Custom 100mm RGB LED Ball Lighting for Demanding Outdoor Projects

Large outdoor pixel-lighting installations bring electrical and mechanical challenges together. A long suspended string must carry its own weight, maintain usable voltage at the final pixel, resist rain at multiple entry points and respond correctly to the control system.

For a tower-lighting application at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, USA, iPixel LED engineered and manufactured custom 100mm RGB LED ball-string assemblies. Production for the batch featured here was completed in July 2023. The product is presented as 100mm Ball global, with selected construction details withheld to protect the custom design.

Our work brought the LED modules, diffusers, suspension cables, wiring, sealing and sectional connections into one manufacturable assembly, designed for integration with the site’s external power supplies and pixel controllers.

Kings Dominion, Doswell, Virginia: the tower-lighting setting for this engineering case study.

Application and manufacturing overview

The quantities above describe the manufactured batch and separate service spares. They are not a count of the park’s total installed lighting.

Designed to work as a complete lighting assembly

A spherical diffuser is only the visible part of the product. Inside and between the balls, the circuit design, conductor arrangement, seals and support structure determine how the string can be installed and maintained. For this build, iPixel combined 100mm milky PC housings with 12 RGB LEDs per ball, individually controlled pixels, reinforced suspension and sectional waterproof connections.

This approach makes the mechanical layout and electrical requirements part of the product design from the start. External power supplies and controllers interface with the finished strings; iPixel’s manufacturing scope in this case was the custom light-string assembly.

100mm Ball global: custom LED ball-string assembly. Selected construction details are blurred for confidentiality.

Managing voltage drop over long LED strings

The relevant electrical distance is the cable route from the power feed to the final ball. As a string gets longer, conductor resistance and the combined load of the LEDs affect the voltage available at its far end. The feed arrangement therefore needs to be considered alongside the number of pixels and their power demand.

The documented build uses DC24V operation, a five-core copper cable arrangement and paired conductors for the positive and negative supply paths. Increasing the effective conductor cross-section helps reduce distribution resistance. The 134-ball string configuration also provides a defined unit for planning connections and evaluating end-of-string operation.

For similar projects, iPixel reviews the proposed string length, cable route, pixel load and power-feed locations as part of the customization discussion. The design objective is sufficient operating voltage throughout the string. Final feed locations and circuit protection must be coordinated with the installation’s electrical design.

Dual steel-cable support for suspended installations

Long strings need a planned mechanical support path as well as an electrical connection. The assembly uses two coated SUS304 stainless-steel support cables running alongside the balls. This dual-cable arrangement is intended to support the suspended string and help limit spinning and twisting, while reducing reliance on electrical conductors to carry the assembly’s weight.

The product design addresses the string’s support and attachment needs. Site anchoring, tensioning and wind-load assessment remain specific to the installation and its structural design.

Sealing the assembly and testing it under power

Outdoor sealing needs to address the cable entries, internal LED modules and intermediate connection points. The construction combines silicone seals, encapsulation material and waterproof junction boxes. These elements work together to protect the assembly rather than relying on the outer globe alone.

iPixel carried out an in-house 24-hour rain-spray test with the product powered on. No water ingress was observed after the test. This powered test provided a practical check of the assembled product under sustained rain exposure.

The product specification lists IP65. The 24-hour result describes iPixel’s internal rain test; it is not presented as an independent IP certification or an immersion test.

SPI control and light output for the viewing environment

Each ball contains 12 SMD5050 RGB LEDs and operates as one pixel through UCS2903 SPI control. The 100mm milky PC diffuser provides a broad, 360-degree viewing format for a suspended arrangement that may be seen from several directions.

The specified 304.8mm (12-inch) center spacing provides a repeatable physical pixel layout. A compatible external controller can address the balls for programmed color patterns. Controller compatibility, pixel mapping and the power distribution layout need to be considered together when planning the complete installation.

For a new application, diffuser size, pixel spacing, brightness and ambient light should be reviewed against the intended viewing distance. These choices influence whether the audience sees distinct points of light or a more continuous visual pattern.

RGB light output through the milky PC diffusers. Selected details are blurred; this photograph is not a photometric measurement.

Manufacturing scale with serviceability built in

The main batch comprised 120 strings of 134 balls, with separate two-ball spare strings. The assembly was divided into serviceable sections, with waterproof boxes between sections. This sectional approach allows the light string to be handled as an assembly while preserving connection points for maintenance.

For iPixel, the manufacturing task covered the relationship between the custom circuit boards, diffusers, cables, seals and fasteners across the batch. The resulting capability is useful wherever an outdoor lighting concept needs to become a repeatable product that can be assembled, connected and serviced.

The Kings Dominion tower illustrates the scale and outdoor exposure that custom suspended lighting must accommodate.

Key specifications of the featured build

Frequently asked questions

Can iPixel manufacture custom outdoor RGB LED ball strings?

Yes. The featured build combines custom LED electronics, diffusers, suspension cables, wiring, sealing and sectional connections. For a new project, share the required dimensions, pixel layout, environment and system interface so the configuration can be evaluated.

How is voltage drop addressed in a long string?

The featured design uses DC24V and paired supply conductors to increase the effective conductor cross-section. Cable length, total load and power-feed locations still need to be evaluated for each installation. A string’s physical length alone does not establish its allowable electrical run.

Did iPixel supply the external power supplies and controllers?

The scope for this case was the custom LED ball-string assembly. Power supplies and controllers were supplied separately. For a similar project, their specifications can be reviewed when defining the light-string interface.

Can the same approach be used for other outdoor installations?

The engineering approach can be evaluated for large Christmas-tree displays, suspended pixel arrays, theme-park lighting and architectural light installations. Each application needs its own electrical, mechanical and environmental requirements.

Discuss your custom outdoor LED lighting requirements

If your design calls for long suspended strings, an unusual pixel layout or a specific mounting and sealing arrangement, send iPixel LED a project brief. Useful starting information includes:

• Installation dimensions, suspension layout and approximate cable runs.
• Ball diameter, pixel spacing, color requirements and viewing distance.
• Available supply voltage, proposed feed locations and controller specifications.
• Exposure conditions, maintenance access, quantity and delivery schedule.

Our team can assess how the LED product, wiring, mechanical support and sealing should fit together before the design moves into production.

Email your project brief to inquiry@ipixelleds.com

Explore more iPixel LED projects and our testing and validation capabilities.