# Lights in my Gun **URL:** \ **Category:** Proton Packs\ **Created:** [October 25, 2008, 3:12pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/lights-in-my-gun/27758 "2008-10-25T15:12:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![esqueleto](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/3e96dc/32.png) [@esqueleto](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/esqueleto)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 3:12pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/lights-in-my-gun/27758/1 "2008-10-25T15:12:36Z")
I’m a beginner in electronics. This is my biggest project so far. Ok, so i wired up these lights in my pack’s gun, so that when I flip the “Activate” switch, a small blub turns on inside the gun. Then I have a red momentary switch at the tip of the gun that turns on a big blue LED light when ever I press the swtich. My problem is that when I switch the activate switch, the light blub takes away from the LED so the LED does not light up very bright. The blub and the LED have a voltage rating of about 3, and I have 2 AA battries powing it. It makes sense to me now why its doing this, but what can I do to make the LED bright again? I have some connectors for a 9v battery, but I’m afraid this would blow out the blub since its 3 times the power. What can I do? ---
**Author:** ![enchanted\_unicorn](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@enchanted\_unicorn](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/enchanted_unicorn)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 3:33pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/lights-in-my-gun/27758/2 "2008-10-25T15:33:58Z")
probably not the reply you are looking for…but I have a similar set up in my gun with a single bulb. i lined the interior with a reflective silvery film that maximizes the the light inside..if you can’t boost the light’s output, that might help. ---
**Author:** ![esqueleto](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/3e96dc/32.png) [@esqueleto](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/esqueleto)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/lights-in-my-gun/27758/3 "2008-10-25T18:08:20Z")
Actually I saw that on your pack. Mine is pretty bright inside the gun, but I know I can make the blue LED at the tip of the gun brighter. I could buy another battery pack for another AA, but I was hoping for another alternative. ---
**Author:** ![Exoray](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/d26b3c/32.png) [@Exoray](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Exoray)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/lights-in-my-gun/27758/4 "2008-10-25T23:33:41Z")
LEDs are current driven not voltage, you will fry them without limiting the current there is more then just voltage involved… Also all LEDs are not created equal there are bright and there are dim ones… Do a Google search for how to hook up LEDs, lots of good info… ---
**Author:** ![lookatthemonkeys](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/lookatthemonkeys/32/355_2.png) [@lookatthemonkeys](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/lookatthemonkeys)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/lights-in-my-gun/27758/5 "2008-10-26T00:00:42Z")
do your LEDs have resistors? Also, it sounds like they are wired in a series. You probably want them wired parallel. ---
**Author:** ![enchanted\_unicorn](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@enchanted\_unicorn](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/enchanted_unicorn)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/lights-in-my-gun/27758/6 "2008-10-26T22:12:48Z")
ahh i see then it looks like you’ll have to add a new light unit altogether…gonna be tough with the small size of the gun body, but i’m sure you’ll come up with something. ---
**Author:** ![esqueleto](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/3e96dc/32.png) [@esqueleto](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/esqueleto)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/lights-in-my-gun/27758/7 "2008-10-27T00:41:06Z")
It is wired as a parallel. Today I bought a battery holder for 4 AA batteries. If 2x the voltage goes though a blub thats rated at 3 volts, will it burn out faster? ---
**Author:** ![Exoray](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/d26b3c/32.png) [@Exoray](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Exoray)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/lights-in-my-gun/27758/8 "2008-10-27T01:59:04Z")
> [@esqueleto](#): > > It is wired as a parallel. Today I bought a battery holder for 4 AA batteries. If 2x the voltage goes though a blub thats rated at 3 volts, will it burn out faster? Incandescent bulbs might take it for awhile… LEDs will fail immediately or in very short, assuming they don’t pop like popcorn as soon as you apply the voltage… Yes LEDs can literally pop like popcorn from excess current… When you want a brighter light in your house how do you go about doing it? a. Rewire your house and double the voltage b. Get a brighter light The above should make it pretty clear you are approaching this the wrong way… ---
**Author:** ![esqueleto](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/3e96dc/32.png) [@esqueleto](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/esqueleto)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 4:04am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/lights-in-my-gun/27758/9 "2008-10-27T04:04:06Z")
OK, Here is my schematic of what I have… The LED is not bright enough because the blub is taking away all the power. What can I do to make it brighter besides getting more voltage. Adding 4 AA will blow the blub and the LED, so I’m thinking about getting a second seperate AA holder just for the LED. ---
**Author:** ![Exoray](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/d26b3c/32.png) [@Exoray](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Exoray)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 4:15am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/lights-in-my-gun/27758/10 "2008-10-27T04:15:50Z")
> [@](#): > > What can I do to make it brighter besides getting more voltage. Give it more amps… Google wiring batteries in series vs wiring them parallel… One way increases voltage the other increases amps (amp capacity) Or get rid of the bulb and get another LED… ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Haas](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/a88e4f/32.png) [@Jeff\_Haas](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Jeff_Haas)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 11:32pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/lights-in-my-gun/27758/11 "2008-10-27T23:32:36Z")
If I understand what you’re describing, you have two lights: one that is the “power on” light and the other that is the “firing” light. Why are they in the same circuit? You could have one circuit for the power on light and another for the firing light. Yes, you would secretly know that you could fire the gun while the power was technically off, but so what? ---
**Author:** ![esqueleto](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/3e96dc/32.png) [@esqueleto](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/esqueleto)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 2:14pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/lights-in-my-gun/27758/12 "2008-10-29T14:14:51Z")
Yeah, thats what I did. I bought another battery holder for 2 more AA to power the LED. Now its super bight. And yes, I can tell everyone, that you have to turn the gun on first to be able to fire the gun. Thanks!