Glovebox torch (flashlight) rebuild with LED

Post in this forum for topics relating to the interior.

Moderators: GRNSHRK, ron, bfons

Post Reply
GRNSHRK
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3710
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:24 pm
Location: Gilroy (SF Bay Area) CA

Glovebox torch (flashlight) rebuild with LED

Post by GRNSHRK »

Well, I got tired of F'ing with the friggin' stereo and decided to rebuild the glovebox flashlight with new batteries and an LED \:D/

This involved quite a bit of creative rewiring even though this particular LED doesn't appear to be opposite polarity that many are :-"

And a special shoutout to Tommy for hooking me up with the sources and part numbers for both the batteries and LED =D>

Even though the batteries came from Europe and were stuck on a container ship for who knows how long ](*,)

But I gotta tell you guys, this thing is blindingly bright :shock:

Hopefully it will charge when I plug it in [-o<
Attachments
glovebox flashlight - before.JPG
glovebox flashlight - before.JPG (524.73 KiB) Viewed 2219 times
glovebox flashlight - after.JPG
glovebox flashlight - after.JPG (1.55 MiB) Viewed 2219 times
glovebox flashlight - lit.JPG
glovebox flashlight - lit.JPG (883.46 KiB) Viewed 2219 times
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
Image
Tommys 89 635
Posts: 523
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:23 pm
Location: San Mateo, CA just South of San Francisco

Re: Glovebox torch (flashlight) rebuild with LED

Post by Tommys 89 635 »

Thanks Bob, glad I was able to help. Good job and it’s amazing how bright the little LED is and I’m glad to hear the polarity is not the opposite like mine.
Tommy
1989 635 CSI (Second owner since Jun 1995, driven daily and retired in 2013 with 295k to occasional driving)
2011 335D (Daily driver) with 103,550
User avatar
635sharknose
Posts: 513
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2019 4:58 pm
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Glovebox torch (flashlight) rebuild with LED

Post by 635sharknose »

That looks great!
I already have that same Varta battery as I wanted to repair my flashlight.
Now I see that LED, I want to do that as well.
Can you share the part number of that LED Bobbo?
Paul
Image
Instagram: @635sharknose
1987 635CSi Bronzitbeige
User avatar
sharkfan
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 2235
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2004 3:14 pm
Location: Guildford, U.K.

Re: Glovebox torch (flashlight) rebuild with LED

Post by sharkfan »

I've replaced the batteries before but I think I must have ended up with non-rechargeable batteries - could you provide a link to the batteries and LED's please?
2001 Alpina B10 V8 Touring (1 of 12 rhd)
1997 Alpina B12 5.7 L (1 of 2 rhd)
1995 Alpina B10 4.6 Touring (1 of 1 rhd)
1985 BMW M635CSi (1 of 524 rhd)
1982 BMW 635CSiA (1 of 100's left from the 1000's made and still valiantly fighting against a rusty grave)
User avatar
635sharknose
Posts: 513
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2019 4:58 pm
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Glovebox torch (flashlight) rebuild with LED

Post by 635sharknose »

I have bought the Varta 2/V250H rechargeable batteries.
Image
Paul
Image
Instagram: @635sharknose
1987 635CSi Bronzitbeige
GRNSHRK
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3710
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:24 pm
Location: Gilroy (SF Bay Area) CA

Re: Glovebox torch (flashlight) rebuild with LED

Post by GRNSHRK »

Paul noted the correct battery stack, although you do need to take the stack apart as only 2 of the batteries will fit, due to the height :-"

I purchased them from Newark Electronics, can't find the link that Tommy sent me, but he probably still has it [-(

I removed the center battery so that I could use the convenient solder tabs, which are a great help. I'm not sure how the original had the wires soldered directly to the battery surface, as I had trouble removing them because the battery acts as a heat sink and I couldn't get it hot enough :-?

The LED came from Superbright LED's, again I don't have the link but I do have the part number, P/N E10-WHP :-k

I'm still trying to bond the 2 halves together, I tried Silicone RTV but it didn't hold good enough, probably because there isn't much surface area to bond to #-o

The goal is to be able to disassemble it in the future, should the need arise [-o<

I'll ask Tommy to post the links for us =D>
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
Image
User avatar
635sharknose
Posts: 513
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2019 4:58 pm
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Glovebox torch (flashlight) rebuild with LED

Post by 635sharknose »

Thanks for the info!

