I started looking around for LED flashlights for sale. I found a catalog that offered several styles of LED flashlights that looked great, but the cheapest was a 2-LED light for $30 on up to a 19-bulb version for $150. These are out of my price range, so I decided to build one. I gave my first flashlight to my spouse for Mother’s Day. Our six-year-old daughter loved it because it was made using red LEDs, which happen to be cheaper and brighter than white ones. She called it our “love flashlight. ” I was completely hooked after I discovered that after leaving it on overnight, the LEDs were as bright as new in the morning. Advertisements for retail LED flashlights claim about 50 hours of full brightness and another 100 hours of usable light, all with 2 AA batteries.

I am using C batteries, so my flashlight should last a long time. I had so much fun building the first one that I have continued making them and giving them away. I am also improving the design and looking for cheaper sources for different color LEDs, flashlight bodies, and types of switches. Building the Flashlight Body My goal was to build a flashlight from scratch for around $15.00. The biggest question was what type of body to use. The thought of converting a standard flashlight came to mind, but then one day out in the garage, I discovered that a C battery fits perfectly into a standard 1″ (25.4 mm) , schedule 40, PVC water pipe, and it would do for the main portion of the body. The next day I was at my neighborhood Congdon’s Ace Hardware store. Playing with the fittings in the bins, I figured out that a 1″ (25.4mm) PVC cap easily….

Download Homemade LED Flashlights from PVC Plumbing Parts.Pdf