Thread: PVC Candles Rewired for AAs

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I made the PVC candles for 2009, mine are made from 4" PVC, bolted together in groups of 3's and 5's and only have about 2" of Great Stuff at the top of candle (leaving the remaining tube empty with room to drill and attach the battery pack in one of the candle. I would like to rewire the flicker tealights to a single 2 AA battery pack for each group, instead of the button batteries.



The first is a normal Dollar Tree flicker tealight, the second is from the Christmas Tree Shop (and the only one that looks like it has a circuit board) and the third is a Dollar Tree flicker tealight that you turn the base as the on off switch (in the picture is two lights so you see all the components).

I don't know how to string together LEDS and if the one with a circuit board would pose a problem. I like the three different types of flicker, so would like to use all of them. Also I would like to keep cost down by grouping the LEDs instead of a new battery pack for each tealight.

Thank You, Carey

why would you want to replace the button with AA's, I would think the buttons last longer and replacing a tea light is as simple as pulling one out, throwing it away and slapping in another.

I found this on Youtube. It might help.

YouTube - 99 cent flicker light AA battery conversion

I will be attempting something similar but using a 3 volt 110 converter if there is such a thing (hadn't looked around yet). Each light should hard-wire directly to the converter if it delivers enough mili amps to power them all. I attempted this with a 12 volt converter and a 480 ohm resister and they would light, but for some reason the flicker circut wouldn't work.

Scott N. - AA will last longer plus are cheaper and less wasteful in the long run, one switch for a group (I currently have 30 so 6-10 switches would save time, plus I plan on doubling that next year) and I had an issue with rain and this will help with somewhat weatherproofing them.

dionicia - Thank you for the video clip very helpful and that maybe what I'll have to do if I can't figure out how to group them together, expensive 60 - 1 AAA battery holder $36 plus shipping. Radio shack had 2 AA battery holders for $0.99 no shipping only if I can figure out how to get three or five lights to all work off one pack.

Yubney - I think we going for the same thing, you may have to dumb it down a bit for me. I understand how to convert the power supply and have read something about resisters (I don't know what this does) being incorporated (Christmas light conversion) but nothing so far about merging tealights into a group and retaining the flicker (want you have encountered) which is the main issue. Thank you for the reply and maybe we'll figure this out together. Back to searching the web in between get Halloween items stored away.

I did find this GT&E: Backyard railroad lighting | How to build a big flickering lamp for a structure (bridge rectifier) and this LED Circuitry tutorial: how to hook up LEDs..

Now I just need to think about this a little more 3 tealights is 9v and those aren't cheap nor is 6 AAs.

Scott N. - I may just have to go with you on this, I don't like wasting things but when it gets down to money and time which this requires both.

So I'm not going to throw away the ones that need new batteries, but I am just going to buy replacements.

very good idea! i didnt really like the little button battery

Great idea. I've taken apart my "tealights" and can't wait to get to Radio Shack.

Maybe someone here can help me with this: Any ideas of how to convert the Walgreen's "3/$5.00" candles from the cell batteries to AAA or AA batteries?

Thanks in advance.

LOL you beat me to it with daisy chaining the lights. I am going to try this maybe tonight but why take apart the lights? I would think to simply attach wiring to the battery contacts, then supply the whole lot with a 12 volt transformer. Depending on the milliamps of the transformer you should be able to power several "clumps" of tealights and never worry about batteries again.

This is my hope anyway.

Good idea, I will have to keep this idea in mind.