Have a guide or tutorial? Post it up!
#19483
I won't go in to any specifics when I explain this. If you are planning on attempting a project like this I would EXPECT you to have a great knowledge about electronics and wiring.

Parts List
2 x 4015 (Dual 4-Stage Shift Register IC)
1 x 4017 (Decade Counter IC)
1 x NE 555 (Timer IC)
18 x BC337 Transistor (or BC547B or 2N4401)
1 x 50k Potentiometer
1 x 50k 1/4W Resistor
20 x 10k 1/4W Resistor
1 x 10 F Electrolyt Capacitor
1 x 1 F Electrolyt Capacitor
1 x 0.0 1 F Ceramic Capacitor
18 x 6V 40mA Light Bulbs

Optional (Recommended)
3 x 16 pin IC socket
1 x 8 pin IC socket
racoon liked this
#19485
Here is a circuit board designed in ExpressPCB, a program that allows you to design electronic boards and purchase them! You can download the software from: http://www.expresspcb.com/
pcb.jpg
circuit.zip
#19534
It's the same plans that've been on GBProps for a while. But since the main site is down for renovations, AJ decided to start a topic here so people can have access to them.
#20693
ThrowingChicken wrote: Has anyone here tried working from the plans? What were the results?


I did about three years ago. They are still going strong in my pack... The only thing I didn't like was that the cyclotron lights hold for a split second before they continue their pattern (they light up: 1, 2, 3, 4, hold, 1, 2, 3, 4, does that make sense?) . But other than that, they are accurate.

I should probably mention, that doing all that soldiering was a bitch. I don't care to do that again. :lol:
#22113
AJ Quick wrote: Here is a circuit board designed in ExpressPCB, a program that allows you to design electronic boards and purchase them! You can download the software from: http://www.expresspcb.com/
pcb.jpg
circuit.zip


I tried using the ExpressPCB program, and an error came up that the board cannot be manufactured because of an overlap at (4.3, 0.6) Any help?
#22118
jivester wrote: I tried using the ExpressPCB program, and an error came up that the board cannot be manufactured because of an overlap at (4.3, 0.6) Any help?


The layouts are no longer compatible with the current ExpressPCB software specs...
#22367
studiocreations wrote: What's the cost of all this; the board, the electronics? Let's say I have a soldering iron and the solder, but have to buy everything else. A rough estimate from anyone who made one even a couple years ago would be nice.


Well cost will vary on how you go about it, if you have PC boards made the cost will be in the area of $75 to $100 (or more) for a single unit... If you point to point wire or bread board you can probably get something built for the $40 - $50 range... You might find some deals and drop the price down a bit, I would say best case is $35-$40 on an ugly point to point wire job single...

The parts are not costly overall, but when you factor in shipping and misc stuff (wire, solder, battery pack, switches, blue LEDs or lamps ect.) the price jumps...
Are any alternatives available?


Nothing public that I know of, in regards to a board layout...

On a side note, my kit is roughly based on this design with several modifications of my own, not as cheap as doing it yourself but a shameless plug none the less for add batteries option...
#22383
BTW here is a copy and paste of one of my previous post that probably should be linked here to make it easier...

I cross referenced the parts to an online supplier in this thread...

http://www.gbprops.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1033
Visit http://www.jameco.com for all the parts, as most places don't have everything you need, you might have to buy 10 or more of each on some of these parts but it's still cheaper then Radio Shacks single unit price in most cases...

10uF Elect. Capacitor #198838CB
1uF Elect. Capacitor #330430CB
.01uF Ceramic Capacitor #15230CB
4015 #12706CB
4017 #12749CB

Double check the numbers as the website wasn't working when I posted this and pulled them from an older catalog I had laying around...

Here are the rest of the parts as well...

10k resistor #29911CB
51k resistor #31309CB
50K pot #254385CB or #254027CB or #94721CB (just a few different styles and sizes)
2n4401 #38421CB
LM555 #27422CB

As for the lights or (LED and current limiting resistor pairs) you will have to decide on...

