In this article, we offer step-by-step master classes on how to make table lamps with your own hands from improvised means that are always in the house. It would seem at first glance to be ordinary and unnecessary things, but you can make original and designer lamps for your desktop from them.

The most popular and simple materials at hand are: glass bottles and jars, cardboard and paper, plastic vessels, water pipes and cement... We will show and tell you how to make lamps from this in this article.

With a simple and elegant copper table lamp, you can decorate any corner of your home by making it yourself. It will perfectly fit into a modern interior from loft to rustic style. Prostate and laconicism are the trump cards of this table lamp.

To do this, you need tools:

• Roulette, marker
• Pipe cutter and washcloth
• Wire stripper and wire stripper
• Pliers and thin flat screwdriver
• crosshead screwdriver

M Materials:

• Copper pipes
• Acetone and super - glue
• Copper corners 90 ° each, 7 pcs.
• Electrical wire
• Plug and Electro Chuck
• Switch and light

Table lamp assembly technique

Start with a tape measure, marker, pipe cutter, rag, copper pipes, and acetone.

We mark and cut pipes

• Use a measuring tape and a marker to mark the location where you will cut the copper pipes.
• Do this carefully, accurately measuring out every millimeter, since if the details differ, then in the end result they will not be the same size as they should be.

• Aim the pipe cutter and adjust the pipe diameter with the nut. Watch the copper tube, little by little readjust diameter with nut, so that the closure goes on until the pipe is cut.
• Then, using acetone and a rag, you can wipe the markings off the pipe.

TIP: Our parts have: 3 cuts of 15 cm, 1 cut of 20 cm, 1 cut of 45 cm, 1 cut of 25 cm. We used 12 tubes. When designing your luminaire, note that the size of the copper elbows will be added.

While the cable is inside, we connect the parts

Paste the parts together and glue with super glue. In order to avoid problems in the future, it is better to glue each part and put it next to each other.

Despite the immediate effect of the glue, prefer to wait a few minutes before continuing to make sure the parts are perfectly glued.

Tip: It will be more convenient to apply the glue if you use a brush. If you want the cover to be at the very top, install it first. This will complete the first part, and the cable will go in the other direction.

Instruments:

• Wire stripper and wire stripper
• Incisors
• thin flat screwdriver
• crosshead screwdriver

Materials:

• fork
• electro cartridge
• switch
• Copper pipes
• electrical wire

Install the electrical system

1. Open the bezel of the cover and start by stripping the insulation. Connect ground (blue) and phase (brown, gray or black) using the two screws you find inside.
2. Repeat the same process in the plug and switch.
3. In the switch you will find two pairs of small screws, a cable that you have to cut to the height you want the switch to be and connect to the corresponding sockets by going inside the small screws.
4. All you have to do is screw in the bulb to make your copper table lamp.

Finally, place the lamp in a corner or place you like and you will see how it will be a great addition to your interior, illuminating the space!

Master - class: Table lampfrom paper

When I first saw Robert Delta's desk lamp, it was love at first sight! The shape is amazing, it comes in a variety of bright colors, just the way I like it. I recently wondered, since the accessories were surprisingly durable, why not use them for a lamp?

Here are all the materials used:

• old lantern or lamp kit
• template and thick cardboard or paper, you can take polypropylene sheets
• glue and putty
• sanding block (medium + fine)
• wooden block (add weight to the base)

Instruments:

• artistic ribbons
• metal ruler / xacto knife
• drill (can optionally replace the xacto knife)

Lamp technology

• First, print the pattern (6 pieces of each triangle) (1 from each hexagon).
• Cut the shapes so they fit snugly against the board. Then use glue to attach the pieces to the back of the mount.
• Using a metal ruler and a Xacto knife on a cutting board, cut each shape.
• Put them together.

• Next, glue the bottom (shapes 2 + 4) to the base (shape 6). The triangles fit nicely together, and if you've done everything right, they'll just fall into place.

Then use small pieces of art tape to stick them together and wait for the glue to dry completely.

TIP: Use super glue, it dries instantly (we used Aleene). Apply glue lightly, and rub off excess.

