DIY Brass Horse Lamp ReFit 3.7 Volt Battery Powered LED
by Grasshopper1221 in Circuits > LEDs
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DIY Brass Horse Lamp ReFit 3.7 Volt Battery Powered LED
Yes you guessed right another LED lamp. This excellent Brass Lamp makes a nice edition to my collection. And this can be done with any lamp should you choose to build a custom LED bulb for your lamp GO GREEN! Save some of your hard earned cash to buy supply's for Instructables!
This build should only take few hours to complete. I hope you find it enjoyable to make as I did with this build.
These 3.7 volt Lithium batteries really light these LED's up!
This build should only take few hours to complete. I hope you find it enjoyable to make as I did with this build.
These 3.7 volt Lithium batteries really light these LED's up!
Tools and Parts
TOOLS NEEDED:
Butane torch
Needle nose pliers
Soldering Iron & Flux and solder
Wire strippers
Small Flathead screwdriver
Razor knife
Hemostats
Parts:
9 LED Flashlight from dollar store or any Home Depot carries them for 2.99 or cheaper.
Some lengths of copper wire. (Needs to small enough for 2 of them to fit down the hole in the Socket)
1 3.7 volt Lithium cell phone battery.
1 Single pole toggle switch $3.39 At Radio Shack.
1 USB female connector.
1 USB male connector.
Butane torch
Needle nose pliers
Soldering Iron & Flux and solder
Wire strippers
Small Flathead screwdriver
Razor knife
Hemostats
Parts:
9 LED Flashlight from dollar store or any Home Depot carries them for 2.99 or cheaper.
Some lengths of copper wire. (Needs to small enough for 2 of them to fit down the hole in the Socket)
1 3.7 volt Lithium cell phone battery.
1 Single pole toggle switch $3.39 At Radio Shack.
1 USB female connector.
1 USB male connector.
Removing the Cord
First depending on you either cut the cord here or refer to pic 3.
1. Now use the flat head screwdiver to gently pry off the brass housing be careful not to mar it up Its antique!
2. The housing is off.
3. Pull off the carboard insulator to expose the wire screws.
4. Use the flat head screwdriver to losen the screws and remove the the light bulb socket from the lamp and pull the wire out of the bottom of the lamp as well.
Save you cord for another project down the road or start recycling that old wire.
1. Now use the flat head screwdiver to gently pry off the brass housing be careful not to mar it up Its antique!
2. The housing is off.
3. Pull off the carboard insulator to expose the wire screws.
4. Use the flat head screwdriver to losen the screws and remove the the light bulb socket from the lamp and pull the wire out of the bottom of the lamp as well.
Save you cord for another project down the road or start recycling that old wire.
Preparing the Socket
This small brass tab is laying down inside the Socket I lifted it to show the hole underneath it.
1. You want to use the needle nose pliers to carefully break this off by bending it up & down.
2. Line up the Socket & Insulator and cover and slide into place.
1. You want to use the needle nose pliers to carefully break this off by bending it up & down.
2. Line up the Socket & Insulator and cover and slide into place.
The Bulb
I will be using the same technique to make this Bulb as I did with the https://www.instructables.com/id/USB-LED-Lantern/
First things first SAFTY! Light bulbs are under pressure and can explode in your face or cut you badly Please wear eye protection and gloves before trying this.
You need to heat up the screw cap IT WILL STINK and smoke, My basement smelled liked burnt wire for hrs... I used an old sock to provide some padding be very careful with your torch as sock's catch fire easy keep a fire extinguisher handy and if possible do this part outdoors.
1. with some pliers in hand heat up the screw cap evenly and slow too much heat at once will crack your bulb as seen by photo's. Once it is hot gently grab with some pliers and twist off slowly try not destroy the cap as it make's a great cover for the light board.
Brass screw caps will be more rigid and take more abuse then the normal aluminum caps on 99% of house hold light bulbs. These light bulbs are tempered glass take your time heating up the glass so not to crack it but you can shape this glass as it will melt with a small butane torch. Once the screw cap is off break out the center filament carefully then even more carefully heat up the edges and shape it to fit the light board. this whole process took me about 5 to 10 mins of time.
