Do You Want to Know or Not?

[BOAT]

I'm confused the ham radio guys I used to know always said "Tune for Maximum Smoke"

I have more resistors - I will put them in and see what happens on 9 volts before I hook up the big battery.

[K9Kampers]

"Tune for Maximum Smoke"

True, if yer ready for it. Best to have a bottle of Lucas Wire Harness Smoke Replacement on yer workbench. It'll shorten the turn around time!

[Jimmyt]

This is the only spec they have on the lights:

Specifications:
Head type: round
Forward voltage: W/G/B/P/UV/WW:3V-3.2V R/Y/O/YG:2V-2.2V
Max. current: 20 mA

This is what we're looking for. As Be Free posted, the color of the light determines what voltage you apply to it. Looks like 2.2 v is good for red, yellow, orange. If you use a green, blue, purple, or white can go up to 3.2 v. Max current is 20 mA.

You will burn these up on 12 volts. Be Free is correct, resistor is required.

I don't get the same rusty number for resistance, but it's not that critical as long as you limit the current to 20mA and the voltage to the color requirement. If we assume that the transistor is fully saturated, and ignore resistance in the LED, 12 v. - 2.2 v = 9.8 v for the resistor voltage drop. At the 20 mA max current, resistance would be 9.8 v / .02A = 490 ohms. So, one of your 680s will work or an 833 would work. The LED will have a fair range below the max where it will give off visible light.

If we ignore voltage drop in the LED and Transistor, and assume we are going to limit the current to 20 mA, then 12v / .02A = 600 ohms. So, the 680 should be plenty safe.

So, when you say you bought a bag of resistors, are they all the same? The color stripes tell what the resistance is (or you can use your meter if you're like me and have a hard time seeing the resistor - much less the color...).

[Jimmyt]

I have more resistors - I will put them in and see what happens on 9 volts before I hook up the big battery.

You're killing me...

[BOAT]

Okay, I added more resistors like you guys said. You think this will work? Here is a picture - remember you can open the picture in a new tab and expand it to max to see all the little holes I poked the wires into:



You think I got all the wires into the right holes? I am going to try it out with nine volts and real water (no more pretend water )

If it does not blow up I will try it with 12 volts and real water.

So the next picture I send will be lights lighting up or a little mound of carbon.

[Jimmyt]

Looks perfect! Kick the tires and light the fires! The suspense is unbearable!

And thanks for not pretending copper is water

[BOAT]

Okay, before I test it I want to get some real ballast water instead of pretend water and keep my distance by using my trusty boat hook and put on my PPE in case things go very wrong:

[Jimmyt]

You are having waaaay to much fun with this!

Congratulations!!! You nailed it!

[K9Kampers]

[BOAT]

Now what? You guys know anyone that wants to buy a bucket of ballast water?

[Jimmyt]

Now what? You guys know anyone that wants to buy a bucket of ballast water?

Do I get a straw to go with it?

[Tomfoolery]

Now what? You guys know anyone that wants to buy a bucket of ballast water?

Do I get a straw to go with it?

Sure. Paper, not plastic. You know how it is.

[Jimmyt]

Now what? You guys know anyone that wants to buy a bucket of ballast water?

Do I get a straw to go with it?

Sure. Paper, not plastic. You know how it is.

[BOAT]

hi



Moved all those little parts over to a half a loaf breadboard to consolidate the size:





Tested out okay, everything working and I can see the lights in the daylight.

The new PCB boards that match my half loaf bread board will be here today and then I can solder in the stuff from the bread board to the PCB board.

If all works I can install the lighted PCB board behind the smoked glass door on the side of the pedestal (the lights look bright enough to show through the tinted plastic) ? and I have 6 conductor control wire ready to go from pedestal to bow vent.

It should work (?) I guess we will see.

[Jimmyt]

So, what's the story on the PCB's. You can't just have them materialize. Where'd you get 'em? What did you have to give them so they could make them the way you wanted them? Inquiring minds want to know!