Testimonials

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Liana and I friggin love our hoops!!! They turned out great! The bubble wrap worked great… Liana and I have both gotten a lot of compliments. “Better than Superhooper” was one Most of the compliments are from hoopers that I greatly respect and admire. I am totally in love with my new dance partner. Thank you for everything! - JenWEB - funtownproductions.com

JenWeb on Tribe

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People are totally mind boggled when I tell them, no, it’s not a Psi Hoop, LOL!   -liana: hoop performer

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A hooper’s hubby hard at work making a ProdMod hoop alongside online instructions

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I received the hoop kit on Friday, and made the hoop on Saturday. I used hot glue to install the switch, and it worked really well. It was around midnight when I finished, but I couldn’t wait to try it out, so I threw on some snow boots and went outside. You can see the pictures below.
This was a fun project. My dad taught me how to solder, so I’ve also learned something new in the process. The hoop isn’t perfectly round, but I think it’ll straighten out as I use it. I’m very happy with the end product. Thanks again for the instructions. It was a pleasure doing business with you. -Lisa

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A ProdMod LED Hoop is a hand made LED Hula Hoop that is usually assembled from a parts kit. Comparable LED hoops already assembled can cost anywhere from $100 to $300.

The ProdMod LED Hoop Design is unique in how easy the parts can be assembled usually without the need for resistors or soldering. The simple construction of the LED hoop keeps the quality level high even when a novice with no prior gadget making skills builds one.

The ProdMod LED hoop is also easy to upgrade and to modify. So you can start with a basic design and upgrade only when you need to. There are currently three types of battery supplies to choose from:

1. disposable - non-rechargeable

2. Rechargeable battery with 1 hour charger

3.  Replaceable AA battery, alkaline or rechargeable.

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Product Details

The hoops are made from irrigation tubing. There are many different sizes and strengths of tubing. For simplicity this description will only deal with two versions. They are both dimensionally the same but use different types of material.

0.814″ x 1″ OD x .093″  Natural Color HDPE Tubing - 140 PSI @ 70F - This is stiffer more traditional hoop

0.814″ x 1″ OD x .093″  Semi-Transparent LDPE Tubing - 110 PSI @ 70F - This is more soft and flexible, makes it very easy to fold in half for traveling.

IMPORTANT TUBE SIZE NOTICE! The tubes in the kits are identified by their exact measurements. If you are looking for tubing similar to the 3/4″ ID 160PSI black irrigation tubing found in Lowes, common for adult hoops, then you should select the 0.814″x1″ LED tubing. This is very close to the same dimension.

If you want a thinner hoop you can use  0.6″ x 0.75″ tubing. But the thinner tubing wont accept the rechargeable battery

Key Features

Collapsible- The hoop can be reduced from 40″ down to about 20″ for traveling on short trips. If you use stiffer tubing I would recommend that you disconnect the tube and spiral it down to size. You can use tape or straps to keep it coiled up. But if you use flexible tubing, you can leave the hoop connected and simply twist it into a figure 8 and fold it in half. For more information on making a hoop that easily collapses into a figure 8 and folds in half please read about the new Flexible Tubing.
21 LEDS - more than most pre-assembled versions
small slide switch - flush to the hoop surface it wont get caught or accidentally trip off.
Solder-less - You can make a sturdy LED Hula Hoop on your own with no need to solder any connections
Battery life - about 5 hours with standard battery. Rechargeable also lasts up to 5hrs
Easy to Modify! - The single battery design makes it easy to change your battery or upgrade to a rechargeable battery that lasts 5hrs and charges in only 1hr
Easy to Upgrade! - This open design allows you to easily add new technology that will be made available from this site in the near future: The latest high tech battery with more capacity and lighter weight, Motion sensors, Programmable patterns…. Your hoop only gets better with time!
Vote for the next upgrade here.

A typical Standard 40″ ProdMod LED Hoop Parts Kit

LEDs: 7 Bright Blue, 7 Bright Green, and 7 color changing.
12 feet of paired 22AWG insulated wire- (clear)
Pipe Fitting - (Tube Coupler)
Slide Switch
3.6V Non-Rechargeable Battery with leads

Tubing (sold separately) - 10.5 feet of semi-translucent white tubing - enough for one 40″ diameter hoop.

Recommended Tools

Automatic Wire Strippers - These allow you to quickly and easily remove wire insulation only where needed leaving the complete length of wire intact. This is key for a solder-less assembly. You can find these at Radio Shack or Lowes for $16.99.

Stiff Steel Wire - 11 feet length- You can use this to help push the wire through your tube. Galvanized steel wire is easy to find in hardware stores. I recommend 22 or 16 Gauge thick wire. They can be purchases at Home Depot for $4 for 100 ft or $8 for 200 ft respectively.
16 Gauge is better but more expensive.

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How to Order

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You can buy build your own Hoop Kit on the LED Hoop Maker Kit page.  Tubing is no longer sold on this site but is available at several other websites.

* By ordering this kit you agree to the terms described in the disclaimer at the bottom of this page.

Rechargeable batteries, Spare Parts, and LEDs are sold separately:

Spare Batteries, Accessories, and Upgrades!!!

Tools!!

