength = 505 nm. For red you would want the dominant wavelength >626 nm.
Hope this helps (at least a little).
Can you get LEDs with the proper color? Here is a little data on the proper colors to look for. I know it's technical (a little more than I'm used to), but it should give you the best color for the green and red.
For green, you would need aviation green which is basically the same green as traffic signals. Technically it is closer to cyan. You would want the dominant wavelength = 505 nm. For red you would want the dominant wavelength >626 nm.
Hope this helps (at least a little).
It's funny you should ask...I've been using Phillips Lumileds and I just pulled up the specs on their colors that I use. The wave length or "hue" varies directly with the voltage applied; they have a min/max voltage window-(to low- no light-increase voltage; to high- no light-buy a new led![X(]) They are about 3 mm deep and 5mm square.
The red = 620-645nm, green=520-550mn and cyan=490-520nm. From my personal experience the green looked best at a lower voltage but was a little dim/looked washed-out at a higher voltage but bright. The cyan looked best at a higher voltage and is bright. Red looks best at a mid voltage and is acceptably bright-seems red has a more difficult time "cutting through" daylight regardless.
The voltage window is typically .7v or =/-.35v with a avg. voltage being 2.8v to 4.0v depending on the color. (example grn=2.8 +/-.35v; white is 4.5 +/-.6v; red is 3.3 +/-.2v) I use a 4.8 pack and a linear potentiometer (radioshack-2.99 ea) for each light.
http://www.philipslumileds.com/produ...olor#features1
link to supplier for small lots/orders
http://www.futureelectronics.com/en/...ro:10,Nea:True
Boomerang1,
Good call on the paint- picked these two up last night at the LHS. Haven't tried them yet. Thanks for the heads up on them.
12-02-2010, 10:59 AM
#6
RE: Colored Position Light Lenses
Just a suggestion,
Sign shops carry "translucent" and "transparent" vinyls which they use on the face of signs that light up from the inside.
The stuff isn't opaque and there's plenty of red and green/blue green color choices. Walk in and ask for a small piece; bet you'll get the piece for free! Sorry I don't stock it.
Sign shops carry "translucent" and "transparent" vinyls which they use on the face of signs that light up from the inside.
The stuff isn't opaque and there's plenty of red and green/blue green color choices. Walk in and ask for a small piece; bet you'll get the piece for free! Sorry I don't stock it.
