Git Lit: the Prism Project

Create the prism, but with LED lights instead of something cooler like actual light.

The following materials are used in this project:

One meter stick

One Protractor

One #2 or light pencil

One 0.7 m x 0.6 m sheet of white paper

One Eraser

Two 8B pencils

Two Alligator Clips

45 9-Volt Batteries

LED Lights of these colors:

10 White

5 Red

5 Orange

5 Yellow

5 Green

5 Blue

5 Purple

Scotch Tape

Use the meter stick to draw a triangle with the 8B pencil. For perfect angles, use the protractor. The triangle shown here has 11 cm sides with 30 degrees at each angle. If needed, use the #2/Sketch pencil to create a height line or for making marks. Do NOT use the 8B pencil for markings.

Since this is supposed to represent the prism, use the 8B pencil and draw lines similar to the picture shown. There should be one line (for the white LED lights) on the left side of the triangle and the right side should have 6 lines (one for each color). For these lines, press the pencil harder. They should be darker than the rest of the triangle. The gaps should be every few centimeters (enough for five lights for each color) the lights will be placed there. Make sure to connect the ends of the multiple lines with one line connecting them all together. This where the alligator clip with the positive side of the battery will be.

After making the gaps (Should be 10), place a white LED on each gap. The prong ends of the LED lights should be in a straight line so both ends touch the graphite, as shown in picture. To keep it in place, take a small piece of tape and place it on each prong end.

Repeat the previous step, but with the other lights on the right side of the prism.

If you didn't notice before, this is a High Voltage project.Take two of the 9V batteries and fit them together so positive end of a 9V battery is in a negative end of the battery (but not both) so it is offset. Add the other 43 batteries together, repeating the pattern so it is one large battery. Once again, this is a High Voltage project. After putting the batteries together, clip each of the alligator clips at each end, one on the positive and one on the negative.

Take the positive gator and clip it to the multi-line ended line on the graphite. Then take the negative gator and clip it to the end of the single line and the lights should turn on. Unfortunately, some tweaking will be needed as the lights are very dim and some don't show at all, but when that's figured out, the instructable will be updated!