Simple LED Indicator Cover

by Reichenstein7

9.7K455

Intro: Simple LED Indicator Cover

I am in the current process of creating a robot with a the need for several indicator lights. At first I simply had a label with a LED over it to tell me if a particular system was enabled. The issue that arose was my LED's project light and were a bit blinding to look into, not to mention they cast light everywhere.

Control the light!

- Introducing simple LED indicator covers.

STEP 1: Materials:

For the light indicators you just need a few basic, cheap materials.

  • Glue
  • Labels
  • Black Paint
  • LED of your color choice
  • Material for backing
  • VGA or DVI cable protection cap**

** I go through so many Pc video cables at work (VGA and DVI) that I thought it would be a shame to throw away the little semi-translucent caps that protect the ends of the cable. One use that I come across is that they are great for covering up LED's blaring light while allowing them to still glow.

STEP 2: Assembly:

Step 1 (Picture 1): Print a short hand label for your indicator, I chose PWR for, well, Power.

Step 2 (Picture 2): Cut the label down to fit within the dimensions of the top of the cap.

Step 3 (Picture 3): Drill a hole through your backing medium, cardboard in this example.

Step 4 (Picture 4): Insert the LED through the hold and glue in place.

Step 5 (Picture 5): Center and glue the cable protection cap to the backing medium with the LED in the hollow cavity.

Step 6 (Picture 6): Apply Black, in this case acrylic, paint to keep light from shining through (This may take more than one coat.) Allow Paint to dry.

Step 7 (Picture 7): Center and apply the label to the cable protection cap.

Step 8 (Picture 8): Now you have an indicator lamp with a label and a soft glow. (It really puts off more light, sorry about the dark picture)

5 Comments

seamster 9 years ago

Great idea. Very simple and effective, and cheap!

Zlaja Genije 8 years ago

Similar way used in bulb lighted push button panels in 80s. Improvement for this instructable is to use diffused engineer paper for drawing with rapidograph (somebody remmember this?) called "paus" and draw or print with laser printer on it say font 30 or higher. Letters is black an background is lighted.

Second variant is to cut it out letters on black background or print inverse (same black colour for background and NO COLOR for letters. Now letters shinig and thats it! More readable and best looking. Try it!

LynxSys 9 years ago

Nice! That's a simple, waste-reducing, and classy-looking solution to a constant problem.

wilgubeast 9 years ago

Good for you saving all of those cable endcaps. Now that I've seen what they can become, I will be a bit more thoughtful before tossing them.