Introduction: SUPER FANTASTIC LED DOG COLLAR
This is my first Instructable.
A LED dog collar with keyboard keys, Simple and fun for the whole family.
Your dog will be begging you for one.
Inspired by: momo
Step 1: Get Your Stuff Together
Tools you will need.
Safety glasses.
Hot glue gun with lots of glue.
Dremel.
Wire cutters and strippers.
Soldering iron and solder.
Scissors or knife.
Multimeter.
Supplies you might need.
Dog collar.
Led. I used 9 green ones.
Resistors.
Keyboard Keys.
Wire.
Heat shrink.
Altoids gum tin.
Power plug and jack.
9V battery snaps.
9V battery.
Velcro.
Cloth. I used old jeans.
I think thats it.
Step 2: Make a 9V Power Supply
Take your Altoids tin and flatten out the bottom to allow more room for the battery.
Mark outline for the power jack.
If you don't have on your safety glasses put them on NOW.
Use Dremel to cut hole.
You can use a small file to cleanup the edges.
Next!
Step 3: Make a 9V Power Supply
Now solder the 9V battery snaps to the power jack.
I used heat shrink to cover the terminals but hot glue would work.
Insert the power jack in the hole and glue it.
I also glued Velcro to the back of the tin.
Step 4: POP THE KEYS
Pop the keys out of your OLD keyboard.
Do it . Its fun. Pop.Pop.Pop
Pick the keys you want and drill a hole in them for the LED.
I also used a small round file to help make the LED fit.
For the keys a phone number would be good but I used my dogs name plus the "help" and
" return" keys for this one.
Step 5: GLUE THE KEYS
Nibble the pegs off the backs of the keys.
Insert LEDs and glue.
Step 6: Now the Collar
Trace the collar on the cloth.
The idea is to make a sleeve for the collar, so leave enough material to wrap around. Set the collar aside.
Cut the cloth and layout your keys and power supply. Leave space between the keys so the collar can flex.
Mark on the back of the cloth where the LEDs will poke through and cut a small X .
Poke the LEDs through the top of the cloth and glue into place.
Hot glue burns!
Step 7: SOLDER IT
I used the current limiting resistor calculator to figure out the resistors to use.
I used 9 LEDs.
3 sets of 3 LEDs soldered in series with a 180ohm
resistor for each set.The sets were then soldered in parallel.
I then covered all the wires with hot glue,
Step 8: FINISH IT UP
Wrap the cloth around the collar and glue it.
I glued Velcro on the end of the cloth to attach the power supply.
Well, you should have tested it by now to prove that it works.
IT WORKS!!!
Now put the Super Fantastic LED Dog Collar on your dog .
Step 9: TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES
Take pictures and have fun.
Go outside in the dark and run around!
Caution!
May cause social situations!
22 Comments
8 years ago on Introduction
Nice! I have a little light tag for Fiokki for when we go out at night. I think I'd leave her regular collar on and attach this with a strong velcro collar. Don't want the bumpy keys to make her uncomfortable.
12 years ago on Introduction
I came to your ible and my dog literally begged me for an LED collar, so, I'm making one!
13 years ago on Introduction
This a great way to help your dog get his/her geek on!! Four paws up!
13 years ago on Introduction
Hey I really like this post, I bet it will help cars see my dog when im walking him at night, im always worried about that because people drive way too fast in my neighborhood. http://leddogcollars.blogspot.com site is also pretty cool if anyone wants to check it out.
14 years ago on Introduction
My supercool doggie needs one of these, she just doesn't know it yet. Absolutely adorable, geeky, funny, wonderful! Love it1
14 years ago on Introduction
These are a great idea. I'm a cyclist and I was able not to run a black dog over cos it was wearing one of these on a dark night in a park.
14 years ago on Introduction
but actually how long the Battery will last. I doubt as it may be a temporary project.
15 years ago on Introduction
I forgot to mention that I really like the idea of spelling the dog's name and/or phone number with the keys. Brilliant. p.s. sorry, Odessa, for the gender bender.
15 years ago on Introduction
On a really dark, moonless night. Take Odessa out and let her run. At the same time, put your camera on a tripod with the shutter wide open for 10 or 15 seconds.
You will a nice piece of Odessa created LED light doodle art!
https://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Light-Drawing-Pens-Tools-for-drawing-light-do/
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
That, my friend, is a good idea! BTW, Odessa is a boy. Shh! Don't tell him he has a girls name.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
I am planning to do this with my dogs!
15 years ago on Introduction
This could also work for cats. Anyways, awesome Instructable. Pictures are just great, the detail and instructions are very easy to follow, great job. You also used resistors. Good idea, a lot of people forget to add them in. Very nicely done Instructable! +1 rating.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
why are the resistors needed when the LED works fine without them? Is it so they don't get too much power?
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
They'll burn out really quick. And funny picture you have. :P
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Okay and thanks lol...its my demon piggy bank (which i dont even use anymore. its painted in tipp-ex and has sum graffiti aswell. It was hard getting those LEDs in there but worht it.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Oh. Haha, thanks for telling me, I might try it out, it looks awesome (and funny). :P
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
With a 9V battery and 3 LEDs in series, that would make 9 / 3 = 3V each (approximately - the battery voltage may be a bit over or under 9V depending on the condition and current being drawn from it).
3V is probably a bit high for a (standard) green LED. The 'typical' forward voltage might be rated at something like 2.5V. They do vary between types of LED, though, even within one colour.
You could probably run it at 3V, but it might draw too much current from the battery with 9 being powered at once. It might also be painfully bright (depending on the LED type) and the LED would likely not last as long, especially if the increased current overheated it.
Unless you have an application that requires a really bright light, it's usually best to run LEDs quite a bit below their typical voltage (and therefore current) to avoid overheating, and it'll also mean that the batteries run far longer.
15 years ago on Introduction
why not put somekind of magnet and coil and recharge it by the dog walking.
15 years ago on Introduction
Great Instructable! I really like the idea of using keyboard keys to simultaneously house the LEDs and put a name on the collar. Good work. By the way, Odessa's an unusual name for a dog - where did that come from?
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Odessa is the name of the city I am from originally.Plus Ice-T played "Odessa" in the movie Ricochet;)