Steampunk Glowing Fountain Energy Source

We selected a fictional technology to create in the real world. The design language of this gadget is heavily inspired by the image above, featuring a cyberpunk-esque fictional city with glowing lights. This project incorporates a mix of everyday items and easy-to-use technology to create a simple yet visually intriguing desktop glowing water feature.

• 12V submersible water pump 
• 9x 5mm 12V UV LED 
• 12V 5A AC to DC power supply
• SPDT switch
• Silicone waterproofing sealant
• ¼ inch ID vinyl tubing
• PPE - safety glasses, disposable gloves
• Super glue
• Assorted wires

Safety Notice: Whenever working with silicone sealant or super glue, wear a pair of disposable gloves and safety glasses and work in a well-ventilated environment. Additionally, the LEDs and submersible pump we are using in this project are rated to receive 12 Volts as an input. If you are using your own electronics, make sure that they can safely receive 12 Volts as an input. 

Pump Wires – Cut a small notch in the edge of the reservoir lid. The submersible pump wires will slip through this notch. 

LED array – Use the 5mm drill bit to cut holes in the lid of the jar. For our model, we used nine LEDs arranged in a grid. A 5mm drill bit should be the right size to insert the LEDs up to the flat base. Liberally apply silicone sealant around both sides of the inserted LED. At this point, you may use a piece of vinyl tubing to manage the wires of the LEDs or find your own method of doing this. Tape, clips, and some other methods will be the only available options for this once the wires are soldered. 

(Power system - laptop power to pump and LEDs)

• Power supply PCB – The output of the power supply is a 2.1 mm plug. Start by soldering a 2.1mm jack into the prototyping board. Next, solder two DPDT switches into the prototyping board. Use a solder bridge to connect the positive terminal of the 2.1mm jack to one of the outer legs of both switches. Next, solder both wires of the submersible pump into the prototyping board. The positive wire should be connected to the middle leg of one of the DPDT switches, and the negative wire should be connected to the 0 Volt terminal of the 2.1mm jack. Next, solder each the positive legs of the LEDs into the prototyping board. Draw a solder bridge from the middle leg of the other DPDT switch and connect it to all of the positive legs of the LEDs (this is a parallel arrangement). Solder all of the ground wires of the LEDs to the 0 Volt pin of the 2.1mm jack.  

A core component of our project is the use of a blacklight to give our liquid solution a vibrant, neon, coloration. This is achieved through the interaction of integrated blacklight LEDs, currently on a 390 nm spectrum, and our solution consisting of tonic water with quinine. The LEDs will need to be positioned in a manner that allows the light to fill as much of the reservoir as possible, while also maintaining a connection to their power supply in the base. The goal of this test will be assured that the LEDs turn on when the pump is activated and maintain themselves while the piece is in operation.

Important Notice: All testing and verification of electronics should be done in a safe environment free of liquids and flammable materials. 

Once you are satisfied with your soldered board, you may pug the 12 Volt power supply in. Take a moment to observe the components and verify that no heat is building in the system. If the 2.1 mm jack or any other components are heating up, you have incorrectly soldered your prototyping board. 

Flip the switches to verify that the LEDs and pump turn on and off.

Cut holes in the clear tank, cut tubing to length, insert the tubing and connect the chamber to the reservoir. We will be testing the casing and reservoirs. The integrity of the main casing chassis and the reservoir will be tested to confirm that leaks are not appearing, water pressure isn’t causing any cracking, and that the system remains isolated away from the power supply while still being able to feed water from the pump’s location in the base casing into the water reservoir proper. 

Safety Notice: Whenever working with silicone sealant or super glue, wear a pair of disposable gloves and safety glasses and work in a well-ventilated environment.

