A Newbie Working with LEDs for Model Kits

This is NOT a guide on how to LEDs to light your model kits! This just chronicles my first attempt at working with LEDs and goes over some of the basics as I understand them. Do not consider anything I do in the above video as the correct way to use LEDs. I highly suggest you consider doing more research into wiring LEDs before diving into electronics and wiring.

http://metku.net/index.html?sect=view&n=1&path=mods/ledcalc/index_eng
http://starshipmodeler.com/tech/mh_led.htm
http://www.youtube.com/my_subscriptions?pi=0&ps=100&sf=added&sa=0...

Doctor Faust's Painting Clinic
http://www.paintingclinic.com

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• painting
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• wiring
• LEDs
• star
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• klingon
• bird
• of
• prey
• batteries
• wire
• solder
• soldering
• resistors
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[ww298kscope]

could I just wrap the wire togather?

[ThePaintingClinic]

@ww298kscope Yes, but you run the risk of them comming apart after time.

[77ExarKun]

Let there be light, my friend. I'm also a noob with this but i'm looking forward to lighting my first kit.

Good luck with yours, too bad it won't be the bird of prey, though.

[ThePaintingClinic]

@77ExarKun We'll see about the BoP. I have to figure out if there is a way to cleanly run the wires down into the base. I really wanted to keep all the wiring in the model, but since I want to build it landed and with the new ramp down I may have to scratch build some interior which really cuts into the space allotted.

[fraley1701]

@ThePaintingClinic Here's a thought for concealing your wiring and power source for a landed BoP diorama. Hide the battery box beneath a scratch built piece of AGE equipment or cargo container and disguise the wire harness as fuel lines or external power connection. Just an idea! :-)

[ThePaintingClinic]

@fraley1701 I thought of that, but I don't want to block view of the model by stacking boxes around it. Also to be anal, in the beginning of IV when all the boxes are there it's the daytime and there are no lights on the ship. I have to wait till I start building it to see if there is a way to run them down. Maybe I can either rebuild the landing gear with hollow tube or hide them under the landing ramp.

[sirrober]

you could always use heatshrink to connect the wires if they won't be moved

[ReblRC61]

mA is milliamps, which is a measure of current. Voltage = Current * Resistance, You might want to read up on Ohm's Law for help figuring this stuff out

[pellinor61]

Wire in parallel and get the full voltage from your source across each LED. Keeps the amperage down in each wire (not that it matters that much on such a low draw), and protects against burnt-out bulbs. In series if one goes, they all go (think old Christmas tree lights). I usually pick up a 4AA battery compartment and then solder my resistors to my LEDs so I don't exceed the voltage and burn them out.

[ModelManTom]

switch and resistor can go on either leg.

In series, if one led dies, none light.

In paralllel, only one goes out. that req's one resistor each led.

you can cut each fiber from the main body as needed.

You can run the positive wire down one leg and negative on the other into the feet and into a diorama base.

You could run a hundred leds off that battery if each led gets its own resistor.

[ModelManTom]

That wire cutter will loosen over time. (or machine oil)

Blk and red is good decision for your level. 26-30 gauge stranded is good.  You, personally, can't put enough power thru that included wire, so no worry on that.

See that email i sent you for more math clarification.

leds: burn bright, die early. Burn 'dim', live much, much longer.

Congrats on the 1st led! it is an exciting thing!

[ModelManTom]

Those last switches are 'momentary'

The braid is' solderwick' for wicking excess solder.

The last box is a fwd/back switch for the motor from a dollar store toy.

lets see... Yup all contents are listed on sheet.

Those resistors are good for almost any normal power supply you can throw at it. But try to keep it under 12v (and however many mA you need. Thats the more important #)

[JohnSB]

@farley1701 : i was just about to tell him that! :p @ThePaintingClinic : i really enjoy watching your videos! i dont have the time or the money to start building again so your videos fill the gap nicely! im and electronics engineer(student, final year) so i have a very good grasp on all of this. if you need any questions answered just pose them, and ill give you the 411. running them in parallel is your best bet. V is the same across every LED if run in parallel, you just draw more current.

[VividAdventures2010]

That's awesome!!! Call me crazy or a dork but I actually got excited when they finally lit up as well! LOL