Executive editor Mike Haney demonstrates how to make a handy little light from a battery, a bulb, and a resistor
Posted 01.23.2008 at 4:50 am
9 Comments
Ah, the alluring glow of the LED light. Whether you're looking to create a bit of romantic (albeit extremely geeky) ambiance, or you just want to have some extra emergency lighting around the house, a set of mini LED candles is a great thing to have. They also happen to be quick, easy, and cheap to make yourself. In this video, executive editor Mike Haney demonstrates how to do it.
Want to read more articles like this, plus tips and tricks, home hacks, DIY projects, and more? Subscribe to Popular Science today, for less than $1 per issue!
9 Comments
To comment, please Login.
Popular Tags
Regular Features
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 2013: American Energy Independence
Five amazing, clean technologies that will set us free, in this month's energy-focused issue. Also: how to build a better bomb detector, the robotic toys that are raising your children, a human catapult, the world's smallest arcade, and much more.
Popular on Popsci
Most Commented
Most Emailed
Online Content Director: Suzanne LaBarre | Email
Senior Editor: Paul Adams | Email
Associate Editor: Dan Nosowitz | Email
Assistant Editor: Colin Lecher | Email
Assistant Editor: Rose Pastore | Email
Contributing Writers:
Rebecca Boyle | Email
Kelsey D. Atherton | Email
Francie Diep | Email
Shaunacy Ferro | Email
Today on PopSci.com
Copyright © 2012 Popular Science
A Bonnier Corporation Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Lookin good Mike. For more 5-minute videos keep an eye on DIY channel.
It would be better to use Electrical tape, some duct tape contain metal strips and/or their adhesives conducts electricity and would either cause a short or increase resistance between the pole thus reducing battery life.
Also be careful of hotglue, some hotglue can conduct electricity as well.
Wouldn't the resistor also reduce the life of the battery; creating resistance(small short/heat), it be better to use a series of leds that wouldn't require a resistor that way all the energy would go into making light from the leds instead of spending some energy in the resistor?
I remember seeing the article by Wallich in the Aug '06 PopSci. I never did the project, but now I am tempted. You should have added the Web site where all of the parts can be found. Three things that would really make this project killer:
- adding a part (photoresistor?) to make the candles turn off in light
- adding a part to make the lights flicker
- adding a photocell to recharge the battery during the day
Keep up the great projects!
Compassman
wow gold
wow gold
wow gold
age of conan gold
age of conan gold
aoc gold
i think thats really cool. Do you have to use leds?
Ambience - geeky. I should think not. Hehe! This comment aside, the project and the video was brilliant. Very clever idea Popsci.
www.amazingchandeliers.co.uk
Oh I can see(no pun intended) lighting and techno geeks enjoying this as a romantic gesture, but I am certain most people would find this unacceptable. The candle is the only option for a romantic interlude.
www.amazingchandeliers.co.uk
OK I can see that some would enjoy this project, but for the modern lighting in the home. No thanks! Perhaps these could be used when camping or something similar in an emergency. They dont excite me though.
regards,
John
www.ldj-lights.co.uk/