LED + Battery + switch question

[Hfactor]

Well winter is among us and so night golfing is about the only solution during the week right now.

Was thinking about getting 29 accent lights


But I read some posts saying you could do it yourself.

Just need batteries
CR2032
LED's
And
Mini Push Buttons

And then tape them to the back of your disc.

I was just wondering if my concept of this would work.

So this is how I would do it

Diagram without discs

Basically The switch has 4 prongs / wires coming off of it. 2 Wires soldered to the switch lead to the LED, the other 2 wires soldered to the switch lead to the battery. Everything is taped to the disc and the button turns the LED on / off.

LL SSWW BB
E -- I T -- A
D -- C H -- T

I have no idea what I'm doing. Would this work?

 

[the_pwnerator]

Or you know...you could just buy these...

http://www.discgolfcenter.com/main_displayProduct.php?p=660

 

[Kaikias]

http://www.extremeglow.com/Merchant...OD&Product_Code=FLIGHT&Category_Code=LEDBRACE

 

[Hfactor]

Kaikias u linked something that I already have linked my original post...

I am 100% aware that you can buy this already put together. I want to do it myself.

 

[who-dat]

Or you could just take the LED terminals, put one on one side of the cr2032 with the other terminal on the other side of the battery, press it all together and it should light the LED up.
Tape it to the center underside of your disc.

Don't bother messing with switches and soldering.

 

[Hfactor]

I dont want the light to be on the entire time its tapped to the disc. that means they would be on before getting in the car and until I take them off when I get back. 3+ hours. Or if I could implement the switch I could just turn them on before I throw them and then off when I pick them up.

I want the switch.

All I need to know is "will the diagram I have work if I pieced it all together?"

 

[who-dat]

Added bulk, added equipment, added assembly, added soldering.....

Have fun and good luck.

 

[LoPan12]

well, whats your time and effort worth?
A few hours to cut, solder, mount, attatch, to save how much?
Get them at dgc for just the few discs you'd use, and stick 'em on and go.
Or order 30 (min $25, x29 is $24.36), undercut dgc by a quarter and sell 20 for $1.80 to make your money back.
I'd go with option 3 if I really wanted them. But I don't, not that badly, but I will buy a few if that's the route you go, just PM me

 

[stubborn puppet]

Seriously, the ones from ExtremeGlow are really ace. I recently went in with two other league organizers and bought about 200 of them. They came out to about 50¢ a piece and we sell them 2 for $3 to raise money for the leagues.

Last year, they could be a bit sensitive, but the ones we got this year have been greatly improved. They're brighter, tougher and I've not had a one of them go out when hitting a tree.

Something to keep in mind, those CR2032 batteries are more by themselves than the whole assembly from ExtremeGlow.

 

[LoPan12]

as for the actual wiring, you'd have to look at the pin-out of the switch to be sure.

 

[garublador]

Well winter is among us and so night golfing is about the only solution during the week right now.

Was thinking about getting 29 accent lights


But I read some posts saying you could do it yourself.

Just need batteries
CR2032
LED's
And
Mini Push Buttons

And then tape them to the back of your disc.

I was just wondering if my concept of this would work.

So this is how I would do it

Diagram without discs

Basically The switch has 4 prongs / wires coming off of it. 2 Wires soldered to the switch lead to the LED, the other 2 wires soldered to the switch lead to the battery. Everything is taped to the disc and the button turns the LED on / off.

LL SSWW BB
E -- I T -- A
D -- C H -- T

I have no idea what I'm doing. Would this work?

You'd want current limiting resistors as well.

 

[Hfactor]

You'd want current limiting resistors as well.

I think the LED's are rated to withstand 3.5v and the batteries only put out 3v. I would still need resistors?

Something to keep in mind, those CR2032 batteries are more by themselves than the whole assembly from ExtremeGlow.

At 13.5¢ a piece how are they more than the whole assembly? Do you mean larger than?

 

[garublador]

I think the LED's are rated to withstand 3.5v and the batteries only put out 3v. I would still need resistors?