1. Mark center points for holes along the top of the clear jar. These holes will be used for the clear return tubes. Be sure to evenly space these holes. We are making six holes in our project, but more or fewer may be used. Once center points are marked, use a 3/8” drill bit to drill into the jar slowly and carefully. The plastic of the jars we selected is quite thin and flexible, so take your time with this step. 
2. Repeat the previous step with the lid of the reservoir instead of the side of the chamber. The clear chamber will sit on top of the reservoir lid, so the holes for the tubes must be spaced beyond the footprint of the bottom jar. Before cutting, fit the jar on top of the lid to ensure that the number of holes and placement from the jar is consistent. 
3. Measure the height from the holes in the clear jar to its base. In our case, this distance is seven inches. This distance will help us cut the vinyl tubing. It is important that you do NOT cut your tubing to this exact length. The tubes need some slack, so add a couple of inches to your measured distance. We are cutting 9’ pieces of tubing. You only need to cut a number equal to the number of holes you drilled in the jar. Ensure that you have some leftover tubing (at least one foot) for later steps. 
4. Insert a piece of vinyl tubing into the hole in the clear jar. You only need to leave a small lip of tube beyond the inner wall of the jar. Use one small drop of superglue to hold the tube in place. Once the glue has dried, liberally apply silicone sealant to the inside and outside of the joint between the tube and the jar wall. The sealant may need to be smeared with a (gloved) finger in order to seal properly. Repeat this step for every hole in the clear jar. 
5. Glue the clear jar to the lid of the reservoir. Ensure that it is centered and that the holes line up. If you do not line up the holes the tubes will appear twisted; this will not compromise the function of the tubes.
6. Repeat step 4 on the lid of the reservoir. Since the tubes under the lid will not be visible, a larger ‘lip’ or overhang under the lid is acceptable.
7. Find a point where the bottom of the clear jar and reservoir lid are glued together. This point should be off-center from the bottom of the clear jar. Use the 3/8” drill bit to drill through both the reservoir lid and the bottom of the clear jar. This hole will be the inlet for the submersible pump. 
8. insert a vinyl tube through the hole you drilled in step 7. Leave plenty of length (at least enough to reach the bottom of the reservoir) beneath the lid of the reservoir, because this tube will be inserted into the submersible pump outlet. Bend it to touch the bottom of the jar and point along its circumference. Super glue the tube in this position and use plenty of silicone to seal the holes. 

Cut holes for LEDs and pump wire. 

1. Screw the lid of the clear jar on. Your electronics are already connected, so be careful not to break them. 
2. Insert the submersible pump into the bottom of the reservoir. Our pump came with a bracket which we will attach to the bottom of the reservoir using silicone. For a more permanent solution, you can use super glue. Push the vinyl tube into the outlet of the pump. This joint will not require silicone. Note - after connecting the tube to the pump, the return tube that connects to our pumps must be functional and tightly sealed. The tests we need to perform will include verifying that the liquid solution flows through the tube, that the tube does not leak, and that the tube will not loosen or pop out due to the water pressure in the system.
3. Align the notch in lid of the reservoir with the wires of the pump. Once the lid is secured, you may use some silicone to seal this notch at the end of the project, but keep in mind that the seal will break if the lid is removed. 

Use sealant on all components. The pump body to the suction port pipe connection is well sealed, such as with strong glue. The bottom valve cannot leak, the power wiring is standardized and safe, and the pressure switch action must be sensitive.

1. With no power connected to the device, fill the reservoir with water. You may need to disconnect the vinyl tube from the pump when lifting the lid of the reservoir. The reservoir may be filled with water from the clear jar, but be careful not to overfill the reservoir. 
2. Reassemble the device and wrap towels around the base of the jar. You are about to turn the fountain on to check for leaks. 
3. Connect the 2.1mm jack of the power supply and flip the switches on. The clear chamber should begin to fill up. If the pump does not seem to turn on, disconnect power. If any leaks appear, disconnect power and thoroughly dry the spot of the leak before applying more silicone sealant. Repeat this step until the fountain is free of leaks. 

To utilize the UV LEDs used in this project, use a fluorescent dye in the water. If you don’t want to buy dye, you can use sugar-free tonic water which contains quinine, a substance that will glow under UV light. You can also soak the tips of highlighters in the water to dye it to some extent. Some colors may not fluoresce under the UV LEDs, so shine the LEDs on your highlighters to ensure that they will glow. 

You have completed the project, but this fountain still looks like a DIY project. You can customize this fountain in any way you like, however, take note that silicone sealant cannot be painted over. We recommend using some sort of foam or waterproof modeling clay to cover the joints of this fountain before painting.

Happy customizing!