How to Turn That Old Scannner Into a Portable Emergency Light

In This Instructable I'm Going To Show You How To Turn That Useless Old Scanner Into A Useful Lamp I Built Mine Out Of Some Parts I Had Kicking Around But You Can Just As Easily Go Out And buy The Parts

Step 1: Needed Parts and Tools

For This You Will Need

A Scanner Carriage

A 4 Cell AA Battery holder

A 2 Cell AA Battery Holder

A Soldering Iron With Rosin Core Solder

A Screw Driver (Both Phillips And Flathead)

Wire Cutters And Strippers

Double Sided Tape



And Some wire

Step 2: Step One

The scanner carriage I chose has two lamps and four wire inputs coded Red Black Brown And Orange. The Black wire on the carriage goes to the negative terminal on the four cell battery holder. The negative terminal on the 2 cell battery holder goes to the positive terminal on the 4 cell battery holder. Then the positive terminal on the 2 cell battery holder to the red wire on the circuit board for the lamp. The brown wire on the board goes to the positive terminal on the 4 cell battery holder and the negative terminal on the 2 cell battery holder. Leave the orange wire alone.


schematic provided by ironsmiter


Now that I've read it in the daylight hours... I think your setup is supplying 6 volt through the black-brown circuit and 9 volt through the black-red circuit, and 3 volt into the brown-red circuit.

Posted By Ironsmited

Step 3: Step Two

Next You Have To Remove The Mirrors On The Carriage Carefully Take The Mirrors Off By Scraping The Glue Off And Breaking The Plastic Away (Save Them For Future Projects) To Make Space For The Battery Holders Then Take Your Double Sided Tape And Stick It To The Bottom Of The Battery Holders And Stick It To The Bottom Of The Scanner Carriage Install Battery's And Enjoy