Battery Lights
Katie asked:
Battery Operated Lights.
Battery operated lights have come a long way. Many people believe batteries are a fairly new invention. Did you know the first battery was invented in 1800? Or that the first flashlight was made in 1898? Now, those batteries were not the kind you and I think of today. They were actually quite unstable and not very reliable. Lets take a look at how battery lights came to be.
History of Lights.
Light has been used by man for a long time. Light gives our plants energy, which in turn feeds us. We also get vitamin D from light. Before modern scientific times, light was something that was thought just to be seen by our eyes. By the 1500’s and 1600’s though, telescopes, microscopes and new lenses were being invented. We could then see things on a smaller scope. Isaac Newton discovered the color spectrum in 1666. Soon the electric light bulb was invented by Thomas Edison. Light is useful in many aspects of our life. It helps us to see at night, directs traffic, helps us see while we read and gives us light for photography. It’s also useful in areas of health such as giving our food vitamin A, helping plants to grow and fights disease. We use light for everything now a days.
History of Batteries.
Batteries came on the scene around 1800. Batteries were invented by an Italian, Volta. They were rather unstable because they were wet cell batteries. For that reason, wet cell batteries were used to power stationary devices. In 1859, the first rechargeable battery was invented by Gaston Plante. Finally a dry cell battery was invented in 1887 by Carl Gassner that was much safer to use and portable. It changed the liquid material into a paste to make it more stable. In 1955, alkaline batteries were introduced to the public. Up until then, batteries had a short life and were very expensive.
Battery Lights, Together.
Batteries and lights came together. The first battery operated lights were flashlights. Today though, we have battery operated lights. Many Christmas tree lights are battery powered. It allows for mobility of your tree. Also, many people use battery lights for weddings. Battery operated lights are popular for outdoor weddings where electrical outlets are unavailable. You can also string the battery lights through the bouquets to make them shine at an evening ceremony. Actually, battery lights are popular for almost any occasion. The flexibility of battery operated lights allows them to be used almost anywhere.
LED Lights.
LED lights are becoming very popular. LED stands for light emitting diode. They use very little energy and put out much less heat. This attracts many people trying to save on their electric bill, especially with rising energy costs. LED lights are more expensive, right now, but the total cost of ownership is far less then the average incandescent light. LED lights produce more light than the average bulb, per watt. LED lights are the way of the future.
Battery Operated Lights.
Battery operated lights have come a long way. Many people believe batteries are a fairly new invention. Did you know the first battery was invented in 1800? Or that the first flashlight was made in 1898? Now, those batteries were not the kind you and I think of today. They were actually quite unstable and not very reliable. Lets take a look at how battery lights came to be.
History of Lights.
Light has been used by man for a long time. Light gives our plants energy, which in turn feeds us. We also get vitamin D from light. Before modern scientific times, light was something that was thought just to be seen by our eyes. By the 1500’s and 1600’s though, telescopes, microscopes and new lenses were being invented. We could then see things on a smaller scope. Isaac Newton discovered the color spectrum in 1666. Soon the electric light bulb was invented by Thomas Edison. Light is useful in many aspects of our life. It helps us to see at night, directs traffic, helps us see while we read and gives us light for photography. It’s also useful in areas of health such as giving our food vitamin A, helping plants to grow and fights disease. We use light for everything now a days.
History of Batteries.
Batteries came on the scene around 1800. Batteries were invented by an Italian, Volta. They were rather unstable because they were wet cell batteries. For that reason, wet cell batteries were used to power stationary devices. In 1859, the first rechargeable battery was invented by Gaston Plante. Finally a dry cell battery was invented in 1887 by Carl Gassner that was much safer to use and portable. It changed the liquid material into a paste to make it more stable. In 1955, alkaline batteries were introduced to the public. Up until then, batteries had a short life and were very expensive.
Battery Lights, Together.
Batteries and lights came together. The first battery operated lights were flashlights. Today though, we have battery operated lights. Many Christmas tree lights are battery powered. It allows for mobility of your tree. Also, many people use battery lights for weddings. Battery operated lights are popular for outdoor weddings where electrical outlets are unavailable. You can also string the battery lights through the bouquets to make them shine at an evening ceremony. Actually, battery lights are popular for almost any occasion. The flexibility of battery operated lights allows them to be used almost anywhere.
LED Lights.
LED lights are becoming very popular. LED stands for light emitting diode. They use very little energy and put out much less heat. This attracts many people trying to save on their electric bill, especially with rising energy costs. LED lights are more expensive, right now, but the total cost of ownership is far less then the average incandescent light. LED lights produce more light than the average bulb, per watt. LED lights are the way of the future.
How to Make an LED Light Up Bottle
Suie Roberts asked:
To make the LED light up bottle you will need…
A clear glass bottle, a meter or so of tinsel, a loo roll or kitchen towel tube, glitter, PVA glue, and a set of 20 LED lights. You can get these ready made from with a battery compartment from the ‘99p Store’ on your local high street. Tech confident people could make their own from individual components. DO NOT use mains fairy lights, this is a fire hazard!
First wash out the bottle and remove all the labels. Use a nice smelling detergent to rid the bottle of any lingering odours from its previous contents. Leave the bottle to drain and dry out completely.
Take the LED lights and the Tinsel, use a small amount of selotape and stick the wire directly behind the last LED bulb (the bulb furthest away from the battery compartment) to the end of the strip of tinsel.
Twist the string of lights and the tinsel loosely together and carefully push the lights and tinsel into the bottle until the battery compartment rests on the neck of the bottle.
The loo roll or kitchen towel tube will become a fancy bottle stopper that covers the battery compartment.
Draw around the end of the tube onto a piece of card. A grocery box is great. Cut the disc out and push it into the end of the tube. Use a bit of selotape to hold it in place.
Cover the tube and end piece in PVA glue and sprinkle with glitter. Cover the cardboard completely so that it is no longer visible. Leave to dry.
Perch the battery compartment on top of the bottle and place the glitter bottle stopper over the top of it, so that it hides the batteries and part of the neck of the bottle.
To make the LED light up bottle you will need…
A clear glass bottle, a meter or so of tinsel, a loo roll or kitchen towel tube, glitter, PVA glue, and a set of 20 LED lights. You can get these ready made from with a battery compartment from the ‘99p Store’ on your local high street. Tech confident people could make their own from individual components. DO NOT use mains fairy lights, this is a fire hazard!
First wash out the bottle and remove all the labels. Use a nice smelling detergent to rid the bottle of any lingering odours from its previous contents. Leave the bottle to drain and dry out completely.
Take the LED lights and the Tinsel, use a small amount of selotape and stick the wire directly behind the last LED bulb (the bulb furthest away from the battery compartment) to the end of the strip of tinsel.
Twist the string of lights and the tinsel loosely together and carefully push the lights and tinsel into the bottle until the battery compartment rests on the neck of the bottle.
The loo roll or kitchen towel tube will become a fancy bottle stopper that covers the battery compartment.
Draw around the end of the tube onto a piece of card. A grocery box is great. Cut the disc out and push it into the end of the tube. Use a bit of selotape to hold it in place.
Cover the tube and end piece in PVA glue and sprinkle with glitter. Cover the cardboard completely so that it is no longer visible. Leave to dry.
Perch the battery compartment on top of the bottle and place the glitter bottle stopper over the top of it, so that it hides the batteries and part of the neck of the bottle.

