This came as a "gift" with an online purchase, but it turns out that it's a really nice design that would be perfect for adding a splash of light to a room or tent while camping or during a power outage.
It's sold on eBay as a USB night light, and is available in white, warm white and a selection of other colours. The construction is simple, rugged and functional, and the diffuser provides a soft even distribution of light.
Aside from its intended use as a night light when plugged into a USB wall socket or adaptor, it also has potential for use with a power bank and solar panel to provide regular nighttime illumination during prolonged outages or in remote locations.
I'd regard this light as an emergency essential as it is cheap and very useful.
Here's a "lowest cost first" search on eBay to prevent price gouging:-
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=usb+night+light&_sacat=0&_sop=15&rt=nc&LH_BIN=1
Guide price is around 1.50 to 2.00 pound/Euro/Dollars.
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#ElectronicsCreators

A refreshingly short and simple video i recently received a package from china and they had thrown in a little extra gift in the form of this usb lightning thumb and i'll. Take a look at that later on and it turns out it's just a little half watt white light this one's cold, but they also do them in warm and they also do them in pink purple, uh, green red and other colors, i think, and blue um. But this thing is rated about half a watt, it's very, very simple: it's a nice diffused light and in a room, this acts as a perfect night light. It's the sort of thing that, if you were camping, this is a light which is extremely cheap.

I shall provide a search link to it on ebay, so there's no price gouging, but it would be really handy for camping or use as a night light or in the event of armageddon happening in what politics are like these days uh. It would be a very useful little light for use with a usb power bank charged from solar panels inside and i've already taken. A picture of the inside is equally simple. Let me just focus down onto this and zoom in.

We have where's my pan here. We have two fairly decent sized leds and we've got two 30 ohm resistors three: zero, zero, three zero and a multiplier of zero, which means it's just 30 ohms. The circuit board is held in place by the usb connector. As far as i can see, it looks as though they've literally pushed the usb connector through placed the circuit board on soldered the pins and that's what locks in place very simple construction.

There's a resistor per led with a negative on this side, going to the end of one led and also to the resistor. That then goes to the other led and the opposite is mirrored. It's got the positive going to that led and this resistor, so they basically just got that 30 ohm resistor and series of each led. The current draw is 120 milliamps, which is roughly 60 milliamps per led, which does equate fairly accurately to 3 volts across the leds, and about 2 volts dropped across the resistors, and that is about it.

It's a super simple design. It's ultra functional. There is the possibility, if you wanted, to have the power consumption to either change the resistors or just cut one of them out and just kill one of the leds effectively, although it might go a bit lopsided, but this is a nice simple design. It's unexpected.

I was expecting it just to be an ordinary led light and, to be honest, it is an ordinary led light. Uh usb powered led light, but it's actually super compact and functional. It's a win. It's a very nice little light.


16 thoughts on “Splendid cheap usb light for emergencies”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars giefuser says:

    Mmm, random ”free” USB device from China. Let’s not plug it into any server 🙂 </tin foil hat mode>

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars john thomas says:

    Where is the eBay link for this light clive mentions?

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Hola! Cucumber Man says:

    Brilliant little light Clive I’m going to get a couple thanks

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars devikwolf says:

    It's surprisingly refreshing to see a solid, compact, eye-friendly, reliable, cheap, and functional LED light, when the vast majority of LED lights out there only hit one or two of those categories at best.

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Gucky says:

    I use my "intelligent" 21700 from Nitecore with a magnetic Light for that purpose.

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Mike says:

    Another Item for your Energy company to use as an Excuse for your high bill !!

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jeff Flowers says:

    I just ordered a few. Thanks!

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Werner T says:

    Would an arduino mini/micro fit in there?

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Easily Distracted Planner says:

    That's so cool and useful. Makes for a great little light while travelling, I agree.

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars RiderBlitz says:

    Im really impressed how neat this board is, its really useful, i love LEDs

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Space Jihadist says:

    I hope we can prevent WW3.

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars reboog420 says:

    nice.

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars GeekMoto13 says:

    if i had the money i would by a box filled with them.

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Real life Bambi: 🦌 at the Farm says:

    "You should get it by Sep 22." That will be when I've forgotten I've ordered it.

  15. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars GregariousGrog Games says:

    I appreciate an item we can use rather than trash hahaha

  16. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Curtis Hoffmann says:

    Another of BigClive's bright ideas?

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