DIY Dog Light Using Piezoelectricity

Want a clean energy dog light that doesn't need batteries? Piezoelectric discs are a cheap alternative! Try this easy project to make a unique dog light using piezoelectricity!

You will need:

From SparkFun website:

Piezo element - sen- 10293

4 x Diode 1N4148

1 x LED light bar - white (SMD)

1 roll Hook-up-wire - black (22AWG)

1 Breadboard - translucent self-adhesive

Small tupperware to fit breadboard

Exacto knife to strip wires

Wire cutter

Electrical tape

Dog booties made to fit your dog. See Instructables: 10 minute Dog boots

Piece of fleece or other stretchy material

Scissors

1. Cut 4 pieces of hook-up wire. Measure from the angle of the dogs first joint to the centre of the dogs back. Cut and strip approximately 1/4" at both end of the 4 wires.

2. Strip ends of the wires of two piezoelectric discs

3. Wind each end of a stripped piezo disc wire to a black wire, and cover with black electrical tape.

Bend each diode into a C shape

Place the 4 diodes in the breadboard in these locations:

1. A1 to A5

2. A6 to A11

3. B1 to B6

4. C5 to C11

Remember the black end of the diode must face the bottom of the breadboard. Make sure that none of the diodes are touching or it will not work.

Use a poultry skewer, or other sharp object to make 6 small holes in the tupperware, approximately the size of the hook-up wire. Try heating them so they will melt through the tupperware. Try to make them under the overhang from the lid.

Remove the adhesive so the breadboard is attached to the bottom of the tupperware.

Thread the 4 wires through the small holes.

For the first piezo disc insert black into D5, red into D6.

For the second piezo disc insert black into E5, red into E6.

Cut 2 short lengths of hook-up wire, strip all the ends, and attach two to the ends of the LED wires. They only need to be long enough to loop around and in through the tupperware base to attach to the breadboard.

Thread the two free ends in the two centre holes and insert the negative end into E1, and the positive end into E11.

Attach LED to lid and close tupperware. Bend wires if needed to close lid.

Take some stretchy material such as fleece. Cut a rectangle measuring the length of your dogs back as the width. The width should be longer than the tupperware. The length should be long enough to wrap around the belly with enough length to cut ties.

Cut three ties on each end.

Cut narrow slits to be hooked into the tupperware bases hinges.

Close lid.

Attach coat to dog with ties, making sure one tie is in front of the front legs.

Place the piezo discs into the dog booties, and velcro the booties closed.

Watch your LED light up with each step of your dog! See the attached video.

If you like how this works you can substitute a solderable breadboard to make this more permanent.

Enjoy!