Ultra portable Usb charger with cool enclosure

I just started geocaching recently and have been using my garmin car gps. It works pretty good other than that a long day (or night) can kill the battery. I was inspired by this instructable:

DIY More Efficient Long-lasting USB or ANY Charger

Now I really did not intend to do anything different than what was in that instructable. I was walking around the dollar store looking for a cheap project enclosure and I came upon the flashlight section. Eureka! The perfect enclosure with battery holder and switch included.

I did not like the lights available at the dollar store but managed to pick up an aluminum 3 aaa Noma LED light at another store that fit the bill almost perfectly.

Please check out my other instructables and I also have a diy podcast called mechanicalmashup.tv

Step 1 Taking apart the light

The first step is to remove some of the guts of the light. I needed a vice to loosen the threads for the LED housing, but other than that it was pretty straight forward. The LED was desoldered to be used in a later project. I drilled a hole in the lens to allow a USB mini cable to squeeze through. Seems like everything is good to go at this point. I just have to wait for the Anyvolt regulator to arrive in the mail...

Comments

[compamac]

Nice iPod

[beantown53]

To make it more compact, I would build in the USB connector into the front of the flashlight.

[D@V1D]

nice ipod

[TSC]

its not a ipod it just looks like one

[ithaley]

would it work with an ipod if you had the right cord?

[dave spencer]

sure, anything that can run off of usb power can work here. I have charged my wife's ipod nano.

[ithaley]

ok thanks ill give it a try ipod batterys tend to die pretty fast

[pancho del rancho]

im kinda new since like 3 weeks and wuts the vote for why and were cuz i like this 1

[Arbitror]

What kind of MP3 is that?

[dave spencer]

just a crappy cheap ($20) one we bought for my son figuring he would lose it. I can't remember where we got it from.

[Arbitror]

That's the cheapest mp3 player with an LCD screen that I've ever seen!

[N1CK4ND0]

Another option would be to have the female USB like inside the end of the light instead of the cord running out of it. But overall nice 'Ible!

[kelseymh]

Very nice. Potting with hot-glue (or silicone sealant) is a very good way to protect your circuit from corrosion and shorts. Doesn't look bad at all. I hope this is intended as an entry in the Pocket-Sized contest!

[xACIDITYx]

It is, and it's got my vote (when voting starts).

[saxmaster765]

I think it's got my vote, too!

[Fieldownage]

People! Four weeks left before voting starts and there is going to be more projects to choose from. Anyways, nice project!

[FrozenStar]

Very nice!

[haooken]

Nice. Definitely like the size. And that AnyVolt gizmo is pretty interesting. Definitely going to have to remember it for future projects