Lights in a bottle

[skeetstar]

Folks, I know it's not strictly a woodworking project, but I have a nice whisky bottle, and I want to put some form of lighting within it. It has a fairly wide opening, about 15 - 18mm where the Cork used to sit. I want to make it mains powered, has anyone got any ideas as to what sort of light fittings I may be able to get inside it, through the top, I don't want to cut off the bottom of the bottle. I know there are those string LEDs but they all seem to be battery powered, I'd rather have a single lamp, if I can rig up something suitable.

Any view as to where I should look for components?

Thanks

PS, if I can progress this, I plan to turn a new bung for the bottle, out of a bit of a beech table leg, so there is a bit of woodworking content.

 

[Lorenzl]

There is a lamp used in cookers etc. G4 which has a small base and two prongs on the lamp.

Amazon has them: g4 base

 

[Kittyhawk]

Hi there. I know you said no LEDs but I would be looking at them or halogens. There are some very small inline or plug in transformers available that would enable you to run a 12v setup from mains power. And they're pretty cheap.

 

[Tris]

It is fairly easy to drill into a bottle with either a glass drill or a small diamond core bit. You could come up through the base then make a small wooden plinth to hide the cable. A small bulb on its own might look a bit odd though

 

[Sandyn]

As suggested, I would use G4 12V LED and holder with an external PSU. Easy to do and safe. I have used these bulbs on several projects, they are great and really cheap.

 

[misterfish]

If the latter you can get fairy string lights that run using a usb power supply - an example on Ama... string lights

Have a look at Wood and epoxy led lamp
Jeff

 

[skeetstar]

Thanks for all the replies folks.

Sandyn, that G4 lamp and holders look exactly like what I want, he bulb will certainly fit into the bottle from above, and I can drill the bottle near the bottom to get power in. Question (and you're responding to the village here) how do I connect those holders to power.. what sort of device do I need? Would it be a chap transformer,as per Kittyhawk above? Would the connection be easy for someone who can wire a plug but not much more?

Thanks

 

[Sandyn]

Would it be a chap transformer,as per Kittyhawk above? Would the connection be easy for someone who can wire a plug but not much more?

Something like this would be suitable If you look at the top adapter, it's a two way screw terminal to connect to the PSU. Very easy to wire. I would incorporate some kind of strain relief on the terminal end and cover with some heat-shrink. That's an easy way to do it, but not very elegant and possibly not too reliable.

A more suitable connection would be to use something like these and do the connection to the LED base inside the lamp. You would be better with a strain relief bush grommet where you drill the bottle to stop the cable being damaged and to give strain relief for the wire.
If you order that PSU. be careful to order the correct one. You have to specify the unit with 7 connectors. It's the same price without. If you used the second method of terminating, you wouldn't need them, but handy to have.
The PSU is approved, according to the image, UKCA.

 

[skeetstar]

Thanks S, I'll progress along those lines.
The bottle is a bottle for Port Charlotte whisky, it looks black ordinarily, but is green when held up to the light, I think it might make a nice feature with a soft green light.