How to make your own LED bulbs.

on: January 28, 2007, 08:52:43 PM

After many attempts to make all sorts of L!"#on$ers%ons & f%nnaly foun' one solut%on
t(at %s s%mple an' eff%#%ent) *f #ourse, you 'o nee' a +reat amount of pat%en#e %n mak%n+
t(%s ,ut -(en you #ons%'er t(e #ountless (ours of pure l%+(t "lo- #onsumpt%on you.ll +et,
%t.s all -ort( %t) /(%s tutor%al %s a,out #on$ert%n+ re+ular 0142M3445 (alo+en ,ul,s to
L! ,ul,s -(%le ma%nta%n%n+ full usa,%l%ty as 426 l%+(t ,ul,s t(at #an ,e use' %n %n'oor
task or a##ent l%+(t%n+)
7ou.ll nee' t(e follo-%n+ stuff to start -ork%n+:
one (alo+en ,ul, 2,urnt or ne- s%n#e t(ey are really #(eap5 -%t( no +lass #o$er
on front)
L!.s " as many as you -ant) 7ou may -ant to keep t(%s num,er reasona,le
s%n#e more t(an 22 L!.s -%ll make you -ork pa%nful)
onl%ne a##es to (ttp:88le')l%near4)or+8le')-%9 , a +reat L! array #al#ulator you
#an use to f%+ure out t(e res%stors you.ll nee' 'epen'%n+ on your num,er of L!.s
an' t(e supply $olta+e)
:uper 0lue ; #ompoun' +lue) 7ou #an use ot(er +lue as -ell ,ut super +lue
st%#ks fast an' & re#omen' %t)
sol'er -%re, mo'erate sol'er%n+ sk%lls, sol'er +un
one small p%e#e of 0)2mm alum%n%um s(eet 2t(%s %s use' %n pr%nt%n+ %n'ustry, &
-ork %n t(%s f%el' an' t(ere are a lot of alum%n%um plates aroun' (ere5) Any offset
pr%nt%n+ s(op -%ll ,e k%n' enou+( to +%$e you a use' one s%n#e t(ey use (un're's
ea#( mont()
a paper perforator 2off%#e type, 2"(ole pun#(5
res%stors 2'epen'%n+ on your nee's5
a fe- ot(er #ommon (ouse(ol' %tems alon+ -%t( a +oo' amount of pat%en#e)
:tep one " empty t(e ,ul,)
:tart ,y tak%n+ a small s#re-'r%$er an' t-%st%n+ %ts t%p on t(e -(%te #ement you.ll see
aroun' t(e ,ul,.s p%ns) /(%s #ement %s $ery f%ne an' -%ll start #rum,e as a f%ne po-'er as
you keep t-%st%n+ t(e s#re-'r%$er.s t%p)
Pro#ee' -%t( t(%s unt%l you +et enou+( #ement out for t(e ne<t p(ase)
Pat%en#e %s a $%rtue so take you t%me an' ,e +entle s%n#e t(e ,ul,s #an eas%ly ,reak %f you
for#e you -ay %n -%t( t(e s#re-'r%$er)
A#t%on t%me) /ake a (ammer an' after you +ot out out as mu#( -(%te #ement you #oul',
put t(e ,ul, fa#e"'o-n on a flat surfa#e) =%t t(e t-o p%ns -%t( t(e (ammer, %n a easy ,ut
ferm manner) /(e ,ul, %ns%'e s(oul' fall on t(e ta,le lea$%n+ t(e refle#tor empty)
:ome -(%te #ement -%ll rema%n ,ut t(at.s *>, %t.s not so %mportant an' m%+(t e$en ,e
useful later)
:tep t-o " make your (ol'%n+ '%s#)
Put t(e empty refle#tor as%'e s%n#e %t.s t%me to +et to anot(er task) &t.s no- t%me to make
t(e L! support)
7ou.ll nee' a template so make yourself one) & use' +rap(%# soft-are to e$enly '%str%,ute
t(e 5mm (oles on t(e '%s#) /(e '%sk s%9e %s up to you) More le'.s -%ll re?u%re lar+er '%sks)
Pr%nt your template on paper an' #ut %t out -%t( paper s#%ssors) Pla#e %t on t(e alum%n%um
s(eet an' l%+(t +lue %t on %ts surfa#e) /(%s -%ll ,e useful to #ut t(e '%s# properly)
/ake t(e alum%n%um s(eet an' #ut out t(e (oles us%n+ a off%#e perforator) & foun' out
m%ne #uts e<a#tly 5mm (oles %n paper so for 5mm L!.s %t.s perfe#t) >eep%n+ %t ups%'e
