LED lights are a source of inspiration for creative people. There are so many possibilities to make something amazing out of an LED strip. What would you say about the idea of LED lights with a rainbow effect? Beautiful, isn’t it? We’ll tell you how to make your LED lights rainbow just because it’s gorgeous.
Light strips of multiple colors create a bright, joyous atmosphere, and we all need more joy in our lives.
We’ll share with you easier ways how to make your LED lights rainbow and some more labor-intensive means.
How to make your LED lights rainbow. Simple procedures
Govee LED light. Rainbow effect
We wanted to start with the easiest feasible solution. And this solution is absolutely effortless. But with one caveat: you can use this solution if you have Govee LED lights.
The manufacturer launched an app for the users of their LEDs which has a rainbow option on the menu.
You’ll just have to find it in Settings.
You can use the default setting or choose multiple colors of your own selection, so your rainbow is unique.
Digital LED controller will make LED lights rainbow
Implementing simple and efficient ideas is a sign of our times. A Digital LED controller operates based on a very simple principle. The controller reads information from the power source and associates every color with a certain frequency.
You can set the digital LED controller to recognize the colors of your choice.
Several light strips will allow you to create a palette you’ll need even if it’s a full spectrum of colors. The device becomes your LED rainbow controller indeed.
RGB LED lights and the same current changing principle
An LED light strip called RGB LED light operates in a similar pattern as the controller mentioned before.
There are 3 lights: blue, red, and green, and they are turned on and off in various sequences and combinations, thus creating rainbow lights. You can control the mode remotely, which is convenient and contributed to the popularity of RGB LED lights.
Color changer. Power supply control
A compact gadget will be very helpful for turning LED lights rainbow. A color changer is probably the most widely used gadget for that purpose. Unlike the digital LED controller, this little guy goes to the power source and regulates the current, creating different colors. Red, green, and ultramarine are the primary colors. More hues are created by the optical effect of controlled mixing of 3 primary colors.
A very cost-effective mode. Remote control
A remote control is not only the least costly way to make the LED lights rainbow, but it can help you create a party atmosphere.
A remote control can be set to alter colors to the music. It can be fun or romantic, all up to you.
The remote control usually provides a smooth transition from one hue to another.
The settings are not complex at all. With the LED lights on, just touch and hold the ‘down left’ key for a few moments. When you see the flash, you can change the settings any way you like.
The effect will look really gorgeous.
How to make your LED lights rainbow with IC driver
Such controllers are usually quite potent, you can connect multiple LED strips to one (90+) by connecting the four pins of the controllers to the LED’s cathode and anode. That allows you to manage all these lights at the same time.
With an IC chip, you can manage the rainbow in terms of different colors and color-changing rates. You can design a special effect when LED rainbows fade giving way to the ones with a different color ensemble.
How to make your LED lights rainbow. DIY projects
Some of us enjoy DIY projects because they provide an opportunity to create something and have a gratifying feeling of accomplishment. We have a couple of methods for turning LED lights rainbow, where you can use your hands.
Rainbow effect with cellophane
This transparent material is usually used for packaging. But an unconventional application can be very efficient too. Like the one, we are going to describe. Cellophane is one of the possible answers to the question: how to make your LED lights rainbow?
This cellulose-based product comes in various hues and can be used to cover an LED strip with different cellophane colors, thus creating LED rainbows.
You can use a bit of hot glue to fix the sheet in place.
Rolling LED strips in cellophane and then choosing the color palette can be a lot of fun.
Applying this method, you are not limited to certain colors. You can choose any hue that cellophane is produced in. That’s your only limitation.
Depending on the level of cellophane transparency, the colors will change as well. This way, the material will work as a light diffuser too. Using the same color and the same strip, but more or less opaque sheets, you’ll get interesting results.
The solution is also cheap and doesn’t require intense work.
Acrylic cylinders for an LED lights rainbow
These are see-through plexiglass cylinders used for displaying something. Giving acrylic cylinders certain hues may be a way to create an LED rainbow. An LED strip set inside the cylinder will provide the light of the color we need for the rainbow. The idea is basically the same as with different cellophane rolls.
The cylinders can be more or less opaque, allowing you to play with the tones like with the light diffuser.
Color wheel
We put this method into a DIY category, although technically it doesn’t involve too much manual work. But it’s time-consuming and more challenging than the others. A little electrical engineering knowledge could help too.
A color wheel comprises pieces of colored glass that are positioned in front of the LED strip. By changing DMX values and playing with the 3 basic colors, you can light an LED rainbow.
The challenging part is playing with various frequencies and basic colors, but the result can be quite rewarding and bright.
A good solution is the Color Wheel DMX Controller.
You have an option that can be hung on the wall. Such Color Wheel solutions are usually used with RGB LED strips.
A color wheel controller is widely applied both outdoors and indoors. For entertainment and everyday use. It will help you create combinations of different colors to your liking for the atmosphere you are striving to design.
A special effect that works great with LED light rainbows.
This popular device called a light diffuser can be applied in the process of perfecting the LED rainbow.
Its main feature of spreading and dispersing light and creating a soft and comfortable glow comes in handy. We can easily mix a rainbow from tinted LED strips, and it will be quite impressive although with a softer gleam.
Conclusion
Creating a rainbow effect can be a very easy or a more complex process. In our article, we tried to provide you with various options depending on your inclinations and budget.
If you’re a fan of DIY, you’ll have a chance to work with hot glue and cellophane.
If you go for the most efficient and least time-consuming solutions, then a color changer, an LED rainbow controller, or Govee LED lights can be your choice.
We considered our goal to familiarize you with the most common means to make a rainbow with LEDs. And it seems we’ve achieved it.
Hopefully, you’ll use our guide and make this beautiful rainbow.
Frequently asked questions
Can an LED make a rainbow?
You can easily make a rainbow using LED light. For example, purchase Govee LED lights. This manufacturer provides a rainbow effect generation in the settings of their products. Conveniently, they have an application that makes it effortless to set up an effect you want to launch.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eIf you are a fan of craftwork, you can use a very cost-efficient way to create a rainbow from LEDs with the help of cellophane (cellulose-based material). The procedure is extremely simple and implies just rolling every strip into the cellophane. This way, you can realize your creative streak by mixing various hues and changing the level of transparency of the sheets.
Can I make my LED lights two colors?
Some LED lights are designed to generate only one color. However, if you purchase RGB LED or dream color lights, you’ll have multiple-hue LEDs and will be able to utilize their potential.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eRGB goes for red, green, and blue which means that those lights have three diodes and one bulb. Each diode is ‘responsible’ for one color. As these colors are primary, other colors can be generated with various combinations of red, blue, and green.
How do Rainbow LED lights work?
How to make your LED lights rainbow? There are multiple ways. For example, you can use a Digital LED controller. The power supply source delivers data to the controller on the frequency associated with every color. The one controller is set to recognize the colors you would like to choose.u003cbru003eA color changer is another method, which is neither time-consuming nor labor-intense.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eThe device is not big but effective. Nowadays, it’s one of the most commonly used in terms of designing and creating different effects for indoor and outdoor entertainment or commercial displays. The gadget’s objective is to control the current at the source thus producing various colors, including any shades that can be used in a rainbow.
Read Also: 13 Ideas for Diffusing LEDs
