Two AAA LED Book-lights for around $10

Like to read, but don't feel like paying too much for LED book-lights? The cheaper ones feel like just that, and usually take the expensive circular batteries. Here I show you how to make two AAA LED book-lights for around $10, and about a half hour of time. It is meant to be functional, not pretty. If you want it pretty, there are some modifications you can make, but it will never be as pretty as store bought.

Step 1 Materials needed:

All materials were purchased at Radioshack. $10 price tag does not include and equipment that you may need.

2 AAA Enclosed Battery Holders
1 Pkg of 2 5mm high brightness White LED
1 Pkg of 2 DPDT Submini Slide Switches
2 paper binder clips
Glue or Epoxy

Amended: It would be easier to go with a SPST switch instead of a DPDT switch (thanks jonslilbro!)

Tools needed:
Soldering iron
Solder

Comments

[jonslilbro]

All in all an okay instructable. A few things, first $10 is really expensive for 1 led, 2 AAA's and a binder clip with a switch. 2nd You really should use a resistor just to make the LED last that much longer, and 3rd, you REALLY don't need a DPDT switch, you're only using 1 pole and 1 throw, so use a SPST(single pole, single throw) switch. Other then that, not bad instructions.

[xAxrules]

white and blue LEDs are VERY expensive, I live in england, my local electronic store, 2xultra bright RED LEDs and 2x White Ultra bright's is £7 which is something like $10.

[crazyndhed03]

Wow. Sorry to hear that. Here they are not that expensive. Radioshack will sell them for about $2 a pair or so. Could you get a better deal on them over the internet? I am not sure what shipping costs might be.

[xAxrules]

FleeBay (eBay) would be my best bet, or buy a pc fan with blue leds in and steal them xD. I can get a pack of 80 yellow, red and greens in assorted sizes for £5 though, so if I wanted to do this, I'd use them.

[crazyndhed03]

I can understand that. Unfortuantely, Radioshack isn't the cheapest of places to go, but was the quickest. If I were patient, I would have gone with someplace like Digikey, which is much cheaper. I did get two book lights out of it, and not just one, so it would be about 5 bucks a piece. What Ohm resistor would you recommend? The only reason I used the DPDT switch I was in a hurry and didn't see the SPST. Thanks! If I do this again in the future, I will certainly take your advice!