DIY Press Light

[manithree]

I'm a little on the frugal side, but I'm also getting old, and I really want a light on my press for checking powder charges.

So, if you don't like the cheap gooseneck (sewing machine light), or that doesn't fit your press well, here's what I did:

http://www.tinydeal.com/diy-10w-900lumens-led-bead-natural-white-waterproof-led-drive-p-92778.html
http://www.tinydeal.com/dc-power-female-plug-connector-adapter-p-140241.html
http://www.tinydeal.com/led-dc-connector-female-connector-for-strip-light-p-141504.html

Scrounge up an old AC plug, add a few inches of picture hanging wire, and voilà!


For a grand total of $8.07, it's BRIGHT, and it's slim and doesn't get in the way. I can't guarantee the 900 lumen LED won't burn out quickly. I've only run it for an hour or two, and it's always been cold. But a replacement emitter is only $2.50, so I bought a spare. Hopefully the press will be an adequate heat sink.

[D-FIN]

Cool show us some Installation pics. I need something on my loadmaster.

[manithree]

There's really not much to it. Here's the part that goes on the press:

PressLightAsmSmall.jpg (48.23 KiB) Viewed 2676 times

If you look closely, you can see in the first photo how that's attached to the press with picture hanging wire. The female side of the dc plug and the ac plug just connect to the wires on LED driver. I wanted the dc plug so it would be easy to disconnect in case the cabling got in the way.

I haven't done this yet, but I'll probably solder the connectors to the emitter and then put a drop of hot glue over the solder joints. But for now the dc connectors on the emitter are exposed. I suppose that could be a safety issue without an insulator.

[JoeSparky]

Provided you have appropriately limited the max current to go through your LED light you should have MANY YEARS of use from it as the LEDs are generally rated for about 50,000 hours use.

ENJOY

[rosemarynrugers]

Provided you have appropriately limited the max current to go through your LED light you should have MANY YEARS of use from it as the LEDs are generally rated for about 50,000 hours use.

ENJOY

JoeSparky is completely right. We have a set of Christmas lights we keep in our bedroom (don't ask) and they have been on for almost two years now. As in steadily on. The blue ones are going out slowly, but everything else on the string still works.


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[quychang]

JoeSparky is completely right. We have a set of Christmas lights we keep in our bedroom (don't ask) and they have been on for almost two years now. As in steadily on. The blue ones are going out slowly, but everything else on the string still works.


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Because this is a family forum, I'll honor your request to not ask. And I'll refrain from speculation, at least publicly.

Mel

[SirGentleman]

JoeSparky is completely right. We have a set of Christmas lights we keep in our bedroom (don't ask) and they have been on for almost two years now. As in steadily on. The blue ones are going out slowly, but everything else on the string still works.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Because this is a family forum, I'll honor your request to not ask. And I'll refrain from speculation, at least publicly.

Mel

Lol they are basically a lazy man's nightlight so that we don't have to sleep in total darkness. That "don't ask" sounded quite suggestive haha.

[manithree]

Provided you have appropriately limited the max current to go through your LED light you should have MANY YEARS of use from it as the LEDs are generally rated for about 50,000 hours use.

Heat kills LEDs, though (just ask any owner of a Samsung LED DLP TV), and this is not a night light. This emitter will give you some serious temporary blindness, and burn your hand if it's been on for a while.

The "kit" includes an LED controller, so I assume it's appropriately current limited for the LED, but I don't think that's the only possible concern.