DIY Pool Table Light

[iusedtoberich]

Care to elaborate? I'm curious and would like to hear your thoughts.

Light emits in a triangular shape. The perimeter lights are aligned about even with the rails, and they point straight down. So half the light goes on the table, and the other half goes on the floor. That makes zero sense to me for a pool table light.

The other issue is they glare too much when you are in a commercial room full of them and they are surrounding you. The cause is their diffuser stinks. It's not the grate type diffuser that Diamond or Litman uses. Those diffusers if you are standing to the side, they don't blind you, and direct the light only downwards. The perimeter lights have a frosted type smooth diffuser. It stinks for sideways viewing.

IMO, these lights are step backwards. I think the only reason people are buying them is because they look cool and different, and are causing a bandwagon effect.

 

[iusedtoberich]

My actual setup is 2 LED panels 2' x 4'. The 4000k option was recommended to me at the time, I regret not going for 5000k.

It's pretty nice, but there is a definite hot spot in the center and the corners are less bright for sure. When filming, it's not the best.

The perimeter / Pred Arena design makes the lighting more even. What I don't like, though, is how it illuminates the room completely. I plan on doing my box with thin plywood and let the outside panel drop down, so the light stays on the table.

I have the same thing. qty 2 of 2x4 LED panels mounted to my ceiling. My lights are 6500K. I'd probably go 5000K if I did it again, ha ha. I can't remember if my ceiling is 8' or 9' now, but the lights are flush mounted to it. I didn't want them hanging down.

Does your camera have auto white balance turned off? (if it has that capability). That eliminates the hot spot changing when your body blocks the camera.

Here is a 1min rack of my setup. Is your hotspot worse?

 

[boogieman]

Light emits in a triangular shape. The perimeter lights are aligned about even with the rails, and they point straight down. So half the light goes on the table, and the other half goes on the floor. That makes zero sense to me for a pool table light.

The other issue is they glare too much when you are in a commercial room full of them and they are surrounding you. The cause is their diffuser stinks. It's not the grate type diffuser that Diamond or Litman uses. Those diffusers if you are standing to the side, they don't blind you, and direct the light only downwards. The perimeter lights have a frosted type smooth diffuser. It stinks for sideways viewing.

IMO, these lights are step backwards. I think the only reason people are buying them is because they look cool and different, and are causing a bandwagon effect.

I agree with the glare/harshness off to the sides. I thought about trying to figure out if I can cut some of the square diffusers and put them on top of the white plastic, inside the fixture.

I've also did an experiment with putting cardboard on the outside hanging down about 6". This works pretty well but looks like crap. My wife said she would make some heavy cloth upholstery type curtains to go on the outside. Think something like blackout curtains that are only 6-8" long.

I do like how they look while playing at the table but they do glare like crazy from the spectator chair.

 

[iusedtoberich]

I agree with the glare/harshness off to the sides. I thought about trying to figure out if I can cut some of the square diffusers and put them on top of the white plastic, inside the fixture.

I've also did an experiment with putting cardboard on the outside hanging down about 6". This works pretty well but looks like crap. My wife said she would make some heavy cloth upholstery type curtains to go on the outside. Think something like blackout curtains that are only 6-8" long.

I do like how they look while playing at the table but they do glare like crazy from the spectator chair.

I had a post a few months ago about a light I had seen while vacationing in Greece. It had tassels hanging down about 4 or 5” around the entire perimeter of the light. The light was the snooker style with angled led panels. Those led panels also had the crappy smooth diffusers. Anyway, the tassels did a good job minimizing a lot of the sideways glair when sitting in the chair or walking around the room.

 

[gmiller]

Light emits in a triangular shape. The perimeter lights are aligned about even with the rails, and they point straight down. So half the light goes on the table, and the other half goes on the floor. That makes zero sense to me for a pool table light.

The other issue is they glare too much when you are in a commercial room full of them and they are surrounding you. The cause is their diffuser stinks. It's not the grate type diffuser that Diamond or Litman uses. Those diffusers if you are standing to the side, they don't blind you, and direct the light only downwards. The perimeter lights have a frosted type smooth diffuser. It stinks for sideways viewing.

IMO, these lights are step backwards. I think the only reason people are buying them is because they look cool and different, and are causing a bandwagon effect.

That's kinda missing the point of a perimeter light. The point isn't to light the table efficiently, it's to eliminate shadows. Lighting the table from the center means you'll be looking into a shadow for everything closer than half the table away.

I've never seen a room full of them, but for home use where there's just one you point doesn't apply.

 

[boogieman]

I've never seen a room full of them, but for home use where there's just one you point doesn't apply.

It still applies for home use. Even on spectator chairs it lights the room up like the fourth of july. Just harsh light in your eye from across the room. The only comfortable place in the room is shooting at the table. I got an earlier model that wasn't dimmable so I'd really recommend dimmable. They are great lights but they don't create a great atmosphere in the room.

 

[ceebee]

I built a Pool Table Light from Track Lighting, It has eight (8) 150 Watt LED lamps (2300 Lumens each) & it easy to make. It didn't weigh much & is easy to decorate.. & .,.& the lights are easy to swap , when they go out. We've had this light for 12 years now...

 

[iusedtoberich]

That's kinda missing the point of a perimeter light. The point isn't to light the table efficiently, it's to eliminate shadows. Lighting the table from the center means you'll be looking into a shadow for everything closer than half the table away.

I've never seen a room full of them, but for home use where there's just one you point doesn't apply.

