USB Lighting

[EBuff75]

USB-powered lights have come up a few times in other threads and I thought it was time that we had a thread dedicated to them.  I've got a number of these myself that I've picked up for various reasons, ranging from those decorative "fairy lights", or strings of cafe lights, plug in "bulbs" for providing area lighting, or even miniature circuit boards with LEDs on them that go directly into a USB socket. 

USB plugs themselves have become ubiquitous and more and more items in my house are starting to use them (clocks, lights, fans, etc.).  USB-A is good for up to 18w of output and USB-C is currently good up to 100w.  However, there is even more power coming, with the USB-IF (same format as the type-C) going all the way up to 240w!  Who knows, maybe we'll start to see even more electronics switching over to use USB instead of regular wall sockets.

[EBuff75]

JacobsParts 6 LED USB Portable Keychaing Lamp (dimmable) – 5/5

This was really just something that I'd been curious about for a while, but it turned out to be surprisingly good, especially for the price.  I paid $8, but that's for five of these little lights.  The reason I picked the JacobsParts version (there are a ton of similar lights) because they had good ratings and they're dimmable and can be turned off (many of them don't have these options).

Front and back, compared to a US quarter.
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These things are tiny!  They're about 1.6 inch long, just under .5 inch wide, and about 1/8 inch thick and weigh 0.1oz.  It's really just a small circuit board, with all of the components exposed, which does raise questions about long term durability (but at $1.60 each, I'm not sure that it really matters).  There is an opening through the end where it can be put onto a keychain.  The back of the light is touch-sensitive.  Touch once to turn on/off.  Touch and hold to scroll up/down on the output.  It is also reversible, so the orientation of the USB-A plug doesn't matter, as this can go in either way (it has contacts on both sides of the board).

They're rated at 1-watt, but I measured anywhere from 1.3w to 1.5w on the highest output, and that was consistent for all five of the lights.  On the lowest setting, it was between 0.12w and 0.15w, so right around 10% of the max.  Since I bought the warm white (3000K) version, it's possible that the daylight white (6000K) would measure differently.  The light does get a little hot on high, but cools off within seconds after you turn it off. 

I don't have a lumen meter, nor is there anything posted about what the output is.  The LEDs are just exposed, with nothing to focus the light, so it spills out 180-degrees.  Okay for area lighting, but not great for focused light.  Most LEDs are in the 70-100 lumen per watt range, which would likely put this in the 100-150 lumen range on high, or 10-15 lumen on low.  On low, that would be on par with a single candle (which is about 12 lumen).  I would compare them to the light on my cell phone, except that they're actually brighter than my phone!  From about 3ft, I measured 51 lux on high and 5 lux on low, if you prefer those measures.

Basement bookcase with only this light on high to illuminate, from about 5-6 feet away.
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The one big caveat with these is that they draw so little power that some USB power banks won't stay on.  I ran into this with several of my power banks, particularly the newer ones.  Older power banks (at least the ones that I tested) didn't have any problem with it.  The draw on these is so low that they should be able to run for many hours on even a small power bank.  E.g. a 5000mah power bank should last for 16+ hrs on high (that's assuming a max draw of 0.3a / 1.5w)

So what's the use case?  Well, you can put one on your keychain to always have a small area light with you.  I tossed one in my EDC bag and put one more in each car.  They're tiny and weigh next to nothing, but provide a surprising amount of light in a pinch (I was able to dimly illuminate my entire basement rec room).  Just a fun little light, for those times when you might need one.

[Moab]

I've been looking at these in Aliexpress. Have not compared specs. And reviews in Ali I don't trust that much. Unless its all terrible reviews.

They are very cheap though. These are not the best prices on Ali. Search one you want by name and you'll find the cheapest price. And select the Choice filter for free shipping of you place a $10 order.

