DIY 12V Portable Power Supply for Emergencies

If you're interested in DIY 12V portable power supplies, this article is worth a read.

To build this 12V portable power source, you'll need a small desk lamp, a 12V 6AH battery, and a 12V 40A protection board (be sure to pay attention to the size of the board—don't get one that's too big). Inside, there are six light bulbs, making it bright enough to serve as a small nightlight.

For the casing, you can use the light guide plate from an old monitor, which you'll need to cut and polish yourself. This part can be quite time-consuming since it involves drilling, tapping, and sanding. Besides that, you'll need the battery and circuit board, a 3-speed 6-position switch, adjustable lighting, and a 12V output.

For the DC connector, it's best to do a countersunk installation so it looks cleaner. As for the handle, you can simply repurpose an extra drawer pull.

Once everything's assembled, you can charge your phone by connecting a car charger. The setup mainly powers a 12V 20W LED light and a T12 soldering iron.

Here's what the finished product looks like:

Be sure to leave space on the board for embedding white LED strips. You'll also need to add aluminum strips for heat dissipation. Below is an image showing the lights turned on. If you're not satisfied with the current setup, you can always tweak the design further to better integrate the lights.

And just like that, you've got yourself a DIY emergency power supply, perfect for use during blackouts.