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February 21st, 2009, 1:02 pmPIC based Pack Light Tutorial
Do you like to do it yourself?
If so, welcome to the fantastical world of microcontrollers!

Here is my little tutorial on how to make some decent proton pack lights. I have no formal training on this stuff, I just happened to have a PIC programmer from flashing mod chips. So I learned a little assembly and, after many frustrating hours, here is the result.

Might seem daunting to the electrical newcomer, but it can be done, just check out GBFans member AlmightyCornDogg's lights turned out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKvT2pCJFHs

And here's a link to what mine look like: http://www.gbfans.com/fans/videos/0uDjf5zMAuI/

This only covers the blue power cell lights and and red cyclotron lights. They are actually independent chips so you can use one or both.

What you need:
1) PIC programmer. I bought serial JDM programmer on eBay.
mine looks like this:
2) PIC 12F509 (cyclotron)
3) PIC 16F628A (power cell)
Note: you can also use 12C509, but beware those are not rewritable.

4) 12 blue LEDs (got mine on eBay)
5) 4 red LEDs (eBay again)
6) appropriate resistors for each LED (a very wide range of resistor values will work, I usually use 220ohm)
7) a breadboard is nice when working this stuff out
8) free flashing software. I like PICPgm for the 16F628a and PICProg4U for the 12F509.

Download the HEX file, source code, the bottom side of the main PCB, and a crude pinout HERE

I used the laser toner and hot iron method to make my prototype. Go to Instructables.com and run a quick search for "etch pcb" and you will find many methods of etching a circuit board.

I don't have a single sided PCB PDF for the power cell mounting, I made mine on some perf board. It is very crude.
For each pin on the PIC that will control an LED, the wiring goes like this:

PIC pin > resistor > +LED- > negative PIC pin.

Powering the project
These PICs like 5 volts, so shoot for that. I first used 4.5V (3xAA) and that worked just fine. However I have now switched over to a regulated 5V supply. Here's a nice one: [urlhttp://www.tkk.fi/Misc/Electronics/circuits/psu_5v.html[/url]

If you have questions, feel free to ask them in the comments.

Filed Under: Personal

Comments: 5 | Post Comment | Read Comments | Link | Email

ldlaughlin



September 19th, 2011, 10:26 am
I prototyped mine on a breadboard by your PIC setup and it works great!!!

Thank you so much for sharing!!!

alchemist1993



September 13th, 2011, 8:40 pm
can i buy one from you ? because i need one for my proton pack and i heard some friends that i can get some from you .

cyberfez



October 6th, 2010, 3:46 am
Love your work

marshylucas



June 28th, 2009, 4:05 pm
niiiiiiiiice!

Sledge



April 29th, 2009, 3:56 pm
hope to see more of this come along.


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