Solar-Powered LED Sculpture in Portland, Oregon

I am doing the electronics for this project, it will be 6 solar-powered "Tree" Art-Sculptures for the new Portland Interstate MAX Light Rail Station; should be completed in late August of 2003

http://www.tri-met.org/max/yellowline/stationart/rosequarterart.htm

The 15 solar panels on each grove should generate approx 10A of power which will be stored in the fake "stumps" that people sit on, at night when the Sun goes down and the solar-panels generate less than 3v, the charge controller will power 800 (T1-3/4) 5mm KingBright Green and Blue LEDs which will light up the sculptures and the "virtual" campfire

Misc pictures of construction:

http://www.inretech.net/brian/

Webcam that sometimes points at the actual site:

http://www.tripcheck.com/roadcams/cams/RQinterstate.jpg

Artist Sites:

http://www.brianborrello.com/
http://www.gunsinthehandsofartists.com/

Very cool Mike,
Will you update the pics when you are completed? Wow! what an interesting project. My job is dull /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif compared to that. Keep us updated, great work, by the way. dtsoll

Very cool...I'm about 20 miles from portland...I'll have to go check it out. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I will continue to update that directory with more pictures as more progress is done on the Virtual Trees; keep checking them for dates on the file names

Right now, they are just 6x18-24ft tall 5 inch diameter stainless steel pipes coming out the ground with plastic cups on the top of them to prevent water from coming in; but soon - the artist will put the skirts and cones on them

This isn't a job, its just a project that I am helping out with; my friend Mark teaches a 10-12wk class "Electronics For Artists" thru PNCA, and I give a one-night class on LEDs

The students want to incorporate electornics into their art projects, but do not want to take a four-year class - and do not get enough information from the salespeople at Radio-Shack

Very cool!

I'll definitely have to check that out when I get back from Minnesota (here 'till end of July)...

Officially, the Yellow/Interstate - Expo Center Line is not scheduled to open to the public till Aug-2004; but I believe that the art sculptures are due to be done by late Aug-2003

I am trying to talk the artist into allowing me to install a Red/Green LED on top of one of the stumps to indicate battery charge !

Currently, the line sees approx 80k people a day; and I expect that amount to go up since there is the new Airport line

The Sculptures are going to be a nice glowing-green addition to Portland, I hope by this time next year - they will be a centerpiece in Portland and people will say "meet me at the trees at noon" and everyone will know what they are talking about

The Trees are installed, you can view this news article from the Tri-Met page:

http://www.trimet.org/news/jul0301.htm

The batteries/controller will not be installed for another week; but here is a night-time picture of the trees running on "manual" (I used two car-batteries):

http://www.inretech.net/brian/07032003-009.JPG

On a very sunny day, each tree produces (open circuit):

http://www.inretech.net/brian/solar-voltage.jpg

Short Circuit current:

http://www.inretech.net/brian/solar-amp.jpg

My Weller 110v soldering iron died at the site, so I had to use my 12v soldering iron - my battery pack was not charged, so I just connected up the 12v soldering iron to the solar-panels; since it is a temperature controlled iron - it QUICKLY heated up with the voltage from the solar panels

Each grove of trees has 390 SuperBright KingBright LEDs, for a total of 1.9A @ 12v

The art sculptures should be up and running by 8/4/03

Here are some aerial views of the site at 1025ft

http://www.inretech.net/brian/AIR1.JPG
http://www.inretech.net/brian/AIR2.JPG
http://www.inretech.net/brian/AIR3.JPG

The new station is located at East end of the Steel Bridge, between the grain elevators and the Rose Quarter

There will be a visible window on the top of one stump in each grove which will have a visible LED blink to give the charge status of the system

http://www.inretech.net/brian/status.jpg

Looks great. Just wish I had a reason to visit the station. Get flashlight or see a concert (don't even mention the Blazers...) Hmmm?

Project turn on has been moved to Wed (8/6/03) Night

Watch it live

http://www.tripcheck.com/roadcams/cams/RQinterstate.jpg

The trees are UP and running !, they look sooo cool

http://www.inretech.net/projects/trees/ulthm.htm

The largest stump has the charge controller in it, and it has a small hole on the top to let you see the RED/GREEN LEDs charge status

http://www.inretech.net/brian/status.jpg

Its up and running since 8/6/03

Here is a webpage dedicated to it

http://www.inretech.net/projects/trees/ulthm.htm

Mike,

Awesome. Bully.

Doug Owen

Attention Portlanders, Yellow Line opens May 1st

The New Yellow line opens May 1st

http://trimet.org/

InReTECH put up 6x 28ft tall solar-powered LED Art Sculptures

http://www.trimet.org/max/yellowline/stationart/rosequarterart.htm

http://www.inretech.net/projects/trees/ulthm.htm

http://www.inretech.net/projects/trees/04042004-001.jpg

http://www.inretech.net/projects/trees/01.JPG

http://www.inretech.net/projects/trees/10.JPG

http://www.inretech.net/projects/trees/12.JPG

http://www.inretech.net/projects/trees/13.JPG

Re: Attention Portlanders, Yellow Line opens May 1st

Someone didn't like the trees!!

http://www.inretech.net/projects/trees/05062004/P1710424.jpg

Actually, someone DRUNK

Re: Attention Portlanders, Yellow Line opens May 1st

That's really a shame that some douchebag with a bottle and a van ruined some of your hard work. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Re: Attention Portlanders, Yellow Line opens May 1st

Actually, that douchebag was driving an SUV. (Durango) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsdown.gif

Re: Attention Portlanders, Yellow Line opens May 1st

So that douchebag was a "socker mom" then... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif
Well, most females that drive SUVs are "socker moms" anyway, IMHO. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Re: Attention Portlanders, Yellow Line opens May 1st

She came off the bridge, turned left onto Interstate

) Took out a 4x4x12ft Tall sign

http://www.inretech.net/projects/trees/05062004/Missing.jpg

) Bounced a 300lb garbage can across the tracks
Note: It was BOLTED down to the ground with 4 screws

) Took out 4x10ft long guardrails

) Broke off the Stainless-Steel Stump; which wedged between her engine and her left tire

) Pushed over the 28ft tree trunk, which is 5 inch diameter - 3/4 inch wall stainless-Steel

) Popped her tire off the left rear of her vehicle

And then - after doing all this damage, put it in reverse and tried to back out before the security guards from the Rose Quarter arrested her

No stop marks, she didn't even try to stop

The problem is most of this metal work was very custom, and not easy to replace

Thankfully, there were no people in this part of the station when this happened, she could have very easily killed a lof of people