Wiring LED TO helmet

[ninjaspartan]

i heard LED was poisonous, hahahahahahahahahahaha...ha...ha.

omg my light emitting diodes are out for my blood

 

[Jjack]

hey quick question ,will electrolyte compacitors work on this?

 

[andrew wukusick]

Hey I wanted to know a couple things

1 can this tutorial be used for compact ac fans in the helmet

2 how much & where can I buy small fans?

 

[ADMRLParangosky]

If you're doing this, I'd say consider what lighting effect you want your LEDs to have on the armor.

There are a variety of LED styles out there, some are better for area lighting and some have a more focused cone of light.

i saw some big leds about this big ( ) must be supa bright

 

[ShinigamiNG]

So, I just finished wiring together my LEDs, a switch, a resistor, and a 9V battery. Both off the LEDs are exactly the same, came out of the same package. One LED is really bright, but the other is really dim, almost like its barely on. At first I thought maybe it was the resistor, so I tried the other side without it but it did the same thing. (I only turned it on for a second cuz I knew it would burn out the lights)

The LEDs I'm using are 3.7 volt, and I'm using the same type of resistor in the tutorial. Any idea why one isn't as bright as the other?

 

[WolfLover117]

I was just wondering if there were any LED video tuts about this? If there is can some one tell me.

 

[thatdecade]

Not my vid...
http://405th.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16890

 

[Cladspartanex]

Great tut, sooo gonna use it

 

[Canadian42283]

Will it still work without the resister?

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you could burn out your LEDs that way.

You can wire your LEDs without a resister. i did it without one. i wired 4 LEDs to a battery pack

 

[thatdecade]

That does work in the series configuration like you have it. Each LED has a very small internal resistance, add enough of them in a chain and you don't need a resister.



Do not do this, it is very bad for the LEDs and wastes batteries. Your pushing 800mA-1400mA through 4 LEDs that only need 80mA together. Spend the extra pennies and add a resister.

 

[sierra092]

Awesome tutorial, i might consider placing lights and fans in my odst helm when thats finished.

Nice manga collection too, its nice to know that I'm not the only guy who likes manga, anime and 405th at the same time

 

[Eled]

I don't think watch batteries have enough juice for that, it will either be a short term light or a very dim light. Or it still could burn out the light.

EDIT: Damn, hate posting from my phone...



Any tips for a side of helmet mounted button/switch so I don't have to take a helmet off each time I want to turn the light on or off.

 

[MetalSpark128]

Ok I have an open question the visor is usually about as thick as a 7mm LED right what if i made holes big enough for the LED IN!! the visor so that it has that power up effect whenever someon puts it on and turns it on now i dont know if this will work but i was wondering if anyone knew someone who tried or some type of series that could be done for this?

Please message me or reply to this idk its whatever u want i just want some info on LED hookups and what the open sources are ^^

Thank you for you time guys ^^ :lol

 

[MetalSpark128]

ok heres my little LED tut

heres what you'll need

-soilder iron

-soilder

-flux paste (if you want it)

-red and black wire (i used 20 gau)

-resistors 100 ohm

-white LEDs

-switch

-9V

-9V connector



1st you'll need to know that LEDs has a short (-) and a long (+) leg

plus if you look closely theres a small (+) and a fat (-) wire inside the

head

ok now you'll need to set up the LEDs bend a short leg out on one LED then on the other bend the long leg..this is called series

then add flux to one of the legs

then soilded them into series like so

now soilder a resistor to the longer leg which is the +

next soilder the red wire to the resistor then the switch

then soilder the connector to the red wire

now soilder the black wire to the short leg on the other LED

now just add the 9V and thats it

then do the same to the other side and add the red wire to the wire before the 9V and add the black to the black wire, use the electric tape to the exposed wires

yeah i tried it bro but my cuircuit turns on instantly and i have to push the button to turn it off any ideas what i might be doin wrong?

 

[thatdecade]

yeah i tried it bro but my cuircuit turns on instantly and i have to push the button to turn it off any ideas what i might be doin wrong?

Depends on the type of button you used. It sounds like you have it wired ok, but the on / off is mixed up. Is this a problem?

what if i made holes big enough for the LED IN!! the visor so that it has that power up effect whenever someon puts it on and turns it on now i dont know if this will work but i was wondering if anyone knew someone who tried or some type of series that could be done for this?

The mirrored look of the visor works similar to a 2 way mirror so you can see out of it. Any light inside the helmet will make the visor transparent from the outside too. The other idea I like, put on the helmet, the lights auto turn on. That is just a matter of placing a momentary push switch into the padding, your head will turn on the lights.

I do know how to make a pressure activated momentary contact switch from card stock + aluminum foil that is paper thin. Let me know if your interested.

 

[SnowFox17]

Depends on the type of button you used. It sounds like you have it wired ok, but the on / off is mixed up. Is this a problem?





The mirrored look of the visor works similar to a 2 way mirror so you can see out of it. Any light inside the helmet will make the visor transparent from the outside too. The other idea I like, put on the helmet, the lights auto turn on. That is just a matter of placing a momentary push switch into the padding, your head will turn on the lights.

I do know how to make a pressure activated momentary contact switch from card stock + aluminum foil that is paper thin. Let me know if your interested.

A super magnet + reed switch maybe?

 

[Qema]

FYI:



Sparkfun is a great electronics supplier for hobbyists. They limit there components to common good quality products (ie. no more scratching your head over what the difference between a $1 and a $5 LED is), They have plenty of tutorials, they have cheap shipping costs and no minimum order costs (yes they will ship you 1 5 cent part if you want), and finally have a great community of electronics geeks who are willing to help (yes I'm one too).



So if anyone has any questions about electronics look me up, I'll be glad to help.



Quick Note, don't put more then 6 LEDs one 1 Resistor, or you'll burn it out.

 

[Qema]

yeah i tried it bro but my circuit turns on instantly and i have to push the button to turn it off any ideas what i might be doin wrong?

There are a few different type of switches:

Normaly Open: no power when not pressed, power flows though them when they are pressed

Normaly Closed: power flows though them when they are not pressed, power does not flow when they are pressed.

Normaly open/closed: should have 3 prongs a common, a NC (normally closed), and a NO (normally open), you hook up one wire to Common and the other one to NO or NC depending on if you want the button to turn your light on or off.

Momentary: only does its thing when the button is pressed, bounces back when you let go (like a keyboard key)

Toggle/Holding: locks into on or off (like a light switch)

 

[Comradepanda]

Is there a certain type of resister, or can I just grab one offa anything? What if I use watch batteries? Do I need a resister then?

Electronics work far more precisely than my spelling so bare with me. Veiw eletrical curretns as water. And a resister as a small dam. The light does need water, but you need to calcualte how much. That is why there are equations. R=v1-v2 ect ect. This will tell you how much resistance is stalled upon the light and it will not cause a flood ie short circut. While a open switch circurt is simple like yours. Single circurt single switch. You need to have a resistor no matter what because battieres will either A. Give to much and over load. And B be to weak and starv the light, but because it is a LED they require so little power the only thing that may starve it and this is a mabye is .2v lithum batter that they use in hearing aids. So ya get a resistor. Buy one off the internet or buy a old broken down raido and learned how to un soider. If i was you i go down to the a junk yard and look for dead comps. They usally have great curcirts and bits in em to take out for other stuff.

 

[thatdecade]

Sparkfun is a great electronics supplier for hobbyists.

Agreed. Their prices are fair too.