# LED Lighting a.k.a. 'barista lights'



## pev (Mar 6, 2019)

Im a bit surprised there isn't a dedicated forum here for machine hacking (!) anyway, I was looking at lights and was wondering what things people have gone with themselves? I've included below a load of useful info and links that I've found so far in case it helps anyone else digging around.

I've seen a few people using ones from Ikea but Im not a fan as they're a bit plasticcy for my liking. Im really looking for ones that are better made with a stainless body and IP rated. (have some other projects in mind as well as espresso machines!)

La Marzocco offer their own kit E.4.020.01 :

https://lamarzoccousa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/TB-108-Barista-Light-Kits.pdf

This uses a MeanWell APC-12-350 transformer (RS in the UK 738-1561).

The LEDs are a nice low-profile 16mm body. The LED inside is a Lumileds LXML-PWC2 but I can't find any reference to the part itself so I wonder if its custom made for LM? Ive seen photos of a couple of different versions so could just be generic far east parts too.

I wondered about just picking up some of these from a parts supplier but they're £50 each! (Id anticipate to be around a £10 part if supplied from manufacturer...)

La Spaziale seem to often have a very tidy looking LED strip light fitted to S8/S9 DSPs (seen on their IG on quite a few machines) eg :

https://www.liminicoffee.co.uk/img/La%20Spaziale%20S9%202%20group%20DSP.png

It's quite distinctive in its shape and I assumed it was a factory fit but it can't see any reference to it. Close photos look like a fairly generic aluminium LED extrusion with diffuser on a mounting plate however so shouldn't be hard to make up one.

Espresso parts in the states sell an expensive kit over there :

https://www.espressoparts.com/barista-light-espresso-machine-led-group-light-kit

This uses a Meanwell LPH-18-12 transformer (RS in the UK 660-0246) - although this is a constant voltage driver (the LM one above is constant current and preferable)

The LED's are "Microstar Tri Star Back Mount LED" (quite a mouthfull) which are nice low profile stainless-steel ones :

https://www.microstarlight.com/tristar-back-mount-led-light

https://www.microstarlight.com/sites/default/files/S0803-6.pdf

They look nicely thought out and there are a few others in the microstar / tristar catalog that look interesting too. As is the way though, the distributers in the US look like they want a lot in postage and of course there's the mega import fees normally...

I've also found a fair few of what seems to be called "LED Bolt Lights". I think this seems to be a term invented by 4x4 / off road drivers for the small led's they use. There are plenty of cheap looking generic ones around but a couple jumped out at me from "Atomic Tiger" and "Oznium" as they're talking about having gone through CE marking and offer High CRI LED versions as well which sound encouraging from a quality perspective if they care about that. (also their machining looks tidy) Oddly they also both seem to have identical mechanical drawings with different branding! Again though I can't find any UK suppliers but I've dropped them a line to see if they can supply small quantities direct...

Anyone have any other useful ones to throw into the ring?


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## PPapa (Oct 24, 2015)

You could have a look at Londinium store:

https://londiniumespresso.com/store/espresso-machine-parts/white-led-lamp

They do blue, white and red. The white one is fairly powerful, but not enough to be an annoyance in dark - I don't sleep next to LR, but I can see it from my bed...

Obviously, that requires drilling and it's not a strip, but a few of them properly spaced would look fun.

Also, I think @joey24dirt did similar to Sage DTP?


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

PPapa said:


> You could have a look at Londinium store:
> 
> https://londiniumespresso.com/store/espresso-machine-parts/white-led-lamp
> 
> ...


He did an Oscar 2 too iIrc.


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## joey24dirt (Jan 28, 2017)

Yeah I added LEDs to my machines. I'm going to do my current machine too when I get a second.

I've got tons kicking about from my Xbox modding days so I just made up some looms and soldered them in.


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## MSM (Mar 12, 2015)

I added some lights to the Gaggia Classic - and a remote to control them


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## pev (Mar 6, 2019)

Ah, that's interesting, thanks - not seen those before, have you bought and used some? Seems like a reasonable price but I wonder if they're just cheap ones from aliexpress being re-sold which often seems to be the case unless branded otherwise...


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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

Do they improve the coffees ??


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## pev (Mar 6, 2019)

espressotechno said:


> Do they improve the coffees ??