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out!
$2.35 26%OFF | One / 5pcs 0.2W USB LED Bulb Book Light For Laptop PC Powerbank Night Lamp Mini Pocket Card USB Power LED Night Light
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mqDYSNY

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out!
$2.91 20%OFF | 5Pcs/lot Portable Mini 5730 USB LED Light 5V Touch Sensor Dimmable Night Light for Power Bank Computer Laptop PC Table Lamp
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mOcjPk6

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out!
$1.19 64%OFF | 5pcs Mini Pocket Card USB Power LED Keychain Night Light 0.2W USB LED Bulb Book Light For Laptop PC Powerbank Night Lamp
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mKZl5Z8

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out!
$2.40 36%OFF | 5 Pcs USB LED Plug Lamp 1W Super Bright Eye Protection USB Book Light Computer Mobile Power Charging USB LED Night Light
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mObNQ2w

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out!
$0.86 | Mini USB LED Car Light Ambient Night Light Decorative Neon Lamp Auto Interior Atmosphere Emergency PC Mobile Power Charging
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mr3wWdu

[EBuff75]

I've been looking at these in Aliexpress. Have not compared specs. And reviews in Ali I don't trust that much. Unless its all terrible reviews.

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out!
$2.91 20%OFF | 5Pcs/lot Portable Mini 5730 USB LED Light 5V Touch Sensor Dimmable Night Light for Power Bank Computer Laptop PC Table Lamp
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mOcjPk6

Those appear to be the exact same ones I reviewed above.  I found what appear to be the same things listed under multiple names / sellers on Amazon.  I looked at a few options similar to the others you listed, but haven't bought any of those yet.

[Moab]

I think this is the cheapest listing for your model. $1.99 for 5pcs. And free shipping. I like this model because it's 5 LEDs.

(*Remember you have to click thru and select the exact one in each listing that you want. Before you'll see the real price. The first price you see in search results is often for a smaller or lessor item. That is included in a group of items to choose from. That isn't the case with this listing.)

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out!
$1.99 85%OFF | 5PCS Touch Sensor Night Light Mini Lamp USB Plug Lights 5V Pocket Card Book Reading Table Lamp For Power Bank Computer Laptop
https://a.aliexpress.com/_msGD3ES

[Crimson_Phoenix]

Does anybody make/recommend some USB powered light bars that can be both white or red? Something I could run off my battery bank and hang off the wall in the event of a prolonged blackout or hang in my tent?

[Raptor]

Does anybody make/recommend some USB powered light bars that can be both white or red? Something I could run off my battery bank and hang off the wall in the event of a prolonged blackout or hang in my tent?

White ones are easy to find. So are red ones. That said I have not seem any that switch color.

On my boat i use usb strip lights that do change color with a remote. These will provide ow level white light and red for nighttime running.
https://www.amazon.com/XIAOOHO-32-8ft-Bedroom16-Million-Control/dp/B0BY7YGWXT/ref=mp_s_a_1_19?crid=JYYBI1LSFJII&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.TuqB0x698cH8_srSV2i8cRvL4ftZG-Llau2RHYgoRE_m06gJIVFqI62Q2QOZ1vmGatHKzvRsHathbQdvn6qHiY9fXeIx_MFuZneVrk5K3wJzKT9ZTFTzFElhhZLTp4-dKVUi0RpXJsrqeZTlNU5ALKi0WrPkpWxhcUF5-BGyolfri4v1YiOBV3OibHRnBJGSyvPmEy0LHBc4O6R46y0z3w.ZfifStu8KJnIOWlC5k4ResgUhLN7sJFMTSKRr5MNWCc&dib_tag=se&keywords=usb+strip+lights&qid=1714848832&sprefix=usb+strip+lights%2Caps%2C374&sr=8-19



https://www.amazon.com/LIGHUFEIC-Flexible-Energy-Saving-Bathroom-Sleeping/dp/B0CLHBPG25/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=1L5T50IA3RO7O&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.t-yKkuY1wwItcuLHEjx2UP1_GSNmHpV8Gho3kBZvVB3nrC5C6t-dLIzW39QPYCAxKWTrTMi3KQ0_u1diPK0rAUY_dR1DNp5Ob_GClzjPvV1VbIYmaeFy7GLmSGaRpvjFoomxr_5e2bUKnLORKzQTNL0hNqGhF_0Hmi0GOKs93NbxGGxwVTq-B3gLU6P7G9ALZKdMLo5HQ3N1nNNK-0s48w.IalQTMj2u_9o7nxBFujo-IJjRM1LOBGaV-ZGq3lNBkI&dib_tag=se&keywords=usb+12v+led+screw+in+light+bulb+red&qid=1714849337&sprefix=usb+12v+led+screw+in+light+bulb+red%2Caps%2C324&sr=8-4

