I'm going to assume these lanterns you want to build are not meant to light up a room brightly and fully lit, but rather to offer a fair amount of light in an otherwise dark situation. Here is a cheap one that offers 340 lumens and operates on four AAA batteries. 340 lumens is plenty of camping light. No, you're not going to perform surgery with it as a source of light, but if you've never been in truly pitch black conditions - you have no idea how valuable the light on your wrist watch can be for lighting the way out of that situation. I was in a sub-level basement when the lights went out. ABSOLUTELY NO LIGHT! And it was a place I was not well familiar with. The ONLY way out of that room was by beaming my rice lamp lit wrist watch and scanning up and down to determine where obstacles were and where the door was to the stairway shaft to get back up out of the dark. Even a wrist watch can provide enough light to see where you're going. And this was long before cell phones, so it was an experience for sure.

 

So while doing additional research I came across this.

If I were to do this but use a pot instead of a switch would it still work as a dimmer function? I would also try and upgrade the battery to a lithium ion instead of the lead acid. I understand that there are different pots each having different values. How would you determine the correct one?

 

I'm going to assume these lanterns you want to build are not meant to light up a room brightly and fully lit, but rather to offer a fair amount of light in an otherwise dark situation. Here is a cheap one that offers 340 lumens and operates on four AAA batteries. 340 lumens is plenty of camping light. No, you're not going to perform surgery with it as a source of light, but if you've never been in truly pitch black conditions - you have no idea how valuable the light on your wrist watch can be for lighting the way out of that situation. I was in a sub-level basement when the lights went out. ABSOLUTELY NO LIGHT! And it was a place I was not well familiar with. The ONLY way out of that room was by beaming my rice lamp lit wrist watch and scanning up and down to determine where obstacles were and where the door was to the stairway shaft to get back up out of the dark. Even a wrist watch can provide enough light to see where you're going. And this was long before cell phones, so it was an experience for sure.

I know I could buy them but being hard headed and wanting to learn more about working with electronics I wanted to build my own. No I don’t intend to do surgery with the lamps but I would like to use them in camping situations either in a tent or in a camper. Just enough light to read or work by without causing eye strain.

 

Here's what I see in the video: A 4 volt battery and a power source that doesn't specify its output as anything other than 300mA ± 80mA and CW 12 2. The schematic suggests it's a 5 volt phone charger and it probably is. The battery is a lead acid battery so it can tolerate various charge currents and cycles whereas a Li-Ion battery can't. The guy is a hack. He has no resistance to his LED's and there's no telling how long they will last before something burns out. Initially the light looked quite bright, but that can easily be due to the camera aperture. Nevertheless, it is similar to what you apparently want to do. But to use Li-Ion batteries - you're going to need some circuitry; something you're going to want to buy. And it's not likely a 5 volt phone charger will do unless you add even more circuitry to your build.

You'll need a BMS (battery management system). You'll need more than one battery. You may need a buck/boost converter to charge the battery. Since you want to be able to dim the LED's you'll need PWM circuitry. It's getting pretty crowded in your former fuel tank. It's all doable, but it's going to come at some cost. And to tell you exactly what you need - you're asking one of us to engineer your project for you. While we love to help we don't like to do your project for you. Certain things you're going to need to determine on your own.

I believe (without re-reading the thread) someone has posted a PWM site that can tell you what you need to know about dimming LED's. I don't want to discourage you from this project; I understand the desire to create when something already exists and you can just buy instead of build. I do that too - build just to build. There's a certain satisfaction in knowing what you built is your baby. Your creation. Even if it's to copy something from someone else. Maybe someone will help you further, but I'm not fully interested in designing a circuit for your needs.

I wish you well.

 

Ok, I retract my suggestion of using a flicker circuit, I wrongly assumed you were building a lamp for decorative purposes, not practical usage.

 

The Hacker guy who made the video is in India where most amateur electronics You Tube videos are from. He probably has NO electronics education. You Tube pays hackers for their videos.
This light is probably needed during the frequent power failures in India.

I was also in the basement of a building during a very rarely occurring power failure. I also used the dim light on my watch to find my way out.

 

I would like to use them in camping situations either in a tent or in a camper. Just enough light to read or work by without causing eye strain.

In that case, a directional light would be much preferred instead of having most of the light go in the wrong direction.

