The Green Helmet (Solar powered, safety lit, weatherproof bike helmet.)

Step 1 Parts & Tools

Tools: Basic electronics tools. Wire cutters/strippers. Sander or file. Heat gun. Electrical tape. Solder iron. Breadboard might be nice for testing, but not needed.

Parts:

Helmet: Bern black Brentwood with visor pads for summer: http://www.bernunlimited.com/2007/brentwood.html

Solar Charger: Flexible Solar Battery Charger SolLite-4AA by Silicon Solar. (I used a different case with 3 AAA batteries). http://www.siliconsolar.com/Flexible-Solar-Battery-Charger-SolLite-4AA-p-16199.html

LEDs
> 2, Giant 10mm Rainbow Flashing LED: Flash slow, then fast, through red, green and blue. Electronic Goldmine: http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G16226
Or if you want a longer run time, use regular single color flashing 5mm bulb, say green in color from the sites below.
> 2, Red Clear 10mm Flashing LEDs. Electronic Express: http://www.elexp.com/opt_6bid.htm
> 2, Yellow Clear 10mm Flashing LED. Electronic Express: http://www.elexp.com/opt_6bid.htm

• You can also buy all the colors and rainbow flashing bulbs here: http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category/340200/Flashing.html
• and 10mm here; http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/products.asp?dept=1093

LED Mounts
Waterproof, replaceable bulb mounts. Takes 5mm or 10mm bulbs.
6, White 10mm 24 inch wired mounts: 593-CNX460X24124 CNX460-X02-4-1-24 VCC LED Lens Mounts from Mouser Inc. http://www.mouser.com/search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=CNX460-X02-4-1-24virtualkey59300000virtualkey593-CNX460X24124

LED Mount Lenses
Clear Water Tight O-ring Fresnel lenses: 593-HMS462CTP HMS462CTP VCC LED Lens Mounts: Mouser Inc. http://www.mouser.com/search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=HMS462CTPvirtualkey59300000virtualkey593-HMS462CTP

Battery holder/switch
Radio Shack: "AAA" Battery Holder (Holds 3 Batteries)
Item #: AC-1100-270-0412
http://www.trossenrobotics.com/store/p/3544--AAA-Battery-Holder-Holds-3-Batteries-.aspx
Switch: Radio Shack DPDT Submini Slide Switch. Model: 275-407
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062491&cp=2032058.2032230.2032278&pg=2&parentPage=family

Batteries
3 high quality rechargeable AAAs, Ni-Cad seems the choice of lots of solar products.

9 volt battery snap connectors
2, nine volt battery connectors. http://www.radioshack.com/sm-fully-insulated-9v-battery-snap-connectors--pi-2062219.html

Soft Case: Case Logic MP3 Mini Disc Player Shuttle: http://www.caselogic.com/small_mp3_player_shuttle/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=56457

Black Shoe Goo: To fill in around mounts and reinforce/waterproof solar panel connectors, and soldering and switch on battery holder: http://lifehacker.com/software/household/shoe-goo-super-glue-157137.php

Standard 'gap filling" super glue for LED pre-Shoe Goo mounting, wiring and reinforcing Velcro edges

Standard Black Double sided Velcro

Reflective Velcro bike wrap

black shrink tubing (electronic stores)

Krylon ultra flat black spray paint. (hardware stores, could use gloss Krylon "Fusion" paint too)

Comments

[csiprun]

Hey, do the visor and ear pads detach on that helmet?

[calebjc]

Yes. I picked it for that purpose. You can Velcro in summer visor and clear vents, or winter ear protectors and closed vents. It's a snowboard/ski/skateboard/bike helmet.