LED Throwies

Step 1: Materials List

LED throwies consist of only a few inexpensive parts and can be made for ~$1.00 per Throwie. You can reference the parts list below or download the attached spreadsheet for more info on parts, part's numbers, vendors and application notes.

Part: 10mm Diffused LED
Vendor: HB Electronic Components
Average cost: $0.20 avg per LED
Notes: Cost reductions for larger quantities. Comes in red, blue, amber, white in both diffused and clear. Diffused works better than water clear for the Throwie application. HB has even created a Throwies packs page with deals on 10mm LEDs and lithium batteries!

Part: CR2032 3V Lithium Batteries
Vendor: CheapBatteries.com
Cost: $0.25 per battery
Notes: Cost reductions for larger quantities. With the 2032 Lithium batter, depending on the weather and the LED color, your Throwie should last around 1 -2 weeks.

Part: 1-inch wide Strapping Tape
Vendor: Your local hardware store
Cost: $2.00 for one roll
Notes: One roll will make many throwies

Part: 1/2" Dia x 1/8" Thick NdFeB Disc Magnet, Ni-Cu-Ni plated
Vendor:Amazing Magnets
Cost: $13.00 per 25 magnets
Notes: Cost reductions for larger quantities

Part: Conductive Epoxy
Vendor: Newark In One
Cost: $32.00
Notes: The epoxy is optional.

Comments

[makerboy112]

You can buy ten rare earth magnets at Harbor Freight for 2 bucks

[jhames]

For someone that would prefer not to shop online what electronic stores carry LEDs? Lives in the US.

[lgraham938]

 I got mine at Radio Shack

[Glockenator]

radio shack would be the best. and it was the best in canada til they closed every canadian store

[sammyd901]

In my experience radio shack overcharges for everything. I only stop in if i need something fast that i cant find online.

[zack247]

yeah they replaced it with "the source", even though, in the store closest to me, they dont know anything about anything, and they have hardly any electronics parts, they have just about a wall thats 6' by 6', and most of the things are protoboards and project boxes, and the only chip they have is the 555, not too much you can do with that.

[killler64]

radio shack is realy expensive tho

[philipwoodall]

 actually they just changed the name to the source, radio shack still owns them.

[sawatzky]

??? RadioShack Canada was own by Tandy Corp. And Licensed the RadioShack name. CircuitCity Bought Tandy, and RadioShack refused to renew the license to it's competitor, CircuitCity so CircuitCity just called the old Canadian RadioShacks "The Source from Circuit City". So are you saying that RadioShack bought CircuitCity???

[BigDrig]

Radio Shack usually has some stuff.

[Tobz1122]

what about England?

[nadina]

 You can get this in Europa at www.ozhobbies.eu/.
The cube throwies are pretty cool.

[anonymouse197]

Maplin

[Minifig666]

 Or Rapid Electronics (Google It)
Maplin is sometimes more expensive but the convenience of its store's makes it better.

[BigDrig]

I dunno, never been there. Lol.

[llamma1010]

umm i think you should update the price on the epoxy it now costs 59.97!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[M4industries]

 The led's are about $0.16, but you have to order $25 worth!

$25/0.16= 156.25 (Rounded to 157) LEDs!

I don't need 157 LED throwies.

[mechanismango]

so when it says its a 1.8v - 2.4v LED will it still work with a 3v battery or what? Will it just burnout faster?

and of http://www.kjmagnetics.com/products.asp?cat=17 or http://www.gaussboys.com/magnets/discs/ which magnet is best? a 10mm by 2mm?

[scld]

That voltage rating is for the LED itself. Basically, when it is turned on, there will be 1.8-2.4V across it. So, you need at least 2.4V for the LED to turn on (preferably a little more).

However, you usually don't want to have just an LED and a battery. You want to have a resistor in front of it, too (It's OK in this case because you're using a 3V battery with a 3V diode, so it's pretty close).

In your case, I would put a 30 Ohm resistor in series with the diode. The diode will drop 2.4V and the resistor will drop the other 0.6V. The resistor will cause about 20mA of current to flow through the diode, which should be enough to turn it on!

[imarzouka]

scld is right.. you will need to add a resistor in this case so that the LED won't burnout.

