Trying to Make Multiple Simple Led Circuits with a Switch For my School Art Project

Thread Starter

Blair Shultz

Joined Oct 25, 2016
3
Hey!

I'm a Game Art Major at Ringling College of Art and Design and I'm working on a project which is to make a board game. We finished our prototype print out versions of the game, but now we have to build the whole thing.

My game is based off of restoring light to a city that has experienced a blackout. The object of the game is to restore power to the city by turning on the 13 power plants placed around the board. With that being said, my board is going to be split into 13 sectors/sections, each with their own light circuit/setup and switch so they can be individually turned on as the player makes their way around the board.

According to my professor, this needs to be done using batteries. The game must be portable.

My first idea was to use miniature lightbulb setups that connect to a battery with a switch. Like this:
upload_2016-10-25_12-7-2.png
But the more I thought about it, i decided LEDs would be better since they are brighter and last longer. However, when I looked at battery circuit setups online, they seemed a little more complex which became discouraging. This is where i need help.

I would like to use single color LED strips like these:
https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...er-ft-3-chip-smd-led-5050/1622/#/tab/Overview
That way i can cut them to whatever length I want. Plus they already come with resistors.

If I cut a segment of the LED strip and attached a solderless connector to one end like so
upload_2016-10-25_12-10-56.png
Would I then be able to attach it to a switch and battery using the same setup as a simple regular lightbulb circuit?

If i can't then I am kind of stuck.

I am in desperate need of help so I can make this work. I have had NO light circuit experience so go easy on the responses please. Thank you all so much.
 

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AlbertHall

Joined Jun 4, 2014
12,346
Would I then be able to attach it to a switch and battery using the same setup as a simple regular lightbulb circuit?
Yes, but note that they designed for 12V so you would need a suitable battery. Also they need around 300mA per foot, but if you cut them into strips of 3 LEDs then each strip will need about 50mA and you need to be sure your selected battery will supply that for as long as you need.
 

Thread Starter

Blair Shultz

Joined Oct 25, 2016
3
Cool, thanks! If i got a battery that was a lower V (like a 9V battery) would it just make the light dimmer or would it not work at all?

Any battery suggestions would be great!
 

Thread Starter

Blair Shultz

Joined Oct 25, 2016
3
Yes, but note that they designed for 12V so you would need a suitable battery. Also they need around 300mA per foot, but if you cut them into strips of 3 LEDs then each strip will need about 50mA and you need to be sure your selected battery will supply that for as long as you need.
Cool, thanks! If i got a battery that was a lower V (like a 9V battery) would it just make the light dimmer or would it not work at all?

Any battery suggestions would be great!
 

AlbertHall

Joined Jun 4, 2014
12,346
The lower voltage limit for the LEDs is 9V. I can't tell what will happen at 8.5V or 8V.
Are you thinking of the 9V block battery? I don't think that would work well because of the current (50mA) that they need, they are designed for low currents only.
 
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