Dollar store light mod. Simple guide now posted.

So there I was looking for some cheap light to mod. Most lights that I see run on an even number of batteries, and the ones that do use 3 batteries were too expensive for my purpose.

Then I walked into a Dollarama.

Basically same design (perhaps less quality control) as an item I saw at CanadianTire, but cost only $1. It was perfect.

Original:

-Incandescent
-360 degrees lighting
-no reflectors
-3 x AA Batteries

After:

-10 mm 80,000 to 100,000mcd White LED
-360 degrees lighting, 180 degrees with homemade reflector, flashlight with top part removed.
-3 x AA Batteries
-Long runtime.

The current is limited by a resistor. The reflector is made using roughly polished pop cans. Initially, only the top and bottom reflector was considered, but then I found that I can't quite see well. The light source was closing my pupils. So aside from bouncing a bit of light forward, the side reflector's main purpose is to perserve some of my night vision.

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Three different ways to use it.

Ultimately, the brightness depends on the resistor value used.

Re: Dollar store light mod.

That's great, I like it.

Re: Dollar store light mod.

I really like the use of the insides of the soda can. GREAT IDEA :goodjob:

Jeff

Re: Dollar store light mod.

Neat mod Ripples, I like how you recycled the popcan!

I'll go look for that lamp this week, last month Dollarama also had some blue plastic 5mm LED keychains that could be modded.

Re: Dollar store light mod.

soooo kool

list of parts so us wannabe modders can follow?:laughing:

Re: Dollar store light mod.

Nice job. You may be able to DD that 10mm. 3xAA= ~4.5v

Re: Dollar store light mod.

mosport said:

Neat mod Ripples, I like how you recycled the popcan!

I'll go look for that lamp this week, last month Dollarama also had some blue plastic 5mm LED keychains that could be modded.

Click to expand...

The reflectors took the most time, had to cut and file them many times to get them to fit.

Yeah, I bought a few of those keychain lights too.

Re: Dollar store light mod.

DUQ said:

Nice job. You may be able to DD that 10mm. 3xAA= ~4.5v

Click to expand...

From what I ,now, understand is that an LED circuit without a resistor is basically a one way short circuit. That means that without a resistor, the current will be used up as fast as the battery can push out. So even a 1 ohm resistor will give a longer runtime than not having any resistor.

Re: Dollar store light mod.

I saw a survival web page that described how to use a soda can bottom as a solar fire starter. Apparently you can polish the metal by rubbing toothpaste on it.

Re: Dollar store light mod.

Zigzago said:

I saw a survival web page that described how to use a soda can bottom as a solar fire starter. Apparently you can polish the metal by rubbing toothpaste on it.

Click to expand...

Yup, it's true. I tried it, and got smoke from a piece of black paper. And the sun was not at its most intense time of the day. And I was indoors.

Just polish the outside bottom part of the can, to make it into a crude concave mirror. But don't expect it to be a 10 minute job.

Re: Dollar store light mod. - The simple guide

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Aug. 3, 2006

Just wanted add this little comment:

In terms of area lighting, it may be better to use a 5 mm LED, or better yet three 5 mm LEDs. Here's why:



As you can see from the drawing, the initial beam hitting the top reflector is much wider with the 5 mm. According to the specs, the 10 mm has a beam angle of 10 degrees, and for the 5 mm it is 20 degrees.

In other words, since the distance between the 10 mm LED and the Top reflector is so short, the initial beam only hits a very small area in the middle of the Top reflector. So, the initial beam of the 10 mm is almost boucing right back at the LED itself instead of spreading out.

That's why 5 mm LEDs may be better if you want brighter area lighting.

Another solution is to "square off" the 10 mm LED. This will essentially make the LED's beam angle 180 degrees. But this will also render the lamp useless as a flashlight.

I high recommend using a three 5 mm LEDs bulb.

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Ok, I'll try to keep this guide simple and short. Most of the instructions and comments are in the pictures. You need to have some basic soldering skills for this mod.


Materials needed:

-LED(s) of your choice
-one resistor, any value between 1 - 35 ohms (low values will create a lot of heat, 10 ohms or higher is recommended)
-two pop cans

Equipment needed:

-Soldering Iron, 30 watts or lower recommended
-Solder, thin low melting type recommended
-"Extra hand" helper thing
-Iron wool, or something to polish the pop cans
-Scissors (that can cut metal) for cutting the pop cans
-A Sharp pointy tool


In this guide, I don't show how to replace the incandescent glass bulb with an LED. You must know how to do this too, for this mod.

Here's some brief instructions for replacing the bulb.

1. Clamp the metal bulb container using one of those "extra hand" helper things.

2. Now as you heat the two bulb contacts (only for brief periods of time) to melt the solder, pull the glass bulb out. Eventually, the glass part will be seperated from the metal container.

3. Now take your favourite LED and bend its leads accordingly , then solder the leads to the metal bulb container. (Commonly, positive to bottom, and negative to the side)

There you go.

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That's how the lamp kind of was before the mod.

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If you put the resistor inside the metal bulb container with the LED, then this step is not necessary.

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The reflectors. Most time consuming and dangerous part (as you cut the cans, they can cut you. Revenge of the cans!). Cut to the right size and shape, then polish. For the bottom reflector, make a hole in the middle using a sharp pointy tool, then cut (I used wirecutters, not the scissors) and file to the right size. The bottom reflector's middle hole should be a bit bigger than it needs to be, so it's meant to be a bit loose to fall into place.

I don't have exact plans or measurements, so you must figure this yourself.

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It's just too fun carrying this around the house at night. I initially made this for a storage shack in the backyard.

Probably be great for camping. Kids would have a lot of fun with it, but make sure they can't access the reflectors as they are sharp. Aluminium/Reflective tape can also be used for the reflectors instead of cans (but not as nice).

As for survival, if the top reflector's top side, the concave side, was polished to a good finish, that can be your fire starter. You can also store some matches or maybe even a mini Bic lighter in the top compartment under the cap. Hey, it's also a flashlight, remember? Use it for limited range signaling.

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Thanks for posting this Ripples! So often we get all caught up in the state of the art works that are presented to us around these halls. Sometimes we forget we can make some very handy lights with extreme utility when using the ole' "keeping it simple" mode!

Yes, I have a "few" flashlights & lanterns of various quality (that I indeed use!) - HOWEVER, something as simple as an old candle or oil lamp during a power outage works for me as well!!

Thanks for adding the instructions ROL,

Picked up a lamp from Dollarama tonight, also saw some purple ones but am not sure if other colours are available. Planning on recycling two V8 156mL mini-cans for the reflector, the bottom is almost the same diameter as the light's plastic cylinder for less trimming.

If I can't find any 10mm LEDs locally, thinking of using up some spare 5mm LCK's or Nichias for this mod.