Just enter your led specs and battery voltage here: http://ledcalculator.net and it will tell you which resistor to use.

[meghann]

So are the magnets necessary if I'm just wanting to add LEDs to a costume (I'm new to this...so the lights will glow, without the magnet?)

[jensenks]

Oh, yeah!  The magnet is solely for sticking.  We hooked up 6 LEDS to one battery today and they worked great.  We're going to extend them with wires so they won't be bunched up for a model we're putting together.  One thought on your end - would it help to use white duct tape (better than your standard siver stuff) to fasten your lights to the costume.  Good luck with your project!

[bassclarinet23]

Magnets are not necessary if you don't want it to stick to something. You only need an LED and a power source, though a switch would be useful if you want to be able to use the costume again (long term), plus it saves battery.

[firezone]

and you dont have to do the same as here, you could wire up a long line or web of led's and power it with a slightly bigger battery, that would take a lot less money and time 

[godofal]

yes, leds only need power to light up ;)

[bassclarinet23]

What are these "rare earth magnet" things? I've seen them onmany projects, nut how do they differ from magnets, let's say, from aMagnetix toy. (I don't mean to sound rude, I'm just curious.)

[paperclip32]

 they are made from neyodinium(?) and are extremely strong.

[bassclarinet23]

Okay, thanks.

[Yerboogieman]

Strength, metals they are made with, tons of things. Crack open an oldhard drive.

[bassclarinet23]

Okay, thanks for the information.

[REA]

the magnets are alot cheaper herehere

[xfnord]

Thats more expensive the the price for a complete led throwie. check this out[]

[REA]

>Jun 20, 2008.

it was cheeper a year ago when i posted...

[xfnord]

hmm - right you're message is one year old :) did not realized that

[chemfiend4568]

check out their surplus magnets. 2 zd1 or 1 zd2 magnet would do the job, and they're pretty dang cheap in bulk

[Geo242]

The link you posted now shows magnets between $.50 and $.60 each for orders less than 100, but it may have been cheaper when you posted it.

[REA]

oh wow! it was about $0.19 per magnet when i had posted that.

[Redgerr]

prices change ;) wish you ordered 100000 of them now? :P

[REA]

yes... ='(

[laurajean00]

also wondering if anyone could guess at how many throwies i would need to put in a lantern for an outdoor wedding reception?

[TheNerd9101]

how big is the lantern? a clever idea would be to buy a lantern that has the same effect as a frosted window, transfer a small light source over that large area, for a good lamp, i would say 15-30, depening on how you make the throwies

[leah8881]

hi laurajean, there is a LOT of information on throwies (sans magnets) in paper lanterns at weddingbee.com. http://tinyurl.com/wedding-throwies the general consensus is that 3 leds work well in a 14" lantern. but, having tried that at my wedding, i can tell you it was a little dimmer than i would have hoped. four might give a better results... hope that helps!

[thepelton]

This might be a good place for my idea of using velcro instead of magnets to hold the throwie in place.

[laurajean00]

can i use 5mm LEDs instead of 10mm? whats the difference?

[philip_hollywood]

yaaaa you can use any size of led(duh) i did 7mm leds

[xfnord]

this works also. it is called mini led-throwies

[Gasburner]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/100-DISC-ROUND-MAGNETS-10x3-mm-NEODYMIUM-NdFeB-craft_W0QQitemZ140323267176QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Collectables_WeirdStuff_RL?hash=item20abeb2268&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50Cheap magnets here!! 100 for £7

[jav]

magnetic LEDs are available at thinkgeek.com. package of 20 = $9.99 Fab for holiday lights on the car! Plus cheaper than making them!

[BenZlee]

Do the ones you make last longer then 48hrs?

[xfnord]

Totally expensive and the wrong magnets. For LED-Throwies you should use n40 or n45 magnets

[nadina]

would it not be wise to post a english link to LED-Throwies ? ;)

[Dotcommer]

No, these things from thinkgeek are pathetic. First of all, does the Graffiti Research lab know about this? Second of all, theirs last for a paltry 48 hours, and probably don't stick very well because of shotty magnets and cheaper than dirt batteries. The ones I make last weeks. And each magnet has 16lbs of pulling force, so when you lob one, it sticks, guaranteed (unless you have poor aim). My opinion after having done these for a couple years now: Do it right, buy the supplies online, build them yourself. Its a fun project, and making them is part of the fun. Its kind of disgust to me to see something like this being mass produced and marketed on a "geek website".

