Cyclotron Lighting

Equipment Proton Packs
1

Hey Guys,

I have been all of your boards for the last couple of weeks, and I have a proton pack almost completely built, prepped for paint and final massive connection of everything. One thing that I am having trouble with is the pack lights. I am trying to keep the money that I spend at a decent price right now, as I have already put in a good amount of money into my pack. For the power cell, I was just going to buy a simple LED Chaser Kit, like the one found here.

http://www.allelectronics.com/index.php?page=item&id=AEC&extra=a%3A2%3A

Anyway, I am pretty savvy with putting together circuits, but only with directions. I cannot for the life of me find directions for just building the circuit for the cyclotron, or even find another kit that will do this. I have searched the boards with no luck.

You guys have any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

2

here is the kit I purchased…it looks pretty good

http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=10589

and I bought 4 flashlights…

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3

i have two of those kits from allelectronics. i was going to just omit every other LED for the Cyclotron. after putting them together i’ve decided to go with Proptronix because its more accurate, looks better and of the kits available it is the most affordable.

4

Thanks for the replies. I was hoping for a diagram or a kit. There has to be something out there that isn’t more then like 15 bucks…I just cant find them, or I find ones that seem like they would work, but they don’t have a video or anything to make sure that it will work before I order it.

What is proptronix? Proptronix.com doesn’t seem to be the right site. Can you link me to the items that worked for you?

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search this site. he’s a member who builds movie accurate kits. this allelectronic kit you are looking at is not accurate but its a person preference i suppose.

6

I know exo and a few others make them and do it very well, but I am not going for complete accuracy, and just looking for something simple and cheap to get me by for Halloween. After Halloween, when I have a little more cash, I plan on upgrading to one of the more realistic light kits that people make on the site.

7

For the time being I have found a 4-5 inch diameter handheld strobe light that runs off of batteries. I’m putting the colored lenses in the holes of the cyclotron, then using a ring of black plasic (can use cardboard or sign material) I’m making an enclosure around the four holes on the inside of the shell. This will allow the light to be confined to the cyclotron area (not leak out and flash from cracks between the pack and motherboard) and it does a decent job of lighting up the holes on a budget. I’m hot gluing it all in place for now and wiring an external switch to the light. That way after Halloween I can save up and buy an accurate light kit and install like scififan posted above.

8

Did you check out this thread?

Check out the circuit diagram in the second post. For just the cyclotron, you can probably use just the components labeled U3, U4, C1, C2, C3, R16, R17, Q15-Q18, and L15-L18. I’d actually use 4 AA batteries (in series) and omit the transistors (Q15-18) and incandescent lights (L15-18) and use red LEDs instead, each in series with a 150 ohm 1/8 watt resistor. I’ve been meaning to test it out, but that should work.

You can order all these parts from DigiKey.

9

Actually, this works ok. I had two of the chaser kits and tore one apart to do this. Every other LED I just replaced with a resistor and it seemed to do just fine.

In the end I’m going to use a PIC microcontroller setup for my lights but that’s only because I want to do something a bit more flashy and complex.

Using a chaser with only 4 lights works just fine in my opinion though…

10

ohhh ok..I didnt know much your budget was…you can go with these:

http://www.save-on-crafts.com/batterylights2.html

They are battery powered christmas lights…you might be able to take lights from some christmas lights you have around the house, and make them a solid strand of blue or red…

I actually saw these in the Dollar Store by my house…

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11

I did ALL of my lights with just a couple acceptions using a chaser kit with about 15 light outputs designed for a trainset.

Go here:

http://www.trainsetelectronics.com/page4.html#Sequencer

And for under 15 bucks, if you space out your LED’s properly, you can use that setup to do EVERYTHING.

  1. Your power pack blue lights in a sequence. I used 5 lights, but you can do 15 if you want.

  2. Your cyclotron. Just space out the 4 LED’s so that they come on in the right order and at equal intervals.

  3. Your gun display sequence. (Just buy a few yellow LED’s. I use 3 and it looks fine.)

  4. Add blinkies in conveniant places. If you look at the video game pack, the proton pack blinks all over the place. I added about 3 blinkies on the pack and 1 on my gun. Not movie accurate, but the crowd loves it!

Just another option for those of you out there who want lights.

Hardest part is running the wire from the control box to the gun. It even has a speed adjustment screw!

WHOOT!

G

12

Found this at the electronic’s store (Fry’s in California). They were about $3.49. A very simple circuit for two independent Flashing LED’s - plus they have adjustable speed control for each LED. I have 2 circuits for the 4 Cyclotron LEDs.

Here is the manufacturer’s website - http://www.vellemanusa.com/ I don’t see an online store but there is a database to find the nearest distributor in your area.

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13

If you really want cheap pack lights that look freaking awsome you should hit up proptronix here on the board.

Pack Lights 60.00 This includes cyclotron and powercell lights

Gun lights 120.00

You can buy them as a set for 180 or apart its up to you. But these are the best ones you will find period if you want them done proffesionaly. Its free shipping anywere in the world too.

14

LOL, thanks for the advice EctoGlow…I’m not sure if $180 registers in my checkbook as “cheap” though. :stuck_out_tongue:

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In my book, cheap chasing cyclotron lights would be under $10, and the power cell lights would be under 15. I actially fond a halloween ghost necklace I’m adapting for replacing our power cell lights, and it is $3.99.

16

Garee…you got any pics/video of that necklace? I still have yet to find a suitable replacement for the power cell lights for Halloween. Upgrading to an actual light kit sometime next year.

17

Think I may have the ‘end-all’ of El Cheapo packlights worked out. It isn’t 100% accurate (too fast) but it’s cheap & cheerful and pretty straight forward.

Dollar Store / Pound Shop 5-LED Santa Hats - seasonal, but often available on eBay. Often marketed as ‘flashing’, but they’re actually chaser. Has 5 3mm LEDs, runs on 3v (2 AA) batteries (note: some may run on 3 ‘button’ batteries, like those in hearing aids, keychain lights, etc), and looks like this:

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(Actual speed may be slightly faster than this gif,and not variable speed)

I’ve swapped out the 3mm LEDs for *much *brighter 10mm red Ultra bright LEDs, and they are eyeball melting when run on 3AA’s (4.5v) instead of the regular 2! Board doesn’t even get warm.

Snip off the extra LED, replace the poor quality wire (LEDs have a shared earth) & the battery holder, and that’s pretty much it. Cheap flashlights / torches can be disemboweled for their reflectors & hot glued into place.

I also found that the unused LED position will light a strip of 15 3mm LEDs as taken from a knockoff lightsaber, enabling it to be used for the powercell too.

(kinda like I did here, but much simpler - just replace the unused LED with the LED strip: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7296&p=66634#p66634 )

The button on the circuit is momentary type, BUT as soon as you connect the battery, the lights begin sequencing, so no need to keep the button - just toss the rubber contact away.

Don’t know what battery life it’d get, but should be A-OK for parties & such. :wink:

Another one could be used to power the gun lights, too.

Coz.