1. After gluing the bottom half (shapes 2 + 4 to the base, turn shape 6 upside down (open end down), place the square on a flat surface and let it dry overnight, this will help keep its area.
2. The next day, start working on the top of the lamp. Glue the 1 + 3 mold, leaving a little hole to insert the lamp inside. The top one (form 5) was glued together with the artistic tape, but it is not glued to the form 1 + 3 yet.
3. Then reinforce the seams with glue on the inside.

Then start working on the base of the fixture.

The level at the bottom of the lamp needs to be made a little larger, so cut a few 1 × 4 to raise it a little. It will also add extra weight, which will give it more stability. Use screws to attach 1 × 4 to the existing metal base. (We swapped the existing rod with one from the other lamp to get its correct height).

Next, drill a hole for the cord and insert the plastic sleeve from the old lamp. The lamp should be disassembled, and the cord and wire should be pulled through the threaded rod of the hole in the new base. Glue it in the center inside the lamp.

At the top (shape 5) mark the center and drill a hole for the center bar. Then stick it in place.

1. After applying the adhesive, remove the excess and, if necessary, lightly and apply a second coat after sanding.
2. With a medium grit filler and fine sandpaper, finish with a sanding block. At this point, you will notice its solid base.

After finishing dust removal, apply paint! To cover the top of the threaded rod, use the top of the old lamp - it just slides over the rod. Then put it back in the nest!

That's it, a do-it-yourself table lamp is ready.

Table lamp from a bottle

Tin can lamp

Such a lamp is perfect for a home desktop, for both a student and a schoolchild. Especially boys will appreciate her, she looks more like a transformer and a robot from the future. You can paint or decorate the jar itself with paper, threads, or make it more embossed. How right.

Table lamp made of plastic bottles

There will always be plastic bottles on the farm, so making the decor of an old table lamp is not difficult. Usually, when restoring old lamps, the bases are left and plastic is used for the lampshade. The lampshade mount is usually the old one. When working with plastic bottles, remember that they are easier to cut. with a paper knife or construction... The glue is used for rubber or special for plastic.

Table lamp made of branches and cuts

Wood in the interior is always a classic - it is always fashionable and relevant. By decorating a table lamp with a cut of wood or an old snag with your own hands, you will get a designer item that simply has no price.

1. To do this, we need to pick up any piece of wood we like, handle it correctly, namely, dry it, apply an impregnation against pests and varnish it.
2. The second stage is to mount the top of the old floor lamp into the base. If this is not the case, it does not matter, in the stores for the light, bases for lampshades are usually sold.

Other original ideas

The basis for a table lamp, in principle, can serve as any item you do not need: these are children's toys, sewing machines, unnecessary socks, and so on. Experiment and create beauty!

A garland of incandescent bulbs, which is also called a retro garland, is used when decorating any festive event in a restaurant or on the territory of a private house. It is placed under awnings, in gazebos and tents, some area is allocated (for example, for a photo shoot), fences are decorated. You can make an elegant and unusual retro garland that creates an unusual atmosphere with your own hands.

What is needed to make a garland?

To make a garland of light bulbs with your own hands, you need the following materials and tools:

• PV wire 1 × 0.75 (stranded single with a cross section of 0.75 mm²), it is important that the wire is soft, but can keep its shape;
• bulbs for 25 W with an E14 or E27 base (they shine brightly and are economical);
• carbolite, plastic or porcelain sockets suitable for lamps;
• fork;
• rotary switch (dimmer) to change the brightness of the glow;
• nippers;
• sharp knife;
• marker;
• insulating tape;
• drill or screwdriver;
• screwdrivers - flat and cross;
• tailor's meter (it is convenient for them to measure a bent wire);
• nail;
• multimeter (tester).

The length of the garland is determined depending on the place where it is supposed to be used. The wire can be black, white, colored is rare. It must match the color of the cartridges. For a garland 5 m long, you will need 7 lamps, 7 cartridges for them, 14-15 m of wires, of which 10 m are the main ones, and the rest is needed for a stock to connect to the outlet. If E12 bulbs are used, an adapter is required.

