# Build RF remote for LED



## dontshoot80 (Mar 26, 2009)

Recently I have undertaken a pretty interesting project but I have a couple questions for the many that understand circuits much better than myself. I have made a light containing a Cree Q5 led and now I want to build a RF remote so that i can switch the light on from anywhere in the house. So here is the plan, I want to use a SPDT center off switch, so when it is in position 1 the LED will go on. Then in the center (position 2) it will be off and when it is in position three the light will be able to be remote activated. Then the RF transmitter could have a pushbutton switch and when pressed once, the light would go on and when pressed again it would go off.

So I was looking at a RF transmitter and receiver and found a few RF remote diy sites however they are all doing something much more complicated than I had in mind. I do not need tons of different buttons for different actions. I just want the light to go on and off. So I was wondering if I needed a decoder/ encoder for this project?

I would really appreciate any advice you guys might have on how I might go about doing this....

Thanks again


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## SFG2Lman (Jul 27, 2009)

well, i'm sorry to see no one responded to you, unfortunately i'm of little help because whenever i need an RF circuit I buy something cheap or cannabalize something old that is RF already and just retrofit the circuitry to my needs, its a lot easier than trying to calibrate the right frequencies and such, i know its cheating but hey it works. The best one i have found is the coleman flourescent lantern remote, simple one button, works from about 300 feet away through trees and such and its not too complicated. Hopefully this was remotely useful (haha get it?) :ironic:


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## fangle (Apr 3, 2010)

Look online or at the autoparts store for a remote activated driving light kit. I have some that Wal-Mart closed out for less than $10 each, made by APC. They have a receiver with a relay and a small keychain remote. When I opened them up I found that the transmitter and receiver chips were capable of 4 channels, not the single that was used. Modify the buttons and case to suit.


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## MikeAusC (Aug 28, 2010)

You can get cheap Remote Shutter Releases for cameras.

If you find one that supports B mode, it will allow on and off states to be held.


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## PhotonWrangler (Aug 28, 2010)

Take a look at Linx Technologies line of RF remote control products. You can either purchase the chipsets or purchase pre-wired modules. I built a remote volume control for a PA system around their modules and it worked out well.


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## Lynx_Arc (Aug 29, 2010)

I have several remote lanterns and a remote closet light that is converted from incan to LED but has one flaw: it has too high a standby current as many remote controlled devices have they suck power waiting for use. I have a Rayovac 9watt (single Utube) lantern that is remote controlled and an LED lantern that has 12 leds I took apart to see if I could mod it for higher output. Both lanterns drain too much on standby also, my portable DVD player drains the battery dead in a few weeks unless you remove the battery the "Off" position isn't off. A problem you can have is finding a remote receiver that matches your battery source correctly. Nothing like wanting to run a single LED but needing a 12v power source just for the remote circuit. One remote light has a tiny remote that uses button cells in it, another uses 2032 lithium and my Rayovac one uses 2AAAs. Personally I prefer the 2032 type myself because they don't leak, have a long storage rate with decent capacity and are smaller than AAA and AA remotes.


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