How to make a USB powered lamp

Resource

How to make a USB powered lamp

Resource Information

Abstract

You can make yourself a USB powered lamp with just a USB cable, LEDs and resistors.
This activity can be developed individually by learners or as a pair activity (2 learners) that shall be focused on the positive use of a USB cable, LEDs, resistors and handicraft.

A USB powered lamp

Learning Outcomes

The learners will learn how to use different materials to make a USB lamp.

Skills and competences

The learners can develop following skills and competences:

Handicraft
Problem solving
Teamwork
Motivation
Do-it-yourself (DIY)
Process management
Analysation
Creativity
Initiative
Planning and organising

Knowledge

The following knowledge can be gathered by the learners:

How to be creative
How to work with hands
How to understand simple electronics

Other Instructions

Cut the USB cable into a 30 cm long cable, leaving the USB type A plug attached on one end.
Use wire strippers and side cutters on the cut end to expose the wiring and shielding inside.

Cut off the shielding and data cables, leaving the power cables attached. The shielding is usually foil or cable that is not insulated. Power cables are generally red and black.
Remove approx. 3 cm of insulation from the positive power cable and 1 cm from the negative power cable.

Make LED and resistor pairs, by twisting the resistor around the positive leg (the anode) of the LED.
Cover the resistor and LED leg with electrical tape.

You will be making the schematic shown on the left.
You can read about schematics here (http://electronicsclub.info/seriesparallel.htm) and about symbols here (http://electronicsclub.info/circuitsymbols.htm).
The symbols in our schematic are wire, resistor, DC supply, and LED.
In our schematic we have LED and resistor pairs in parallel.

Bundle the LED and resistor pairs together by twisting the other ends of the resistors together.
Twist the wire over the USB cable. Make sure to twist it tightly and to keep the turns very close to each other, otherwise the cable will not keep its shape easily.
Add the clear tubing over the cable.

Twist the positive power cable over the resistor end of the LED bundle.
Cover the resistor end and positive power cable with electrical tape.

Twist the negative legs of the LEDs together and twist the negative power cable around the negative legs
Cover the negative legs and negative power cable with electrical tape.

Test the lamp. If it does not work, check the connections between the cables and LEDs.

URL

RESOURCES

Author

Martin Maidla

Language

English

Main Topics

Keywords

diy led usb