Do you know anything about LEDs?

[Fibre Optix]

Hi all.

I like to play games in the dark. By accident the other night while playing CS:S I had a small LED flash light on, and it shinned on the keyboard. I thought wow this is useful, not over powering and it looks cool. But it was frustrating to adjust the mini light to go and stay over my keyboard.

So I have an idea.
There are these LED lights you can buy for your car that you hook up to your dash via dual sided sticky tape and by pluging into your cars power outlet. like these. http://www.carxpressions.com/images/...cs/10180_b.jpg
(The ones I bought can swivel) So I was thinking it would be cool to hook these up to a USB cable and place the lights on the sides of my monitor pointing down to the keyboard.

SO... I took an old USB mouse and cut the mouse off, I also stripped the red (+) and black(-) wires down. I took apart the LED light power adapter leaving the switch in tact along with the resistor and attached the negative wires together. So I pluged in the USB cord and attached the positive and Negative USB wires to the Negative and Postitive wires of the LED light kit.

It works great. All I need to do now is solder and heat shrink the wires and I'm done. BUT something occured to me.

The LEDs originaly were intended for a 12V power source. Now that I adapted it for a 5V (USB) power source, Do I still need to replace the resistor?

Here are the specs of the LED kit.

DC 12 V
50mA (25mA x 2 LEDs)
1m <-- I don't know what this is, the package is in Japanese.

[glc]

No, feeding them 5 volts will just have them running dimmer. Just make SURE you don't try to draw more than 500ma from the USB port.

[Fibre Optix]

Originally Posted by glc No, feeding them 5 volts will just have them running dimmer. Just make SURE you don't try to draw more than 500ma from the USB port.

How do I control that? How can I tell?

[pam123]

For about $30 nowadays get one of these : http://www.xoxide.com/blpsilke.html
and don't worry about adjusting usb lights.

[Fibre Optix]

Originally Posted by pam123 For about $30 nowadays get one of these : http://www.xoxide.com/blpsilke.html and don't worry about adjusting usb lights.

Yes, your right that is a better option. But this is a fun and simple project and I already had the lights. Plus it looks friking awsome.

[pam123]

Don't let me spoil your fun then.
Post a pic of the final effect.

[glc]

Basically - if it works, leave the resistor alone.

[Fibre Optix]

Here is the result.
These little lights are great. The light seems subtle until you turn'em off, then you notice how much light is really given off them. My keyboard BTW is a back lit LED Saitek, but the not the letters, this helps alot, and only took 15min to make.

Of course I bought them the way you see them and adapted them to a USB cable, but even from scratch it's cheap and easy, once you figure out what resistor you need. I guess finding parts that swivel like these might be a pain aswell.

Anyway the pict with the ceiling light off is not really how much light is given off. I had to keep the cameras apeture open a little longer. But trust me there is just enough light for guys/girls like me who prefer it as dark as possible.

Cheers

[Alaron]

Looks very nice. The kit you bought makes it look very professional.

[Underhanded]

I want to marry your case.
Very very snazzy.

[pam123]

Now that's really nice

[Sam-U-Rai]

Originally Posted by Fibre Optix Here is the result. These little lights are great. The light seems subtle until you turn'em off, then you notice how much light is really given off them. My keyboard BTW is a back lit LED Saitek, but the not the letters, this helps alot, and only took 15min to make. Of course I bought them the way you see them and adapted them to a USB cable, but even from scratch it's cheap and easy, once you figure out what resistor you need. I guess finding parts that swivel like these might be a pain aswell. Anyway the pict with the ceiling light off is not really how much light is given off. I had to keep the cameras apeture open a little longer. But trust me there is just enough light for guys/girls like me who prefer it as dark as possible. Cheers

Kick ass! That looks frigging sweet.

Now I"M gonna go buy a lightup keyboard too. Wow: amazing .

[Fibre Optix]

Originally Posted by Underhanded I want to marry your case. Very very snazzy.

Amazing what you can do with a Dremel.

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

Neat, thats really great!! It also sounded like a cool little project!