Does anyone know if there is a transformer to power these el wire lights off of 14 volts. I would like to do away with the batteries and just hard wire these in. I see they sell a 4.5 output transformer but i dont think i can use this like a 14 volt input and wire that to a terminal strip and power many lights of of that terminal strip. I have the building signs wired this way but just not sure about these el wire lights. Thanks
Not according to their web site.
2 batteries equals 3 volts
3 batteries equals 4.5 volts.
Get a wall-wart that has an output voltage of 3 volts DC. (If you look closely at the wall-wart, you should see some very small writing on one side. That is where you will find the output voltage.) Just plug it into a household power strip to turn it on and off.
The other way that you can do it is to connect 3 diodes in series with the output of their converter module. Each diode will reduce the voltage by .6 volts. So three diodes in series would reduce the 4.5 volts down to 2.7 volts which should be close enough.
A silicon diode (about the cheapest and most common type) will drop the voltage by 0.4vDC. 3 in series will drop the voltage by 1.2v. leaving 3.3volts available from a 4.5v supply.
I run mine off a 12 volt bus that I use for lighting, using a resistor to reduce the voltage,
First, connect the battery pack and the sign, with an ammeter inserted in series between the batteries and the sign. Measure the current I that flows through the sign at voltage V1. Calculate the resistance R1 of the sign using Ohm’s Law:
R1 = V1 / I
So, for a voltage of 4.5 volts, if you measure 0.1 amps (example numbers) then the resistance would be 4.5 / 0.1 = 45 ohms. Next, determine the additional voltage R2 needed to maintain the same current I with the higher voltage, V2.
(R1 + R2) = V2 / I
or, solving for R2
R2 = V2 / I - R1
For your bus voltage of 14 volts, you will need a resistor of (14 / 0.1) - 45, or 95 ohms. Get a resistor of close to this value, and put it in series with the sign and you should get the right voltage and current to run the sign.
Miller Eng usually has a booth at the Springfield show in the BLC; it’s a good chance to discuss questions / problems with the folks who design the stuff.
You do not want to wire the EL lights directly from DC…won`t work…their little transformer has to be used because they generate a 100+ volt AC current…thats what makes them work.
Hi Rusty,
I have been looking at the EL wires as well. They look really cool. Just out of curiosity how will you use them? Make sure to post a pic when you are finished.
I might suggest talking with Miller as well. The power supply that the experimenter kit comes with takes 2 AAA’s, so as already pointed out that’s less than 4.5 volts. Also as pointed out, those 2 AAA batteries connect directly to an inverter before the lights.
Miller makes a converter module that is different than the wall wort 4.5 power supply that they also sell.
Miller #4804 Converter module takes a max voltage or 17 VAC OR DC and outputs 4.5 volts DC. It has a max draw 500ma current. This is what I use to power the “normal” pre-designed Miller signs. Working off of memory, I believe you can power up to 6 signs off of #4804.
So, if Miller says this will work for you, just cut off the battery power pack while keeping the inverter. Wire #4804 to your 17 v power supply and then there are wires off of #4804 to wire to where you cut off the battery pack.
Again this will work for their “regular” signs, you want to find out if this will work for the EL wires.
Good Luck, Derek
EDIT: Here is a link to the #4804, you need to scroll down through all the billboards til you get to the bottom. The module is $12.95.
That’s true. What I was talking about, and I think the OP too, is using something other than the supplied battery pack to power the circuit board that comes with the signs. That’s what I’ve done with mine and they work fine.