Making and Mounting Solar LED Light Street Art Images, on High Walls

This guide will explain how to use Solar LED lights string to create glowing images and hang these on high walls using an extendable stick. This is good for for places with no electricity like abandoned buildings, and can be used to create psychedelic glowing street art. Solar LEDs basically charged during the day using a solar cell and activated at night, to form a glowing image, that never runs out of battery. One of the main goals is to hang the picture as high as possible. For this, we used a 3-meter extendable selfie stick, basically a telescopic stick that extends from 0.4 to 3 meters in length. This allows the image to be mounted around 5-6 meters high.

The tutorial will be divided into 3 parts: 

1) Making a plate with the solar LED light image. 

2) Making the hanging stick used to lift the plate. 

3) Sticking the LED image to the wall. 

A video tutorial is also attached and covers everything, we recommend using this as the main source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfhnj6iQW2g&t=41s

The equipment is shown in the image.

The full list:

⦁ Kappa board (could be found in most art stores). Any rigid lightweight resilient board will do.

⦁ Solar LED light string (5-15 meters). 5 Meter is easiest to handle and remains active all night (Cost about 5-10 usd). (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004414114222.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.42.f4441802dI2sXU)

⦁ A 3-meters extendable selfie stick, the longer the better. Use to hang the Solar led image. (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005100309521.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.22.4aec1802jzDyIi)

⦁ Basic Double-sided mounting tape thick version. Use to mount the plate to the wall. We use cheap foam tape (1-2) dollars per coil. You want a thick version as it sticks better. The paper-thin double-sided sided are NOT recommended.

⦁ Strong permanent glue preferably transparent. Use for permanent attachment of plate to wall. We use two 80ml tube of Hybrifix Super 7 but silicon and other can also work.

⦁ Zip Ties (Plastic version from any construction material shop)

⦁ Super Glue.

⦁ Baking Soda (optional, help harden the super glue).

⦁ Paint (optional)

The first thing we want to do is take the LED light string and attach it to the board in a specific shape or image.

⦁ Cut the kappa board to the right size (1x1 meter is a good size).

⦁ Use a pen to draw a simple shape on the board.

⦁ Cut pieces of the double-sided tape and scatter them along the shape in a dashed line. This will be used to hold the LED light string to the board. 

⦁ Uncover the other side of the double-sided tape and then take the led string and attach it to the board along the shape, use the double side tape for mounting.

⦁ Once the LED string light is attached to the board in the right shape we use transparent glue to attach it permanently (the double-sided tape is only for temporary attachment). Make sure to add glue to attach the string at a small distance along the shape. Make sure you are not covering the LEDs lights. Transparent glue is good and gives a nice diffusion effect once the LEDs are on. 

The next step is attaching the Solar Cell battery to the board. The buttons that control the light are usually in the back of the cell. So once the Cell is attached to the board you will not be able to reach them. Make sure to turn on the LED and pick the right light pattern beforehand.

The LED lights only activate when it is dark. If you want to see the pattern at day just cover the solar panel with your hand and it will be activated.  

Since the buttons of the solar cell are at the back pasting the back of the cell to the board might cause the buttons to accidentally be pressed.

To avoid this we create a cavity to protect the buttons.

Cut a piece of Kappa (or any board you use) in the size of the Solar cell. In this piece, cut the cavity for the buttons, then stick the piece to the Cell back using superglue (make sure the buttons are in the cavity).

Paste the cell to the board using superglue.

Note that for weight balance you want the cell to be as low as possible, preferably on the side.

Painting the board is optional. Be careful not to cover the LED lights or the solar panel.

The next part is adding a ring that will allow the hanging stick to hold to the board and lift it. The trick is that the ring should allow the hanging stick hook to hold the plate when it goes up. And once the plate is stuck to the wall release it as it goes down. This means the size of the ring should match the hanging stick (section 6) so it can be lifted securely, and at the same time allow the hanging stick hook to slide out smoothly once the plate is stuck to the wall.

This is only relevant if you want to hang the board in really high places beyond your reach, else skip this step.

We used a zip-tie to create the hanging ring: At the center bottom of the plate create  2 holes side by side in a distance of about 5-10cm and pass the zip tie in them to create a loop that will allow the stick to hold the plate (image).

Keep the zip tie loose as you can always tighten but not untighten.

For stability it's possible to Add more than one zip tie ring (3 is a good number).

Add stripes of double-sided mounting tape to the back of the plate. This will be used to hold the plate to the wall.

Simple foam mounting tape works well. Make sure you cover the back side of the zip ties.

Make sure to leave space for glue between the stripes (4-6 cm is a good gap between stripes).

Finally thickness of the tape is important thicker tape works better, and adding two layers of tape one on top of the other really helps stickiness on rough surfaces (avoid paper thin double side tape as it doesn't stick to many surfaces).

This part is only relevant if you want to hang the plate in really high places way above your reach.

First, we create the holder hook that will hang the plate, this basically the hook around on which the plate ring will be hung. The important part is that the size of the holder should match that of the plate ring and will be able to hold/lift it in a stable way and slide out smoothly.

⦁ For the holder, we attach the sticks in the grid pattern in the image using super glue. The Size should match the tie on the plate (previous section). We used flat Bamboo Skewer sticks (used for barbecue) and arranged them in a grid pattern a distance of around 5cm each (See image).

⦁ Make sure the holder matches the size of the zip tie loop on the LED plate and can slide in and out smoothly.

Take the selfie stick and extend the top part, add a stripe of double-sided mounting tape, and attach the holder to the stick (image).  

Wrap PVC tape to tightly hold the holder to the the stick top.  

(Try to make it such that the smooth side of the holder will be pointed outside, as it will help the holder slide easily out of the plate ring during hanging.)

Remove liner and uncover the mounting tape at the back side of the plate

Add glue at equal intervals on the back side of the plate between the tape stripes.

(The double-sided tape is for immediate mounting and the glue is for more durable long-term attachment)

Extend the selfie stick and lock it.

Hang the LED plate ring on the stick holder make sure it stable and slide out easily.

Lift the plate and press it to the wall once it mounted, slide the stick down for release.

 After releasing it is recommended to use the stick to press the plate for the wall (making sure it is attached across the entire surface).

Using stick will only take you 5-6 meters high. If you want to get higher you need to use drones but that for another time.