UV LED Torch

In this tutorial, I will show you how to construct a simple, cheap, and powerful Ultra-Violet Torch for all your UV illumination needs. This project is beginner friendly and requires only basic soldering skills.
Lets get started!

Step 1: What You Will Need

Components you will need for this project include:

- x2 Ultra-Violet LED's. (I purchased mine from Radio Shack for under 2 bucks.)
- x1 100-Ohm Resistor (Again, from Radio Shack. 99cents for a pack of 5.)
- x1 DEAD 9v Battery (or purchased 9v battery clip)
- x1 WORKING 9v Battery
- Pliers
- Basic Soldering Equipment.

Comments

[Hougashucka]

Sorry for being a burden I am n00b when it comes to electrical components. But I have a few questions that I would like to get some help with.

Is there anyway to make it so that it flashes?

Can I use smaller batteries(a few button cells I need to use it in a very small space)?

Lastly, I want to have the whole thing sealed in a waterproof container/ substance (for a fishtank?) but still be able to toggle it on/off and flash/ steady light, any ideas thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
~Tim

[coolsciencetech]

man i wish we had radio shack in canada...all we get now is the source which doesn't have many electronic components and the ones they do have are overpriced :P

[94todd]

thats all radio shack is anymore, theyre changing a little bit, but its still 4 bucks or so for 2 LEDs... your probably better off going on ebay, you cna get deals like 600 LEDs for 4 bucks.

[Xamith]

 no kidding, eh? i miss Radio Shack. I have to travel all the way the the states to buy stuff there.

[cdousley]

there is radio shack online but if you ordered on line you might as well go to digikey or allelectronics

[Xamith]

 yeah

[coolsciencetech]

I'm going in march so I might be able to pick some stuff up :)

[arduino man]

Go to taydaelectronics.com they have cheap shipping and cheap products.

I am never going to purchased any thing from Radio Shack ever.

[zapper067]

It looks like...burning.

[Steeps5]

Mine worked really well =). For some reason the Enercell battery is brighter than the Duracell.

[Adam Manick]

UV leds are the best kind of led to get glow in the dark items to glow

[fundash]

Nice, I'm going to make a few of these with normal LEDs for thinks like power outrages! (I had to deal with a 30 hour long power outage a few days ago, next time, ill be prepared!) :)

[Dream Dragon]

Beautifully assembled project, well documented and informative instructable. Thank you for sharing it.

[ericg001]

Thanks for adding the link to the LED calculator. This instructable has been very helpful.

[dj whatever]

you can take an led flashlight and just change the regular leds with the uv leds..  much more powerful.. i think.. very good instructable though..

[mr.origami]

this is awesome man(in a jamaican accent).

[Lateral Thinker]

How many uses does it have? I was getting ready to chuck out a stack of ex-smoke detector 9-volt batteries, thanks heaps, I am going to strip off the connectors now. I bet they also make good cable joiners for projects

[nruegs]

I've also seen the connectors cut in half and used as snaps for things like duct tape wallets.

[Lateral Thinker]

Seeing I live in State Housing, I will ask the "landlords" electricians for more 9 volters, it is political if a state tenant dies because the smoke detector does not work so at great cost, when you call, they sent somebody to put in a new battery.

But heaps people then remove them, for powering radios etc, putting back the flat battery from the radio, which came from the detector in the first place too.

We are going to mains powered now, using 9 volters as back up.

Maybe 6-7 years ago, they tried long life lithium 9-volters, the batteries were preinstalled, the detector sealed up by the supplier. However, within months of mine being installed, I needed new batteries.

I made inquiries, and I was told that all the sealed detectors had been railed in shipping containers from Auckland down to Wellington, during a very hot summer, they overheated, and all were screaming out during the trip. Under express freight, it was about 8 hours, more likely it was a broken trip over two days.

A lot of people were disappointed, they thought these lithium batteries would power their radios for 10 years, NO, they had a shelf life of 10 years, the smoke detectors used so little power, it was always the shelf life of a 9-volter that ran out first.

Every year, first cold snap of the Winter, the low battery warning beeps go off everywhere.

[lemonie]

Nice curves. L

[hominid]

Good one, very neat.