Garlands with large lamps that do not glow at full power, with bright spirals that stand out in the dark, have a special charm. This effect is provided by a dimmer. It is chosen as follows: the power of the connected lamps is summed up and 30-50% is added to it. For example, if the total is 100 watts, the switch should be rated for 150 watts. Otherwise, it will quickly fail.

Step-by-step instruction

To assemble a garland of light bulbs with your own hands, you do not have to be a professional electrician. The instruction is designed for parallel connection of luminaires.

Preparing the coiled wire

The basis of a retro-style garland is a twisted wire, similar to the one that was actively used for outdoor wiring until the middle of the last century. Interlace the cables like this:

1. Fold in half, cut, unfold, align the ends and fix them with a tie.
2. 1 end is attached to a bent nail inserted into a drill, the second is tied at a distance to some object - a hook, table leg.
3. Include a drill. From a simple wire 15 m long, 7.3-7.4 m of retro is obtained.
4. Without removing from the hooks, the cable is slightly kneaded along its entire length and allowed to lie down a little in such a position that all the cores are fixed in a new shape.

Wire processing

At this stage, they determine the points where the lamps will hang, and prepare them for connection:

1. Measure an area of ​​at least 1.5 m to connect to the outlet on one side of the cable. They choose the design option of the other side, it may end with a lamp or an additional socket.
2. Measure and mark with a self-adhesive marker the location of the lamps (depending on the size, they are placed in increments of 45-60 cm). It is better to make the markup immediately along the entire length of the product in order to correct the distance between the elements.
3. Insert a flat head screwdriver at the marked point and pull the cables apart so that a ring-shaped section is formed between them.
4. Bare 1-1.5 cm in the center of both wires opposite each other using a stripper or knife. Remove the insulation layer carefully so as not to damage the conductors.
5. Twist the exposed areas into loops with a screwdriver or a thin nail.

As a result of processing, segments with paired loops appear on the cable, a cartridge will be attached to each pair.

Fork

The plug is selected according to its appearance, without grounding. First you need to disassemble it, and then connect it to the cable:

1. Strip the ends of the wires by 1.5 cm. The part that will be pressed by the clamp must remain in insulation, this will protect the cable from strong bends.
2. Tighten the ends of the wires with the fixing screws so that the bare parts do not touch each other.
3. Put on and fix the cover.

If you plan to make a garland with a dimmer, in addition to it, you will need a connector block that quickly provides contact and good insulation. The screws (4 pcs.) Are loosened in the block, then the garland wires are inserted into the channels-sleeves on one side, dimmers on the other, and the screws are tightened.

It is better to purchase a dimmer with a cable and a plug - it is easier to mount (according to the technology, the connection to the device is carried out by soldering).

Installation of cartridges

In a garland, it doesn't matter which cable to which pin to connect. For a retro-style product, old-style cartridges are more suitable - carbolite, which consist of 3 parts:

• cylindrical body with thread;
• bottom (skirt);
• ceramic liner.

The cable is passed through the bottom of the cartridge, the wires twisted into loops are put on the contacts of the ceramic insert and fixed with screws so that the bare parts do not touch each other. Then the case is screwed on.

Connection

The string, which is a non-tearing wire, stretches and sags securely, and is rated for 220 volts. It is recommended that each lamp be checked for integrity with a multimeter before screwing in. Only then can it be included in the network.

The retro-style incandescent garland cannot be used in the following conditions:

• under snow, rain, with a temperature drop (flasks will burst or a short circuit will occur);
• near flammable materials (paper, cloth);
• leave it turned on for a long time unattended, for example, overnight;
• mount on the ground or at a short distance from it, because easy to catch and break the wire.

Plastic lampholders have cable terminals that are not designed to support more than the lamp and socket. Therefore, when using them, you need to attach a garland every 1.5 m.

It is not recommended to consistently connect the elements in the manufacture of the garland, because the power consumption of each subsequent lamp will be less than the previous one, for example, out of 15 lamps, only the first 3-4 will shine brightly. And if 1 lamp burns out, the circuit will be broken and all the others will go out.