Bob

 

So I found a lamp that does exactly what I’d been trying to build. Bought at a flea market and tore it apart. Inside I found a potentiometer with a marking of J9 on it. A four band resistor that I believe to be 22ohms and another item with a marking of 0118 on it. I did some research on the last one and have found it to be some kind of led driver. I was wondering if any light could be shed on the pot and the 0118 item. Pictures included. The lamp was powered by two D batteries.

 

A truly high-efficiency PWM Controller is just too complex for a DIY project.
Here's the best solution I could come up with ...............
At full Battery Voltage, it's only around ~70% efficient, but as
the Battery Voltage gradually reaches about ~3.2V, the efficiency goes up to almost ~98%.
The Dimmer-Pot is small enough to fit in the Fuel-Filler-Cap.
You'll have to pick your own Knob style, or make your own Knob.

Of course, this may be way more expensive than what you were looking for,
but it was an interesting adventure for me anyway.
It's rechargeable, and has a Warning-Beeper to let You know it's time for a Charge,
and will run for around ~16-hours on "High" after a full Charge,
but much longer run times when turned down,
(~32-hours at 1/2 intensity), (~64-hours at 1/4 intensity).
The FET does not need a Heat-Sink.
.
.
.


LED Lantern BOM
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
https://www.maxamps.com/maxamps-18650-battery-3450mAh
MaxAmps.com
3,450mAh Lithium Battery.....................................................2-for ~$26.oo
Maximum Voltage:..............4.2V
Nominal Voltage:................3.6V
Minimum Voltage:..............2.5V
18x65mm, 0.7” X 2.5”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dual-Battery-Holder, = 36-1047-ND.............................................~$6.oo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adafruit
USB-Battery-Charger = 1528-1996-ND.....................................~$12.50
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2% Resistors .................
50- Ohms.........2% = 2368-EW051-ND.................................5-for ~$0.50
1K- Ohms.........2% = 2368-EW210-ND.............................10-for ~$0.95
10K-Ohms.......2% = 2368-EW310-ND..............................10-for ~$0.95
22K- Ohms......2% = 2368-EW322-ND...............................10-for ~$0.95
91K- Ohms.......2% = 2368-EW391-ND..............................10-for ~$0.95
470K- Ohms,...2% = 2368-EW447-ND..............................20-for ~$1.80
Current-Sense-Resistor,
0.100-Ohms, 1/2W, 1%, = WHAR10FECT-ND.................1-for ~$1.33
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Capacitors ................
1nf, (1000pf), 1%,.......100V, = 399-9708-ND......................1-for ~$1.36
10nf, (10,000pf) 2%,..100V, = 399-14002-ND...................1-for ~$2.63
0.47uf, Ceramic,............50V, = 445-181164-ND.................3-for ~$2.13
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Voltage-Reference-Zener-Diodes ... 296-10181-5-ND .... 2-for ~$3.40
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Op-Amps ..................
1- Dual-Op-Amp = LM6142, LM6142BIN/NOPB-ND...............~$5.oo
1- Quad-Op-Amp = LM6144, LM6144BIN/NOPB-ND.............~$8.oo
8-Pin DIP-Socket = ED11112-ND......................................................~$0.64
14-Pin-DIP-Socket = ED11084-ND...................................................~$0.81
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
N-Channel MOSFET .................
FET, N-Chan, 55V, 22A, IRLIZ34N-DS, Full-Pack,.......................~$1.12
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trim-Pot ....................
5K Trim-Pot = 490-2888-ND............................................................~$1.50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dimmer-Control-Pot w/Power-Switch ..............
500K Pot = 2368-502-0319-ND......................................................~$1.50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Warning-Beeper ...................
Piezo-Beeper = 668-1282-ND.........................................................~$3.93
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.
.
.

 

A truly high-efficiency PWM Controller is just too complex for a DIY project.
Here's the best solution I could come up with ...............
At full Battery Voltage, it's only around ~70% efficient, but as
the Battery Voltage gradually reaches about ~3.2V, the efficiency goes up to almost ~98%.
The Dimmer-Pot is small enough to fit in the Fuel-Filler-Cap.
You'll have to pick your own Knob style, or make your own Knob.

