# LED Stage Markers



## tyler.martin (Sep 7, 2012)

So right now along the edge of the stage we have a sting of 18ga zip cord with red led's pushed though the jacketing to the conductors. each led has it's own resistor and is shrink wrapped in place. 

I'm trying to build a new solution or get some one else's take on the whole design. these strings tend to get damaged, and need to be rebuilt quite frequently. 

one thought is to solder the led and the resistors to a small piece of bread board and pour marine resin over them so they harden and won't get damaged, this would help keep the LED pointing up. other plan would be dim EL Wire. 

Unfortunatly, ropelight doesn't really work in our situation due to the heat and the overall cost. but it doesn't need to dim or be controlled, it will just be plugged in and left on pretty much 24/7.

any ideas or suggestions


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## techieman33 (Sep 8, 2012)

LED rope light is only about $1 a foot, and heat wouldn't be a concern. If your fixing the current setup on a regular basis it wouldn't take long to for it to pay for itself when you start including labor in the cost.


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## ruinexplorer (Sep 8, 2012)

I have used EL wire before. It still needs replacing from time to time, but it's a nice solution overall.


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## PolishGuy (Sep 11, 2012)

Not to jack the thread, but expand upon the EL wire.

How do you use it in your space? I was searching around their website and got the idea of a channel routed out in the stage floor where the wire could lay. Does it lay straight easily? I figure if I went this route, some kind of clear silicone over it would keep the wear and tear. What causes you to replace it from time to time? Physical wear and tear? Or does the product not last all that long?


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## ruinexplorer (Sep 12, 2012)

Yes, having a channel cut and lay the product in the channel. It does wear out, depending on use. For us, it is every few years. Your results may vary. I will talk to the head carpenter to see how often he really replaces it and what the typical cause of failure might be.


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## ruinexplorer (Sep 19, 2012)

I spoke with the head carpenter and the most common reason for replacement is that it wears out (about two years for us). On occasion, we replace it due to breakage since ours is on the edge of a stage lift. When this happens, the wire is dark past the break. Otherwise, it is just put in the channel and covered with silicone. We've been using it for over seven years.


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