Electronics 2000

Hi all,

I am a complete newbie to this kind but was hoping someone may be able to assist with a project I am wanting to do.

I make models and sometimes I want to light up the cases or box frames so up to now have crudely been using the fairy light sets with the 2AA battery packs and attaching the lights in the case with the pack attached to the back.

I would love to be able to make them a bit nicer looking and maybe have a small switch as the side of a case or box frame and wondered what my options were. I couldn't find anything else as I didn't know what they would be called.

I have also seen some led strips that are cutable and wondered if I could use these inside the cases with a switch and power source? I hope this makes sense and any help would be greatly appreciated.

I guess I am asking for some basic information on if this is possible, what parts I would need and where to get them

Thank you for any advice in advance

Jim

OK , I'm sure we can do that, flashing if required.
I suggest you look up ohms law, and from there start to light LEDs.
Its very easy.

The strip you are talking about...well I/we need to know more about it, it will be designed to run from a power supply, the voltage of the power supply must be correct.

What voltage is the strip designed to run from?

Any way its late, I have had enough electronics today...back in a bit.

Thank you Paul.
I am off out today but will reply this evening.
I think I have found a few of the bits I will need so will try and post a couple of links and see if you think it would work
9v battery pack with no switch, 9v led strips, small suitable switch. Just working out if this would all work?
Thanks speak later

From what you just said it will work as long as you wire it up right.
You could may be use a switch similar to a car or fridge door so it lights when you open the box.

Hi Paul,
As the models I make are for display pieces they are either in cases or wall hanging box frames. I would just like a switch that I could put on the side so it can easily be switched on in the evening rather than having to take it off the wall and hunting around for the little switch on the battery pack.
The links below are what I have seen so far and hoping might work providing the wiring is right like you say!

led strip that can just be cut to size -
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281064441130? ... EBIDX%3AIT

switch that i think could be most easily fitted in to the side of the frames/cases -
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371207035454? ... EBIDX%3AIT

9v battery case -
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/9V-PP3-Enclos ... 20f906d5d3

I would like an enclosed case but this is the only one I could find online without the switch. There must be others but the only one i can find without the switch say they are 6v?

Now the LED lights say they are 9v, the battery case also says 9v so as a complete novice does it look like this would potentially work or am I missing something?

I presume the wires would go from the led to the battery pack and the wires from the switch also to the battery pack this is the bit I am a little confused about but I do have a soldering iron and am confident about doing this (i think)

Any help would be great Paul

Hi, this will just about work, the LEDs are 9 to 12v you have chosen a 9 v battery, the voltage will drop as the battery gets low and they will dim, they will still work but its not going to be as bright as 12v. Your discission.
The big round/cylinder batteries are 1.5v ... 8 batteries in series would be 12v ...7 batts would be 10.5 v.

Another option might be a 9 to 12v power supply, there are lots on eBay and cheaper in the long run than batteries. Another option is USB compatible LEDs these would be 5v. Your choice, I am just pointing out the facts and some options.

The switch is fine, the wiring is wrong.

Black wire from battery to LEDs red from battery to one side of the switch, and another red fom the other side of the switch to the LEDs.

Another option, I would say your best option ( but then I am not you and its not my project) is a phone charger.
If you snip the bit that plugs into the phone off, there are two wires ...usually one red ( positive) and one blue ( negative) this is a 5v power supply and it is quite safe to touch.

You can either find pre wired 5v LEDs or make your own.

You that need the correct resistor to make them suitable for 5v.

Any way best of luck with it, any questions just post them here, I am sure someone will give you a second opinion if you want one...just ask.

You need the correct resistor to make them suitable for 5v... Badly corrective text pain in the back side.

Wow, a lot of great info thank you for taking the time to reply Paul.

I really need to keep them to battery if possible as some of the frames are used in pop up galleries and the display cases in things such as travelling shows so electric not always possible. Changing batteries is fine as I will make the pack easily accessible.

I was a bit confused with the whole voltage thing. I just noticed that most of the LEDs I saw were 9/12 volt so thought this was standard. If I can find 5v LEDs could I also get 5v battery packs using AA's?

Also just another question - some of the local shops have fairy lights that are only a few pounds. They are LEDs and take 2AA's but have the switch on the battery pack. Is there a simple way of adding a longer wired switch to one of these and disconnect/bypass the little on /off switch on the case?

There are usually, 2 wires which go to the switch on the fairy lights, snip the wires and extend them, put the new ( or old ) switch on the 2 wires.
If you want to use batteries, all I am saying is that if the LEDs are 9to 12 v and you are using a 9 v batt, they won't be as bright as if you use 10.5 or 12v. I think most batteries are 1.5 v, AAA are only 1.2v, ...if you put them together in a line( in series, you can choose from 9v =6 batts, 10.5v = 7 batts, 12v = 8 batts etc, using a series of 1.5v batts you can choose how bright you want it to be.

Power supplies these days are often 5v ...phones, USBs etc, there is lots of stuff designed to run on 5v.
However that would give a choice of 4.5 v or 6 v if you use batts... A bit bright or a bit dim.

From what you are saying, the 9v batt will be a bit dim and get dimmer as the bat runs down, if that is what you want OK, if you want bright or a choice use a series of 1.5 v batts.

Hope that's not so much it is confusing.