[Moab]

Does anybody make/recommend some USB powered light bars that can be both white or red? Something I could run off my battery bank and hang off the wall in the event of a prolonged blackout or hang in my tent?

I would search AliExpress. (The Amazon of China. A lot of us regular buy tons of gear and equipment from there for pennies on the dollar.) They have many very inexpensive led lights for various applications. I need red and white lights in my Jeep. And have found several. They sell a very cheap 2m led light strip for going on the back of your tv. That iirc comes with both 110 and 12v connections. And a tiny remote that can change it to any color. It was $2.16. I have one on my tv now. It's not outdoor rugged though. Just an example.

They also have every shape and size of led strip light you can imagine. In plastic housings that I'm sure could be waterproofed  One I am purchasing is a red/white 10 led array that straps to your roll bars. But I'm sure the individual unit is for sale too.

I think there is an AliExpress thread in Bargains and Deals. With a full description of best ways to search and buy on AliExpress. You want to use the daily free shipping with Choice.

[Crimson_Phoenix]

I suppose I can always do something like these, which can be daisy chained, and get creative with gel filters. https://www.amazon.com/iZELL-Cabinet-Lighting-Cabinets-Workbench/dp/B0BHWQ6NH1/ref=sr_1_7

[EBuff75]

Not a USB light, other than to charge it, but the Klarus WL3 has both white and red options.  I reviewed it in the work lights thread.  There is also a clone made by Sunrei that I mention in the review, along with the far more expensive competitor, the Fenix CL28R.

[Moab]

I suppose I can always do something like these, which can be daisy chained, and get creative with gel filters. https://www.amazon.com/iZELL-Cabinet-Lighting-Cabinets-Workbench/dp/B0BHWQ6NH1/ref=sr_1_7

You can get those on AliExpress for just a few dollars. If you don't mind waiting a couple weeks for shipping. 

I'll try to look on the app for similar items.

[Crimson_Phoenix]

I suppose I can always do something like these, which can be daisy chained, and get creative with gel filters. https://www.amazon.com/iZELL-Cabinet-Lighting-Cabinets-Workbench/dp/B0BHWQ6NH1/ref=sr_1_7

You can get those on AliExpress for just a few dollars. If you don't mind waiting a couple weeks for shipping.

I'll try to look on the app for similar items.

I've never used AliExpress and always worried about getting ripped off in a way I can never get a return or a refund. Are they generally trustworthy?

[Moab]

I suppose I can always do something like these, which can be daisy chained, and get creative with gel filters. https://www.amazon.com/iZELL-Cabinet-Lighting-Cabinets-Workbench/dp/B0BHWQ6NH1/ref=sr_1_7

You can get those on AliExpress for just a few dollars. If you don't mind waiting a couple weeks for shipping.

I'll try to look on the app for similar items.

I've never used AliExpress and always worried about getting ripped off in a way I can never get a return or a refund. Are they generally trustworthy?

Very. I've purchased $300+ items and .80 cent items. And about 50+ items in the last year. Not one problem. Don't use Temu or Wish or any of the others. To expensive and many ill described products. Alibaba is the parent company and supplies products to just about every company in America in bulk. AliExpress is there retail app.

Read my thread on them in the Bargains section though. Good tutorial using app, best prices and things to avoid.

[EBuff75]

Onite USB Lights - 5/5
 
I have more Onite USB-powered lights than all other USB light types combined and they represent pretty much every variation that Onite has sold within the last 6 years.  Simple on/off in both cold white (1x) and warm white (3x), dimmable touch-switch in warm white (1x) (this model is no longer available), dimmable color-temperature selectable button switch (2x), right up to the most recent 3-color dimmable (1x).  Yes, I've bought eight lights from them, plus splitters, extension cables, and dimmers.  What can I say, Onite makes some good stuff!
 