[parisbabe]

if that be so....is there a battery that would last longer???? I was thinking of using these to lite my dollhouses

[itsalladream]

I'm sure geeks that used to build (make) their own computers said the same thing when they started being mass produced

[klingonprins]

amen

[itsalladream]

It'll be bad when people green clusters of these on street lights, or are those plastic...I can't remember.

[dcmania21]

I bought a pack of LEDs from radioshack, and the leds are not bright enogh, does anybody know why?

[Simpson_jr]

There are several reasons why this could happen. The batteries could indeed not be good anymore, but... leds are also quite diverse. One red led will give a certain amount of light while other red leds give much more or much less light. Its like buying an oldfashioned light bulb, available in 20-1000watts variants, they also differ a lot in output. Besides a difference in light output different colors Leds need different voltages, just like an european 240V lightbulb will hardly give any light when used in a 110V country while the opposite would show a lot of light (and a quick destruction of the bulb). You should look for the terms "High power led" or seek one with a relative high "mcd" value. The beam of Leds can also differ, a led with an 20 degree angle beam will give a lot of light when you stand right in front of it, but it's much less visible when you're not. A wide angle beam is probably best for this type of application. To all, this project may seem like harmless chaotic fun and I agree it's fun, but keep in mind that the batteries used are pretty toxic, so get rid of them in a safe way once the lights go out. After that you could use the magnet and led... again.

[73lonestar]

most leds in the early 80s early 90s were dim used only as indicators in computers and stereo equiptment the first high intensity white led i remember was in 1997 stream light slim line but leds will take the place of the hid lamps in video projectors wow no lamp replacement ever.

[BlackHatCracker]

Most of the LEDs are 1.5 v. The CR2032 batteries are 1.5v. So they should have been fine.. Unless you got some batteries that were dead or dieing... That is the only other thing that I can say on that behalf.

[Tommyhzy]

Your batteries are dead.
Or if you try them with 2 good-brand AA batteries (1.5V x 2 = 3V) and they are still dim, try diffusing them or returning them and buying some online.

http://cgi.ebay.com/100-5mm-Colorful-Slow-Flash-RGB-LED-FREE-RESISTOR-SCF5_W0QQitemZ290271440816QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBI_Electronic_Components?hash=item290271440816&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

[T-MAC2512]

can you make them without a magnet

[Izokay]

the magnet is so you can stick them to stuff, so yes you can.

[saxophones]

where do you get LED lights

[mdgnys]

At all Electronics Corp in California they have the same led's at Ten for a buck now if your at the website you have to pay shipping!

[TFrosty]

www.goldmine-elec.com or allelectronics.com they are relatively cheap

[saxophones]

thanks, i see all of these instructables that include LEDs, and i don't know where to get them

[codongolev]

if you've got an old magnetix set (the magnetic sticks with ball bearings, a sort of kiddie building toy) you can hit it with a hammer, and the magnets pop right out. they're not necessarily super- strong, but they're stronger than your regular magnets.

[zoned-out]

The Ni-Cu-Ni plated magnets are pretty spendy for just a few. Do the magnets HAVE to be Ni-Cu-Ni plated??? or can they be nickle plated?
I found Rare-Earth Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NdFeB) magnets that are nickle plated and come in large packs for 9.00$ here
http://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/SearchResult-CategoryID-28.html
Are these yay or nay for the use in LED throwies?

[zoned-out]

also, how long do the throwie LEDs last? couple of days or...? and how do they stand up to weather conditions like rain, snow, wind, etc.? thank you for any help.

[-Aj-]

rare earth are indeed a yay for throwies. theyre probably the best you could use and its what im using. you can also get away with using smaller sized ones if they are stronger. arent Ni-Cu-Ni plated rare earth anyway? pretty sure it wont matter if the coating isnt as fancy. your whole setup is an led strapped to a couple of watch batteries relying on their internal resistance so as to not burn it out.... I dont think the coating on your magnet will matter in the scheme of things. basically, cheap and nasty. get the cheapest you can find and just spam the buggers.

