TeaLED: Led, Switch, Box and Batteries (not glue nor solder)

A Tiny Led lamp to use wherever you like, don't need electronics knowledge to make it, just cut an acetate sheet with the template included here... add 2 CR2032 batteries and 1 Led (white, flashing red, ultraviolet, RGB slow or fast, 10mm or 5mm).

I have always liked LED's and since their existance, I have been using them in a lot of projects, looking for a small box where to put it, using cheap materials to create a nice looking finished project. After a lot of designs with trial and error, now I designed a template to cut a PVC sheet (acetate/mylar) and made a box for the batteries, the switch and the led, without even using glue or solder.

So here is my first Instructable to teach you how to do it, and use it in a lot of ideas (I will give you some of them). I know that it looks like a kind of led throwie but it isn't (we don't have to throw things, it's better to recycle them), because its designed to put it in an exact place to illuminate whatever you want. You can change the batteries and either add to the base a piece of magnet or some velcro or double side tape, so that you can put the box on any place. The box also has a switch tab so that you can turn it on/off, Hope you like my project.

Step 1 Tools and Materials

Tools:
Steel Ruler, Cutting Mat, Sharp Cutter, Unsharpped Cutter, Scotch Tape,Template,
Scissors, Nose Pliers

Materials:
Led (5mm or 10mm), 2 Coin Batteries (CR2032), Acetate sheet (Mylar or PVC), Velcro,
Magnet Sheet, Double Side Tape.

You can use white LEDs, RGB slow or fast LEDs, Flashing LEDs, etc.

Here is a tip, if you need a diffused LED: Melt the wax of a candle and dip the led
in the melted wax 2 or 3 times, if you need to make it clear again just apply some heat to the led
and wipe the wax with a towel paper.

Don't use a resistor because for me the brighter the led the better it looks. Due to the
internal resistance of the batteries, the LED will not burn., You need to use 2 batteries to have 6 volts for the White and the RGB LEDs and also to have the LED on for a longer period of time. If you prefer to use one battery, just change the dimensions of the template.

Comments

[xman2]

thank you

[nhora martinez]

tu invento es super, te felicito

[fastfilmsinc]

how lond would this last?

[becava]

That depend of the type of led you use.... if the Led are white, blue, red, 3mm, 5mm, 10mm, Multicolor, Flashing..... But I can tell you that at least the led will light 5 hours and more.... I use them (and sell them) in all kind of Parties, insed candles and other stuff..... and they light all the night :)

[fastfilmsinc]

long oops

[miphz]

nice led, very instructable and inspirational ... cool stuff buddy ... one thing you should to know is: your post is the #1 reaseon for me to join http://www.instructables.com ... again, thanks becava ... nice to know you :)

[becava]

I love you comment miphz..... I hope INSTRUCTABLES team read this one, so they know my instructable make more poeple to join their page ;)

[miphz]

hmm ... very simple ...

[becava]

Thanks again miphz :)

[miphz]

very ... original idea ...

[becava]

Thanks miphz :)

[missgroves]

i'll probably use this to make a battery box with a switch at some point. it is simple as most brilliant ideas are.
When i can't get acetate to play with i laminate an a4 laminating pouch and it is about the right thickness and flexibility.

[becava]

Thanks missgroves :)

[Ben The Builder]

CR2032 Button cells are 3V no? I've never seen an LED that runs straight off 6 Volts

[becava]

I already explain this to someone else here..... yes, coin baterries are 3V.... Leds need 4.5V so you can light at 100% a led with just 1 coin cell..... so you can use 2 batteries (1.5 volt) and use a resistor to light a led...... well, here is why I use 2 coin cells: Coin Cells Baterries have a lot of resistance, so you can use 6V without danger..... try it, you will see.... the led will not burn, and will light at 100% and also it will light a longer time than just 1 battery.... hope is clear now ;)

[ericscrum]

 Clever, I could rig my camping tent with these and light it up at night. Thanks for the instructable!

[becava]

Add velcro squares to the base of the TeaLed  ;)

[scratchr]

WOW

[becava]

Thnaks for your WOW :)

[Fireslash892]

how exactly do we open the pdf? i think u use a software from adobe that  hav to pay for
can u just post an image of the template on google or sumthing....
also where did u get the plastic?>

[becava]

You can download the PDF reader from adobe homepage, is free......

Where to get the plastic? read the other comments here, I'm already answer that question....

And thanks for the message  =>  "anyways ur a genius...."

[phillipjmerrill]

Where do you buy sheets of acetate?

[becava]

I'm from Mexico, and I buy it in stores that sell sheets of differtent kind of plastics, you can also try in craft stores.

[SwitchGirl]

Love this... can't wait to share it!

[becava]

Great, please tell me when you share it in your web :)

[Esque]

Absolutely genius idea!!!! Any idea what sort of average battery life you get with this??

[becava]

That's depend the type of the Led: a blinking red 3 to 4 weeks, white or blue or RGB led 6 to 8 hours , red or yellow or green 10 to 14 hours. All Leds consume different current (mA) each other, the brighter it is the less battery life you get.

[Tommyhzy]

Ummm... I think you are very knowledgeable about this subject so... I currently have an advanced "TeaLED" system, it runs on 2 Maxell AA batteries, in series, and that is connected to 4 RGB LEDs in parallel. I think that means that 3V will be given to each LED, but the batteries' power will be split. So how much time do you think it has? (By the way, it's enclosed in my acrylic iPod dock which i fully made myself)

[becava]

For AA batteries I will use a resistor for each Led so you can have more time for the batteries, and the only way to know the time is to buy new batteries, turn it on, start a timer and keep looking until the led don't bright, stop the timer :) Thats because all diferent brands of batteries have a different quality and mA capacity (same voltage, but diferent current).....However I think they can last a week using a resitor with the leds

[Tommyhzy]

Oh, my LEDs have their built-in resistors, because they are RGB LEDs. Anyways, thanks for the advice, although I won't want to set up a several-week timer anytime soon! :D (And i turn them off when I'm not using them...)

[BraisedDuck]

Is it okay if i use 1 battery?

[becava]

You can use 1 battery, but have to change the dimensions of the template, and don't forget that the led will have less time and brightness.

[Tommyhzy]

You don't really have to change the template too much, a Canadian Nickel is almost the EXACT same size as a CR2032 battery! :)

[becava]

Well, I'm from Mexico, I only know Batteries from Mexico, USA, Taiwan and China :) Don't know the size of Canadian Nickel, but for the TeaLed Box to work need to have the exact dimensions, even 1 or 2 milimeters error will make the switch to fail

[Tommyhzy]

I said that so you could use that as a conductive filler... :D

[grimrp3r]

great! 5 stars

[becava]

thanks

[BraisedDuck]

Ummm.... I'm a bit confused, in what way does the switch makes the led light up? I don't really get it.Pls Reply me

[becava]

The switch is the piece of plastic you pull or push, is between the batteries and the leg led, when you pull out of the box the the led made contact with the batteries, when you push inside the box again, the plastic slice in between the led and batteries blocking the contact, please check photos and instructions on Step 3 and Step 5 ........ (Maybe I need to make a video to show it better)

[BraisedDuck]

Thank you so much.