With a parallel connection, lamps of different sizes and powers can be screwed into one garland. If you want to make 1 long piece of jewelry, you need to take into account the power of the power source. The standard plug and socket are rated for 5 A (1 kW). If there are several garlands, each must be connected to a separate outlet.

Lamps can be painted with watercolors or gouache. Store the garland in a box, avoiding mechanical pressure.

A 220-volt LED lamp saves 1.5-2 times more electricity than a fluorescent lamp and 10 times more than an incandescent lamp. In addition, when assembling from a burned-out lamp, the costs of manufacturing such a lamp will be much lower. DIY LED lamp assembly is quite simple, although you can work with high voltage only if you have the appropriate qualifications.

The advantages of a homemade lamp

You can find many types of lamps in the store. Each type has its own disadvantage and advantage. Incandescent lamps are gradually losing ground due to their high energy consumption, low light output, despite the high color rendering index. Compared to them, fluorescent light sources are a real miracle. Energy-saving lamps are their more modern modernization, which made it possible to use the advantages of fluorescent light in the most common lamps, with E27 bases, devoid of the unpleasant flicker of the old representatives of this family.

But fluorescent lamps also have disadvantages. They quickly fail due to frequent switching on and off, moreover, the vapors contained in the tubes are poisonous, and the design itself requires special disposal. Compared to them, a light-emitting diode (LED) lamp is the second revolution in lighting. They are even more economical, do not require special disposal and last 5-10 times longer.

LED lamps have one, but a significant drawback - they are the most expensive. To reduce this minus to a minimum or turn it into a plus, you will need to build it from an LED strip with your own hands. At the same time, the cost of the light source becomes lower than that of the luminescent counterparts.

A homemade LED lamp has several advantages:

• the service life of the device, when properly assembled, is a record 100,000 hours;
• in terms of watt / lumen efficiency, they also surpass all analogues;
• the cost of a homemade lamp is not higher than that of a fluorescent lamp.

Of course, there is one drawback - the lack of guarantees for the product, which must be compensated for by strict adherence to the instructions and the skill of an electrician.

Materials for assembly

There are a lot of ways to create a lamp with your own hands. The most common methods are using an old base from a burnt out fluorescent lamp. Everyone in the house will find such a resource, so there will be no problems with the search. In addition, you will need:

1. Base from a burnt-out product.
2. Directly ICE. They are sold as LED strips or standalone NK6 LEDs. Each cell has a current of approximately 100–120 mA and a voltage of approximately 3–3.3 Volts.
3. A diode bridge or rectifier diodes 1N4007 are required.
4. You need a fuse, which can be found in the base of a blown lamp.
5. Capacitor. Its capacity, voltage and other parameters are selected depending on the electrical circuit for assembly and the number of LEDs in it.
6. In most cases, you will need a frame to which the LEDs will be mounted. The frame can be made of plastic or similar material. The main requirement is that it must not be metallic, conductive and must be heat-resistant.
7. To securely attach the LEDs to the frame, you will need superglue or liquid nails (the latter is preferable).

One or two elements from the above list may not be useful in some circuits, in other cases, on the contrary, new chain links (drivers, electrolytes) may be added. Therefore, the list of necessary materials must be compiled in each specific case individually.

We collect a lamp from an LED strip

Let's analyze step by step the creation of a 220 V light source from an LED strip. To decide to use the innovation in the kitchen, just remember that self-assembled LED lamps are much more profitable than luminescent counterparts. They live 10 times longer and consume 2-3 times less energy at the same lighting level.

1. For design, you will need two burned-out fluorescent lamps half a meter long and a power of 13 watts. There is no point in buying new ones, it is better to find old and non-working ones, but not broken and without cracks.
2. Next, we go to the store and buy an LED strip. The choice is large, so approach the purchase responsibly. It is advisable to buy tapes with pure white or natural light, it does not change the shades of the surrounding objects. In such strips, LEDs are collected in groups of 3 pieces. The voltage of one group is 12 volts, and the power is 14 watts per meter tape.
   
