Mini review of MINI :D

Btw, @Pregulla, thanks for the link for USB extension cable, orderes some :wink:
:beer:

Any idea how to mod these so that as soon as they get power, they would light up?

Are the SMD components likely to be damaged easily?

I was thinking of putting some thick tape around the edge of the board so it protrudes just a bit higher than the level of the components, creating a temporary reservoir (not on the connector plug part of course) then filling it with some UV setting glue so they’re all encased and the unit is more rugged.

Edit - here’s one i made earlier, much tougher

UDO: for that you would need to bypass the mcu or just buy cheaper version that does not have sensor and it’s on instantly when you plug it.
CRX: they look pretty sturdy to me, I would say they will hold rough handling just fine.

The problem is the switch must be reset, so even if you wire it to come on on insertion, you need to break the connection to reset it, to be able to make it ramp. (I tried replacing the touch control with a push to make switch).

OMG I just received 3 MINIs, I regret I didn’t ordered 30 :’(

This is the light that has the highest happinness/price ratio

Got 8 of these (4 warm white, 4 cool white) from this seller for $1.82 each. I'm really liking them

http://www.ebay.com/itm/121310231074?var=420264627272&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

I keep one plugged into my computer so I can see the CD/DVD Burner. It's dark under my desk.

My two warm white minis arrived very fast from China. Wish I had ordered 20, they are great.

Mini is quite catchy :bigsmile: I gifted a few of them to non-flashlight-addicted friends and the find it interesting also.

Darn, sounds like they can’t be made to turn on as soon as they receive power.

I was thinking of putting a USB power adapter into a switched wall outlet, putting a stiff “worm” style extender on it, and putting one of these lights on the end of that… which would then let me turn it on and off with a wall switch. But if it doesn’t come on when it receives power, that wouldn’t really work.

The plan is to put one or two directly behind my television so it’ll be backlit. I currently have sort of a prototype running, but it can’t be turned off without reaching behind and touching the switch.

Paddington, Lord of All He Surveys, looks out over his domain:

There are some that have no switch and turn on when inserted? Though these are quite bright:
http://www.fasttech.com/product/1558501

Oh, I just checked newly listed and they have 5 cool white for 5.58 USD:
http://www.fasttech.com/products/1/10006956/1741602-6-stw8q14be-100lm-6000-6500k-pure-white-light-usb

They also have the kind with pot and sensor (5 for 5.08 USD, warm white).

I plugged one of my minis in my Raspberry Pi which is on the back of the TV and I just leave it and the Rpi turned on all the time.

I’ll probably just order one (or five) of each, and use whatever works best.

Originally, I was planning to do something much more complicated… but I’m not sure if I’ll ever get time. The plan was to put an XM-L2 or maybe XP-G2 triple or maybe a MT-G2 (at low-ish power) on copper and mount the copper directly onto a CPU heat sink, mount the heat sink onto the back of the television, and run them with some sort of common qlite driver or something, via a power converter plugged into the switched wall outlet. Then I could control the brightness via the wall switch, and it could go up high enough to make regular room lighting unnecessary.

But it’s a lot easier to just stick a USB dongle in and call it mood lighting. :slight_smile:
(the photosensitive ones look particularly promising, since I could just leave it powered on all the time)

At this rate, in a year or two, all the batteries we buy will have the flashlights built right in, with the components microscopic under the shrinkwrap.

On the back of my monitor I have an Rgb led strip which eliminates the need for the ceiling light. And I can make it any color I want.

http://www.fasttech.com/product/1741604 :slight_smile:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Brand-MINI-Touch-Switch-USB-mobile-power-camping-lamp-LED-night-light-lamp-D-/121310231074?ssPageName=ADME:L:OU:US:1120

10 for $12~
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-MINI-USB-mobile-power-camping-lamp-4-LED-night-light-White-w-Touch-Switch-/151322638274?pt=US_Night_Lights&hash=item233b8837c2

So, I got a bunch of USB fob lights. I’m particularly happy with the touch-sensitive dimmable ones with mode memory (in the OP) and the light-sensitive ones.

I have a light-sensitive warm white one behind my TV and it’s a nice brightness and tint for the steampunk room it’s in. It casts nice shadows on the wall too, since I have a bunch of copper pipes there.

I also set up a cool white dimmable one (on the lowest setting) as sort of a night light in my office. It’s hidden, buried at the base of a bonsai tree on the top shelf of my desk, shining up, where it produces a very nice moonlight effect with shadows up on the ceiling.

Dunno if I’ll keep it, but I’m trying another dimmable one in the bedroom as a night light. It’s a bit awkward though, and still too bright even on the lowest setting, so I may take it out and go back to the trusty old ZL SC52 as a night light instead. Its brightest moon mode is just about right, and a single charge lasts about 6 weeks.

Now I’m out of USB extender cables and “worm” cables and I’d have to dig in my crawlspace to get more phone chargers. But I think what I set up today is enough.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Brand-MINI-Touch-Switch-USB-mobile-power-camping-lamp-LED-night-light-lamp-D/121310231074?\_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&\_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D23490%26meid%3Da3a997782ce64fc59c819b17cc833d1f%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D10073%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D171258281438

Ordering this one. Both white and warm white versions, 5 of each. Like the user controllable variable output.

Hard to find but I finally did on eBay so I have ordered some in 40 cm or 16” length. Add greatly to USB light versatility.