Quad lamp 4w T5 fluorescent blacklight gearbox

thingiverse

Here we have a design I threw together after finding a bunch of cheap 4w T5 blacklights usually used for money checkers etc. It's possible to use standard lamps of course, but let's be honest... Blacklights are cooler!! note: As the ballasts can get fairly hot I would recommend using PETG, ABS or any other material that is capable of handling temperatures over 60*c without warping for this project. The one I have printed in PETG has been run for multiple hours so far and there has been no noticeable warping or failure of the mount points for the lamps or gear. Also note: Unless you can specify low voltage DC ballasts for this project, this project will require the use of mains electrical power. do NOT (And I repeat. do NOT) undertake this project if you do not feel confident working with mains power. Also with regards to the 3rd STL - The diffuser: This is optional but I like printing these in either fluorescent or glow in the dark materials as they give off a really cool glowing effect. This can be safely printed in PLA as it does not see as much heat as the gear compartment. Parts list: (Please note that I'm in a 230v country (UK). You may need to change the way the lamps are wired if you are in a 100/130v region (e.g China, JP or the USA)) Required for functionality: 4x fluorescent tubes (4w, 6" T5) 4x twin lamp compatible starters (unless you use electronic gear) 4x starter holders (unless you use electronic gear) 2x magnetic ballasts (See the notes above as this configuration is optimised for a 230/240v power source) 8x G5 lamp holders (also known as T5 lamp holders basically everywhere). Try to opt for the "Tombstone" versions that have a 3mm hole in the centre as this is what I designed the unit to handle Solid core copper wire (I find 1.75mm twin & earth works well for this despite being total overkill) Fixings: 4x M4x25 bolts and nuts for the ballasts 8x M3x25 bolts and nuts for the lamp holders 4x 3x10mm sharp self-tapping screws A couple zip ties to act as strain relievers and management for the cables. Optional extras: 1x 4 microfarad capacitor for power factor correction