'o-n, pla#e t(e template alon+ -%t( t(e alum%n%um '%s# +lue' on %t %ns%'e %t) @ut out t(e
(oles after al%+n%n+ t(e #%r#les %n t(e #utt%n+ (ole) /(%s s(oul' ,e easy an' fa%rly ?u%#k)
Aor t(%s tutor%al, &.ll use 22 L!s an' a '%sk '%ameter of 4 #m) &n t(%s p%#ture you #an see
anot(er '%sk & ma'e for 45 L!s) &t.s easy an' %f you pra#t%#e a l%ttle you #an make t(%s %n
m%nutes)
/(e alum%n%um s(eet -%ll ser$e as a l%+(t refle#tor an' a (ol'er for L!s %n t(e same
t%me so take #are not to ,en' %t) After #utt%n+ out t(e (oles %t..s t%me to see (o- t(e le'.s
s(oul' ,e #onne#te')
0o to (ttp:88le')l%near4)or+8le')-%9 an' f%ll %n t(e f%el's -%t( your parameters) =ere.s a
s#reens(ot of -(at t(e -%9ar' re##omen'e' for my 22 L!s 426 array) :o no- & kno-
(o- to #onne#t t(em)
Pla#e t(e alum%n%um '%s# %n some (ol'%n+ 'e$%#e 2& (a$e one l%ke t(e one %n t(e p(oto
an' %t.s +reat5) Be #reat%$e -%t( t(%s, ,as%#ally you (a$e to (ol' t(e '%s# ,y %ts outer r%ms)
Aor e<ample, a p%pe se#t%on -%t( proper '%ameter -%ll 'o)
&nsert t(e Le's %nto t(e (oles -%t( t(e le+s up an' arran+e' %n su#( a manner t(at one
#at(o'e %s ne<t to anot(er ano'e) /(%s -%ll make sol'er%n+ easy) !on.t for+et t(%s or you
-%ll (a$e +reat '%ff%#ult%es sol'er%n+ t(em a##or'%n+ to t(e s#(eme)
Put one t%ny 'rop of :uper 0lue on ea#( le' mar+%n an' #ont%nue arran+%n+ t(e ot(er
ones) CA3D&D0E /ake #are not to a##%'entally apply super +lue on t(e L! le+s) C(en
you.ll (a$e to sol'er t(e le+s, t(ese -%ll ,e (eate' an' t(e +lue -%ll +%$e off a l%ttle
#olourless smoke -%t( maFor effe#ts on your eyesE & kno-, %.$e 'one t(at an' #oul'n.t
stoppe' #ry%n+ for one (our) & t(%nk t(at.s (o- t(ey make t(at tear +as after all )))
After all L!.s are pla#e' an' +lue', put #ompoun' +lue aroun' ea#( L! for a sol%'
result) &t %s ne#essary to +lue t(em f%rmly s%n#e t(e le+s -%ll (a$e to ,e ,en'e' an' you.ll
r%sk some le's to #ome off ot(er-%se) 2t(at.s e<per%en#e speak%n+5 Do- let t(e +lue to
(ar'en ,efore pro#ee'%n+) &n my #ase t(%s meant 24 (ours ,ut t(e result -as -ort( %t)
:tep t(ree " mak%n+ #onne#t%ons
/ake one na%l#l%pper an' #ut out t(e L! le+s, keep%n+ %n m%n' t(at one ano'e -%ll (a$e
to ,e ,ent o$er to t(e ne<t #at(o'e an' so on) Also take #are not to #onfuse t(e t-o of
t(em) 7ou #an #(e#k t(at -%t( one mult%meter set to '%o'es) As t(e s#(eme a'$%ses, &.ll
(a$e to make 5 str%n+s of 4 L!s ea#( an' one str%n+ of t-o) :%n#e & arran+e' t(e le's %n
su#( a fas(%on t(at one #at(o'e %s ne<t to anot(er ano'e, t(%s operat%on %s mu#( eas%er)
After sol'er%n+ one str%n+, keep t(e en' le+s at '%fferent len+(ts to eas%ly %'ent%fy t(e G
an' t(e " en')
/ake t(e na%l#l%pper an' #ut t(e L! le+s an' ,en' t(em to t(e ne<t le+) /(e G +oes to a
" an' so on unt%l you #omplete a str%n+ of four) /(en start a ne- str%n+)
C(en you.re 'one mak%n+ all t(e str%n+s a##or'%n+ to t(e s#(eme, you s(oul' (a$e s%< G
le+s lon+er t(an t(e s%< " ones) &t.s t%me to sol'er t(e res%stors) But f%rst ,en' t(e lon+er
le+s to-ar' ea#( ot(er an' sol'er t(em to (a$e all t(e G le+s #onne#te' to+et(er) /(%s
s(oul' ,e 'one o$er t(e ot(er #onne#t%ons keep%n+ some '%stan#e to pre$ent s(ort"
