The Traveler's Night Light

Last Update: 11/16/2020

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Updated Traveler's Night Light Parts List 2020
  • LED Ultra Bright White LED
  • R1 Resistor 47 - 100 KΩ, the higher the dimmer
  • D1 Diode, 1N4003 or higher, 200V, 1A
  • Non-Polarized AC replacement plug



The parts list changed recently because when I started this project the LEDs were more robust and could take a higher reverse voltage. Which allowed me to use a 104 - 334 (100 - 330 pf) capacitor and not the resistor.

There may be another way to reduce the power used at the expense of using more parts. I will eventually try this way and put up that schematic and power usage value after I test the next design thoroughly.

With this method you can use an even higher resitor, >100 KΩ, to make the night light even less bright. I would not recommend using a resistor of less than 47 KΩ. While this will make it even brighter the night light plug gets noticablly warm. Brighter LED, shorter LED life, higher voltage, higher current so the resistor has to be higher wattage and it dissipates more heat, and this is all wasted energy in my optinion and that brightness is not really needed.

Even when I used a 47 KΩ resistor my YF, who's night vision is worse than mine, told me the night light was too bright. On the other hand, one of our grand children likes this brighter night light.


The LED, 47 KΩ Resistor, and the 1N4003 Diode.


The new design uses 1.2 mA of AC current for a power usage of about 144mW.
120 V * 0.0012 A = 0.144 Watts. or 144 mW or at about 125 VAC ~150mW

The non-polarized AC replacement plug I used can be seen in the photos below. I originally found these at ACE Hardware but during the 2019-2020 SARS CoV-2 Corona Virus Covid-19 pandemic I bought these through Amazon. I liked this particular design because it had enough room for all the parts used and the neck was the perfect place for the LED to stick out of with no way for small fingers to get inside. If you're still worried about small fingers or probes getting into the plug all bare wires can be covered with some kind of brush on or dip-in rubber, or the hole can be sealed with electrically safe RTV.

The Ultra-Bright white LED can be salvaged from any number of items, a dead LED AC bulb, solar walk-light, or flashlight are places I've gotten mine from.



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The Travler's Night Light - The resistor, diode, and LED can be seen.


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        The Travler's Night Light - The resistor and LED can be seen.
        The diode is a bit hidden inside the heat shrink tubing.




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   The Traveler's Night Light completed inside the non-polarized plug.

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        The Traveler's Night Light plugged into an AC extension cord.


The Five LED Nightlight, Link: 5 LED Nightlight

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