Good Luck
#27602
I used this in my pack i built for a halloween party last year. I made a slight change though which screwed up the whole thing - Instead of using the suggested bulbs i used LEDS and removed the transistors from the circuit as i was told they are there to boost the power for the bulbs and would blow the LEDs. What i didn't realise is that this reverses the flow accross the LEDs meaning that instead of the lights being off and coming on one at a time they are on and turn off one at a time, if that makes sense. I ran out of time to correct the problem but no one at the party was a Ghostbusters freak like me and didn't notice.

For my 3 new packs (and my old one) I plan to include the transistors and also put in a 470ohm resistor in to protect the LEDs, unless i am talking Sh*t and there is someone out there who knows a better way.

JT
#27611
JT94 wrote: What i didn't realise is that this reverses the flow accross the LEDs meaning that instead of the lights being off and coming on one at a time they are on and turn off one at a time


That doesn't seem possible.

Although if you swapped the ground and positive, and did the triggers differently it might.
#27625
Well i'm no electronics expert, i'm sure i wired everything up like on the diagram but just bypassed the transistors. It was an electronics teacher that suggested i do this, he then remembered that apparently "transistors reverse the polarity", which i assume means reverse the flow of electricity.

As i said i'll just throw in a resitor before every LED to protect it and hope that it works ok.
boutzo liked this
#27694
anyone know the frequency out of the 555. has a pot to adjust it and was wondering if someone had come up with the best frequency. trying to rework without the transistors and with LEDs and was just curious bout the info out of the 555. Thanks
#27700
reaper1394 wrote: anyone know the frequency out of the 555. has a pot to adjust it and was wondering if someone had come up with the best frequency. trying to rework without the transistors and with LEDs and was just curious bout the info out of the 555. Thanks


The transistors should still be used, most 4000 series chips can only source about 5ma, hardly enough for most LEDs skipping the transistors might work for a short time but you are driving the source lines in excess of the rated specs... This would also require a few other modification to the circuit to keep function consistent...

As for the speed it varies from pack to pack in the movies...
as i was told they are there to boost the power for the bulbs and would blow the LEDs.


Well that is clearly wrong they are there in this circuit as a simple switch, switching more current then the 4000 series chips can handle...
What i didn't realise is that this reverses the flow accross the LEDs meaning that instead of the lights being off and coming on one at a time they are on and turn off one at a time, if that makes sense.


Sure does, you changed the design of the circuit, use the transistors they are there for a reason (and for all practical design purposes required) whether it be LEDs or bulbs...
It was an electronics teacher that suggested i do this, he then remembered that apparently "transistors reverse the polarity"


The teacher needs to take a refresher course...
#27727
Thanks for the information, i don't suppose you know whether other transistors do the same job as those suggested in the parts list and what they are. I know i don't have those suggested but do have others, being on summer break i can't check what ones we have at work at the moment.
#27920
reaper1394 wrote: just finished and they work great. added a second 555 to control the cyclotron separate from the rest though. Thanks for these plans. Now it's onto finishing the pack and possibly sound...


Hi, did you draw up a diagram for this? I like the idea and wondered if you could help me out.
#33593
no schematic, but can tell you what I did. I took the 555 in the circuit and made a copy, removed the 4017 from the rest, and ran pin 3 of the 555 to pin 14 on the 4017. Adjust the pot and you can control the cyclotron speed seperate from the power bar
#34291
Instead of futzing around with logic chips I just got done programming up a PIC 16F690 to do the job.

I wrote some code so that when the trigger button is pressed on the wand, the lights on the power cell will actually fill at twice the speed.

Also, I programmed in a Power-up sequence where all of the lights flash off and on several times, like if the pack was going through a self-check sequence.

I haven't wired it all up yet, but the code only took me about 3 evenings to whip up.

Also wrote up some code for another PIC to control the gun bar-graph. Several different patterns depending on which switches and such are thrown and whether the trigger is pulled...

Should be pretty cool. I'll post video when I get it all wired up. Still need to order some parts though, so it may be a while...

-- As a Post Script, if it all ends up working as expected, I'll post the code I wrote for the PIC and the schematic for hooking it all up. It's my first shot at working with one, and I must say I'm surprised at how easy it was.
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