How to replace the white LED from your keychain flashlight with a RGB LED.

Hi,
In this simple instructable I am going to teach you how to replace the white LED from your keychain flashlight with a RGB LED. A RGB LED is a red, green, blue LED combined into one LED. You can replace it with any color but I think RGB is the best of because it is always changing.

Step 1 Materials and Tools

Materials
10mm RGB self cycling LED-About 50 cents
The LED I have is a 10mm RGB self cycling LED. I bought these from Ebay (Top Bright)but you should be able to find else where. You have to make sure they are self cycling LEDs. This means the LEDs with cycle through all of the colors by them selves with out having to have an additional controller.
Keychain Light
The Key chain I am replacing is from Deal Extreme.com. Here is a link to the keychains. They are pretty cheap. Only $4.68 for 10.

If you want to buy the keychains and give me a referral credit that would be nice. Just click this link. Please don't consider this spam and don't feel obligated too click on it. Just trying to get some credit for my instructable. Thanks
Tools
Wire cutters or something capable of clipping the LEDs legs. I used my MAKE: Warranty Voider - Leatherman "Squirt" E4 (electronics version) Pocket multitool. (BTW this is the best Mulitool I have ever owned!!!)

Small Screw Driver-Any will work as long as it fits the screw.

Comments

[mr.sean]

im looking on ebay and im stuck on something.
what is the difference between cgi.ebay.com/20Pcs-5mm-RED-GREEN-BLUE-Slow-Flash-Rainbow-RGB-LED_W0QQitemZ250474721787QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0

and http://cgi.ebay.com/10PCS-5mm-RGB-Ultra-Bright-ledCommon-Cathode_W0QQitemZ260570845284QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3cab3b9064

do the second ones cycle through the colors too?

and im looking at 5mm bulbs because you said the 5mm ones work better, correct?

[redon12]

can dealextreme.com be trusted? 'cause the stuff is cheap on there.............

[cornflaker]

Yes it certainly can, its a bloody awesome site dealextreme. The only problem is they can take a while to ship sometimes so don't be worried if your order takes a while to get to you.

[Phoghat]

I've bought a lot of stuff from them and only had one problem. I bought the more expensive led keychain and had to wait a couple a couple of weeks because they were back ordered.

[joejoerowley]

Sure. I have bought hundreds of dollars worth of stuff from them. It takes a while to ship but it is a good deal.

[YummyPancakes]

Good, 'cause my Radioshack days are OVER!!!

[cornflaker]

Good riddens ;)

[Phoghat]

remember, the stuff comes from Hong Kong, and shipping takes a while. if you only need 1 of something RS still might be best

[cornflaker]

Drop shipping seems to make it a bit quicker - if you don't know what i mean click on top sellers at the top of the website and "Drop Shipment and Gift Service (Removes DX logo from package)" should be the first one its one cent just add it to all of your orders and they should get through customs much quicker once they are actually sent (usually cuts a week or two off the shipping time for me :D)

[mrmath]

So, the Done that you refer to in Step four is mine when I've completed the instructable? That's pretty cool.

[joejoerowley]

Yes. It like a conclusion. Wraping things up.

[mrmath]

That was my "nice" way of correcting your grammar. Your --> Belonging to you. As in this is your instructable. You're --> Short for you are, as in You're done.

[Phoghat]

Xrist, another pedantic psudolinguist.

[Mario1]

Well.. the "check spelling" button is he's best friend :D

[joejoerowley]

Thanks. I just changed it. :)

[joejoerowley]

Thank you. Sorry a Little Slow. Thank you Mr. Math.

[soad22]

where can i get a self cycling led?

[Supercoke]

oooo i saw those at radio shack

[soad22]

i went there before and they only had the normal rgb leds

[Supercoke]

oh.

[hornbadoing]

no no they cant i lost $78 buck on that frigen sight so dont lose your monney keep it

[Havok S14]

Very nice. I have about 8 of those Photons in different colors and have always wanted an RGB one but those are expensive. Can't believe I never thought of this thanks!

[joejoerowley]

Well I don't have photon brand ones. These ones are actually from deal extreme for about $5 dollars for 10. I actually have 5mm RGB LEDs now so it fits and works better which is nice. Thanks!

[Notbob]

I hope you don't try to stalk me with one.....

[joejoerowley]

No. I will stalk you with my 128 LED flashlight and green laser. Maybe I will bring a strobe light to make the effect even better. :)

[Notbob]

I do like strobe lights.... How did you make this 128 LED flashlight flashlight?

[joejoerowley]

I don't. I bought on deal extreme for $25. Here is a link!

[GorillazMiko]

Great job! This is super cool, I might buy a whole bunch of those RGB LED's and put them in stuff, those are super cool. Nice job!

[joejoerowley]

Yeah. I bought about 200 of them. I would recomend buying about 100 CR2032 Batteries too. The are a blast to play with.

[gamer]

very nice! can i ask something random, how do you make gif moveing pictures? nice instructable by the way -gamer

[joejoerowley]

Well I take the video with my digital camera in movie mode and then convert it with super. Here is an instructable I wrote on how to convert Youtube videos to any formate. You can do the same conversion except with your movie and turn it into a gif. (Thats an option). Thanks

[darth2o]

This would go great with the Write or Draw with Light! instructable

[joejoerowley]

Yeah. That is what I did in the last picture.

[paulplaysguitar]

WOW! This is brilliant. I didn't think it was possible. You are truly my hero. ~Paul

[joejoerowley]

Thanks. :)