Laser Lighting

[Stanley Waldrup]

Hello I have a Spirit Laser and have always thought the inside lighting was very poor. some of the LEDs are now dead and I am not sure if they can be replaced. Has anyone tried to replace them? Is there a better lighting arrangement? What is everyone else using?
Thanks
Stan

[Dee Gallo]

I use a flashlight. Pretty sad, eh? But actually with some substrates, it's better to have strong side lighting.

[Mike Null]

My Trotec has two halogen lights which are very handy.

[Sam Gardner]

Hi, I have 2 Spirits and the original LEDs suck big time, flicker or burnt out quickly. I purchased off the shelf bright LED strip (came in 3LEDs per piece and is resin sealed so can be cleaned with liquid) mounted 3 on each of the existing holders and used same 12V connector. Result: brighter work area and no LED flicker or burnt.

[Larry Bratton]

I use a flashlight. Pretty sad, eh? But actually with some substrates, it's better to have strong side lighting.

Yes, I have always thought it was pretty lame of Epilog not to put a light in there. I wish I had some in mine. My eyes ain't what they used to be.

[Dan Hintz]

I use a flashlight like Dee, but last year I installed the wiring for a set of LED undercabinet light pods from Ikea. I haven't taped the pods themselves in there yet (they'll be installed on the lid), but everything else is ready.

[Michael Hunter]

I started off with a desk lamp sat on the back of the machine - but it got knocked off one too many times....

So now I have a small short flu tube inside the cabinet under the lid, wired to the PSU input so it comes on with the machine.
The Epilog lid is a funny shape underneath and I could not get a drill in to make proper fixings - so I used sticky fixers instead.

[Stanley Waldrup]

Can you supply a little more info on the strips.

[Dan Hintz]

Just one of the many options from Ikea:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50192073
Comes 3 to a pack...
195061

[Stanley Waldrup]

Thanks Dan. I see these are 30 inches long. Do you think they can be shortened? The one in the laser now are on a 12 volt source. I wonder if these are? Maybe a transformer in the switch?

[Dan Hintz]

I'll bet they can be shortened several inches at a time, though you may have to short a couple of tracks at the break point. Ikea sells different versions, like the Dioder, which is 4 strips of roughly 1' in length. Just search for "LED light" on Ikea's website.

[Stanley Waldrup]

Thanks Dan