Of course, this may be way more expensive than what you were looking for,
but it was an interesting adventure for me anyway.
It's rechargeable, and has a Warning-Beeper to let You know it's time for a Charge,
and will run for around ~16-hours on "High" after a full Charge,
but much longer run times when turned down,
(~32-hours at 1/2 intensity), (~64-hours at 1/4 intensity).
The FET does not need a Heat-Sink.
.
.
.
View attachment 242682

LED Lantern BOM
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
https://www.maxamps.com/maxamps-18650-battery-3450mAh
MaxAmps.com
3,450mAh Lithium Battery.....................................................2-for ~$26.oo
Maximum Voltage:..............4.2V
Nominal Voltage:................3.6V
Minimum Voltage:..............2.5V
18x65mm, 0.7” X 2.5”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dual-Battery-Holder, = 36-1047-ND.............................................~$6.oo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adafruit
USB-Battery-Charger = 1528-1996-ND.....................................~$12.50
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2% Resistors .................
50- Ohms.........2% = 2368-EW051-ND.................................5-for ~$0.50
1K- Ohms.........2% = 2368-EW210-ND.............................10-for ~$0.95
10K-Ohms.......2% = 2368-EW310-ND..............................10-for ~$0.95
22K- Ohms......2% = 2368-EW322-ND...............................10-for ~$0.95
91K- Ohms.......2% = 2368-EW391-ND..............................10-for ~$0.95
470K- Ohms,...2% = 2368-EW447-ND..............................20-for ~$1.80
Current-Sense-Resistor,
0.100-Ohms, 1/2W, 1%, = WHAR10FECT-ND.................1-for ~$1.33
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Capacitors ................
1nf, (1000pf), 1%,.......100V, = 399-9708-ND......................1-for ~$1.36
10nf, (10,000pf) 2%,..100V, = 399-14002-ND...................1-for ~$2.63
0.47uf, Ceramic,............50V, = 445-181164-ND.................3-for ~$2.13
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Voltage-Reference-Zener-Diodes ... 296-10181-5-ND .... 2-for ~$3.40
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Op-Amps ..................
1- Dual-Op-Amp = LM6142, LM6142BIN/NOPB-ND...............~$5.oo
1- Quad-Op-Amp = LM6144, LM6144BIN/NOPB-ND.............~$8.oo
8-Pin DIP-Socket = ED11112-ND......................................................~$0.64
14-Pin-DIP-Socket = ED11084-ND...................................................~$0.81
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
N-Channel MOSFET .................
FET, N-Chan, 55V, 22A, IRLIZ34N-DS, Full-Pack,.......................~$1.12
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trim-Pot ....................
5K Trim-Pot = 490-2888-ND............................................................~$1.50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dimmer-Control-Pot w/Power-Switch ..............
500K Pot = 2368-502-0319-ND......................................................~$1.50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Warning-Beeper ...................
Piezo-Beeper = 668-1282-ND.........................................................~$3.93
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.
.
.

Thank you so much. This will give me a starting point to work with as far as the required values. I should be able to figure something out from there.

 

If You want to use "D-Cells", then use 3 in series for 4.5-Volts,
6-Volts is too much Voltage over the ratings of the LEDs, and will be far too inefficient.
The D-Cells will only last ~half as long as the Li-Ion-Cells, and they can't be recharged.

You can stack-up ~3 or ~4 Li-Ion-Cells for either more LEDs, or more run-time.
4-Li-Ion-Cells will run for around ~32-hours with 16-LEDs,
~64-hours on half intensity.
But to Fully-Charge 4-Batteries will take around ~15-Hours.
Don't forget, you can Charge it up in your Car or Truck with a 2.1-Amp USB adapter.

You can drive up to ~32-LEDs with this Circuit with by
changing just one Resistor, to provide the required additional Current,
but you'll only get around ~half the Battery-Life of course.
And, unfortunately, if You use D-Cells,
they probably won't be able to deal very well with the ~640-ma. of Current from 32-LEDs,
but with 16 LEDs, D-Cells will work just fine.

You only have to put D-Cells in it ~5-times to pay for the 2- rechargeable Li-Ion Batteries.

If you want all the bells & whistles,
You can add a "Green/Yellow/Red" Charge-Level-LED to the Circuit.
.
.
.

 

The simplest efficient way to vary the light output is to change the number of LEDs that are lighted. NO additional electronics required. No, I did not carefully read all of the 31 post, but it seems tyhat none suggested the simple scheme.

 

The simplest efficient way to vary the light output is to change the number of LEDs that are lighted. NO additional electronics required. No, I did not carefully read all of the 31 post, but it seems tyhat none suggested the simple scheme.

.
He wants a small Pot to mount in the Fuel-Filler-Cap for Dimming and Power-Switching.
.
.
.

 

.
He wants a small Pot to mount in the Fuel-Filler-Cap for Dimming and Power-Switching.
.
.
.

A small switch could be put in that same location. Small rotary switches have been available for quite a few years. But not at all parts stores.