I realize I cheated here with the photo's however its the same idea just a different style bulb so plz forgive me for being lazy on the photo and the Text for this step.
First things first SAFTY! Light bulbs are under pressure and can explode in your face or cut you badly Please wear eye protection and gloves before trying this.
You need to heat up the screw cap IT WILL STINK and smoke, My basement smelled liked burnt wire for hrs... I used an old sock to provide some padding be very careful with your torch as sock's catch fire easy keep a fire extinguisher handy and if possible do this part outdoors.
1. with some pliers in hand heat up the screw cap evenly and slow too much heat at once will crack your bulb as seen by photo's. Once it is hot gently grab with some pliers and twist off slowly try not destroy the cap as it make's a great cover for the light board.
Brass screw caps will be more rigid and take more abuse then the normal aluminum caps on 99% of house hold light bulbs. These light bulbs are tempered glass take your time heating up the glass so not to crack it but you can shape this glass as it will melt with a small butane torch. Once the screw cap is off break out the center filament carefully then even more carefully heat up the edges and shape it to fit the light board. this whole process took me about 5 to 10 mins of time.
I realize I cheated here with the photo's however its the same idea just a different style bulb so plz forgive me for being lazy on the photo and the Text for this step.
Assembly of the Bulb
To finish preparing the Bulb you will need to drill a small hole big enough for 2 wires to fit through on the screw cap. Drill slowly as the inside of the cap is glass, if you take your time you will not need a glass drill bit.
1. Solder your hot wire and ground wire to the LED Light board.
2. Feed the wires through the screw cap, I used no adhesive in the screw cap in case the bulb gets broken I can easily get the light board out to reuse again.
3. For this Bulb I used clear Silicone to glue the light board to the bulb. The silicone took a while longer to dry then the RTV blue I used on the lantern bulb. Once the silicone is dry your bulb is done.
4. Feed the wires through the Bulb Socket and gently screw until just snug DON'T OVER TIGHTEN THE BULB.
1. Solder your hot wire and ground wire to the LED Light board.
2. Feed the wires through the screw cap, I used no adhesive in the screw cap in case the bulb gets broken I can easily get the light board out to reuse again.
3. For this Bulb I used clear Silicone to glue the light board to the bulb. The silicone took a while longer to dry then the RTV blue I used on the lantern bulb. Once the silicone is dry your bulb is done.
4. Feed the wires through the Bulb Socket and gently screw until just snug DON'T OVER TIGHTEN THE BULB.
Installing the Switch the Battery & Wiring the Lamp
1. Feed the light bulb wires down the tube.
2. The hole was already there for the switch from the old cord, So install the switch and start the wiring.
3. For this Instructable I used USB connectors for the battery and the switch as it makes for easy recharging of the battery.
4. There are 4 wires in a USB cable we only want to use the RED and BLACK wires so cut off the GREEN and WHITE wires.
5. Solder the RED wire from the USB connector (dealers choice on male or female) to one side of the switch.
6. Solder the Hot wire from the LED light board to the other side of the switch.
7. Solder the Ground wire and Insulate all connections.
8. Solder the remaining USB connector to the battery RED for hot BLACK for Ground.
9. Plug in your power source and turn on your New Antique LED battery powered Lamp!
2. The hole was already there for the switch from the old cord, So install the switch and start the wiring.
3. For this Instructable I used USB connectors for the battery and the switch as it makes for easy recharging of the battery.
4. There are 4 wires in a USB cable we only want to use the RED and BLACK wires so cut off the GREEN and WHITE wires.
5. Solder the RED wire from the USB connector (dealers choice on male or female) to one side of the switch.
6. Solder the Hot wire from the LED light board to the other side of the switch.
7. Solder the Ground wire and Insulate all connections.
8. Solder the remaining USB connector to the battery RED for hot BLACK for Ground.
9. Plug in your power source and turn on your New Antique LED battery powered Lamp!