L to R, on/off only, touch dimmable, color selectable / dimmable, newest 3-color dimmable:
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These lights are great.  Okay, I'd love it if they were weatherproof (they're not), but that's about the only downside.  I've also had several friends who have bought them as emergency lights on my suggestion.  Last year, right after buying one, a friend had a power outage and posted a picture on Facebook showing her cooking dinner (gas stove) by the light of it and thanked me for the recommendation.
 
They're all variations on a theme.  It's a light-bulb shaped light with a metal hook and a 6-foot-ish cord with an inline switch and a USB-A plug on the end.  That's it.  But the lights are all around 600 lumens (on high), which makes them bright enough to light up a room.  Because of the half-globe, they also spread the light out fairly evenly:
 
One of the lights set up in my basement:
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Part of the reason that I have so many of them is that I've put together basic kits (using water resistant bags) that contain a light, some attachment methods (zip tie, carabiner, paracord, velcro cable ties), and a USB power bank.  I can then loan those out to people if needed, so that they'll have at least one good area light. 
 
One of the kits spread out, with a full kit still in the bag (on the right).  The bags are just basic 600D nylon, but I applied a coat of water repellent to help keep the contents dry and they have a loop on them that can be used to hang the bag with the power bank in it.
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This past weekend I worked at our local fireworks / carnival as part of our local CERT group.  For the last six or seven years, I've always provided a light for our pop-up so that we can see at night.  That light has almost always been one of these Onite lights and I've gotten multiple comments over the years about how useful they are.  This year, I added some USB-powered cafe lights as well, but the main light in the middle is one of the color selectable, dimmable Onite lights.  It's hard to see, but there's also a power bank strapped onto the frame right in the middle next to the light. The picture is fairly true-to-life on how bright it was:
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In short, they're inexpensive, don't draw much power (about 6.5w max on high with the medium color setting - which uses both the warm and cold LEDs at the same time), and really light up the area well.  Would I recommend them?  Absolutely!  These continue to be my go-to for area lighting using USB power banks.
 

[EBuff75]

Brightech USB powered string lights - 4/5

This is another USB-powered lighting option if you want something with a bit of style!  This is a 10-light, "24-foot" (more on that later) string of "cafe lights" that run off of USB.  Because it's USB-powered, these aren't as bright as a 120v option would be, but they still provide decent area lighting.  The version that I have is "3000K", but I'd estimate that it's more like 4000-4500K.  That's the only real complaint that I have, as I had been aiming more for warm white and these are more neutral white.  Probably should've just returned them at the time and bought the 2700K version, but I didn't want to go through the hassle.

Here they are, running off of a power bank.  The dimmer switch on the left was purchased separately and does work with the lights to turn them off or select how bright they are.  The lights themselves don't have any type of switch.  If you plug them into an active USB port, they'll turn on.  Unplug them to turn them off.
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At our CERT pop-up canopy this year for the local fireworks / carnival, I strung these up around the front edge, just to give more than a single point source of light (the Onite light in the middle of the tent, these are around the edge): 
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Both the single light and the string lights were run off of the same USB power bank for 2 nights, probably around 5-6 hours total.  The power bank was a 26,500 mah and it ran down to somewhere between 25-50% remaining after running the both of them for that amount of time. 

I will say that the "24-foot" length is a bit misleading, as it includes a 6-foot lead-in from the plug to the first bulb and a weird, 3-foot "tail" on the end that doesn't do anything at all.  The lights are about 19-inches apart, for a total of a little over 14-feet (the canopy above is 10x10 and we were able to position the lights so that they extended across the whole front and a bit onto each side).  We used velcro cable wraps to hold them to the frame.

The "bulbs" are plastic and aren't replaceable.  They're pretty durable though and I haven't damaged any of them, despite just sort of stuffing them into bags for transport on multiple occasions.  I have used these during power outages for some general area light with a bit of flair!    They aren't as bright as the Onite lights, but also don't draw quite as much power at only 4w total.  I'd guess these are in the 250 - 400 lumen range.  Not bad, but not exactly blinding.

