I got a couple of new LEGO compatible lights from LiteUp Blocks recently that I wanted to show you. As you may remember, LiteUp Blocks is a small Hong Kong based company that makes LEGO compatible light-bricks. Their original product is similar to the official LEGO light-brick, but in more colors and sizes. They are a fun way to light up your LEGO creations. (You can find links to my previous reviews at the end of this post). Since then they added some new products that offer some more interesting options. 🙂
The first new LEGO light solution is the Light-Up Bar. These are basically LEGO compatible plates that currently come in four sizes (1×4, 1×6, 1×8 and 1×10 studs long) and two colors (white or yellow), with very tiny LED lights installed at the bottom of the plates. You can attach them to the bottom of LEGO bricks, plates, etc. (like for example under the ceiling of a LEGO house to light up the inside, or to add outdoor lighting to your LEGO City street). The lights are nice and bright. The Light-Up Bar is connected to a USB plug with a thin cord (about 12 inches long) that is not too hard to hide in between studs or under plates. You will need a USB charger to power the light. If you are planning to use more than one Light-Up Bar it is probably best to use a charger with multiple USB ports (you can get them at electronics stores and they are also available on Amazon
The second new product from LightUp Blocks is a Street Lamp Post. These look similar to LEGO’s own standard street lights, but they actually light up! They are perfect for a LEGO Modular Buildings or other LEGO City dioramas! The Street Lamp Posts currently come in two colors (white or black), and there are two options for the power-source. One version of the Street Lamp Post comes with a thin 12 inch cord and a USB plug, so you can plug it into an electric outlet via a USB charger. The other option is battery operated. In this case the Street Lamp Post is permanently attached to 2×3 LEGO brick-size base that holds the cell-batteries, and it operates with an on/off switch. The wired version is great for more permanent LEGO displays because there is no need to change batteries and they blend in perfectly in the LEGO landscape – all you have to do is hide the thin wires. The battery-powered version is a good option for mobile dioramas and vignettes that you need to move around and doesn’t need to be turned on as often.
There are some other fun LEGO compatible lights LightUp Blocks have been working on. There is one called the SpotLite, which is basically a reading light attached to a LEGO brick – I can’t really think of how I would use these myself, but someone may find them useful. Then there are also some very tiny 1×1 and 1×2 stud light-bricks, but I think those are not yet available. If you are interested in any of the products by LightUp Blocks, you can visit their online store at LightUpBlock.com, or their Facebook Page. Especially with the holidays coming up, these may be a great way to add some magic to your LEGO Halloween and LEGO Christmas displays.
So what do you think? Do you like adding lights to your LEGO creations and displays? What do you use to light them up? And how do you like these LEGO street lights and other light solutions by LightUp Blocks? Do you have any already? Feel free to share your own review, thoughts, or questions in the comment section below! 😉
And you might also like to check out the following related posts:
Wow! I love those street lamps! Would be perfect for the modulars!
I like the USB-cable on them. That is new to me.
I’ve always used the lights from Brickstuff. Works perfectly and their support is absolutely top notch ( http://www.brickstuff.com/ )
Oh, that’s nice. I wasn’t aware of that brand. I’m going to check them out.
Those are awesome I might need to order some of those 🙂
I am so loving the street lights! I’ve already got scenes coming to mind that would look very cool if these were included. Will have to get me some! 🙂
those would be cool if you had them in a stop motion video! I’m guessing it would be easier for un-advanced, stop, motion-uh-ers? to make special effects like that instead of computer animation.
These are definitely way cool. I hope to get some in the future.
I like the street lamps especially, however, I’m not sure how many USB outlets I’d have to plug that many street lamps into unless there’s such thing as a usb hub.
and there is!
Kim, yes, I had that question too so I researched it some, and yes there is such a thing as a USB hub. The link to Amazon included in the article will show you some. 😉
Wow! That looks so cool! I would love to get the USB ones! That’s so ingenues! I would’t want to mess with all those batteries. So do the light bars fit in perfectly? Do other bricks fit down on the studs correctly? I’m sure you know what I mean.
Yes, the light-bars, fit perfectly with standard LEGO elements. Those are actually some of my favorites. It is really just a like a standard LEGO plate with tiny lights under it. On one of the pictures I turned one upside down so you can see the underside.
What would be really neat is if they could integrate a new plug system so that you could make more of a grid instead of having to plug each light into a USB. You’d have to make a new smaller plug or make a USB power strip.
I think that’s a great idea. I’m going to play with these lights more when I put together the two Modulars I just ordered and see how many lights they would actually need. The light-bars are very bright, so I don’t think that many would be needed to light up the inside of the buildings. The street lights have a nice soft glow (as you can see on the pictures), so you could use probably quite a few.
These look really nice, but I prefer LEGO’s own light up bricks and the old 9v lights even more(They give such a warm glow).
Yes, I like LEGO’s light-bricks too. But they need batteries changed so often. And they only come in two colors. I would love to have those 9v light from the old days!
I have the original Light and Sound Fire Truck. It used a 9volt battery to power the siren and the two bulbs on the brick. I have yet to replace the battery, hoping it still works.
Oh, nice! I have never actually seen one of those with my own eyes!
Whenever I get it put back together I’ll have to do a feature about it on my blog as it was, I believe, a cool historical moment in Lego when those vehicles first came out. I don’t remember all of the vehicles that were made, the only others I know were the police one and I *think* Jetport Fire Squad had it too, which is a set I’d love to get but I imagine is super expensive.
Nice! Let me know when you feature them. Would love to see some pictures! 🙂
These look cool for MOC displayers. Highly useful for brickfilmers as well. 🙂
Off-topic, but the Chima images are up, just so you know. I want to point out that on Tormac’s Shadow Blazer, the whole front flips over for the Chi-powered mode, which is really cool. 😀
Also, admin, maybe you’d like to publish this here? http://brickset.com/article/12576/british-lego-ltd-the-early-years-(1960-65) 😉
Yes, saw the Chima sets as soon as they were posted (I’m surscribed to just2good’s channel). He also posted the Pirate sets this morning. I will gradually share them here so we can discuss them. 🙂
As far as Gary’s article, he actually posts quite often on the Brickset forum. I always read his articles because they are very interesting. I think Brickset is a good fit for Gary as a community with all the older LEGO fans who are into historical information and old LEGO sets. It is nice to see one of his articles on the front page. I’m not sure how well his research and information would fit with our younger readership, but if you guys want me to, I can put together another article from him. We correspond fairly regularly.
We love them. We ordered some liteup bricks in different colors. They work great. My girls love them. The brick studs are a little tight with the Lego bricks but better than being to loose. Highly recommend. Great price and good shipment considering that it is coming from Hong Kong.
Tina, I’m glad you like them too. Yes, the studs on the light-bricks are a little tight, as I have also mentioned in my previous review, but other than that they are great. I did let Samson know that and he said they are working on making them even better. 🙂
I want a light for my lego house and I want some street lights
So can you tell me where you got you’re stuff and how much you paid for it.
Andrew, everything is explained in the article. 🙂
I’m just looking at getting these for our modular houses. They now have the liteup bars with connectors so you can connect a whole lot together and plug into just one USB. Heaps better than needing multiple USB plugs. Huge improvement! I’m about to order some
Oh, just a note, they are not showing on the web-site yet, but you can email and they will send you the details.
Yes, I know those were in the works. I’m glad they are available now. I really like the light strips.
Nice USB light great midnight and work tool. Can give as a present.