Need Help /w headlights for baby carriage

My girlfriend's sister heard that I'm into flashlights and wanted me to put a flashlight on her baby carriage so she could jog in the evenings. (By the way, I didn't approve of this) She only wanted me to spend less than $20.00, use AA batteries and use an external switch or clickie to turn on the light. I thought it would be cool to have 2 flashlights and purchased 2 Energizer 2aa flashlights on clearance from Target. Here is my question.

Would it be okay to use one external switch/clickie to turn on both flashlights?

Ideally, your switch would only make the connection for the ground path. This could be done easily with a switch, and a piece of double sided copper clad board. One lead would be soldered to each side of the copper clad board, and then wired to the switch. Just as in your drawing, both lights could be wired to the same switch terminals without any problems. Keep the leads to the switch short, to minimize the resistance.

Thanks for the reply guys. My drawing is wrong. datiLED is right, the switch would only connect the ground path.

Doh!Nut said:

It would work, but the two battery strings would be in parallel so all the batteries must be replaced at the same time otherwise one set would try to "recharge" the other set - not good.

Nick

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One word: diodes.

Doh!Nut said:

It would work, but the two battery strings would be in parallel so all the batteries must be replaced at the same time otherwise one set would try to "recharge" the other set - not good.

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deusexaethera said:

One word: diodes.

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Or use a double-pole switch so that each flashlight sees only its side of the switch. That way you avoid the cross-feed Nick warned about and avoid the voltage drop diodes would introduce.

Hope that helps,
Steve

Hmmm...

I want to make this a simple as possible. I like the double pole switch idea. Any idea where i can get one fast.

bobli17 said:

Hmmm...

I want to make this a simple as possible. I like the double pole switch idea. Any idea where i can get one fast.

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Mouser is a good source for quality parts, but Radio Shack is a local option.