Lighting question - cordless drill battery
03-20-07, 02:50 PM
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Lighting question - cordless drill battery
I'm starting to put together plans for creating a DIY lighting system.
I was thinking of looking at a cordless drill battery to power the system.
Are these a good way to go?
How would you attach the wires to the battery? Use electrical tape to tape the bare end of wire to the metal contacts of the battery?
Any better systems?
I don't remember junior high school shop class very well. What are the calculations required to determine if a battery has enough volts/amps, etc to power a light?
Thanks for the assistance!
I was thinking of looking at a cordless drill battery to power the system.
Are these a good way to go?
How would you attach the wires to the battery? Use electrical tape to tape the bare end of wire to the metal contacts of the battery?
Any better systems?
I don't remember junior high school shop class very well. What are the calculations required to determine if a battery has enough volts/amps, etc to power a light?
Thanks for the assistance!
03-20-07, 03:28 PM
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Originally Posted by hrtbreaker
Use electrical tape to tape the bare end of wire to the metal contacts of the battery?
I would either forget the DIY route - or find someone with some electrical knowledge to help you out (in person).
03-20-07, 03:33 PM
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I would start with a cordless drill, take the guts out, and mount a bulb in the end where the chuck goes.
Most drills these days are 18V... you will probably want 12V for bulb compatibility.
You want it to remain compatible with its charger, see...
Most drills these days are 18V... you will probably want 12V for bulb compatibility.
You want it to remain compatible with its charger, see...
03-20-07, 03:49 PM
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I would start with a cordless drill, take the guts out, and mount a bulb in the end where the chuck goes.
03-20-07, 04:31 PM
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Better, I have a flashlight that runs off the drill battery... came with my ryobi kit.
So just lash it to the bars, no mods needed.
So just lash it to the bars, no mods needed.
03-20-07, 04:37 PM
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Originally Posted by hrtbreaker
I'm starting to put together plans for creating a DIY lighting system.
I was thinking of looking at a cordless drill battery to power the system.
Are these a good way to go?
How would you attach the wires to the battery? Use electrical tape to tape the bare end of wire to the metal contacts of the battery?
Any better systems?
I don't remember junior high school shop class very well. What are the calculations required to determine if a battery has enough volts/amps, etc to power a light?
Thanks for the assistance!
I was thinking of looking at a cordless drill battery to power the system.
Are these a good way to go?
How would you attach the wires to the battery? Use electrical tape to tape the bare end of wire to the metal contacts of the battery?
Any better systems?
I don't remember junior high school shop class very well. What are the calculations required to determine if a battery has enough volts/amps, etc to power a light?
Thanks for the assistance!
... but seriously, a cordless drill battery is probably not the best way to go. You could use a 12v one to run a 12v light but the 18v would probably be too high voltage. Go look at the Total Geekiness sticky. There's lots of information there. Then ask your question.
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03-20-07, 05:34 PM
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I was googling for 18v ryobi light to show my flashlight... look at this:
https://www.instructables.com/id/EGIJ2D3E6NET9K545H/
!!
there ya go!
https://www.instructables.com/id/EGIJ2D3E6NET9K545H/
!!
there ya go!
03-21-07, 06:21 AM
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The one Phantoj indicates (on the instructables site) is basically what I built and ran with for the first year or so (until I bought my HID from batteryspace.com). It costs about $10, works well, no problems. Running a 12V MR16 on 18V would probably not be good for the light. 14.4v is good though; you get brighter light at a slight cost in bulb life (though I still haven't burned out my first 12V light after a year of 12v running on a cheap SLA battery and a month on a 14.4V NiMH pack).
You could run it at 18V, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear you were blowing bulbs every couple of weeks.
I'd be very tempted to use drill batteries these days, because there's a harbor freight store near where I live, and they often have 14.4v drills with batteries for $15 on sale sometimes, and replacement batteries for $10. I don't know how many mAh they are, but I have one of their 18V drills and it lasts OK, I put in a whole room full of drywall screws on one charge last winter.
You could run it at 18V, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear you were blowing bulbs every couple of weeks.
