So, I got tired of flashlights dying on me all the time. You know the ones, use ’em for an hour and they’re already dimming. Needed something beefier, something that would just keep going. That’s how this whole big battery flashlight project kicked off.
Getting Started
First thing, I went digging through my parts bins. Always keep scraps and old electronics around, never know when they’ll be useful. Found this massive lithium battery pack – I think it was originally for some RC project that never took off. Perfect. That was the ‘big battery’ part sorted.
Next up, the light source. Didn’t want some wimpy bulb. I had a few high-power LED modules I’d ordered ages ago for another idea. Grabbed the brightest looking one. Figured if I’m using a huge battery, might as well have a ton of light, right?
Putting it Together
Okay, now the fun part. I needed a body for this thing. Looked around the workshop. Nothing quite right. Ended up finding a sturdy plastic project box. Not the prettiest, but tough enough. Had to spend a good while cutting and drilling holes for the LED, the switch, and figuring out how to mount that hefty battery inside. It was a tight squeeze, really had to wedge it in there.
Wiring wasn’t too bad. Simplicity was key. I’m no electrical engineer, just know enough to connect the dots.
- Battery to a switch.
- Switch to the LED module.
I added a basic resistor just to be safe, didn’t want to fry the LED immediately, though I was tempted to just hook it straight up. Probably would have been brighter for a few seconds, haha. Used some thick gauge wire ’cause why not. Soldering the connections took a bit, my hands aren’t as steady as they used to be, but got it done.
The Moment of Truth
Alright, everything connected, stuffed into the box. Lid screwed on tight. Felt solid. Heavy, definitely heavy, but solid. Took a deep breath and flicked the switch.
Wow. This thing is BRIGHT. Like, daytime-in-the-middle-of-the-night bright. Pointed it at the back fence and it lit up the whole yard. Left it on for a while, checking if anything got too hot. The LED warmed up a bit, expected that, but the battery stayed cool. The box handled it fine.
Final Thoughts
Been using it for a few weeks now. Took it on a camping trip. Lasted the entire weekend on a single charge, and I wasn’t shy about using it. It’s not exactly pocket-friendly, more of a luggable flashlight. But that runtime is exactly what I wanted. Store-bought ones just can’t compare when you need something to last. Sure, it looks a bit rough, homemade. But it works, works damn well, and I know exactly how to fix it if anything goes wrong. Totally worth the tinkering time.