Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I've been thinking and shopping for some lights for the trailer.
LED lighting is expensive!!

Then I had a lighting brainstorm. (Sorry if this has already been posted...)

I picked up a package of those cheap LED Flashlights that are everywhere for two or three bucks.
There were five in a blister pack for $9.00

Cheapo Flashlight



The end with the switch un-screws, there's a battery holder inside.



I cut the barrel off, near the light end.



Soldered some wires... (Note, on the switch, to keep from melting it, I wrapped the wire around the threads tightly
and soldered the wire where I twisted it. Some epoxy or hot glue and this connection will be fine.)


In your foam, drill 7/8th holes for the light and the switch.
Make the depth the same as the depth of the light and switch.
The lights and switches can be anywhere.
Cut a V in the foam to run the wires between the battery pack, switch and light(s).
A couple dabs of hot glue to hold the wires then spackling compound over the grooves.



The finished product
A trailer full of flush mount lights for ten bucks and a little wire.


I don't know if I'll put 12V wiring inside at all. (Yet anyway)
These lights use 3 triple A batteries. I will wire them all to three D cells velcro'd in the closet.
The batteries will probably last the whole season.

Enjoy

Warren

COOL idea !!! We were just going to hang the cheapo' flashlights from the ceiling ...

Thrifty and long lasting with D cells.
Very good suggestion.

JNP

I was wondering what to use then I was at the local " got it all" store looking in the outdoor grilling section when I came upon a grill light for $10.00, clamps on the grill, runs on two aaa batteries. I have a place in my td to clamp it too. Just my little light. I wish I had gotten two but the budget wouldn't allow it to happen Maybe next year I will find another one. I like your Idea and think if I had lots of time and the necessary skills I would probably would follow your lead. Great job, Great Idea!

Mary C.

Puck lights are good for inside cabinets, if lighting is poor in there (and it usually is, no matter how many lights you have elsewhere). They have stick-on tape that allows you to put them just about anywhere that they may be needed. I have one under the sink that has been there for over a year and is still sticking and lighting.

We bought a HF solar lantern that was inexpensive and works fine ...tested around the house ... sits in the window to charge ... Easy ...

There is a small problem. Those flashlights use AAA batteries and they rely on the fact that an AAA battery can not put out enough current to fry the LEDs. A D battery can put out that larger amount of current to fry the LEDs. You will need a resistor to limit the current to keep the LEDs safe. Maybe about 4 or 5 ohms or so with the three D's.

Nice idea! You can even run them in series and use one of those old school block 6v batteries. May last more then one season.

Guess we need to understand how LEDs work ... Each LED has a forward voltage (working voltage) , usually around 2.5V DC , and to run them off a larger voltage battery (like 12V) you just need to string them in series till you reach the supply voltage level. Viz. 5 LEDs in series for 12 V ... Easy !!! But you must observe polarity , they only work one way ...
Example , we bought a home use LED lightbulb (110V) that broke early ... the many LEDS inside are fine but the inner voltage regulating circuitry broke ... so we can just re wire them for new DC power ... Lots cheaper than buying a bunch of flashlights ... With LEDS becoming quite common , the prices have really dropped . Mounting LEDs is merely drilling the right size hole ...so you can even make your own fixtures , or just mount them in the wall ...

That is a cool idea!

I just use flash lights and glow sticks, led laterns.

Eagle , that was our plan too ... Hard to beat those Solar lanterns ... I keep mine in the window and it stays charged ... check it from time to time .... still works !!!
LED flashlights are Great too, the batteries lasting longer than the camping trip (and no burned out bulbs) ... I have Many of those ..

Glow sticks make me wanna’ Dance !!! ...

The kids love the glow sticks also.

GPW, your confusing voltage with amperage. A dropping resistor must be used with LEDs. They self distruct if you don't. Not immediately to be sure, but the life expectancy will be much less.


http://www.retrospieler.de/e-led-r.html

It's a good overview....remember its a German web site, so are used in numbers where we'd use decimals

I defer to your superior information ... .. just saying if the proper voltage is presented to the LED or the array , then the current draw will be nominal ...The dropping resistors in my applications ,building guitar pedals and amps , are used to match the power supply DC voltage to the LED... What kills LEDs is too much Voltage ... and the resulting excess current .. We’ve toasted a few just playing around...
I’d guess in a multiple LED array , “balancing resistors” might be prudent so one diode doesn’t work harder than the other ... much as we’d do with series diode rectifiers

You can buy these voltage regulators at Radio Shack. I have install them in some car applications. I installed a LED dome light 3 years ago and it is still working fine using this regulator. You do need to make sure you have the proper amount of LED's in the system to for the voltage, I have 4 LED's in my circuit. Not all LED's have the same voltage requirements. You can be off a bit on voltage and the LED's will still give good performance.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2062599