[Vincenzo330]

Video time, Jack!

[hooker]

Video time, Jack!

I second that.

Also, a big thank you for your post Jack.

[Magnus Tullock]

help PLEASE!!!!! ARGGHH

sorry folks, but I am going nuts with this!!!

I have followed the schematic and have built the circuit into a breadboard. I am still waiting for a potentiometer so I have replacesd this with a resistor. My first 3 LEDs light in sequence everytime, but the remainders only light intermittently. When they light they look great and at a good speed, but they dont everytime. I havre replaced every component apart fromt he 4015 chips and 555 chip, but it looks like the LEDs arent getting the power everytime. Can anyone offer any advice?!

Thanks in advance

Magnus

[Magnus Tullock]

ok re-wired and the lights are ok now. However, they are not resetting after the last LED lights. I have the following reset config:

4015 (B) pin 2 connected to pin 14
4015 (B) pin 14 connected to pin 6
4015 (B) pin 6 connected to pin 14 on 4015 (A)
4015 (A) pin 14 connected to pin 6 on 4015 (A)

should this not reset the circuit?

Thanks

[Magnus Tullock]

lord I am such a divvy sometimes, I forgot to connect pin 9 to pin 1 on the second 4015. works great now!

[jackdoud]

Glad you got it worked out. I know the schematic works and I tried to make it as clear as possible. Just triple check everything and don't forget to use a fresh battery.

[Magnus Tullock]

thanks man!! after much deliberation I have decided to solder onto veroboard for the final board. So having to re-learn what I did at school many years ago fast!

Trying to decide where is best to mount the main board, torn between putting it all in the spacer or the whole thing fixed inside the power cell with a feed to the cyclotron lights.

[Magnus Tullock]

Can anyone confirm if this circuit will work with the up coming sound board from AJ Quick and cole?

[jackdoud]

Can anyone confirm if this circuit will work with the up coming sound board from AJ Quick and cole?

Since they aren't connected together in anyway I don't see why not. Unless someone builds a combined light/sound board any lights will work with any sound.

[Magnus Tullock]

cheers, that was what I was thinking. Toying with learning PIC programming, but think its too much like hard work lol

[Jeff Haas]

There's a thread on doing pack lights with a PIC chip here:
http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtop ... 42&t=15298

You can use this project, then it's just a matter of making the board and programming the PIC chip. However, if you're going to program your own lights and want to add features, and you don't know how to program a PIC in assembly, you could use a PicAxe chip instead. They use a form of Basic that's much easier to program in. Very inexpensive per chip and a good forum, too.

http://www.rev-ed.co.uk/picaxe/

[Magnus Tullock]

Thanks Jeff, looking at getting into this

[MRblahface]

From Wallabe

"Hey everyone. I'm following the wiring schematic in the second post as well as the parts recommendations given by AJ. I attemped to wire it in MultiSim to make sure that I can get it to work before I start buying parts. As you can see in the picture below, the software shows the output line for the 555 timer being overloaded, and the lights are obviously not working. I would appreciate any advice.

One thing to note is that the software shows the location of pins 6 and 9 and 1 and 14 on the 4015 chips in different places than the second poster's software.

Thanks"

[jackdoud]

I couldn't find the right chips in Multisim when I did my schematic but I didn't bother to actually model the functionality anyway. You need resistors on the LEDs to prevent runaway current. You schematic is too small to really make out what your circuit is so I can't really comment on your 555 layout.

[Wallabe]

The LED's do each have a resistor. I'll find a way to put up a better picture tomorrow, because I'd like to minimize the chance of blowing a real chip.
And Thanks

[Cole Funstuff]

The LED's do each have a resistor. I'll find a way to put up a better picture tomorrow, because I'd like to minimize the chance of blowing a real chip.
And Thanks

According to the picture you posted, the LEDs do not have any resistors in series with them (which is where they are needed). Also, you don't have to worry about blowing up a chip so much as you do blowing up your LEDs. Until you get those resistors in there, you should not try and hook that up.

Without looking at any datasheets, you might want to start with 1k resistors and work from there. The ICs will only draw whatever current they need to source from the battery, so don't worry about them.

[Magnus Tullock]

DAMN!!! it all working, but was using resistors rather than potentiometers for the 555. I just swapped them out for the cyclotron (used a separate 555) and now led 1 and 2 wont light!!!!!! soooooo annoyed!

[MRblahface]

try the direct link, http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i40 ... iagram.jpg

[jackdoud]

try the direct link, http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i40 ... iagram.jpg

Your potentiometer is hooked up wrong and you appear to have power going directly into the reset pin. C2 and C3 are also mostly unnecessary. I've found that they can sometimes make the circuit act funny, try removing them. Here's how I have mine hooked up:

[Wallabe]

I'll give that a try next chance I can get at the software, thanks

[Sturdag Lagernathy]

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone that contributed to the posting of this circuit, it helped me to no end.

[zappa1971]

Ok. This is pointed to jackdoud. That last schematic you posted? I'm gonna assume that works and all the parts are labeled? I'm about to give this thing one last shot to impress a girl for Halloween (and I really want to impress her!!) Is that the final schematic and do you have a complete parts list i can send to jameco to get everything? Please help. This girl is hot!!!

[jackdoud]

Yup, that's the final schematic. Here it is again since it's on the last page:


Here's a parts list:

19x NPN Transistors (pretty much any will do, I use 4401's)
2x 4015 Quad Shift Register
4x Red LED
15x Blue LED
1x 555 Timer
1x 4017 Decade Counter
1x 9v Battery Clip
1x 1uf Electrolytic Capacitor
1x 50kohm Potentiometer
16x 10kohm Resistor
19x 470ohm Resistor
1x 51kohm Resistor (these can be tricky to find, a 47kohm will probably work instead)

Useful other parts:
Breadboard
Header Pins
Ribbon Cable
Hookup Wire
8-pin IC Socket
16-pin IC Sockets
Heat Shrink Tubing

Jameco may or may not have everything, I order from Futurelec who does have everything and they're cheaper than Jameco, Digikey or Mouser.

[zappa1971]

Ok, thanks man. I didn't realize it was on the other page. Last question. When I tried to get the quote for the LEDs they asked what size. Do you know what size to get?

[jackdoud]

5mm

[zappa1971]

Cool. Thanks. Does the voltage rating matter? I know, I'm a pain in the ass. Ha ha

[jackdoud]

Not especially though anything other than ultrabright blues are usually harder to find. I just use ultrabrights for both blue and red, makes them easier to see in daylight (and blinding at night). If you go low-power you'll need to change up some resistor values though.

[Carpeteria]

In my experience, don't nothin' impress the ladies like a healthy, well-wired circuit board. Don't forget to shine up those components!

[ez_aquarii]

Is there a schematic available for the thrower lights as well?

[jackdoud]

Is there a schematic available for the thrower lights as well?

These are ones I made:


It doesn't have every option seen in the movie but it's a decent setup. If you know anything about electronics you can add the stuff that's missing. If you don't know anything about electronics I'd suggest not trying to build them.