How to Create a Rechargable LED Flashlight

Intro: How to Create a Rechargable LED Flashlight

Using electromagnets, a small-scale LED flashlight similar to that featured in "Shake It Like a Tic-Tac!" can be produced.

With the setup for the Tic-Tac flashlight, the voltage produced by the magnet alone may not be enough to power up the LED. It is possible that the only reason the LED lit up was due to the rechargable battery not being completely empty in the first place. This theoretical experiment attempts to improve on the circuit based on one of the comments made on "Shake it like a Tic-Tac!"

Image taken from Shake it like a Tic-Tac! page.

STEP 1: Parts Needed

1N4148 signal diodes x 2
Magnet 20 mm in Diameter x 1
470u Electrolytics x 2
White LED x 1
Magnet Wire x 300 ft

Ballpen case or some hollow cylindrical tube that can fit the magnets and accommodate the coils of wire
Pliers
Sandpaper

STEP 2: Making the Magnet Tube and Wire Coil Tubes

This just calls for building a tube wherein your choice of magnet can move freely within. You can use pretty much anything (even rolled up cardboard would work) for the tube; just make sure that the tubes are stable.

STEP 3: Making the Wire Coils

Basically, the magnet in the set-up will pass through two coils in order to increase the generated current. Each coil should be composed of winding the 20mm wire 600 times.

This is perhaps the most boring and time-consuming part, but it is crucial, as this is how the electricity will be generated.

What is important to consider is that the coil should be larger than the diameter of the wire in order for the maximum voltage to be generated.

STEP 4: Assembling the Circuit

Mr. Mitchell over here (Jan 27, 2009) had a good idea of improving the circuit, and so here's his diagram to help guide you in assembling the circuit.

Basically, the circuit itself is in series, and it follows this diagram:

The coils actually sit flat against the slide (against the side of the magnet) as shown in the diagram below. You must get the end of the magnet to fully pass though the coil so the voltage will be a maximum. Thats why the slide extends past the coils at the top and bottom of the diagram.

You can solder the circuit together and, there you'll have it.

STEP 5: Final Notes

The speed at which the magnet passes through the coils will determine the electricity generated. So, obviously, shake more rapidly, and you'll get light from the LED.

1.6v + 0.6v = 2.2v, and that is the voltage the coil needs to produce.

It is good that there are electrolytics in the circuit, since these will keep the LED illuminated for the time it takes for the magnet to make another pass through the coils.

If the LED still does not light up after following the instructions, be sure to check your connections to see if anything is loose.

Perhaps the LED itself may be busted, so be sure to check that out as well.

Good luck!

Comments

[Sherriff]

with the coil is there a + and - end or is it determined by the magnet or what? I'm new to this type of thing so any info would be much appreciated

[Dashing Rainbow Dash]

Neither. It puts out AC. Connect it to a bridge rectifier, and you'll get a DC output.

[smick v]

ill try it

superb!!

[whiskeysausage]

Hi,

You mention making a rotary generator, but I have been unable to find how to make on on my own. Have you had better luck? Thanks.

W

[Lectric Wizard]

Very confusing & I'm an electronics technologist !! You crapped all over the origional posting, then took pix from it & made the thing so confusing & useless ... for shame! I could not build anything from your instructions that would do squat !!

[rohanpsp]

i have made a tic tac which uses joule thief which increases output freuency led lasting for more than 4 mins recharging in 5 shakes.

[johnrein]

sir i wanna some flying mini project so please send me

[Asbestos]

What do you mean by "What is important to consider is that the coil should be larger than the diameter of the wire in order for the maximum voltage to be generated." If you mean the total size of the coil, well... naturally the coil is going to be larger than the diameter of the wire. The diameter of the wire is tiny. Do you mean the thickness of the edges of the coil, maybe? Should the wire be wound back over on top of itself?

[joshuamjones]

i agree, because in that case, if you went two times around, you would already be larger than the diameter of the wire. or does this have to do with the spacing of the wire maybe, but then again, that wouldn't make sense.

[hesperaux]

I, too, do not understand what you meant by that statement. I read it several times. =S I'm assuming the same thing Asbestos is: that the thickness of the coil should be more than the thickness of a single wire (in other words, a short coil with multiple layers instead of a long coil with one layer).

[BuckyOHare]

"Basically, the magnet in the set-up will pass through two coils in order to increase the generated current. Each coil should be composed of winding the 20mm wire 600 times." "What is important to consider is that the coil should be larger than the diameter of the wire in order for the maximum voltage to be generated." "The coils actually sit flat against the slide (against the side of the magnet) as shown in the diagram below. " WHAT? Explain please. You have one picture of winding wire round a paper tube, this is not helpful. The LED testing picture isn't helpful or necessary. How do the coils sit flat against the side, yet are wound around a tube? How does the magnet fully pass through the coil when it is wound very near to the end of the tube? What does the coil(s) look like after winding is complete? Where is the end product? This instructable is confusing.

[sheechiibii09]

Oh! thank you for clearing things up about the circuitry of the thing. It was hard to imagine how the parts go together from a drawing on a piece of paper. It was a big help, thanks!

[evildoctorbluetooth]

thats a differenct circuit from the original, so shouldnt be used as a guide/

[Havoc481]

does this one actually work because the last one posted was a piece of trash I tried to make for my high school science project and it never worked

[Corpy]

Woot That's One awesome project... I try made something like that too...xD

[Zorink]

Instead of a straight cylinder (step 2 and 3), would a hollow toroid work better? Rather than stopping at the bottom, the magnet would continue moving around the circle, so more motion = more electricity?

[chinmoy1955]

A hollow toroid? Ya, a good idea technically, but very difficult to construct physically at home. To wind a toroidal coil, you require special equipment. Moreover, a magnet kept inside the toroid cannot be made to spin or rotate easily, it needs to be mounted on a spindle or some sort of a bearing, which further complicates matter. In short, it is not a workable idea.

[Smokedasphalt]

spinning d magnet in a hollow toroid wouldn't be easy! and u would even need a spherical magnet for that.

[brunoip]

would it work with a ni-cad battery ?

[awang8]

Uhh... Yeah, I know it got featured, but have you even made this? There are hardly any photos!