Have a guide or tutorial? Post it up!
#355093
jackdoud wrote:Glad you got it working. Just goes to show even simple electronics can be frustrating. Any number of things can be wrong and usualy a bunch of them are at the same time so troubleshooting can be a bitch.
This is why despite buying light kits from R2DEVO, I'm still going to try to build both this, and the PIC-based setup. Just for a learning experience. :)
#358224
jackdoud wrote:Pin 4 is the reset, dunno why you'd run power directly to it unless you wanted an output test or something.
If you leave the reset pin "floating" stray pulses can sometimes cause the chip reset. It's just generally cleaner circuit design to hook it to VCC to hold it HIGH.
#407942
Hi,

I need help. I have built the circuit, but am having a few problems.

First of all i am using 12 LEDs instead of 15.

I cant get anything to light up, no power to the chips and the battery is getting very warm, i have checked for shorts and cant seem to find any.

Please HELP ME.

Jonathan
#407956
You've got a short somewhere. Did you breadboard the circuit or solder it together already? Your best option for troubleshooting is to build in section, get the 555 outputting a pulse, then add in the first shift register and get that cycling, etc. etc...
#408748
reaper2012uk wrote:hi where do i get the circuit board from please
If you're asking where to buy a custom board designed for this schematic you'd have to have one made yourself, they're not sold. If you're asking where to get perfboard then any local electronics supply store should have some.
#414486
I'm no expert as far as electronic hookup goes, but I do see an inconsistency in the final schematic. It jumps from resistor 34 to39. My question is these four resistors that are missing, are these supposed to be included on the cyclotron portion of the schematic coming off the 4017 chip?
#414545
Fizzgig wrote:I'm no expert as far as electronic hookup goes, but I do see an inconsistency in the final schematic. It jumps from resistor 34 to39. My question is these four resistors that are missing, are these supposed to be included on the cyclotron portion of the schematic coming off the 4017 chip?
The "missing resistors" were originally between the grounds and transtors on the 4017 but I removed them as they're not necessary. The schematic program simply didn't rename the resistor labels and I never look at them anyway as the label is unimportant. So yeah, there is no resistor 35-38.
#414822
Hallo everyone!

After reading all six pages of this Topic I have only one question....and that's for zappa1971: Did it all work out with the hot chick? :)

Okay, but seriously I'm about to build this Lightboard. Hopefully it will work.

Thanks for all the informations here!
#419829
IPv6Freely wrote:If I'm just doing the cyclotron lights, should I then be directly connecting pin 3 on the 555 to pin 14 on the 4017?
yes, that should work just fine. Only initially the four lights will probably cycle a bit faster than intended but you can easily adjust that via the potentiometer
#419849
IPv6Freely wrote:If I'm just doing the cyclotron lights, should I then be directly connecting pin 3 on the 555 to pin 14 on the 4017?
Yes, though as worf42 says, it'll run fast. The potentiometer won't be enough to slow them down to the speed you'll want, you'll have to change out either the resistors, the capacitor or both. Not sure on values without looking into it a bit deeper though.
#419941
I might end up giving this a go myself... following one of these schematics I could put together a basic lighting setup for my pack...but what other hardware/ programing would be required to have different sequences for the lights set up. IE a startup sequence when the pack is switched on followed by a normal run sequence and then be able to toggle a another sequence for firing? and then of course theres the portion when you get into sound effects..how do you get the sound effects to sync with the lighting? They would be seperate systems unless a board was made that integrated everything, as was stated earlier, however I am no where near tech savy enough for that. when it comes to electronic my expertise goes as far as being able to follow instructions really well. These are all things that hold great interest for me...would anyone happen to know soem referance material they feel would be important to learn some of the basics? text books they would reccomend etc?
#420088
IPv6Freely wrote: What purpose does R20 - R34 serve? Why do the cyclotron lights not need this additional resistor between IC and transistor?
They make sure that the transistors register the change in signal from the IC's. The cyclotron lights don't need it because they're not changing as fast though technically having them would be better design practice just like putting a capacitor on pin4 of the 555 or grounding all unused IC pins. I don't do it because it works without it and it simplifies it for people.
#421235
What incandescent bulbs are people currently using in their packs? It seems Radio Shack no longer sells the 6v/40mA bulbs or E-5 bases, and I'm having a hell of a time locating either part. Are these still available reliably and fairly inexpensively somewhere, or am I better off trying to find another bulb and adjusting the resistor values?

If so, would it be possible to sub in some super cheap 12v/30mA grain-of-rice bulbs, or am I looking at too much draw by the chips and lights combined on a 12v battery to be able to fully power everything?
#421465
Jairus wrote:What incandescent bulbs are people currently using in their packs? It seems Radio Shack no longer sells the 6v/40mA bulbs or E-5 bases, and I'm having a hell of a time locating either part. Are these still available reliably and fairly inexpensively somewhere, or am I better off trying to find another bulb and adjusting the resistor values?

If so, would it be possible to sub in some super cheap 12v/30mA grain-of-rice bulbs, or am I looking at too much draw by the chips and lights combined on a 12v battery to be able to fully power everything?
Actually very few people are using the incandescent bulbs as LEDs are brighter, last longer, and are cheaper. I have seen the 6V/40ma bulbs on Mouser with the cheapest around .30 per bulb (If you are going for the authentic movie feel and look). The schematic on page 5 is geared toward LEDs as opposed to page 1 that is geared toward the incandescent bulbs.

Although I personally will probably go with a smaller ohm resistor for the blue because of voltage drop per led. The 470 ohm for the red I would agree with for 15ma power. Usually the forward voltage on a blue LED is 3.3V and on a red LED it's about 2.2v.
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