I do like them, but they're not as great for providing light as a single light would be.  They do make a nice option though and would also work well for something like a deck umbrella or when camping. 

[Moab]

Awesome reviews!! Thank you.

How much power do these draw in laymans terms? Like how big are your power banks? How long will one run off the power bank? How many can you hook up at once and realistically run? How far can you run extensions?

Lastly, how long to recharge your power banks with say a solar panel? How many days do you think you could light a small living room and kitchen? Just trying to get a general idea of how long you could get by with one of your kits?

Oh ya. And how much do these cost and from where? This is a great idea. So much more efficient than a lantern or flashlight.

Your research is non plussed. Thank you so much.

[Crimson_Phoenix]

I've wanted to do that with a dining canopy setup for years when we started going as a group to the Texas Renaissance Fair in 2015. I had an inexpensive set of blue LED fairy lights I got off Amazon, but they'd short out my battery bank and ran about 5' short of being long enough to do the full perimeter of the fly. When they did work, it was easy to find our campground when coming back from the park at night because of the unique color, which was the point. One of these days, I'd like to upgrade.

[Raptor]

That  is a great article and a great review!

Thank you for the ideas this provides.

[EBuff75]

I've wanted to do that with a dining canopy setup for years when we started going as a group to the Texas Renaissance Fair in 2015. I had an inexpensive set of blue LED fairy lights I got off Amazon, but they'd short out my battery bank and ran about 5' short of being long enough to do the full perimeter of the fly. When they did work, it was easy to find our campground when coming back from the park at night because of the unique color, which was the point. One of these days, I'd like to upgrade.

On that note, I do have some purely decorative string lights that would probably work for something like that.  I got them for use in my back yard / deck during parties.  The specific ones that I ordered aren't available anymore, but there are plenty of similar ones that are still out there.  (e.g. these, or these, or these, etc.)

The "globe style" string lights are quite a bit tougher than the "fairy lights" that I've purchased before, more akin to "Christmas tree lights."  I repurposed a zipper bag from some sheets as a storage bag for them and I've never had a problem (other than tangling!). 

Here are both the globe and fairy lights side-by-side.  These globe lights also have a white light setting, in addition to the colors.  Neither of these strings are terribly bright, but they would definitely work for your purpose of identifying a campsite, particularly the color setting with the globe lights.
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[Moab]

I've wanted to do that with a dining canopy setup for years when we started going as a group to the Texas Renaissance Fair in 2015. I had an inexpensive set of blue LED fairy lights I got off Amazon, but they'd short out my battery bank and ran about 5' short of being long enough to do the full perimeter of the fly. When they did work, it was easy to find our campground when coming back from the park at night because of the unique color, which was the point. One of these days, I'd like to upgrade.

On that note, I do have some purely decorative string lights that would probably work for something like that.  I got them for use in my back yard / deck during parties.  The specific ones that I ordered aren't available anymore, but there are plenty of similar ones that are still out there.  (e.g. these, or these, or these, etc.)

The "globe style" string lights are quite a bit tougher than the "fairy lights" that I've purchased before, more akin to "Christmas tree lights."  I repurposed a zipper bag from some sheets as a storage bag for them and I've never had a problem (other than tangling!). 

Here are both the globe and fairy lights side-by-side.  These globe lights also have a white light setting, in addition to the colors.  Neither of these strings are terribly bright, but they would definitely work for your purpose of identifying a campsite, particularly the color setting with the globe lights.
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I'm not sure about the first two type of sets you posted. Although they probably are available. But the last type sets are a perfect purchase from AliExpress. USB lights are available by the hundreds of different models. Probably less than $5 delivered per set. And I'm sure from the same factory. I've purchased the tape kind for going under a shelf or back of TV for $2 each. With a remote that you can choose can change the lights to any color on the spectrum and any flashing pattern or just solid on. You could put sets of these together for very cheap. Although I would still buy the battery banks from Amazon. As those have gotten so low in price.