[svenning]

If you live in europe http://www.supermagnete.de/eng/index.php is also a good place to buy strong magnets

[knarx]

or for neodymium magnets: magnetportal.de

[chibiturtleboi]

Found a really awesome place to buy magnets: dealextreme.com Some of their magnets go for 6 cents per when you buy in bulk (100 or more). They do ship the magnets internationally I believe so it may take a bit.

[chibiturtleboi]

http://www.buy-leds-online.com/Throwie.html still win with great prices for leds and batteries though

[throwieguy]

at buy-leds-online you will be lucky to get your product at all, and if you do it will take months.

[cartufer]

i've been finding stuff a lot cheaper than this, packs of 100 leds for $2, lithiums for $.20, $5 per 100 neodymium magnets, cost estimated at 36 cents each

[chibiturtleboi]

[no offense but] i deem this comment useless without further information!!

[purty707]

where bro????

[Geo242]

Here is what I found, and I have ordered many times from this site and they are great.

Magnets for $13.50 per 100 - http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.13513

Batteries for $3.47 per 20 - http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.831 OR http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.751 (for $3.66)

LEDs (5mm not 10mm) for $0.07 each - http://www.newark.com/spc-technology/mc20455/led-lamp/dp/87K7081

Total cost = ~ $.38 each

Newark has a huge selection and great prices from my experience, but 10mm LEDs seem quite a bit more expensive and not that much more light. The link above points to ones with 100 degree viewing angle. Keep the viewing angle in mind when purchasing any LEDs.

[yes]

where have you found this stuff for cheaper? thanks

[Sullen70]

I got magnets at 14 cents each (100 minimum order) at https://www.magnet4sale.com/xcart4/product.php?productid=16260&cat=295&page=3

[cartufer]

http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=ZD1 for magnets
http://www.batteriesandbutter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=CR2032G-1 for batteries
http://mpja.com/listitems.asp?dept=116&main=122&type=1 bulk packs for leds
still need to save up $60 for batteries

[Kurayamino]

the magnets you link to are 533 cubic millimeters, the magnets these guys are using are about 5054 cubic millimeters, so there's actually almost ten times the amount of magnet there. use the cheap ones and tell us how well they stick, though ^.

also, I assume they use 10mm diffused LEDs since they are brighter and can be seen from a wider angle.

[atomiclemon]

the LED's at the site you gave are different than the ones it says to use. Have you tried making them with your LED's? Does it work as good?

[REA]

would regular super glue work instead of epoxy?

[birdlan]

This is probably a really dumb question, but with the magnets, isn't there a danger that someone with a pacemaker or something walks by and it malfunctions?

[kadris3]

the magnet would have to be right on the pacemaker. since most are ten feet away or more they pose no danger.

[forgesmith]

But we already have problems w/ young kids swallowing small rare earth magnets, sometimes dying, the magnets want to get together and will go thru intestinal walls etc. Small creatures might swallow them, as birds would for their gizzards. Do you really want to risk that sort of hazard by just throwing these away without recovering the magnets?

Although it would be interesting to use a live mouse as a refrigerator magnet, but then... Nah, don't do it.

[kadris3]

i think most people believe the device will be retrieved and reused. by replacing the battery, one gets a very reduced cost in the throwie. children who put everything in their mouths are in the 7 months to 2.5 year age bracket. it is unlikely they will be around to pick up the throwies after they have been thrown. most parents keep very close tabs on their toddlers. your caution, however, is certainly warrented.

[birdlan]

I see, thanks :)

[seamonkeyboy]

on the plus side , paramedics just have to follow the light to find their heart-attack patient..

[billo13]

srry i gotta say it to LOL

[kadris3]

with the economy tanking and gas over $4 a gallon, everyone needs all the luck they can get. thank u.

[Kevlarster]

Very Funny...I loved it...made me laugh out lound (refuse to write lol) I'll be looking for your comments from now on...maybe you missed your calling...

[csmiler]

LOL

[phoenix124]

LOL

[impulse]

I live in the UK. Does anyone know a good non-internet vender for the 10mm diffused LED's??? Also, does the magnet need to be that exact size, as i have seen many 1/4"x1/8".

[seamonkeyboy]

the rare-earth magnets are way stronger but you can make do with the fridge magnet type ones too.

