how do you make a touch light

How to Make the Touch Lamp

Full Answer

How do I Make my Lamp into a touch lamp?

You can make any lamp into a touch lamp by wiring a three-way touch control module inside the lamp base. Turn on your lamp, unplug it and move it to a sturdy work surface.

How does a touch control lamp work?

A touch control lamp lets you control the light by touching metal anywhere on the lamp and even turns a regular light bulb into a three-way bulb. You can make any lamp into a touch lamp by wiring a three-way touch control module inside the lamp base. 1 Turn on your lamp, unplug it and move it to a sturdy work surface.

What is the difference between two-way and touch control lamps?

A standard two-way lamp turns off and on by rotating the switch knob on the side of the socket. The knob can be inconvenient, especially when lying in bed or sitting in a chair near a floor lamp. A touch control lamp lets you control the light by touching metal anywhere on the lamp and even turns a regular light bulb into a three-way bulb.

How do you make a LED torch brighter?

This is a very simple led torch light that uses the series connection of a led, a switch, a resistor and a 9 volt battery. It is very handy to use when there is no light. To make the torch brighter the number of LEDs can be added.

How do you make a touch sensor light?

How to Make the Touch LampStep 1: Apply Electric Paint. ... Step 2: Attach the Light Up Board. ... Step 3: Cold Solder. ... Step 4: Test. ... Step 5: Fold the Lampshade. ... Step 6: Attach the Lampshade. ... Step 7: Complete the Lampshade and Turn the Touch Lamp On. ... Step 8: Hang Your Lamp Up.More items...

Can a regular lamp be made into a touch lamp?

A touch control lamp lets you control the light by touching metal anywhere on the lamp and even turns a regular light bulb into a three-way bulb. You can make any lamp into a touch lamp by wiring a three-way touch control module inside the lamp base.

What makes a touch light work?

Touch lamps work on the principle of capacitance – the amount of charge something can soak up. In circuits, components called capacitors store varying amounts of charge and are used to tune circuits like radio receivers or smooth out fluctuations in voltage.

Do you need a special bulb for a touch light?

You do not need a special bulb for a touch lamp. You just bought a touch lamp, which you can turn on and off by touching the base of the lamp. You might wonder if your lamp requires a special bulb, but it doesn't. You can use any standard bulb for your touch lamp.

How do you wire a touch lamp?

1:553:06How to Wire a Touch Control Switch or Touch Sensitive Switch for a Table ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe white wire connects to the ribbed. Part of your cord. Or the wide blade on the plug. That's yourMoreThe white wire connects to the ribbed. Part of your cord. Or the wide blade on the plug. That's your neutral wire. The red wire from the touch control switch goes to the hot side of your socket.

What is a touch switch on a lamp?

A touch-sensitive lamp is one that is activated by human touch rather than a flip, push-button, or other mechanical switch. These lamps are popular as desk and nightstand lamps. They act on the principle of body capacitance.

What kind of bulb does a touch lamp use?

Lighting consultant Terry McGowan said that if a touch lamp has a mechanical switch, it will work with any CFL or LED bulb. However, if the lamp has an electronic switch, you'll need to use a CFL or LED bulb that's specially marked as dimmable.

Why do touch lamps stop working?

Eventually, you may run into a problem with your touch lamp. If it's not turning on, it could be an electric problem, a damaged cord, a burnt out bulb or a worn out sensor. Touch lamp sensors do wear out after a period of use. You can replace the sensor yourself rather than purchasing a new touch lamp.

Are touch lamps reliable?

The design of the touch lamp is another plus, making it durable and reliable. External switches on traditional lamps can become dirty over time, filling with dust, sloughed off skin cells and oils. A gummed up switch can eventually render a lamp useless, or at the least, make it unpredictable.

Do you have to use dimmable bulbs in a touch lamp?

What Type of Bulbs to Use? It's worth noting that touch-sensitive lamps that are dimmable require a dimmable bulb or LED equivalent. Factor this in when you're planning to buy a touch lamp and avoid the disappointment of setting up the lamp at home only to realise that you need to buy a bulb before you can use it.

Do dimmable LED bulbs work in touch lamps?

Q 6: Do LEDs work in touch lamps? A: No. Unless the lamp has trailing edge dimming.

Can smart bulbs be used on touch lamps?

Smart bulbs do work with touch lamps, but are an unnecessary spend, since the lamp already controls brightness. To use a smart bulb, turn the touch lamp to maximum brightness and then control it with the smart bulb app.

Can you put a timer on a touch lamp?

