Introduction

Electro luminescent (EL) wire is a nifty material that glows when a high-frequency AC current is applied.  It comes in a variety of thicknesses and colors, and can be used to achieve all sorts of effects.  A small inverter powered by two AA batteries is enough to cause a length of EL wire to glow, so it is very portable and safe since there's no high voltage to deal with. 

We thought it would be neat to build an animated "neon" sign as a Christmas gift for the lovely Mrs. Spookyblue's dad (whose job requires that he carry a gun, and who is affectionately known as "The Colonel" in certain circles.  This is not a man I ever want to disappoint.)

The project took about three weeks to complete, and we were happy with the results.  What follows is a step-by-step guide that covers everything you need to know to build your own EL wire sign.

Parts List  -  EL wire, inverter, and sequencer were purchased from AS&C CooLight.
Part Number
Description
Price
Qty
Ext Price
IM-4Regular Inverter 4Khz; constant or blink; rated for 1-6ft of wire; 2xAA
$5.05
1
$5.05
IT 9361A 3 Channel Sequencer
$12.12
1
$12.12
ELF01C-LG Lime Green 1.2mm wire
0.86
5ft
$4.30
ELF01C-UM Ultra Marine 1 .2mm wire
$0.86
5ft
$4.30
ELF01C-RD Red 1.2mm wire
$0.86
5ft
$4.30
ELF01C-PL Purple 1.2mm wire
$0.86
5ft
$4.30
NA 2mm stainless steel wire (for armatures)
$6.00
20ft
$6.00
NA Glass-front shadow box with hinged back (Walmart)
$8.00
1
$8.00
NA Floral pins (to mount sign elements to shadow box interior)
$1.00
1
$1.00
Total
$49.37