GENERAL WARNING: Never undertake a DIY electrical task or any other modification to you home if you're not qualified/certified to work on home electricity systems or when your home is insured. Always contact your insurance company and discuss your undertaking with the company. If you do not you will find out the hard way that the company will not cover you house or property if a disaster of some kind occurs. Ensure that you obtain the necessary permission and any certificates required. You have been warned!!
Disclaimer: The project discussed under this topic uses lethal AC voltages and should not be attempted by those who are not properly experienced. Proper safety precautions must be adhere to at all times. I will not be held responsible for your actions. Use at own risk.
In a previous post available HERE I explained how I installed a 220v pilot light as an indicator for the YL when Eskom power returns after loadshedding.
In this post I will explain how I constructed my own 220v pilot light using a few components that I had in my junkbox. I found a 220v Red Pilot Light but this one was the flashing type with a audible beeper. Now this will not work for what I had in mind. After opening the light I looked at a possible modification of the light but decided against it as we use 220v AC here and not 12v DC. Now I could have just bought the pilot light I wanted but why if I had all the parts to construct my own.
Homebrew is fun and that's the route I followed.
Parts required:
- 2 x 40mm PVC End Caps
- 1 x 6cm length of 40mm PVC Pipe
- 1 x 6mm Rubber Grommet
- 2 x Cable Ties
- 1 x 40mm PVC Pipe Clamp-on bracket
- Length of 2 core Power Cable with plug
- 1 x 220V AC 22 mm Red or Green Pilot Light casing
- 1 x Bright Red LED
- 1 x 47K 1 watt Resistor
- 1 x 1N4007 Diode
- 1 x 10uF 25v Electrolytic Capacitor
- Piece of 5mm Heat Shrink Tubing
I am not going to go into details of the build as the diagram and images explain he project to the full.
A simple but very useful project in times of power outages or loadshedding.
Just plug the unit into a power socket and as soon as the power returns the pilot light will be illuminated. If it does not then power has not yet returned. Hi Hi!
Photos: (Click on images for larger view.)
PS. Yes I know my soldering is very ugly but that is due to bad eyesight unfortunately. At least it is working!!
