getting electronics and circuits into models

bruce53176 · Post by **bruce53176** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:12 pm

I was wondering what is the best way to put the lighting and electronics into the model and still have access to change batteries or bulbs. For example an X-Wing fighter, the body is not very big so the electronics I would think would have to be fairly tight. How would I place the electronics into this model and still have access to it. I have some ideas but your input would be greatly appreciated. If anyone has any pictures of your work that would also help. Thank you in advace.

Bruce

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:31 pm

Go with LEDs instead of incandescent bulbs, they last longer and will rarely need replacement.

As far as battery placement, well that's the tricky part, same with hiding the on/off switch. Sometimes you can hide them in teh base and route wires for power, other times you can get tricky making removable sections to get to the batteries inside a model.

Madman Lighting · Post by **Madman Lighting** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 8:08 am

There are lots of kits available for lighting models with electronics and LEDs.

I make several: in the SSM store

And I've built a few here: On my site

Use LEDs because they last much longer than incandescent bulbs, usually around 10 years if you treat em right. I like to insert a few LEDs and then distribute the light with fiber optics.

Have fun.

-John

en'til Zog · Post by **en'til Zog** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 7:32 pm

Hi, bruce53176!

Use LEDs, like the guys say. I have 3 LED gadgets sitting on my compooter rightnow that have been plugged in (with wall warts) and running continuously for over 35 years each. Reliable? Oh yeah.

paraclete1 · Post by **paraclete1** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 7:55 am

Don't rule out fiber optics either. They're great for running lights to narrow places and only take up the space of one wire. I used fiber optics to light my world map with the places I've traveled. I used 3 or 5MM LEDs and a drinking straw to bundle the optics together. It's been lit for going on 6 or 7 years now and I haven't lost a LED yet.

One trick though is to leave a small excess on the outside of your location until you finish your paint, putty, or whatever, then snip the excess off once the work is completed. This prevents you from having to try and scrap and clean the ends off later. Learned the hard way with this and the landing bay of my Galactica back in the eighties.

DLMatthys · Post by **DLMatthys** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 8:09 pm

Incandesant lamps is soooooo....20th Century.

USS Atlantis · Post by **USS Atlantis** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 8:38 pm

Incandescent lamps are conta-indicated for plastic models

Unless you LIKE the area near the light source to get soft and deform

IL's produce heat - even the little grain-of-wheat/grain-of-rice bulbs do - but back when they included lighting with the model (1st Edition TMP-E) they were the cheap way to do it

LED's devote more of their energy to light production and lose very little to heat - they do produce some heat, but it's a drop compared to an IL's bucket full

LED's are also easier to attach things to as they are almost invariably cased in plastic, where-as even the tiny bulbs of IL's are normally glass enclosed - because of the heat issue again

Also, since the IL's waste so much energy putting out heat, any battery driven light system will last a much shorter time running IL's instead of LED's

And, a final note - IL's life span is measured in hours - sometimes thousands of hours, but still hours - LED's lifespan is many years (11.4 years @24/7 for even the shortest lifespan LED)

Given all that - using IL lighting instead of LED is a move that I definitely would not recommend

paraclete1 · Post by **paraclete1** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 8:04 pm

USS Atlantis wrote:...Also, since the IL's waste so much energy putting out heat, any battery driven light system will last a much shorter time running IL's instead of LED's

Given all that - using IL lighting instead of LED is a move that I definitely would not recommend

Good point about the battery life. I rigged my LIS Robot with 5 LEDs that ran off a 9v battery (two in the eyes(bubble sensor), two in the Belly(Switch area), and one blinking in the Chest Window area. I turned it on and left it on for a year. At the end of the year, the chest LED was still flashing. Dim, but flashing.

I consider that pretty good life. I have run LEDs without a resistor, but it's hard on them, so I recommend using the resistor. It also helps to prevent heat build up.

en'til Zog · Post by **en'til Zog** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 11:11 pm

Oh, yeah. Incandescent bulb life is measured to burnout - complete failure.

LED "life" is measured to the half original brilliance point or functional half life, NOT to extinction.