[fd93]

radio shack

[Herrozerro]

I'm looking at radio shack and it seems like the LED's are $2+ a LED. Is that the price? in the link on the first page about the Throwie kits there is kit for 500 (LED's and Batteries) for $169 (.33 each)

[ladiesman247]

well mr. smarty pants in the uk they dont have radio shack

[medisin]

Do we still have Tandy in the UK? 'Cos that was Radioshack's UK alias. Other than that, Craplin is probably your best bet. Just make sure you look stuff up on their website first so you can go in armed with the product codes (for when they tell you "we don't sell that" even though they're standing right next to it)... o_0

[crater7]

I agree lost of money... look on the bright side!!! we don't have to go to school and torture our selfs and ... well maybe we do, crap!

[lawizeg]

DUDE. They are so frikin' expensive. $1.49 for 1 LED? NO WAY.

[chibiturtleboi]

that's why we have the internet lol

[00011_01000_10001_01001_10011]

maplin electronics

[altmaker]

hehehe i may be working in maplin soon... free LED anyone? :D

[Nicrostar]

i wanna free led!

[Yerboogieman]

Radio Shack

[maker12]

*sigh*

[kadris3]

i can answer the second part. anything that will stick the throwie to metal will work. other sticky stuff is used for other serfaces. wooden clothespins are used for stationary purposes. people select the 2mm x 10mm rare earth ones magnets because of the 7 lb pull. any magnet will work, however with slightly less "grab". first part is out of my league. all the led companies i know are "whimpernet" best of luck to u. lite the world.

[Broly]

im gonna drive on teh high way and throw them at trucks when the pass by

[nkk07]

im going to make these and throw them at christmas.ps:should i start a group like the grl but really really smaller and for the s6 area in sheffield?

[mmalecky]

Damn right you should start a group.

get to it.

[nkk07]

ok i will ill call it upperthorpe graffiti research lab!

[joeyholiday]

Were can i buy LED throwies i live in florida........i already no how to make them............

[noenemies33]

You can buy them from StreetGlow! They have them for 14.99 plus free shipping

StreetGlow LED Art Lights

[hoffmann]

pl look at www.hoffmann-tech.cn

[nkk07]

were can i get da magnet from uk!?

[nldrummerman]

its really cool with a chiped rgb l.e.d.

[kadris3]

i put a slow flashger in the back window of the camper. by using only at night when stopped, a cr2032 lasts a month. only prob is people wake me up to ask where to get one. i used a wooden clothspin to support batt and led. have fun. light the world.

[quinn]

What about using cheap adhesive-backed magnet that comes in rolls at craft stores? Not strong enough?

[kadris3]

i was given one w the adhesive backed "credit card" type magnet on both sides. it should have worked but not have the 7 lb pull of the 10x2mm ones. use what u have, just don't expect them to stick if driven from 40 yards away. lite the world. good luck. .

[whiskeybusiness]

Hey Kadris, thanks for the tutorial, I have 100 leds in 5mm and I have no idea what type of battery to run them with, I tried a triple A battery and I get a tiny red glow, but nothing spectacular, can you help? here is the info: Characteristic 5mm: RED - Forward Voltage: 1.8 - 2.2 Volts - Forward Current (max.): 30 mA - Lifetime: 100,000 Hours - Viewing Angle: 20 Degree - Typical Wave Length: 660 nm - Luminous Intensity: 2500 mcd Sorry I'm dumb.

[kadris3]

you are not dumb. you are smart enough to ask a question.it 2.1 vdc forward voltage requires about 47 ohms current limiting resistor w a 3vdc battery. that can be a 2016 if it only has to last a few nights, a 2032 for a little longer time, or two AA or AAA cells in a holder. place a heat sink on the leg of the led to be soldered. solder the resistor to either leg. connect it to a 3 vdc as above. if u wish u can use a 12 vdc jel-cell w four series red LEDs and a 180 ohm resistor. if it is on a car or solar cell where it's 13.8 vdc(charging circuit involved) u need 270 ohms. u could also use 13.8 vdc and 5 red series LEDs and a series 160 ohms. 1/4 watt should be ok here. make sure the LEDs all are going the same way. if one is backwards the string won't lite. good luck. lite the world.

