Chinese moonlight

The Kapenta Kid

New Member
I found an interesting little gadget in a DIY store today that can be used for moonlighting for those who are not prepared to get the soldering gun out.
It is a little flat circular light about 2 in. in diameter with three white LEDs arranged in a triangle in the middle.
It is intended to be put in closets to light them up when you open the door. It is wired to a pair of tiny magnets that you are supposed to attach to the closet doors so that when you open the door the light goes on, but that is irrelevant to our purpose.
I dismantled it, took a file and roughened the glass of the LEDs so that their light is diffused.
Sitting on top of my tank cover glass they project a nice soft moonlight.
It runs on 3 AAA batteries so the question is, how long do they last, but since LED's consume so little power and it has this magnetic switching function, I assume that ithe batteries will last a long time, if you only want to view by moonlight occasionally.
It is made in China, where else? and costs $10 here. Maybe you can find similar in budget stores in US or elsewhere.
 

The Kapenta Kid

New Member
I would guess even longer. But I can't tell right now since I left it on by mistake all night two nights in a row and the batteries died. Although they have come alive again and it is is shining right now--which must indicate how little current these LEDs really draw, if they can work on an exhausted battery which has been 'rested'.
 

Trogdor

New Member
most LED's only use like 20-30mA. It's been awhile since I have had to calculate the longevity of a battery so I would need my books again...lol
 

Reeferton

New Member
You could always mod it to a wall wart, AA, AA, C, and D batteries are all 1.5 volts each. In parallel, two would make 1.5v, in series two will make 3v.
 
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