# OMG! My core lights arrived! WOOHOO!



## Scorpitat (Oct 7, 2004)

Woohoo!

My light set I mentioned in a previous thread arrived today, and they look FANTASTIC. The guy shipped them across the country sooo fast, and right out of the package, one hookup, and batteries....viola'! LIGHTS!

All 8 LEDs are VERY bright white, and, (on setting #4 ), they sequence across JUST like the core on the Jupiter 2. I can't wait to start tinkering and make up a core light for my long dark Polar Lights J2. They light up just like the sequence I saw on his auction video, and the flasher board is very small. The whole thing, even with the battery pack, (which runs for over 300 continuous hours, just on 3 AAA batteries ), will fit nicely under my J2's bottom deck. I hope you all had a chance to get one from the guy for 20 bucks. They are a bargain! Even though the auction sold out, I wrote him, and he does have more available. He said he makes them up himself. So, if anyone wants to try one, follow the link in my other thread, and write the seller about getting one, or more.

If I could post videos, I would, but I'm sure someone on here who got one besides me will get around to it. I hope you all can benefit from this item, and get your cores rotating. I will need to put my almost finished Space pod on hold, and dig out the Jupiter 2 for it's "refit". After that, who knows.............since this thing is so small, I may even attempt to light the pods' core before I seal it up. Good luck everyone, and let me know how you all make out!

Happy lighting!
Sincerely,
Scorp.

"Boldly GO!" :woohoo: :woohoo: :wave:


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Hey That's great !!!!


Sure would like to see it inside of the Pod's core


Post Pics when you can!!


High Regards,

BP


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## azdacuda (May 7, 2008)

I just got mine also, going to get started brainstorming to figure out how to use it in the pod. For 20 bucks, this cheap kit rocks, I want to order a few more as the uses are unlimited. Good luck to all that bought these.


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## g_xii (Mar 20, 2002)

azdacuda said:


> I just got mine also, going to get started brainstorming to figure out how to use it in the pod. For 20 bucks, this cheap kit rocks, I want to order a few more as the uses are unlimited. Good luck to all that bought these.


I was thinking of using mine like this, drilling through the bottom of the subfloor (directly above the core) and poking each LED through one of the holes. It would hardly take up any space at all in the actual core:


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## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

So far so good, where will the printed circuit board be located?


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## g_xii (Mar 20, 2002)

F91 said:


> So far so good, where will the printed circuit board be located?


It's tiny -- I would think between the floor and the subfloor. Then I only need to make 2 small holes -- one for the battery pack (just stand that up on the inside of the pod and make it look like a piece of equipment or something) and one for the "switch" that controls it. 

I have not worked it all out yet, but it should work nicely!

Oh -- and CHEAPLY!

--Henry


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## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

Henry- Good luck. Keep us posted.


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

Quick question, I'm planing on using my setup for the Seaview. The button is a pita, so I want to turn mine on and off by plugging it in to the battery pack. Is there such a thing as an "extension" cord already made to go from the battery pack to the circut board? If I had a few extra inches, I could leave the circut board concealed in the kit, and just run the "extension cord" trough the small hole in the bottom of the ship to the battery pack. Does Radio shack sell such an animal? The other option I have is to keep eveything behind the control room and have to deal with removing the bottom front panel of the ship everytime I want to turn it on or off. A royal PITA.


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## Scorpitat (Oct 7, 2004)

See,
I KNEW that fellow modelers on here could find these beneficial, and be creative enough to find great uses for them! I'm glad you guys got some of them, and enjoy them. I've already started tinkering with mine as well, and am looking at putting it in the pod, or my Jupiter 2. It should fit well in the Jupiter, and with the size of the circuitboard, it should fit nicely behind the control panel of the pod as well. You can't beat em for a mere 20 bucks!

For the pod, I would just build a futuristic set of "crates", to hide the battery box in there, and set it outside the pod door, with the wires running into the pod. I'd probably mount the pod on a base, with an alien surface texture to it, and make it in a diorama style of setting.