3. Then you need to disassemble the fluorescent lamps into their component parts. Carefully! Do not damage the wires, and also do not break the tube, otherwise the poisonous fumes will burst out and you will have to carry out cleaning, as after a broken mercury thermometer. Do not throw away the removed entrails, they will be useful in the future.
   Below is a diagram of the LED strip that we bought. In it, ICE is connected in parallel, 3 pieces per group. Please note that this scheme does not work for us.
   
4. Therefore, you need to cut the tape into sections of 3 diodes in each and get expensive and useless converters. It is more convenient to cut the tape with wire cutters or large and strong scissors. After soldering the wires, you should get the diagram below.
   As a result, you should get 66 LEDs or 22 groups of 3 LEDs in each, connected in parallel along the entire length. The calculations are simple. Since we need to convert alternating current into direct current, the standard voltage of 220 volts in the electrical network must be increased to 250. The need to "throw" the voltage is associated with the rectification process.
5. To find out the number of LED sections, you need to divide 250 Volts by 12 Volts (voltage for one group of 3 pieces). As a result, we get 20.8 (3), rounded up, we get 21 groups. It is advisable to add one more group here, since the total number of LEDs will have to be divided into 2 lamps, and this requires an even number. In addition, by adding one more section, we will make the overall scheme safer.
   
6. We will need a DC rectifier, which is why we cannot throw away the removed fluorescent tube internals. To do this, we take out the converter, using the wire cutters, we remove the capacitor from the common circuit. It is quite simple to do this, since it is located separately from the diodes, it is enough to break off the board.
   The diagram shows what should eventually turn out in more detail.
   
7. Next, using soldering and superglue, you need to assemble the entire structure. Don't even try to fit all 22 sections into one fixture. It was said above that you need to specifically find 2 half-meter lamps, since it is simply impossible to place all the LEDs in one. You also don't need to rely on a self-adhesive layer on the back of the tape. It won't last long, so the LEDs need to be secured with super glue or liquid nails.
   

Let's summarize and find out the advantages of the assembled product:

• The amount of light from the resulting LED lamps is 1.5 times greater than that of their fluorescent counterparts.
• At the same time, the power consumption is much lower than that of fluorescent lamps.
• The assembled light source will last 5-10 times longer.
• Finally, the last advantage is the directionality of the light. It does not scatter and is directed straight downward, so it is used at the desktop or in the kitchen.

Of course, the light emitted is not very bright, but the main advantage is the low power consumption of the lamp. Even if you turn it on and never turn it off, it will consume only 4 kW of energy in a year. At the same time, the cost of consumed electricity per year is comparable to the cost of a ticket on a city bus. Therefore, such light sources are especially effective where constant illumination is required (corridor, street, utility room).

Putting together a simple LED light bulb

Let's look at another way to create an LED lamp. Chandelier or table lamp needs a standard E14 or E27 base. Accordingly, the circuit and the diodes used will differ. Compact fluorescent lamps are now widely used. We need one burnt out cartridge, we will also change the general list of materials for assembly.

You will need:

• burnt-out base / plinth E27;
• RLD2-1 driver;
• LEDs NK6;
• a piece of cardboard, but plastic is better;
• Super glue;
• electrical wiring;
• as well as scissors, soldering iron, pliers and other tools.

Let's start creating a homemade lamp:

The luminous flux of the assembled luminaire is 100–120 lumens. The pure white light makes the bulb appear significantly lighter. This is enough to illuminate a small room (corridor, utility room). The main advantage of the LED light source is its low power consumption and power - only 3 watts. That is 10 times less than incandescent lamps and 2-3 times less than fluorescent. It works from a conventional cartridge with a 220 volt power supply.

Conclusion

So, having at hand non-working linear or compact fluorescent lamps and several elements listed above in this article, you can create an LED lamp with your own hands, which has a number of advantages. One of the main ones is the low cost compared to lamps that can be purchased in the store. During assembly and installation, it is necessary to observe safety measures, since you have to work with high voltage, therefore, you should adhere to the installation sequence according to the diagram. As a result, you will get a lamp that will work for a long time and please the eye.

