Wiring LED TO helmet

[Brokenchord]

Mmm if i am not wrong you are of topic (No problem for me )
By the way you are inside my head! (about the fan thing)
Ones again grate minds thing alike!
I created a topic about it so lets discuss it here

 

[Roodkill]

i know it is possible to install a fan inside the helmet but how would the process come about?

I found a site sometime ago to buy a helmet fan online. About $160 for really, really, REALLY "good ones" that for that price should have a sipper and crackers to snack on. Try this site though, easy to install, de-foggs the visor, and decent price.

http://www.paintball-online.com/paintball/...-Fan_prod_GGDPF
" target="_blank">
http://www.paintball-online.com/paintball/...-Fan_prod_GGDPF
</a>

Otherwise, go to Radio Shack and ask for the $12 dollar jobs. Cut some fish net holes in the helm and TA-DA! No more spartan sweat. . . then agian, do they even sweat at all?

 

[Roodkill]

I found that Radio Shack sells LEDs at a good price: about ($ .10-2.50 for most.) They also sell flashing LED kits and "Powerstride" LEDs for about 2 bucks

good side of it: Easy to afford, fast to use, easy to install
Down side: not very bright, and comes in very few colors ( green, red, blue, orange)

 

[richiedude]

when i did mine i got 4 ultra bright leds and the appropiate resistors to scale down to 9volt then solder one resistor to each led and put in a in line switch then all lights will run off one small battery ,,,,, but they don,t last long
rich

 

[ltmcmuffin]

ok, i read the tut, but i was wondering, if i want to use four 3.3v 20mA white LEDs with one 9v battery in a series circuit, what type of resistors would i need? (or to answer future questions how would someone go about finding this out?)

 

[Gokussj5okazu]

You can't run 4 3.3v LEDs from 9v. That would require atleast 13.2v. I suggest using two sets of two in series.

So,

Left Side - 2 in Series

Right Side - 2 in Series


For this you would need (1) 82 Ohm resistor for each side. 1/8W or higher.

 

[smartypants1635]

MMKAY..... I just read through this thing and only found like 5 posts where they spelled Solder right.
Its not SOILDER
its SOLDER.
Just thought I'd jump in here and give you that little nugget. Not that I want to be a spelling Nazi, Soilder just looks funny.

Remember this can even be adapted to other uses guys. Try having a LED in the magazine slot on your AR. Blue light shining out of there..... Its gonna look sweet.

 

[SPARTAN II]

A very helpful and instructive tutorial, indeed!

I've always been all thumbs when it comes to even the most basic of electronics like this, lol, so this step-by-step guide will be sooo useful for someone like me

Of course, I'm going to complicate matters for myself by having two opposing switches built into the design of the helmet. One to operate the LEDs, and the other to operate the two small exhaust fans.

This may sound like a stupid question, but would the wiring for the fans differ at all from the LEDs?

 

[ltmcmuffin]

A very helpful and instructive tutorial, indeed!

I've always been all thumbs when it comes to even the most basic of electronics like this, lol, so this step-by-step guide will be sooo useful for someone like me

Of course, I'm going to complicate matters for myself by having two opposing switches built into the design of the helmet. One to operate the LEDs, and the other to operate the two small exhaust fans.

This may sound like a stupid question, but would the wiring for the fans differ at all from the LEDs?

i don't think so but don't go by me; there is another topic about this...
other than using fans instead of LEDs and possibly needing multiple batteries, i don't imagine so... but like i said, don't listen to me

ask here:
http://405th.com/forums/index.php?s=&s...st&p=135775
you have a better chance of getting an answer; plus someone there should know what they're talking about....


BTW, it wouldn't hurt to use the search button it saves other people some trouble, but no
harm done... (to be honest it gives me an excuse to post and get my post number up **Yay 9!!!*)

 

[kadidlehopper]

thank you very much

 

[ltmcmuffin]

You can't run 4 3.3v LEDs from 9v. That would require atleast 13.2v. I suggest using two sets of two in series.

So,

Left Side - 2 in Series

Right Side - 2 in Series
For this you would need (1) 82 Ohm resistor for each side. 1/8W or higher.

i didn't think i could but i thought i would ask anyways, i'll have do it that way, thanks for the resistor recommendation...


for all the others out there wondering about the same thing that I was:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that i need to do this...(check attachments)

 

[Gokussj5okazu]

Yep, you've got it exactly right.

 

[ltmcmuffin]

Yep, you've got it exactly right.

saweeet... now all i have to do is figure out how to wire the fans... lol

 

[kadidlehopp]

Im new to thiese projects of making armour but was curious how do you wire the leds to a switch and battery (basically saying, i have no idea of anything to do with electronics)? im knew to these so please dont get to technical

ok guys here is a pic of one way of lighting your helm its called parallel lighting dont ask me how it works cause im lazy and wont tlee you how to do it lol your welcome folks



PS

if u want two lights do that but soder the lights together so it all flows to the negative... i doubt if that made scense so ask me questions i geuss

 

[Gokussj5okazu]

Sorry I didn't get to this sooner to help. No offense kadiddle, but your picture is...low quality. No offense meant.

Here's a good schem, same as is posted in the Wiki.

Just stick a switch in there right by the battery.

 

[ltmcmuffin]

would 150 or 200 ohms resistors be better to use? (4 leds in parallel, 2 per side with one nine volt battery)

i can't order anything online, and i cant find 180 ohms, just 200 and 150...

btw, are 1.8K 1800 or 180? normally K means 1000 but with electronics you never know

**edit: i worked it out... i think...**

 

[stanvo]

what watt soldering iron should i buy?

 

[tubachris85x]

what watt soldering iron should i buy?

I just got a cheap soldering iron "kit" at radioshack. Works fine for me, was only 7 bucks at the time too..

Oh, also, I didnt read through the whole thread, but I see some posts asking about what resistors to use. Here's a calculator that you can use to determine what you will need exactly, and I believe it will produce a diagram based on what you enter, of how it's supposed to be put together. Helped me wire LED's together

http://ledcalc.com/

 

[kadidlehopp]

I just got a cheap soldering iron "kit" at radioshack. Works fine for me, was only 7 bucks at the time too..

Oh, also, I didnt read through the whole thread, but I see some posts asking about what resistors to use. Here's a calculator that you can use to determine what you will need exactly, and I believe it will produce a diagram based on what you enter, of how it's supposed to be put together. Helped me wire LED's together

http://ledcalc.com/

or you could use the poor mans approch....... eletric tape and a glue gun works just as good with me lol

 

[Walter Spase]

Doesn't get any more simple than this...

The answer to your question, yes, 1.8k is 1800, you wire this in and your LEDs will most likely turn on, but be very dim.

You can wire in several resistors in series or parallel configuration to get exactly 180 ohms if you so choose, but it is much more simple, and with little overall difference in the brightness of your LEDs from using a 180 to a 200 ohm resistor.

This is assuming you are using 20 mA, 3.6 V LEDs. I wire everything in series as well... 4 LEDs, one 200+Ohm resistor, and two 9V batteries.