I would use a few small drips of superglue.
Paul
Image
Instagram: @635sharknose
1987 635CSi Bronzitbeige
User avatar
Ralph in Socal
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 2745
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 3:32 am
Location: High Desert of SoCal

Re: Glovebox torch (flashlight) rebuild with LED

Post by Ralph in Socal »

I have several white glovebox flashlights if any BC folks are in need. A donation to BC will get one in the mail. Seems like a good upgrade at a decent cost as opposed to the $100 units on eBay.

Ralph
There is a very fine line between "Hobby" and Mental Illness.

85 635csi Zinno Auto
84 528i Euro
83 635 Euro Arktik
81 528i Kastanien 5-speed
88 528e Bronzit (Granpa Car)
86 535i Auto (For Sale)
81 633 csi (retired)
Tommys 89 635
Posts: 523
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:23 pm
Location: San Mateo, CA just South of San Francisco

Re: Glovebox torch (flashlight) rebuild with LED

Post by Tommys 89 635 »

635sharknose wrote: Sat Dec 18, 2021 6:06 pm I have bought the Varta 2/V250H rechargeable batteries.
Image
I did an extensive search online and in the US I was only able to find the Varta batteries stacked with 3. I wish I could have found 2 stacked, it would have made the job much easier. Be careful with the resistor when you solder the wires. I was able to find new resistors from a local electronics store.

Anyways, I ordered the batteries and LED from:
Batteries from Newark Electronics. Part number: 55625603059
LED bulb from Superbrightleds. Part number: E10-WHP

Once you receive the LED, check the polarity. You may need to switch it in order to have it charge properly when plugged into the glovebox.

Glue: I’m currently using Testor’s plastic model glue. I used a toothpick to apply it to the edges and so far so good. Don’t want any glue(s) stronger in case the batteries need replacing in the future.

Tommy
Last edited by Tommys 89 635 on Fri Jan 14, 2022 5:19 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Tommy
1989 635 CSI (Second owner since Jun 1995, driven daily and retired in 2013 with 295k to occasional driving)
2011 335D (Daily driver) with 103,550
Jlc
Posts: 287
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2020 5:27 pm
Location: Atl

Re: Glovebox torch (flashlight) rebuild with LED

Post by Jlc »

I found the 2 stack at AMAzon in Germany, except it is $33 for it shipped and I am not sure it will make it by the time I leave Portugal, and they don’t ship to the US. I may try locally.

What did you do to convert it to a 2 stack? Was all that was basically needed was to remove the plastic wrap or are the otherwise held together?

Thanks
85 635CSi Bronzit
GRNSHRK
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3710
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:24 pm
Location: Gilroy (SF Bay Area) CA

Re: Glovebox torch (flashlight) rebuild with LED

Post by GRNSHRK »

Jim, the 3-stack from Newark is only $13 and change, plus shipping and applicable sales tax, of course :roll:

The green sleeve can be slid off intact, by simply bending the solder tabs out of the way :-"

The 3 batteries are held together with thin metal of some sort that both wraps around them and provides contact between them, via what appeared to be very small spot welds :-?

They can be popped apart using a metal paint scraper, also a suggestion from Tommy that worked well =D>

Once apart and the sheet metal removed, the evidence of the spot welds will still be visible, providing plenty of electrical contact between the 2 once stacked together \:D/

The original had a thin piece of metal "tape" for lack of a better term, in between the batteries, which I reused, just to ensure even better contact between the 2 batteries :wink:

I would recommend using the top and bottom batteries so that you have solder terminals for both the positive and negative solder connections that you will have to make :P
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
Image
Tommys 89 635
Posts: 523
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:23 pm
Location: San Mateo, CA just South of San Francisco

Re: Glovebox torch (flashlight) rebuild with LED

Post by Tommys 89 635 »

Jlc wrote: Tue Dec 21, 2021 8:53 am I found the 2 stack at AMAzon in Germany, except it is $33 for it shipped and I am not sure it will make it by the time I leave Portugal, and they don’t ship to the US. I may try locally.

What did you do to convert it to a 2 stack? Was all that was basically needed was to remove the plastic wrap or are the otherwise held together?

Thanks
Verta batteries are from Germany and it seems like an easy find. In the US, not so much. You can order the 2 stack from Amazon but with the delay in shipping, there’s no saying when you will receive them. (I’m waiting for front brake rotors, so far 3 mo’s from ECS). As Bob mentioned Newark is much cheaper. That’s the only place in the US that sells them as far as I know of.
Tommy
1989 635 CSI (Second owner since Jun 1995, driven daily and retired in 2013 with 295k to occasional driving)
2011 335D (Daily driver) with 103,550
Post Reply