#%r#u%ts) /(e res%stors s(oul' ,e sol'ere' $ert%#ally to t(e " le+s)
C(en sol'er%n+, try to ,e as ?u%#k as poss%,le s%#e you.ll ,e (eat%n+ t(e L! le+s #lose to
t(e%r ,ase an' too mu#( (eat -%ll 'ama+e t(em)
Do- sol'er t(e res%stors le+s to ea#( ot(er %n or'er to +et a s%n+le " t(at +oes to all t(e
str%n+s) /ry to keep a lo- prof%le so t(at t(e -(ole t(%n+ -%ll f%t t(e ,ul,)
Do- sol'er t(e f%nal le+s) 1se #opper -%re 2t(%#ker5 an' keep %n m%n' t(at one 2"5 (as to
,e s(orter)
/(e -(ole t(%n+ s(oul' no- ,e pretty r%+%' s%n#e so many sol'er%n+s -ere ma'e)
But for your pea#e of m%n', use a (ot +lue +un to f%ll t(e +aps so t(at no -%re a##%'entally
tou#(es anot(er) /(%s %s opt%onal)
Do- take t(e empty ,ul, an' put t(e L! '%s# %ns%'e) /(e spa#e s(oul' ,e enou+( %f you
ma%nta%ne' a lo- prof%le -(en sol'er%n+)
&t f%ts perfe#tly) Pus( t(e L!s unt%l t(e '%s# tou#(es t(e %nner refle#tor)
=ol' %t st%ll an' +et t(e #ompoun' +lue no-)
& use' some ,%#omponent +lue ,ut any +lue -%t( %n#rease' #ons%sten#y s(oul' 'o)
Just make sure %t.s stron+ enou+( s%n#e %t -%ll ,e t(e only t(%n+ t(at (ol's t(e ,ul, %n one
p%e#e) A%ll t(e spa#e aroun' t(e le+s #om%n+ out of t(e ,ul, -%t( as mu#( +lue %t -%ll take)
Ca%t unt%l t(e +lue (ar'ens) &n my #ase %t took 40 m%n) an' & (el' t(e L!s presse' %n t(e
-(ole t%me) After %t (ar'ene', use a permanent marker to -r%te on t(e ,ase t(e G an' "
le+s as -ell as t(e $olta+e %t -%ll use)
Do- #ut t(e le+s so t(at %t mat#(es t(e or%+%nal ,ul, le+s, e?ual %n len+(t)
Jo, 'oneE &t.s t%me for a test) @onne#t t(e ,ul, to a 426 ,attery 2#ar or anyt(%n+ else
pro$%'%n+ t(at $olta+e5) =ol' your ,reat( an')))
&t.s -ork%n+E /(e p(oto a#tually 'oes not '%splay t(e amount of l%+(t +enerate' as %t.s
,l%n'%n+ %f you stare %nto %t '%re#tly)
& (a' to ser%ously un'er"e<pose to make t(%s $%s%,le) 7ou #an use any type of 5mm L!
to make le',ul,s Fust make sure you kno- t(e for-ar' $olta+e an' #urrent s%n#e %t -%ll
,e ne#essary -(en #al#ulat%n+ res%stors) & ma'e ,lue, re', yello- an' -(%te ones, -%t(
su##essful results) & also ma'e H6 L! ,ul,s & use %n flas(l%+(ts, repla#%n+ t(e ent%re
flas(l%+(t m%rror -%t( one of t(%s ,ul,s) &n t(%s #ase, t(e #urrent #onsumpt%on s(oul' ,e
2 a##or'%n+ to t(e s#(eme 5 220mA) &t a#tually uses only 200 mA, or at least t(at.s -(at
my mult%meter says)
=ere are some L! ,ul,s & ma'e, 426 an' H6 ones) /(ey +enerate $%rtually no (eat an'
t(e most po-erful one & ma'e takes 426I200mA an' (as H p#s) of 0,5C L!.s) /(ese
L!s -ere pretty e<pens%$e ,ut t(e l%+(t output %s +reat)
/(e type of L!.s you use %s %mportant s%n#e a more '%sperse' l%+(t -%ll ,e ,etter t(an a
#on#entrate' one) 7ou #oul' also f%le t(e L!s pr%or to mak%n+ t(e ,ul, so as to (a$e a
more un%form l%+(t) /(ese L! ,ul,s #an also ,e use' %n 426 A@ spot lamps %f you 'on.t
m%n' t(e 50=9 fl%#ker) But t(e ,est results -%ll #ome out from 426 !@)
Many t(anks to all t(e mem,ers of t(%s forum) & learne' a lot (ere an' & felt t(e nee' to
+%$e somet(%n+ ,a#k) & (ope %t -%ll ,e useful to many people) Aee',a#ks, #omments an'
op%n%ons are -el#ome)
@lau'e