[purty707]

Anybody here know where i can find some dirt cheap MAGNETS? it seems these are the hardest to find!!!

[yx516]

i don't know if their good but i'm about to buy 10dirt cheap magnets

[keekat]

how did they work?? :)

[morphious69]

you can find tons of magnets in old hard drives extreamly strong and easily broken so you can make a number of led throwies. also I think if you can actually get to thae area you could just use the adhesive of the duct tape (water proof) or dumpsterdive at a sticker manufacturer and get their throw away adhesive (also water proof and is not double sided as it has no interior. it is just glue on a backing to be left where ever you stick it and peel the back off leaving a fairly thick and consistant layer to the stickiest rubber cement you have ever seen.

[clintonmc]

If your in the UK I can recomend emagnetsuk.com , emagnetsuk.com
Phenoptix for the LEDs.Phenoptics
The Batteries I'm still strying to source so if anyone has any suggestions for cheap batteries in the UK it would be appreciatedIf you’re in the UK I can recommend emagnetsuk.com , emagnetsuk.com
Phenoptix for the LEDs.Phenoptics
The Batteries I'm still trying to source so if anyone has any suggestions for cheap batteries in the UK it would be appreciated

[impulse]

maplins is good

[Nimmo]

Living in the UK, I feel somewhat left out here, all the links are for sites in the US and, being new (this is the second project I have looked at) I have no real Idea on where to buy my components. Is there anyone able to suggest somewhere I can get all this kit nice and cheap over here?

[purty707]

EBAY!!!

[fnugget]

Has anyone dug deep into the He Bei LTD page with the throwie packs? They use 105PG2D's for the green ones which are US$ 0.256 on the price list and have voltage range from 3 to 3.6 and are 800-1500 mcd with an angle of 40-50. But then there are 530XG2C's for green, which are 30 deg angle but 5000-10000 mcd, 3-3.4V, and only cost US$ 0.085. Do you all think these will work? I feel slightly ashamed. I'm studying to be an electrical engineer, but I've had bad experiences with datasheets before. Please msg me with response. I want to put these all over my bicycle wheel spokes for when i ride my bike at night. And for all you environmentally concerned, I'm not throwing and leaving these. Besides, they'll even grant me increased safety while on the road, unless someone wants to mug me for my sweet "ride".

[Technical Renaissance]

Looks like fun. I will definitely play with this one. You could add some mods to it, like using the Tool Dip rubberized coating. Also adding loop for a string/necklace would be fun... What about dipping the whole thing in clear silicone for water proofing? Velcro? Oh, the possibilities!

[SpuriousGrowth]

Culture bioluminescent algae and throw giant sticky globs of it up onto any structure. It will most likely not corrode surfaces to the extent that failed lithium ion cells, and will power wash right off. Pigeons and other city dwelling birds will love it, and it will be cheaper by the gallon than magnets lithium ion cells.

[Inspiracy]

Dinoflagellates, which are the only example of bioluminescent algae in nature can "bloom" therefore causing a mini "Red Tide" in whatever tank is used to grow them. This is dangerous and could be fatal to humans.
Yes, I looked it up.

[kurdtpage]

Okay, but where do you get bioluminescent algae from?

[dt00map]

Please be aware that Lithium IS A TOXIC ELEMENT THAT WILL NOT BREAK DOWN IN THE ENVIRONMENT.It should not even be landfilled. Chucking it about the streets probably not a clever move.'

[carbon16]

2Li + 2H2O --> 2LiOH+H2 ie, Lithium reacts with almost everything, including water (this is a GOOD thing). It breaks down into salts of lithium very, very rapidly, Lithium Chloride is a salt that was actually once used as replacement for table salt, but it's a gastro-irritant so it's use was halted. Regardless, as long as you don't eat much of it, you'll be OK. So chucking Li-batteries about the streets is no big deal, there are far, far worse things you can do. Just try not to eat them, but if you accidentally do, it won't kill you. From the Duracell website: Lithium, Lithium Ion, Nickel Metal Hydride & Zinc Air Batteries batteries may be safely disposed of in normal household waste.

[nuha]

How about cutting out the cost of the magnet by using duct tape on the outside? It's pretty strong glue, so if you twist the tape glue outwards, you will have a sticky surface that will adhere to most clean shiny surfaces (glass, oil paint, galvanized metal etc). You can use gaffer's tape too. Scotch tape, magic tape or masking tape have low tack. You may need to throw the pack a bit harder towards the wall, but it'll work.