Video

Who Invented the Light Bulb? The answer to this question is not entirely accurate. The light bulb was invented by several people, as different people expressed ideas, described hypotheses, published calculations, made drawings, or put ideas into practice.

Luminaires before the appearance of an electrical counterpart

In the world, lighting appeared as soon as fire began to be used. Then she began to evolve, when they began to do, energy appeared.

The first bulbs were illuminated by means such as:

• any vegetable oil;
• oil;
• wax;
• animal fat;
• natural gas and so on.

The earliest inventions of lamps used grease for lighting. A fabric wick was placed in a container with fat. The fat allowed the fire to illuminate for a long time. It looked like a candle in a container. The history of the light bulb progressed, when oil began to be extracted, at this time the kerosene lamp appeared. She has become so in demand in a short period of time. The invention of the light bulb came at a time when electricity began to spread rapidly, first in urban spaces, and then in distant corners.

Opening stages

The invention of light bulbs was based on the method of glowing conductors when an electric current passed through it. He was known long before the light bulb was created. But the main problem with effective, long-lasting and affordable lighting from the electrical network was the search for a material that would be used to make the incandescent coil. Back then, when electricity was already a reality, and modern incandescent lamps had not yet been invented, scientists practiced only a few types of materials, among which were coal, platinum and tungsten. The last two materials were considered rare and expensive. Coal was one of the more readily available materials.

Beginning in the 19th century, events took place that contributed to the creation of the first light bulb. In 1820, the French scientist Delarue created a platinum wire light bulb. The wire kept warm and glowed, but it was just a prototype. But 18 years later, a Belgian researcher Jobar showed an incandescent carbon lamp. In 1854, the German scientist Heinrich Goebel used bamboo as a source for illumination.

Who is the author of the light bulb?

Interested in the answer to the question - who invented the lamp, it is necessary to take into account that a whole series of successive manipulations took place here, when the ideas of predecessors, which subsequently developed, were constantly picked up. Yablochkov is the first Russian inventor who invented the first light bulb, and he also invented an electric candle, thanks to which they later began to illuminate city streets and squares. They could illuminate for 1.5 hours.

Subsequently, fixtures were invented that had an automatic candle replacement. Yablochkov created not very comfortable candles. They did an excellent job of their function though.

The history of the invention is associated with the name of such a popular engineer from Russia as Lodygin Alexander Nikolaevich. In 1872, he made everyone's dream of an uninterrupted source of light come true. The history of the creation of an incandescent lamp at this stage began to rapidly gain practical use. It burned for about 30 minutes. They were first installed on the streets of the Northern capital in 1873. In the same year, the inventor of the light bulb received a patent. We can make a conclusion. The first incandescent lamp appeared thanks to the inventions of this scientist.

Beginning in 1890, Lodygin began experimenting with the use of various refractory metals in filaments. Ultimately, he was able to use tungsten here for the first time. In addition, at his suggestion, for the first time, air was pumped out of lamps and filled with gas there.

In 1878, Joseph Swann helped create a modern modification of the light bulb. It consisted of a glass bulb with a carbon filament. Little is known about the lamp creator Hiram Maxim. Created a machine gun with the name "Maxim". In addition, he is the creator of the original model on materials such as coal and gasoline.

Thomas Edison and Ilyich

If we take into account the chronology of the order of events, then the electric lamp was created by Lodygin. But Yablochkov was the founder of a series of ideas that became the reason for the emergence of a popular source of lighting today. It was these Russian inventors and the subsequent developments of researchers from Great Britain and America that were able to use the first light bulb so massively and it turned out to be an ordinary device that produced light. But with the development of ideas, there is the one who gave birth to it, and the one who got the patent. But the invention of the arc lamp is not well known.

In 1879, Edison's light bulb with a platinum filament was demonstrated for the first time. A year later, he was given another patent for a model with a carbon thread that ran for 40 hours. In addition, he made a certain contribution to the manufacture of an incandescent light bulb, creating a base, a socket and a switch.

