Suggestions needed - how to use multiple usb lights

iggs

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Oct 19, 2007
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I have a bag of about 50 of these USB lights

220a7aa17780dccce34689e7f3d126d8.jpg


Any suggestions on a "project" they could be used in?

I've built a couple of lights in the past and can solder etc but I'm certainly no electronics engineer so need a bit of help with that too

Eg - I have been thinking about bias lighting for my tv. Could I wire a few of them up to my TV's USB port to get this kind of effect

622455300030459b0bdc53a61508414a.jpg


Wiring them up in a group would be handy for some camping uses too. I have a solar panel I don't use much and a few freebie usb batteries I could use

Any help greatly appreciated
 

HarryN

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The first thing that pops into my head are lights that kids can throw into a swimming pool and dive for them.

I am assuming that there is a battery inside or is the power via the USB port?
 

iggs

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The first thing that pops into my head are lights that kids can throw into a swimming pool and dive for them.

I am assuming that there is a battery inside or is the power via the USB port?

Interesting idea [emoji362]

Power is via the USB port
 

HarryN

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Staying with simple concepts, it seems like more or less the 3 LEDs are resistor regulated, so they just accept in a 4 ish volt input and turn on.

The USB port portion is really just a mechanical way to deliver the power - right?

If you found some coin cells that could feed the input, that could work for a little while.

If there is an easy way to pull out the circuit board, you could desolder the usb port and use the extra space for the battery compartment.
 

iggs

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Staying with simple concepts, it seems like more or less the 3 LEDs are resistor regulated, so they just accept in a 4 ish volt input and turn on.

The USB port portion is really just a mechanical way to deliver the power - right?

If you found some coin cells that could feed the input, that could work for a little while.

If there is an easy way to pull out the circuit board, you could desolder the usb port and use the extra space for the battery compartment.

I think you are right about the power supply

Very basic electronics question:

If I connected up a load of these in parallel would they just draw 4V & how ever many amps they needed?

Thinking I could make a nice big work/desk light that was powered by a rechargeable usb power supply
 

DIWdiver

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Yes, they would draw whatever current they need. USB is supposed to be 5V, though, so they might be pretty dim at 4V.
 
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