It's about current, not voltage. The problem isn't that the voltage would be too high (it needs to be higher than the voltage drop listed), it's that without a current limiting resistor the battery will supply way more current than necessary, and possibly more than the LED can take. I'm having trouble finding the max current one of those batteries can supply, so it's hard to say how bad the problem might be.

Here's a post at an electronics forum that explains it all really well:

http://www.electronicspoint.com/got-question-driving-leds-another-work-progress-t228474.html

 

[jkoffsuit]

We just tape the LED to the watch battery and then clear duck tape to the disc. Works great. Dollar store has 3 batteries for $1 and toys you can disassemble for 4 LEDs. Tape them up just before you play, if it's cold out just do it in the car. It needs to not cold for the duck tape to stick good.

 

[Um...]

Please listen to the guys that say that it's simply not worth it to install a switch outside of the pre-fabbed units that you can buy already made, and also listen to those who talk about using resistors if you are going to go ahead and add a switch.

All of this is far too complicated and involved for what you really need it for. The problem with making something complex is you add weight and increase the probability that something will break on you when you're throwing.

Keep it simple. Tape up your LED's with some electrical tape and when you're done simply pull the LED out from under the tape/battery contact and be done with it. Simple, lightweight, and very effective.

 

[who-dat]

^ the voice of reason!

Also, OP, where are you finding CR watch batteries for $0.13?

 

[papamullins]

Please listen to the guys that say that it's simply not worth it to install a switch outside of the pre-fabbed units that you can buy already made, and also listen to those who talk about using resistors if you are going to go ahead and add a switch.

All of this is far too complicated and involved for what you really need it for. The problem with making something complex is you add weight and increase the probability that something will break on you when you're throwing.

Keep it simple. Tape up your LED's with some electrical tape and when you're done simply pull the LED out from under the tape/battery contact and be done with it. Simple, lightweight, and very effective.

Pretty much this. Perhaps ask some electricians instead of a DG forum about circuitry. I'd imagine you'd get the answer you're looking for.

 

[jrawk]

Keep it simple. Tape up your LED's with some electrical tape and when you're done simply pull the LED out from under the tape/battery contact and be done with it. Simple, lightweight, and very effective.

This guy has some real good advice.Tape your LED's to your discs in your car when you get to the course. Remove the tape when you're done.

You WILL lose an LED+Battery every once in a while when your disc hits a tree real hard. Why lose a switch with it?

 

[garublador]

Pretty much this. Perhaps ask some electricians instead of a DG forum about circuitry. I'd imagine you'd get the answer you're looking for.

IIRC, there are a couple electrical engineers here. I'm positive there is at least one.

Electronics projects like this are almost never about actually saving money. Sometimes it's just fun to make stuff.

 

[discgolfne1]

The search function is your friend. Switches, soldering???...way too much work. Take a CR-2025 battery, a LED, and some "Frost King" weather seal tape, and you are done. This tape is made specifically for cold applications and will not come off when you hit a tree because it has elasticity. Just don't apply it (any type of tape) until you have given your disc a quick wipe with your towel. It will not leave a sticky residue either.

You want a switch when you are done playing???...slide a plastic coffee stirrer cut into a 3/4" piece onto one of the LED terminals...light goes out. I permanently tape one LED terminal to the battery, and then tape the OTHER battery side to the disc.

I have been doing "night golf" on a weekly basis for 10 straight years...IMO..I think I have it pretty much down. One thing that amazes me is that I can't convince certain people to give it a try because they seem to think that they will lose their discs at night. Funny truth, is that you'll lose your discs easier in the bright daylight especially with all the leaves (or snow) on the ground. LED lit discs will shine through 2" of leaves or more...try that with your disc in the daytime. Ever spot all the lies from your ENTIRE group from the tee pad in the day...not a problem at night even when they are 350'+ away.

Note: LEDs are the only way to go for winter night golf as glow sticks become dim the colder they get.