That is, Thomas Edison received a patent for an electric incandescent lamp as his own invention a year later, as the Maxim model was used and almost 6 years later the general display of the Lodygin lamp. T. Edison's patent work had its own results: when combined with Joseph Swan, he founded a company to manufacture the very first model of electric incandescent lamps. T. Edison together with H. Maxim, when they competed against each other, were in bureaucratic proceedings among themselves.

T. Edison was more accessible. H. Maxim in this fight was not awarded a single patent, and he also had huge financial losses, for this reason he left the country and went to Europe. With Edison's light bulb, everything is clear.

But who is the founder of the Ilyich light bulb? For the current generation, the answer is ambiguous. Such a name was known only on the territory of the Soviet Union, this term appeared in the lexicon of Russians. Ilyich's light bulb is the name of not just a lighting device, but a whole series of phenomena. In 1921, a deep economic crisis reigned on the territory of Russia, which broke out here as a result of the well-known civil war. And at this time the State Commission for Electrification of the Russian Federation adopted the GOELRO plan. It was a plan for the development of the economy, which ball is based on the creation of an energy base. At this time, they began to electrify the country on a huge scale. Soon, electric bulbs began to appear in villages in which mainly archery or kerosene bulbs were used.

The idea of ​​this plan was voiced by Lenin. For this reason, incandescent lamps were named after him. Such models began to heat up very quickly. Edison's light bulb is known today for the reason that he was able to patent his invention in time. On the territory of our country, light bulbs with incandescent rods began to be associated with the name of Lenin, because he was the first to supply Russia with economical electricity.

Economical lighting lamps are already available in almost every home. We propose to consider how to make an LED lamp with your own hands, what materials will be required for this, as well as advice on how to choose them.

Step-by-step development of an LED luminaire

Initially, our task is to check the performance of the LEDs and measure the supply voltage of the network. When setting up this device to prevent electric shock, we suggest using a 220/220 V isolation transformer. This will also provide safer measurements when setting up our future LED luminaire.

It should be noted that if any elements of the circuit are connected incorrectly, an explosion is possible, so strictly follow the instructions below.

Most often, the problem of improper assembly lies precisely in poor-quality soldering of components.

When calculating to measure the voltage drop of the current consumption of LEDs, a universal measuring multimeter must be used. Most of these homemade LED lights are used at 12 V, but our design will be designed for 220 V AC mains voltage.

Video: LED lamp at home

High luminous efficiency is achieved with diodes at a current of 20-25 mA. But cheap LEDs can give an unpleasant bluish glow, which is also very harmful to the eyes, so we advise you to dilute your homemade LED light with a small amount of red LEDs. For 10 cheap white ones, 4 red LEDs will be enough.

The circuit is quite simple and is designed to power the LEDs directly from the mains, without an additional power supply. The only drawback of such a circuit is that all of its components are not isolated from the mains and the LED lamp will not provide protection against possible electric shock. So be careful when assembling and installing this luminaire. Although in the future, the circuit can be upgraded and isolated from the network.

Simplified luminaire diagram

1. A 100 Ohm resistor, when turned on, protects the circuit from voltage surges, if it is not there, you need to use a rectifier diode bridge of higher power.
2. The 400 nF capacitor limits the amperage required for the LEDs to glow properly. If necessary, you can add more LEDs if their total current consumption does not exceed the limit set by the capacitor.
3. Make sure that the capacitor used is rated for an operating voltage of at least 350 V, it should be one and a half times the mains voltage.
4. A 10uF capacitor is needed to provide a stable, flicker-free light source. Its rated voltage should be twice that measured across all LEDs connected in series during operation.

In the photo you see a burned out lamp, which will soon be disassembled for an LED lamp with your own hands.

We disassemble the lamp, but very carefully so as not to damage the base, then we clean it and degrease it with alcohol or acetone. We pay special attention to the hole. We clean it from excess solder and process it again. This is necessary for high-quality soldering of components in the base.

Photo: lamp holder
Photo: resistors and transistor

Now we need to solder a tiny rectifier, we use an ordinary soldering iron for this purpose and the diode bridge has already been prepared in advance and we process the surface, we work very carefully so as not to damage the previously installed parts.

