USS Constitution by vacotton - Revell - 1:96 - PLASTIC - 1812 version - first kitbash ever

[vacotton]

Okay guys,  I found my Radio Shack 22-812 but the damned thing doesn't work and they don't sell them anymore.  Only used it a couple of times. I will get a cheapo special from Home Depot today.

 

Dave: as for the cycling, I would say it flashes on and off in about 1 second intervals.  So I suppose that would be 1Hz wouldn't it.  This thing is supposed to be a DC power supply.  

 

Really frustrated.  But they don't call me the "bulldog" for nothing.  Grrrr.

Verne

[lambsbk]

That is an odd cycling. Verne - definitely check the output voltage for consistency. I am sure you have nailed down the problem since the 9v battery gave you good results.

[vacotton]

Well I went out and bought a cheap analog voltmeter and hooked it up to a 9 v battery and it worked.  Then I hooked it up to the power supply and got a 10 v reading and then apparently the power supply unit burned out the analog.  I am wondering if the flashing is coming from too much current coming from the power supply such that the LED is turning off under load and then recycling.  

 

So it looks like this power supply has burned out two of my meters.  Never heard of that happening.

 

Verne

[lambsbk]

I have never heard of that either Verne. With the meter I always start at a high setting and work down when the voltage is unknown. I have not posted it in the tutorial but there is a formula for calculating a resistor value in the LED circuit.

 

Resistor = Power Supply Voltage - LED Voltage Drop (LED rated voltage)

                                                           LED Current rating

 

I hope that helps. Sorry I did not get back to the tutorial to give a heads up. My LED and power supply are both rated at 12vdc. No resistor needed with these settings. The good news is the meter probably is warrantied and the LED is not fried. 

[vacotton]

I probably just got a bad driver unit although I would like to understand what blew out both testers.  You would have thought that kind of power would have jolted me as well but it didn't.  These units are quite common.  Amazon sells them under 5 or 6 different brands although now I am afraid of them.

 

I think I like the wall unit idea with the plug in built into a black box that contains the array/heatsink and light cone. 

 

Do you guys think that this unit would do?  http://www.amazon.com/Wall-Adapter-Power-Supply-12VDC/dp/B006GEPUYA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1380946044&sr=8-3&keywords=wall+wart+adapter

Edited October 5, 2013 by vacotton

[lambsbk]

Kinda' small but it is rated at 1 amp. What is the rating on the LED? I have decided to move up to a unit that cranks out 2 amps. I don't need that much power but the 'wall wart' rated at 1 amp was a little warm after the LED tests. Hmmm...heat equals eventual failure of the unit...

 

Dave

[vacotton]

Okay.  Got rid of the offender and ordered a 2 amp wall unit as well as some female connectors (only need 1 but they come in 10 lots).  Replaced my multitester.  So now I am back to square one.

To answer your question Dave, here are the specs on that array:

 

 

 

Now-- How to make a cone (or a pyramid) to concentrate the light on a focal point.  Brass is out because it conducts and too risky for a short to happen.  Maybe cardboard or styrene sheet properly ventilated to avoid melting?

Verne

Edited October 5, 2013 by vacotton

[vacotton]

So here is what I came up with to concentrate the light on the Fiber Optic bundle.  I cut 4 identical sides from .040 styrene sheet and then created a pyramid with a hole in the top 6mm on a side for the bundle to pass through.  I put the pyramid up on blocks to allow air to pass underneath.  Air will pass through the heatsink vanes as well.  I will route the 12V wires under the pyramid to the array.  Of course,  heat is my main concern about this solution.

 

  

 

Should be getting the 2 amp driver on Tuesday.

 

Verne

Edited October 7, 2013 by vacotton

[lambsbk]

Verne I have been thinking about this reflector/concentrator problem as well. I think I will check an auto store for a small reflector lamp housing and test it out. I'll let you know if that works at all. I am dreading making a housing and am really trying to skimp my way out of it. But if push comes to shove I will get out the physics books, calculate a lens solution and house the fiber optics and LED in a focused lens concentrator.

[vacotton]

Dave,

I decided to discard the pyramid for now.  Instead I borrowed my wife's Tupperware 3 3/4" funnel.  I am not sure that it has any concentrating effects but it is a perfect fit and will work well to keep the bundle together and organized over the light.  As to whether it will focus the light on the ends of the strands, I don't really know.  It seems like there is a lot of light leaking through the plastic.

 

  

 

 

 

I got the 2 amp power supply yesterday and subbed it in for the 1.25 amp unit.  Right away the wires into the array started heating up.  So went back to the 1.25 unit for now.  I will probably have to find heavier gauge wire or just stay with 1.25 amp power supply.

 

Verne

[lambsbk]

Or you could add a resistor from radio shack. That would drop some of the load. I do see what you mean about the input leads. I agree that thicker gauge would be better.

Edited October 11, 2013 by lambsbk

[vacotton]

That is good stuff to know.  So the resistor would reduce the voltage but not the amps.  

 

So I got off on a tangent and was searching for 1/96 wood gratings.  I am not thrilled with what was molded onto the decks after looking at pictures of actual gratings.  They aren't sunk in but are actually flush with the frames in the real world and have a nice sheen.  I wonder if window screening would work.  

Verne

[vacotton]

I placed 10 lights into the forward gun deck.  

 

  

 

Unfortunately, I had to split the gun deck in sections to clear the lights without breaking the fiber optics.  Shouldn't be a big problem to rejoin them.  I will say this project is not for the faint of heart.  I may go back to the pyramid as it is smaller than the funnel and brings the strands in closer to the LED array.  A big problem is the amount of light that gets leaked through transmission.  Of course, the lanterns are not historically accurate for 1812 but I have engaged this fiction to light up the gun deck so that the fixtures will be visible.  I just could not see creating all of this detail and then not being able to show it off.

 

I am trying to design  sconces for the after cabin, state rooms, and the captain's great cabin. I probably will use some brass foil and then run FO through the brass.  The tip of the strand would be the end of the candle.  

 

Evan, I am still wrestling with some ideas for the manger as well.  

[lambsbk]

Yes. The light leaking from the optic is called side firing. It is why I had to paint the optic flat black followed by the bulwark color to minimize it.

 

The idea for the sconce sounds intriguing. Can't wait to see it.

[vacotton]

Good morning Dave,

I dealt with the "side-firing" following your lead as I put each fiber in but as you can see I have touch up work to do on some of them.  What I am really concerned with is the leaking from the sides of the concentrator.  I see why you used a pipe fitting.  It looks like the most important factor is centering the light on the ends of the strands.  But I am afraid if they are brought too close to the array, they will melt.  I haven't a clue how to find a lens of the right focal length to work properly.  So about all I can do is keep making lanterns and sconces and then bundle up the whole shebang and stuff the cable into the hole and see how it looks.  

I will be anxiously waiting to see how you make out on finding a lens.

 

As for the sconces, I will get back to you on that as soon as I figure out a proposed solution.  

 

I can see that all of this might be a tad ambitious for me (Mr. Thumbs) at 1:96.  I wished I had Evan's "carpentry" skills.

 

Have a great week and make people well. 

 

Verne

Edited October 14, 2013 by vacotton

[lambsbk]

I will get back to the lensing problem eventually Verne. The light is definitely bright enough so where there is will there is a way. Thanks for tackling this project. 2 (or more) minds are better than 1.