LED timber deck light

thingiverse

My house has a large deck made of wood in back with some small LED deck lights attached to it. Some of those lights have stopped working, and they're pretty pricey to replace, making repairs a real hassle too. I created a replacement part using clear translucent plastic, known as ABS. The new component fits into the same 20mm hole and is powered by three blue LEDs connected in series with a 100ohm resistor, all running off a 12VDC supply. I covered the finished product with outdoor varnish to help shield it from UV rays. The third photo compares my printed version against the original light, which has metal around it. The OpenSCAD design file attached includes the instructions for making this replacement part. It comes equipped with three holes sized just right for standard 5mm LEDs. To make the job easier, it's a good idea to assemble and solder the LEDs separately before installing them (I used a cut up test print as a template). Then you can carefully place the lights in position and seal them using silicon sealant. OpenSCAD design can be adjusted to create different sizes and profiles. The bumps at the ends help keep the light in its hole without needing glue for adhesion. I made mine with clear ABS plastic on a Migbot Reprap using 1.2mm walls and 0.1mm layer height, and applied a brim for better adhesion. To tidy up the edges, I used a dremel tool after it was finished printing. My deck lights go into a hole that's exactly 20mm in diameter - the wiring is all hidden underneath the decking wood. If you're a perfectionist, you might want to slightly indent the top of your light by a millimeter or so; but I haven't bothered with that since they're placed near the walls, not in areas where someone will be kicking them anyway.