Quote Originally Posted by Bidoofdude View Post
I was taking apart and playing with the light in a busted microscope today, as I was trying to take the bright light out to go on the ceiling of my shelf to light up my collection. As I was doing so, after about an hour of unscrewing like 100 screws and using pliers to yank off plastic, the red and black wires connected to the switch broke off from the battery pack. It no longer worked, so I tried to reattach them by hooking them around it.
While doing this, the red and red+black wires slipped of the wires connected to the bulb and I have no idea where they go.
I probably should have taken photos to see where everything went, but I didn't realise I had to do that much plastic removal, which also involved splitting a thick plastic part with a wire looped through it.
I guess it's my fault but I may be able to fix it, if I get help.
Does anyone know where everything goes and how to attach things?
Here are some pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/6880106...in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6880106...in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6880106...in/photostream

Please help as I don't want to buy an actual unit and want to light up my collection.
Quote Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime View Post
I don't know what they're called exactly, but you can buy these little LED lights that operate with a single AA battery - they're about palm sized and they can be stuck to a flat surface, like on the bottom of a shelf (to illuminate toys below). I think you can find them at supermarkets or department stores. liegeprime should know more about these.

For the few bucks that those units cost, Goki's got a very good suggestion there.

While I'm not an electrician, if you're just dealing with a battery pack, I suggest you connect the red from the battery pack to the base or side of the light bulb, the other end of the red will then attach to the other of the side or base of the bulb and back to the switch. the black will go from the other side of the switch to the other terminal of the battery pack.

all your doing is completing a simple circuit so as long as you maintain the polarity direction around the circuit the overall direction doesnt matter.

The best way to make a positive connection is to tie the striped end of the wire through and loop it back on itself and solder it on. though depending on the connector of the bulb hopefully you only need to solder onto the connector. if you try to solder onto the bulb it will most likely be destroyed, and you'll have to re-do the work when it eventually blows anyway.