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**——FAQ——**

I make hoops from 3/4″ 160 PSI black tubing found at Lowes, what size of LED tubing is similar?

  The 3/4″ black tubing is measured by an approximation of its inside diameter. In reality the 3/4″ black tubing is very much the same as the 0.814″x1″OD LED white tubing. Likewise the 1/2″ black tubing is very much like the 0.6″ID x 0.75″OD LED white tubing. So to keep it simple:3/4″ black hoop tubing = 0.814×1 LED white hoop tubing
1/2″ black hoop tubing = 0.6×0.75 LED white hoop tubing

So if the 0.814″ x 1″ LED tubing is the same size as the 3/4″ black tubing, will it feel and react the same?

No. Although they are dimensionally the same the LED white tubing is more dense which means it will feel stiffer than the 3/4″ black tubing. You cannot rely of the PSI rating alone since they are made from slightly different materials.

How much will the hoop weigh?

A completely assembled larger 0.814″x1″ LED hoop with wires, LEDs, switch and non-rechargebale battery will weigh 1 lb 4 oz.
The rechargeable version weighs only 1 oz more.

A hoop made with thinner tubing 0.6×0.75″ would weighs only 13 oz, but can only accept the non-rechargeable battery size.

For comparison a standard 40″ hoop made with 3/4″ 160 PSI Black tubing is about 1 lb.

What does the tubing look like?

How do I collapse this hoop?

When using a more stiff tubing, these hoops collapse by disconnecting the ends and spiraling it down to no less than 20″ diameter in size. When spiraling down the large 0.814×1″ tubing you will have to use packing tape or straps to keep it coiled up.  The spiral shape is similar to the photo above. I cannot guarantee it can twist into a figure 8 shape like other collapsible hoops. Some customers claim it works, but I do not recommend it with this stiff tubing. To make a hoop that easily collapses into a figure 8 and folds in half please click here to read about the new Flexible Tubing.

How long does the battery last?

Tests vary. For the non-rechargeable battery will last about 5 - 6 hours if it were run continuously. But when used intermittently, about 20 minutes at a time, it can last 8 hours. The rechargeable battery shines very bright for 3 continuous hours, but can total 5 hours if used intermittently.

Can I use CR2 batteries instead?

They will fit in the 0.814×1 inch size LED hoop but you may need to use resistors in your circuit to handle the higher 6V power you will be supplying the LEDs.

What does the color changing LED look like?

There are new LEDs in the kits that are multicolored slow changing and look like this video below.

What will the finished hoop look like?

How long will it take to make?

In my last workshop at the Maker Faire it only took about 2 hrs with my direction. Most of the people involved had no prior experience with LEDs, electronics, or soldering.

This still looks hard, can you make the LED Hula Hoop for me?

Yes. Go here and select a ProdMod Certified Maker to assembly your custom hoop.

This seems pricey, can’t I just buy these parts myself?

Yes you can. But the 1 inch tubing alone will cost you $55 because you need to buy a minimum of 100 feet. Then you’d pay about $10 for shipping. So even the most expensive kit here is less than the tubing alone. Not to mention the $15 tool to cut the tube and the labor and storage involved. The simple static LEDs aren’t too expensive but the color changing ones can be found online for at least $2 each. So that’s another $14 not including shipping. Your total is already above $80 and you haven’t even bought your battery yet.

Are the color changing LEDs synchronized with each other?

No. They are NOT synchronized! (yet) Each color changing LED has its own chip inside the bulb. Each color changing LED will change colors at its own pace. It may seem to be synchronized when they are first switched on, but they will soon fall out of sync. Watch the “Finished Hoop” video above to see what this looks like.

Will the hoop be weight balanced?

It depends on how balanced you need it and how much work you are willing to put into it. There is only one battery located near the connector. It is a very lightweight battery at only 1.6 oz but its true that more weight will be near the connector. Most hoopers do no notice this 1.6 oz, but a small percentage (1%) of my customers do feel it when they do tricks.  To counter this imbalance you could tape a dead AA battery to the LED wire opposite your battery before you slide it into the tube. You can also add more tape on the other end as well.

Do I have to tape my hoop?

You should tape the connector to ensure nothing opens during hooping. You can also feel free to tape the entire hoop leaving room for the LEDs to shine through. Most people use a spiral pattern of tape. Without tape the LED hoop can feel very slippery. Some people also use sandpaper to rough the inside of the hoop.

Customer Video 0.814 x 1 inch hoop in motion:

Isabelle

Jen Flo

Pynqi Mandala and her flexible collapsible ProdMod hoop

Jen from funtownproductions.com - she made hers without soldering any connections.

Customer Photos:

More Photos

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Disclaimer: I am only supplying you the parts required to make your own LED hula hoop. LED Hoop Instructions can be found here. Ultimately the quality of the LED Hula Hoop is a product of your own handy work. By purchasing this parts kit you agree that you have some experience in working with these materials or will have an experienced person work with you. You also agree that I am not liable for any damage that may occur to you or this product in any way as related to this kit or any product you produce with it.

Warning: When building an electronics kit, use common sense and appropriate safety precautions. This kit requires soldering. Excessive heat from the soldering iron may damage LEDs. Static electricity can also damage LEDs.