[Monk]

lol i kn wive posteed alot but i found of source of pretty great magents, old headphones!! recycle all the broken ones, the ipod ones hav great magents in them

[Monk]

hey, im from london and i found that electric lighters u can get from pound shops have almost perfect sets of batteries and ultra bright LEDs.

[Monk]

You could attach a LDR and that would save battery time

[Mosep]

I got those ZD1 magnets Cartufer was talking about, and they are much too small to work for throwies. If you are putting them in reach, then maybe, but for throwing, I doubt it.

[MR.DANG]

do u think i can use a 5mm led

[nads]

all you guys are doing is complaining, its not like you're gunna just dig a effing hole in the ground and stick ten of these in there and then pour some more chemicals on it. You STICK IT ON SOMETHING, then, if someone doesnt like it, they take it down, and keep it. Plus, personally, i wasn't even thinking of doing what everyone else was thinking of doing, what i wanted to do is just throw them, and eventually collect them, they kickass, i mean, come on! I seriously have a fetish with LED's, i love them. I really love LED's. So, i won't throw them away lol, NEVER!

[vfred]

Nice idea, the only thing that bothers me is throwing around batteries. That's pretty nasty stuff. Maybe there is a possible parasitic approach to getting the electricity from exisitng infrastructure?

[Roflolommo]

yea drill a hole into the wall pull out a couple wires hook it up to christmass lights wrap magnets all along the christmass lights and tada irrationally dangerous and short range throwies that are all hooked together :)

[kierasher]

What ohm rating would I need on a surface mount resistor to get the 2.0 volt LEDS to draw as much as the 3.0 Volt LEDs. I've got the 3.0 Volt ones lasting a couple weeks and a few days but the 2.0 Volt ones last only two days. Someone please hook me up with an ohm and wattage rating. :)

[atomiclemon]

the shipping price for the LED's on the HB site was a minimum of $23.00 lol

[fnordfairlane]

Just what the world needs. glitter litter. You do realize that throwing stuff way up high means a crust of hard-to-reach, hard-to-remove crap, don't you? Real good going... the visual analog of chewing gum stuck on my shoe. Feh. PS: be aware of the failure modes of wet or shorted lithium cells, won't you?

[thausgt]

Good point. This project is definitely a technical refinement to a perennial social problem; ask an archaeologist at a party and unless they've got something stuck up their backside, they'll tell you that you can find graffiti dating back several thousand years (it's quite a trip to read things like "Dulcinea of Arimathea does crazy things in bed but will leave you in itches"... in Latin). But hey, despite thousands of cases of folk losing fingers to faulty fireworks, they're still being shot off by amateurs. But on the other hand (pun intended), young folk have been doing ridiculously foolish things for thrills and attention for a long time, and the human race is still here. Oh, well...

[GhostHunter987]

Think gum would be better than magnet???

[GhostHunter987]

Where would you find the correct lithium batteries and Neodymium magnets???(Home Depot, hobby store, what?)

[ms.dawse]

I <3 throwies. I'm going to get some next pay check and help re-build NOLA in my own way.

[x1987x]

LOL absorbing microwaves from ovens and wifi. fantastic!

[gordonis]

Anyone know about the possibility of using solar panels to power the leds instead of lithiums? I am trying to make the display more permanent, and more structured. (Think a led mural)

[Draven]

I have been slowly planning to use this for many things...first of all, easter....put em in easter eggs, and use em for decor! Heck, it'd be wonderful art, seeing as I work for a metro bus company! LOL@

[Coffee bean]

So what are throwies.

[witness]

fnordfairlane, please try to get with the program. This is exactly what we need. And take it easy with the "Feh" stuff. Go up to Red Cat and have a cocktail.

[doc2406]

As Electroninc static, this has LOTS of possibilities! As a marketing tool, this will catch on...

[dan]

the green/blue/white led's will operate with a reasonable current at 3.0V, but the red/orange/yellow are 2.0V led's so you will get a really high current (and correspondingly short battery life) running straight off the 3V battery. also you could use standard 5mm size led's to save a lot of $$.