DIY USB LED Lantern

Turn an old junk (or new) lantern into a nice  multi purpose light.
Looks nice on your desk or hanging in your room or perhaps a camping trip. As it USB powered it has limits, However this can also be made to be powered by  a few AA or AAA battery's and cell phone battery 3.7 volt lithium really lights these lights up good. So there are a few ways to power this device its up to you. As you can see this lantern does not have the correct globe,  or any globe for that matter so I had to come up with something and make my own globe which made this build more fun for me. I hope you all enjoy it.

Step 1: Tools and parts

1. Butane torch.
2. Needle nose & regular pliers.
3. Exacto knife.
4. Wire strippers.
5. Soldering iron flux & solder.
6. Small flat head &  #1 phillips screwdrivers.
7. Tin snips.
8. Hemostats.
9. Drill & drill Bits.
10. 1.4 Ohm resistor  
11. couple lengths of wire long enough to leave extra to work with. (copper is best)
12. cheap dollar store or auto store 9 LED flashlight.
13. $3.39 single pole toggle switch from Radio Shack.

Comments

[Grasshopper1221]

If anyone needs any help with any part of this Instructable feel free to ask. :)

[satpathi]

circuit diagram pl. Are 9 LEDs in series or parallel ? Sat

[BrittanyMacDaddy]

Absoulty wonderful! That's my dad, he makes me so proud. It takes an Artistic person to create such cool things from scrap metal and odds and evens around the house, into things i have never seen in my life but yet the coolest things i've seen in my life. Keep up the great work dad. I love you.

[Grasshopper1221]

My number1 Fan!! Thank you sweetheart glad you like it.
Bring me things to rip apart on your way home :D

[BrittanyMacDaddy]

Dang straight!

[triumphman]

So this 9 LED setup will run on all of the power options you stated? Lithium 3.7 v. phone battery, AA's, or AAA's batteries too? Do I have to change the resistor size or anything else ? Maybe I can hide the AA's or AAA's, or 3.7 v. phone battery under the base. Along with the USB plug so it can be switched from one to the other. ? I just have to figure out the wiring so I can go from one power source to the other. Sounds like fun! Wish me luck!

[Grasshopper1221]

Also I have a switch that I pulled off an old PSU (not for PC) I am including a photo of it Im not sure what it is called but it can do what you want

[Grasshopper1221]

Hello:
Yes it will run on 3 AAA batteries without a resistor. As the flashlight comes with 3 AAA so there will be no problem with that power source.
Anything over 4 volt's is kinda risky without a resistor for LED's. I'm not 100% sure on how big of a resistor you would if you went over 4 or 5 volt's. I do know that 1.4 Ohm resistor works really well for me with my 3.7 volt lithium cell battery on all my lamps, it is my power test power supply before I connect to my USB.
The wiring is extremely simple I will try my best to make a diagram and post on the last page of this iInstructable.

If you use batteries they will replace USB cable, wiring remains the same only the power source has changed.

[wizard124]

Well Done!

[shmdesigns]

This is great...thanks for sharing.

[Winged Fist]

Great job! It first caught my eye because it resembles my instructable, Steampunk USB mini-lantern. Then I realized that your is actually full-size!

Great photos, and I particularly like the way you made your own LED bulb.

One suggestion: You might want to consider stylizing the USB cable, as I did with my Steampunk USB Cable.

You got my vote for the Shopbot challenge!

[Grasshopper1221]

Thank you I am glad you like it!
I had to make something for a globe as this lantern didn't have one when I saved it from certain death from the local trash man. And thank you for the great idea to stylize the USB cable i'm gonna look for something to cover it up and post new photo.
And I want to thank all of you for you taking the time to look at my stuff.
Kirk. AKA grasshopper1221