Photo: rectifier soldering

It is fashionable to use the glue of a simple assembly heat gun as an insulating layer. A PVC tube is also suitable, but it is advisable to use a specially designed material for this, filling all the space between the parts and simultaneously fixing them. We have a ready-made basis for the future lamp.

Photo: glue and cartridge

After these manipulations, we proceed to the most interesting thing: installing the LEDs. We use a special circuit board as a basis, it can be bought at any electronic component store or even removed from some old and unnecessary equipment, having previously cleaned the board from unnecessary parts.

Photo: LEDs on the board

It is very important to check each of our boards for performance, otherwise all the work is in vain. We pay special attention to the contacts of the LEDs, if necessary, we additionally clean and narrow them.

Now we are assembling the constructor, we need to solder all the boards, we have four of them, to the capacitor. After this operation, we again insulate everything with glue, we check the connections of the diodes to each other. We place the boards at the same distance from each other so that the light spreads evenly.

LED connection

Also, without additional wires, we solder a 10 μF capacitor, this is a good soldering experience for future electricians.

Finished mini lamp Resistor and lamp

All is ready. We advise you to cover our lamp with a shade, as LEDs emit an extremely bright light that is very hard on the eyes. If you put our homemade lamp in a “cut” made of paper, for example, or fabric, you get a very soft light, a romantic night light or a wall lamp in the nursery. By changing the soft lampshade to a standard glass one, we get a fairly bright glow that does not irritate the eyes. This is a good and very beautiful option for a home or summer cottage.

If you want to power the lamp on batteries or from USB, you need to exclude the 400 nF capacitor and rectifier from the circuit by connecting the circuit directly to a 5-12 V DC source.

This is a good device for illuminating an aquarium, but you need to pick up a special waterproof lamp, you can find it by visiting any store of electromechanical devices, these exist in any city, be it Chelyabinsk or Moscow.

Photo: lamp in action

Lamp in the office

You can make a creative wall lamp, table lamp or floor lamp in your study from several dozen LEDs. But for this, the flow of light will be insufficient for reading, here you need a sufficient level of illumination of the workplace.

First you need to determine the number of LEDs and the rated power.

Then find out the load capacity of the rectifier diode bridge and capacitor. We connect a group of LEDs to the negative contact of the diode bridge. We connect all LEDs as shown in the figure.

Scheme: connecting lamps

We solder all 60 LEDs together. If you need to connect additional LEDs, just continue to sequentially solder them plus to minus. Use wires to connect the minus of one group of LEDs to the next until the entire assembly process is complete. Now add a diode bridge. Connect it as shown in the picture below. Positive lead to the positive lead of the first LED group, connect the negative lead to the common lead of the last LED in the group.

Short LED wires

Next, you need to prepare the base of the old light bulb by cutting off the wires from the board and soldering them to the AC voltage inputs on the diode bridge, marked with a ~. You can use plastic fasteners, screws and nuts to connect the two boards together if all the diodes are on separate boards. Do not forget to fill the boards with glue, isolating them from short circuits. This is a powerful enough networked LED luminaire that will last up to 100,000 hours of continuous operation.

Adding a capacitor

If you increase the voltage supply to the LEDs, in order to make the light brighter, then the LEDs will begin to heat up, which will significantly reduce their durability. In order to avoid this, you need to connect a 10 W recessed or table lamp with an additional capacitor. Just connect one side of the base to the negative output of the bridge rectifier and the positive, through an additional capacitor, to the positive terminal of the rectifier. You can use 40 LEDs instead of the suggested 60, thereby increasing the overall brightness of the lamp.

Video: how to make an LED lamp with your own hands

If desired, a similar lamp can be made on a powerful LED, just then you will need capacitors of a different rating.

As you can see, assembling or repairing an ordinary DIY LED lamp is not particularly difficult. And it doesn't take much time and effort. Such a lamp is also suitable as a summer cottage option, for example, for a greenhouse, its light is absolutely harmless to plants.