I'd be very tempted to use drill batteries these days, because there's a harbor freight store near where I live, and they often have 14.4v drills with batteries for $15 on sale sometimes, and replacement batteries for $10. I don't know how many mAh they are, but I have one of their 18V drills and it lasts OK, I put in a whole room full of drywall screws on one charge last winter.
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03-21-07, 08:24 AM
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Originally Posted by ItsJustMe
The one Phantoj indicates (on the instructables site) is basically what I built and ran with for the first year or so (until I bought my HID from batteryspace.com). It costs about $10, works well, no problems. Running a 12V MR16 on 18V would probably not be good for the light. 14.4v is good though; you get brighter light at a slight cost in bulb life (though I still haven't burned out my first 12V light after a year of 12v running on a cheap SLA battery and a month on a 14.4V NiMH pack).
You could run it at 18V, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear you were blowing bulbs every couple of weeks.
I'd be very tempted to use drill batteries these days, because there's a harbor freight store near where I live, and they often have 14.4v drills with batteries for $15 on sale sometimes, and replacement batteries for $10. I don't know how many mAh they are, but I have one of their 18V drills and it lasts OK, I put in a whole room full of drywall screws on one charge last winter.
You could run it at 18V, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear you were blowing bulbs every couple of weeks.
I'd be very tempted to use drill batteries these days, because there's a harbor freight store near where I live, and they often have 14.4v drills with batteries for $15 on sale sometimes, and replacement batteries for $10. I don't know how many mAh they are, but I have one of their 18V drills and it lasts OK, I put in a whole room full of drywall screws on one charge last winter.
I'm not sure how tough they are for use with an 18V battery, however.
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Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
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Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
03-21-07, 09:17 AM
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I'd actually go to https://www.batteryspace.com/ and get a battery pack from them.
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03-21-07, 12:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Brian Ratliff
I'd actually go to https://www.batteryspace.com/ and get a battery pack from them.
I like the tool battery pack idea; they are cheap and common... dunno on the capacity.
03-21-07, 01:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Phantoj
Better, I have a flashlight that runs off the drill battery... came with my ryobi kit.
So just lash it to the bars, no mods needed.
So just lash it to the bars, no mods needed.
See here:
https://www.homeandbeyond.com/prod-0070582.html
03-21-07, 03:27 PM
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Originally Posted by KeatonR
I have a flashlight that runs off of my 12v Dewalt drill batteries. I actually use the flashlight much more than the drill, and it's the best light I've ever owned. Super powerful. It would make an outstanding bike light, if you could conveniently attach it.
See here:
https://www.homeandbeyond.com/prod-0070582.html
See here:
https://www.homeandbeyond.com/prod-0070582.html
You could use two of the conduit clips. Turn them so the holes, where it connects
to the wall are together. use a small screw to fasten them. Than use one clip part
around handlebars, and the other end around the flashight. maybe use a wing nut
on the flashlight for quick connect. Balance the light in the clip, it will be heavy one
end, because of battery. Or you could, if you wanted to cut the light up. You could
cut it just, behine the head section, behine the switch, fabercate a bracket, to hold it
to your handlebars. Run some wire, I usally use wire, from a cig lighter ext. cord. put
the battery in your rear bag,and run the wire from light head to battery.
There are a lot of ways to do it. Good luck.
03-21-07, 06:53 PM
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Well if your going to go do something like that then why not get one of those 2 million candlewatt rechargeable lights from an auto parts store or Wallyworld and strap that to your handlebars? That would surely get the attention of motorists.
03-21-07, 07:17 PM
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u r on te right track
I’ve been using a dyi system for 3+ years. I started out with 14+ volts of AAs. Then 2 winters ago I switched to my Makita 14.4v 2.6 AH drill battery. I fastened + and – wires to the plastic covers that come with it using pop rivets (you could use screws/nuts). The battery fits in a water bottle cage without any other fastening mechanism. It will run a 15w halogen 2+ hours or a 3 amp LED 5+. Not to mention it is one heck of a drill when i need it.
