Building an LED moving-head party lamp

**Grymer** · 08-26-2020, 03:21 PM

Hey everyone.

Just found this forum as I am looking for a bit of help on RGB LED lights. The plan is to build a moving-head as seen at concert stages etc. It's a little project where I'd like to make a couple of battery-driven moving-heads that communicate using WiFi, but I'm currently struggling with finding a proper LED emitter. I've also considered getting a lense, but I have never gotten any furhter than understanding the physics. I am looking for a 3-5W RGB emitting source that can be controlled by a microcontroller like ESP32. And if necessary a lense at around 30 deg as well

I've got a laser-cutter and a 3D printer at my disposal for the creation. I'm really only missing a lightsource

What do you think?

Thanks in advance!
Nice forum you've got!
- Grymer

**archimedes** · 08-26-2020, 04:59 PM

Would this be considered a type of "fixed lighting" ?

I realize you are talking about moving parts, like a spotlight or searchlight might track something, but is the fixture itself (luminaire) stationary ?

**electromage** · 08-26-2020, 05:51 PM

You might want to look at projection optics, you can use many different shapes and sizes of light source if you use lenses to focus the light. You probably need a couple of Fresnel lenses and a triplet.

A lot of people make DIY LCD projectors, you could do something similar but replace the "screen" with a gobo and/or gel.

**Grymer** · 08-28-2020, 05:18 AM

Originally Posted by electromage

You might want to look at projection optics, you can use many different shapes and sizes of light source if you use lenses to focus the light. You probably need a couple of Fresnel lenses and a triplet.

A lot of people make DIY LCD projectors, you could do something similar but replace the "screen" with a gobo and/or gel.

Thanks for the feedback. I would like for the LED to be RGB rather than just white. This is battery-driven, so I don't want to waste the power

I plan on just making it show colors with no patterns :P I'll see if I can find projector-like LEDs that are RGB and can be controllable with Arduino.

**Grymer** · 08-28-2020, 05:46 AM

Originally Posted by archimedes

Would this be considered a type of "fixed lighting" ?

I realize you are talking about moving parts, like a spotlight or searchlight might track something, but is the fixture itself (luminaire) stationary ?

It's a stationary lamp (Fixed to a rack). The LED emitter is attached to some actuators, so actually the LED itself is moving about.