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How to Make Cheap 12V LED Lights

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are particularly efficient lights as they use all the electrical power to provide light, rather than a certain percentage of heat, which regular light bulbs do. Additionally, they last a long time before they need replacing. So while they may be slightly more expensive to purchase, they end up costing less in the end. Ready-made LED string lights can be expensive; it's much cheaper to make your own string of 12-volt LED lights.

Things You'll Need

8 1.5 volt LED lights
AWG 18-gauge wire
Knife
Wire strippers
Electrical tape
12 volt battery

Instructions

- 1
  Cut two 18-inch strips of AWG 18-gauge wire using a knife. Cut seven 4-inch strips of AWG 18-gauge wire. The strips will connect to the LED lights and a 12-volt battery.
- 2
  Strip 1/4 inch off the ends of the nine strips of wire using wire cutters to reveal the inner metal core. This lets you connect the wires to the LED terminals and the 12-volt battery.
- 3
  Attach the end of one of the 18-inch wire strips to the one of the terminals on your first LED light. Use a thin, short strip of electrical tape to hold the wire in place.
- 4
  Attach the end of the one of the 4-inch strips of wire to the other terminal on the LED light using the same method. Attach the opposite end of the 4-inch strip of wire to the next LED light.
- 5
  Repeat the process by attaching the short strips of wire to the terminals on all the LED lights in turn, until you attach the end of the last short strip to one of the terminals on the last LED light.
- 6
  Attach the end of the remaining 18-inch strip of wire to the other terminal on the last LED light. Attach the opposite end to one of the terminals on the 12-volt battery; it doesn't matter which terminal you connect it to. Use tape if the battery terminal doesn't have connectors. Attach the opposite end of the first strip of wire attached to the first LED light to the other battery terminal. Your LED lights will illuminate.

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