If you’ve been reading Dethroner this week, you’re probably ready for this. If you happened to have already put together the Mini LED Flashlight without setting your house on fire, you’re definitely ready.

The 9v USB Charger is, as the name implies, a USB charging device that uses cheap and ubiquitous 9-volt batteries to power any gadget that can power via USB, like iPods and cell phones, all squeezed into an Altoids Chewing Gum tin. The best part is, you’re the one who builds it (not some Taiwanese sweatshop “employee”). Even after all of this, you maybe think it’s too complicated for you? If you can hold a hot pointy stick against a string made of metal, you can build it.

If you have the kit already, now is the time to get started. If you’re having any problems during the process, you can ask questions in the comments for this entry or you can talk with me on-on-one via AIM at screen name ElectroidsHelp.

The key component of the USB charger is a 5 volt regulator. The USB port on your computer, as well as allowing data communication between devices and the computer, also puts out a steady 5 volts of DC electricity so your gadgets can draw power from the computer rather than needing to be plugged into a power outlet. This is how your iPods and many mp3 players, digital cameras, and cell phones are charged up these days. My goal with the portable USB charger was to have this capacity with me anywhere I went rather than needing to carry a mess of AC adapters and cables when I might not even be able to find an outlet when I need one.

This is where the 5 volt regulator comes in. It’s a small IC (integrated circuit: a single component with its own circuitry inside of it) that takes any voltage (within its capacity) and drops it down to a steady 5 volts. With this, we can take the 9 volts from a 9v battery and kick it down to 5, and then just route the new 5v circuit out to the prongs of a female USB port.

The kit also includes components and instructions to include a small LED status light, and a toggle switch to let you turn the device on and off; though both of these are optional. You an build the charger with just the 9v battery going to the 5v regulator to the USB port. That can be done in around 5 minutes. The extra features are included for people who want to challenge themselves.

The great thing about this project is how unique it is. Sure, flashlights are cool, but making something that manipulates electricity and squeezes it into your drain-happy gadgets? It’s amazing. You’ll show it to people, and they’ll say “OMFG where did you get that?” (yes, they will spell it out; “oh em eff gee”), and you get to say, “What? This. Oh yeah, I made it,” and then you can take their money and run.

Later today I’ll post 2 ways to “mod” your 9v USB Charger kit, cool ways to build it besides how the instructions state.

And don’t forget, the iPod giveaway ends tomorrow, so orders must be placed today or tomorrow.