Assembly
Once you're certain your lights are working, waterproof the connector. This won't make it submersible but it will make it stand up to drips and splashes of bubble juice.
Slide some clear 1" heat shrink onto your Sparkle Motion Mini and shrink it down so it's encased in plastic. Plug in the USB cable and then wrap both ends with waterproof silicone tape, tightly around the wires. Wrap the connector too, if you'd like, though I've found these JST connectors hold up to water pretty well.
Use a little more tape to secure the USB cable to the battery in a couple spots, so it'll slide into the handle easily. The charging port will be at the far end from the controller.
Cut your light strand to the right length to wrap once around the inside and once around the outside of your wand. I ended up with 27 lights in my strand. It's not a bad idea to leave it just a little longer than you think you'll need, and trim it once you get it attached to your wand.
Thread the cut end of the lights through the hole in the ring attachment piece from outside to inside.
Pull all the lights through the hole, then thread the male connector up through the slot in the handle and out the other end.
Plug the Mini Sparkle Motion into the lights via the connector and into the battery with the USB cable. Slide the connector and then the battery up into the handle, keeping the male connector wire bunched up inside the handle as well. Orient the battery so the on/off switch and indicator lights line up with the slot in the handle.
Glue the lights to the inner ring of the wand using your favorite waterproof glue. I used hot glue (since I'm prototyping) and it held up pretty well, but hot glue is not usually a great long-term solution. E6000 or silicone adhesive will make a longer lasting permanent bond.
Thread the remainder of the lights through the small hole in the ring and secure the rest to the outside. Add a big dollop of glue to the cut ends of the wire - if those come in contact with water they could short out your project, so pay special attention to getting them well-coated in glue.
Add another big dollop of glue at the point where the light strand goes into the handle, to minimize soap oozing up into there.
Place the cap on the end of the wand. If it's loose, put a dab of hot glue or a rubber band around the handle so it fits tightly.
You'll be able to charge the battery by removing the cap and plugging in a USB cable to the USB-A port on the back of the handle - unplugging the Mini Sparkle Motion isn't necessary for charging.
Turn the wand on and off with the switch on the battery. Double-click to turn off. This battery also has handy indicator lights to show the level of charge - and with only 27 lights, this wand will glow for hours (if not days or weeks!) before it needs recharging.
Page last edited July 15, 2026
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