You touch lamp may not work with the timer. To test if it is compatible with the timer, first please plug your touch lamp into a wall socket directly, and touch it on; while the lamp is on, please unplug the lamp from the wall socket and re-plug the lamp into the wall socket again.

How do I install a westek touch dimmer?

It's easy to install. Simply replace the light bulb with a one-way bulb. Turn on your lamp and plug the lamp into the dimmer. Plug the dimmer into a wall outlet and touch any metal part of your lamp to select desired light level.

What causes touch lamps to stop working?

Eventually, you may run into a problem with your touch lamp. If it's not turning on, it could be an electric problem, a damaged cord, a burnt out bulb or a worn out sensor. Touch lamp sensors do wear out after a period of use. You can replace the sensor yourself rather than purchasing a new touch lamp.

How do you make a lamp?

0:223:04How to Build a Lamp - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd hold the rod straight if you choose a hard base you may need to drill a hole for the lamp rod.MoreAnd hold the rod straight if you choose a hard base you may need to drill a hole for the lamp rod. Choose your constructed base that fits your lamp rod. So you won't have to solve a rod down to size.

Step 2: Explore the TTP223 Module

The TTP223 comes in various form factors, but the one shown here is the most common. They are also extremely cheap, as little as $0.10/each.

Step 3: Test the Circuit

Before we get started, I strongly suggest you wire up the circuit on a breadboard so you can become familiar with the wiring and each component. Once we get started, the lamp may have a restricted space to work in, and knowing the circuit now will help later.

Step 4: Circuit Diagram

Study the attached diagram and make a plan before you start. Measure the existing lamp's wires and use the appropriate gauge wire when working with the mains AC part of the circuit. In my case, I used 18AWG wire where I needed new connections.

Step 5: Mounting Electronics

My donor lamp has a large concrete block in the base for ballast, which is common. In my case, the AC module will fit between the concrete block and the side of the lamp, but the relay is just slightly too large.

Step 6: 3D Print a Switch Box

Above is an STL file for the 3D box that I designed and printed for my lamp. This box could be used with most lamps but may not fit exactly the same way mine did, which is fine.

Step 7: Testing Lamp

Before we do the final assembly, let's do a quick test. I used a small 3-pin header and a standard 3-pin female connector to attach the TTP223 to the rest of the circuit. This makes it very easy to mount after everything is assembled, and it allows you to remove the box if needed.

Step 8: Final Product

And there you have it. You just converted a regular lamp into an awesome touch lamp! No more struggling to reach those crazy tiny switches in the dark.

Step 1: Apply Electric Paint

First, apply Electric Paint inside the grey outlines to fill in the connection and switch. The paint takes about 15 minutes to dry and must be completely dry before you attach the Light Up Board. If you want, you can make the lampshade while you wait, just skip to Step 5 and come back later.

Step 2: Attach the Light Up Board

Once the paint has fully dried and isn’t tacky anymore, it’s time to attach the Light Up Board. Use the Twisting Skills that you learned in the Instruction Test Sheet!

Step 3: Cold Solder

With the board in place, you can now cold solder. Blob a droplet of Electric Paint inside the sensors E0, E9 and E10. This will ensure a robust connection between your paint and board. After you have applied the Electric Paint, you need to wait another 5-10 minutes. Time for some tea!

Step 4: Test

When everything has dried, you should give it a test! Connect the Light Up Board with the USB cable to a power source and touch the switch you made with Electric Paint. The board should now light up! If it works, you can disconnect the cable from the board for now.

Step 5: Fold the Lampshade

Now it’s time for the lampshade! If you look at the lampshade, you can see that it has two dashed lines. You need to make a “mountain fold” for each of these. Have a look at the video to see how it is done.

Step 6: Attach the Lampshade

There are two tabs on the lampshade. These are used to attach the lampshade onto the template sheet with the Light Up Board. Simply slide the tabs into each corresponding slit. It might be easier to insert one tab at a time, either the top one first or the bottom one first, whichever way works best for you.

Step 7: Complete the Lampshade and Turn the Touch Lamp On

You can now connect the USB cable to the Light Up Board again. Fold the lampshade over and insert the two tabs into the slits. Touch the switch and your board should light up. Congratulations, you made your Touch Lamp!

Step 2: Circuit Diagram

The circuit diagram is a series combination of LED, a switch, a resistor and a 9 v Battery.

Step 6: Connect -ve Terminal of LED and -ve Terminal of Battery

Step 4: Connect the wire connected to the shorter leg of LED to the negative terminal of battery.