I just went to the pool room last night that had Litman lights on 4 tables, and Perimeter lights on the other 12 tables. They were side by side. I could not tell any difference in the shadows, they looked almost identical to me. The only difference I saw was the perimeter was a hair brighter overall on the cloth. The Litman light was a 2x6 panel (3 2x2) and it was over 7' Diamonds. The Perimeter light was over 9' Diamonds.

Playing solo under the 9', the glare was horrible. (from the table I was playing on). I wear glasses, and had to tilt my head just right to try to minimize it. I went under the Litman light a few shots to test it, and there was no issue.

I stand by my opinion that the Perimeter light needs a grate type diffuser.

The perimeter light solved a problem that did not exist (shadows), and created a new problem (wrong diffusers) in the process.

 

[rexus31]

IMO, the sweet spot for table lighting is 20K Lumes with a temp of 5000K. People often forget CRI (Color Rendering Index) which is a measurement for color accuracy under lighting. I think this also plays a crucial role in pool table lighting given all the color on the table. A CRI of 90 or above is ideal.

I built a couple custom lights using fluorescent lamps with (8) T8 5000K bulbs, each producing 2,600 Lumens and a CRI of 90. Total Lumens is 20,800.

Here's a Lux chart I did using a light meter app on my phone showing Lux reading of my current Gold Crown light with silver egg crate diffusers. I didn't do readings for my previous light.

Gold Crown Light:

Previous Light:

 

[gmiller]

I stand by my opinion that the Perimeter light needs a grate type diffuser.

I'm not sure how much it would help, as you tend to get reflections off the grid too. But should be easy enough to 3d printing something as an experiment, so I might give it a try.

I wear glasses too, and had issues with reflections at first, but must have gotten used to dealing with them, as I don't even notice them now.

 

[gmiller]

I was skeptical that it would help, but think I'm sold on the idea of a grid. Photo doesn't really do justice to the impact it makes.

 

[iusedtoberich]

I was skeptical that it would help, but think I'm sold on the idea of a grid. Photo doesn't really do justice to the impact it makes.

Nice!

I'm right now at the International Open. The tournament tables all have the new LED diamond light. It has qty 3 2x2 LED panels, each spaced about 6" apart, and all covered with the parabolic grid they have used for years. That's on all 32 tables. The single TV table has the perimeter lights, and maybe 4 of them total. You can see the sideways glare from the TV table at the extreme end of the tournament room. But there is none from the Diamond lights. Standing at both tables in my stance, the tables look about the same. I played under the diamond light for 3 hours warming up, and there were zero issues.

I'll say it again, Perimeter lights solved a problem that did not exist with modern lights (shadows), and introduced a brand new problem (side glare).

 

[jtompilot]

I was at the Racks in Sanford a while back when they were installing new grey cloth. Some tables looked like they had gold cloth, some looked grey. It was weird. My brother-in-law had grey cloth installed and it looks gold to me, my wife said, what's wrong with you, its grey. LOL

 

[rexus31]

I was at the Racks in Sanford a while back when they were installing new grey cloth. Some tables looked like they had gold cloth, some looked grey. It was weird. My brother-in-law had grey cloth installed and it looks gold to me, my wife said, what's wrong with you, its grey. LOL

You're not alone. When I watch MR events sometimes it looks like they are playing on Camel cloth, sometimes Gray.

 

[tuffstuff07]

Nice!

I'm right now at the International Open. The tournament tables all have the new LED diamond light. It has qty 3 2x2 LED panels, each spaced about 6" apart, and all covered with the parabolic grid they have used for years. That's on all 32 tables. The single TV table has the perimeter lights, and maybe 4 of them total. You can see the sideways glare from the TV table at the extreme end of the tournament room. But there is none from the Diamond lights. Standing at both tables in my stance, the tables look about the same. I played under the diamond light for 3 hours warming up, and there were zero issues.

I'll say it again, Perimeter lights solved a problem that did not exist with modern lights (shadows), and introduced a brand new problem (side glare).

They are made by littman. I just got one for 7 footer and agree it is a super nice light

 

[ceebee]

I have a friend in the Fort Worth, TX area, who is starting up a Pool Table light business. He makes some very nice Pool Table lights, with plenty of Lumens.. His name is Donne Fant... Play good Pool too...

 

[Hungarian]

New pool table light.. Hope you guys like it!!

 

[ctyhntr]

I think the perimeter lights are fundamentally flawed, after playing under dozens of them. A regular led panel(s) is better imo, and significantly cheaper.

Anyway to your question, get lights that are dimmable this way you can tune it if too bright.

Predator Arena lights have diffusers, which focus the light. Depending on the model, dimmable and control over color temperature. The clones don't, which is why they have the light saber glare.

 

[Hungarian]

New pool table light.. Hope you guys like it!!

Just kidding. I took down my cabinet light to clean up, sand and stain. It had (5) 36" florescent fixtures in it. Had to do it that way to get the bulbs in and out. (not deep enough to use 8' bulbs. Then I will retrofit with panels. Just need to figure out which panels to buy. This light uses (4) full size 2x4 diffusers, so it’s big.

Any suggestions on which LED Panels to buy based on the fact that they space for the panels is 4 feet by 8 feet?

Thanks in advance for your inputs!!

 

[ceebee]

You can get the diffusers with 2 inch square parabolic holes in them. That's what I had in my light. You can also get 2 x 4 LED panels from Donnie Fant in the Weatherford-Mineral Wells area