How to Replace the White LED From Your Keychain Flashlight With a RGB LED.
by joejoerowley in Circuits > LEDs
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How to Replace the White LED From Your Keychain Flashlight With a RGB LED.
Hi,
In this simple instructable I am going to teach you how to replace the white LED from your keychain flashlight with a RGB LED. A RGB LED is a red, green, blue LED combined into one LED. You can replace it with any color but I think RGB is the best of because it is always changing.
In this simple instructable I am going to teach you how to replace the white LED from your keychain flashlight with a RGB LED. A RGB LED is a red, green, blue LED combined into one LED. You can replace it with any color but I think RGB is the best of because it is always changing.
Materials and Tools
Materials
10mm RGB self cycling LED-About 50 cents
The LED I have is a 10mm RGB self cycling LED. I bought these from Ebay (Top Bright)but you should be able to find else where. You have to make sure they are self cycling LEDs. This means the LEDs with cycle through all of the colors by them selves with out having to have an additional controller.
Keychain Light
The Key chain I am replacing is from Deal Extreme.com. Here is a link to the keychains. They are pretty cheap. Only $4.68 for 10.
If you want to buy the keychains and give me a referral credit that would be nice. Just click this link. Please don't consider this spam and don't feel obligated too click on it. Just trying to get some credit for my instructable. Thanks
Tools
Wire cutters or something capable of clipping the LEDs legs. I used my MAKE: Warranty Voider - Leatherman "Squirt" E4 (electronics version) Pocket multitool. (BTW this is the best Mulitool I have ever owned!!!)
Small Screw Driver-Any will work as long as it fits the screw.
10mm RGB self cycling LED-About 50 cents
The LED I have is a 10mm RGB self cycling LED. I bought these from Ebay (Top Bright)but you should be able to find else where. You have to make sure they are self cycling LEDs. This means the LEDs with cycle through all of the colors by them selves with out having to have an additional controller.
Keychain Light
The Key chain I am replacing is from Deal Extreme.com. Here is a link to the keychains. They are pretty cheap. Only $4.68 for 10.
If you want to buy the keychains and give me a referral credit that would be nice. Just click this link. Please don't consider this spam and don't feel obligated too click on it. Just trying to get some credit for my instructable. Thanks
Tools
Wire cutters or something capable of clipping the LEDs legs. I used my MAKE: Warranty Voider - Leatherman "Squirt" E4 (electronics version) Pocket multitool. (BTW this is the best Mulitool I have ever owned!!!)
Small Screw Driver-Any will work as long as it fits the screw.
Disassemble the Light
The first thing you have to do is disassemble the keychain. It is pretty easy to do. Just remove the screws from the keychain on the back and pry it open.
Insert LED
The Next thing you have to do is take out the batteries and and white LED. In this case the shorter Leg of the white LED is the anode (Positive) is the Longer leg is the cathode (Negative). Your RGB LED should be the Opposite. So first cut away the anode of the RGB LED slightly longer than the Anode of the White LED. Then do the same for the cathode. You have to make the RGB LED's legs slightly longer than the original white LED's legs so that it fits correctly in the case.Then slide the RGB LED into the case, make sure it lights up and then put the screws back in.
You're Done!
Your Done. Now what can you do with it? Well you can use it as a normal flashlight, mood light, or take really cool long exposure pictures with it.
Thanks for reading!
Joe R
Please rate and comment on my instructable. Thank you!
Thanks for reading!
Joe R
Please rate and comment on my instructable. Thank you!