No, but it brings me pleasure to enhance and adapt machinery in ways that I appreciate and lets not forget that pleasure is why we make the coffees in the first place


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

espressotechno said:


> Do they improve the coffees ??


It could be argued they'll allow you to spot channeling easier so....maybe?


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## Blaven (Mar 24, 2019)

pev said:


> No, but it brings me pleasure to enhance and adapt machinery in ways that I appreciate and lets not forget that pleasure is why we make the coffees in the first place


"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable man adapts the world to himself. All progress therefore depends on the unreasonable man." George Bernard Shaw,- Man and Superman


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## Blaven (Mar 24, 2019)

joey24dirt said:


> Yeah I added LEDs to my machines. I'm going to do my current machine too when I get a second.
> 
> I've got tons kicking about from my Xbox modding days so I just made up some looms and soldered them in.


I'd be really interested if you described in some detail exactly how you did this, the components you used, where you sourced them, and how you made your connections. Any chance of a mini write-up?


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## joey24dirt (Jan 28, 2017)

Blaven said:


> I'd be really interested if you described in some detail exactly how you did this, the components you used, where you sourced them, and how you made your connections. Any chance of a mini write-up?


I did a little thing in this thread here

DTP UFO invasion aka LED mod

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?share_fid=6813&share_tid=42264&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcoffeeforums%2Eco%2Euk%2Fshowthread%2Ephp%3Ft%3D42264&share_type=t

Basically I just made up a simple wiring loom and then tagged onto the existing LED wiring. What machine are you looking to go into? For the Oscar I had, I needed a LED driver which took it from 240v down to something the LED's could cope with. The Sage however was easy enough as it already had a lower voltage kicking about for the electrical stuff.


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## Blaven (Mar 24, 2019)

Rancilio Silvia, Joey.


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## pev (Mar 6, 2019)

Blaven said:


> I'd be really interested if you described in some detail exactly how you did this, the components you used, where you sourced them, and how you made your connections. Any chance of a mini write-up?


If I may suggest a few pointers - if using an existing DC supply from the machine, be wary that modern LEDs can use quite a lot of power so be wary of not overloading the existing supply which may not be sized suitably to cope with that much additional load. Overloading may result in unpredictable results such as the voltage becoming unstable or dropping, fuses blowing or the regulator overheating / failing.

Using an auxiliary DC supply is a sound approach but Id make sure you use a good quality one from a "proper" UK based distributor of a known manufacturer as there are lots of cheap PSU's coming from the east which are really badly (dangerously) made. You generally can't go wrong with stuff sold by RS / Farnell / CPC etc.

If using a power supply from the mains, make sure that you use (and test) the earth connection if one is needed. Situate it away from any possible source of liquid - that includes things that might possibly fail... Also make sure any potentially live conductor is insulated (invest in, and use heat-shrink of the right size, boots on spade connectors etc)

Golden rule of course, especially if working on mains, is if even slightly unsure of what you're doing or the implications, check with an expert - preferably in person not a random on the internet (myself included!)


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## joey24dirt (Jan 28, 2017)

pev said:


> If I may suggest a few pointers - if using an existing DC supply from the machine, be wary that modern LEDs can use quite a lot of power so be wary of not overloading the existing supply which may not be sized suitably to cope with that much additional load. Overloading may result in unpredictable results such as the voltage becoming unstable or dropping, fuses blowing or the regulator overheating / failing.
> 
> Using an auxiliary DC supply is a sound approach but Id make sure you use a good quality one from a "proper" UK based distributor of a known manufacturer as there are lots of cheap PSU's coming from the east which are really badly (dangerously) made. You generally can't go wrong with stuff sold by RS / Farnell / CPC etc.
> 
> ...


Sound advice. Definitely worth mentioning whatever you attempt with the LED mods, you do so at your own risk


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## ricopenthouse (7 mo ago)

Hi, Pev
What dedication to your work! Thank you for sharing your work with the forum. I would be very interested if you could describe exactly how you did it, what components you used, where you got them from, and how you made the connections. I'm currently sorting out my coffee machine, where I want to replace the regular bulbs with smart light bulbs. What LEDs did you install in your car? My choice is between two variants. I am interested in the safety issue. After all, as you have noticed, you do anything you try to use with LED mods at your own risk. Using an auxiliary DC source is reasonable, but I would ensure you use a good quality source from a certified supplier. What do you think?


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