For the Jupiter 2, it should all fit easily inside the hull, and since I opened up my landing leg wells, and scratchbuilt walls for the landing wells, I could simply mount the circuitboard near one of those legwells, and activate it with a finger easily.

I'm just happy everyone enjoys this find. I wrote the guy who sold them, and he said he does have more of them, since he makes them himself. He may even be able to provide external activation switches, or battery box cable extensions, which others have asked about. I suggest simply writing him, and asking. I'm sure he'd love the business!

Best of luck everyone, and post your creative results for all of us to see!

Sincerely,
Scorp.

"Boldly GO!" :woohoo: :wave:


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## Paulbo (Sep 16, 2004)

Rather than plugging / unplugging, wire in a switch to the positive wire & hide it in some detail.

I haven't seen that type of connector at Radio Hack, but that doesn't mean they don't carry it, or carry a cord with a connector at one end and plug at the other. If you can find it, pick up two and mount the female connector of one flush to the outside of the hull and run it to the power connector on the board. Then hide the connector of the battery pack in some sort of spiffy looking detail and put the pack in a box or something like Scorpitat suggested.

I still think the chaser circuit is either too fast or too slow at the 3 setting available for the pod, but it's a nice little board nonetheless.


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

Thanks Paul, thats a fantastic idea! Hadnt thought of mounting it up flush with the hull. That way no wires in sight, when not lit, and easy enough to hide the wire in seaweed when it is. hmmm.


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

I emailed him about making me a short extension cord, I'll let you guys know what he says in case anyone else is interested. I think this may come in handy for some of you other lads as well.


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## starseeker2 (Jun 13, 2008)

Brilliant find. 
I don't know if you can find fiber optic lamps anymore, but once they were plentiful and cheap and one lamp would give you a lifetimes supply of fibers. Pattern 9 looks a lot like the Jupiter 2 and Chariot random computer panel lights. On my 1/24 Jupiter 2 many years ago I used chasing Christmas tree mini lights and ran fiber optic cables from each light in the control panels randomly to a bulb. It looks very cool but the pattern isn't random. For $19 I am so going to get some of these for my Chariots and a Jupiter 2 upgrade.
Pre-built beats kits and I've never seen a kit with this many options.


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## azdacuda (May 7, 2008)

I posted this in another post but I thought I would post this here
Check out the flashing beer mug; http://www.raveworx.com/Flashing-LED-Beer-Mug-pr-343.html
I will have to order one and take it apart and see if I can change the color of the leds, For 7 Bucks its even cheaper and worth a look see.


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

He emailed me last night and said he could take care of me in a couple of days. I've got most of the lights installed and they look great. Still need some fiber optic material to run to the tail lights. To keep the light from bleeding thru the plastic, I started using thick cardbaord tubing from coathangers, but decided tubes made of rolled contruction paper worked better, and easyier to cut. For the control room I made small cone shaped "lampshades", they work great! The nessecity of invention is a mother. LOL


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## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

I may email the guy and see if he eliminates some features, like just the #4 light option, if that could downsize the setup and eliminate the function switch so it can just have an off-on switch. A lot more user friendly.


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

Good Idea F91. He said modelers were knocking down his door right now. heehee. That would be a nice feature and probably easier to make for him. Sometimes you need flashers sometimes you dont.


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## Paulbo (Sep 16, 2004)

F91 - I don't think that's going to be a very short term solution. Basically it means creating a totally new circuit board arrangement and reprogramming his chip. Not a HUGE delay, but it's not something that'll be done in a day. If you're in a hurry, I'd find another solution.

OTTO - what are you using for fiber optics that you need to worry about light-leaks out the side? The side-leak on standard optics grade fibers is minimal and if you're using something cheezy like fishing line (I *hope* I'm joking) you can just dip the full length in some black paint and snip the ends to expose the tip again.


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

Hi paul, I wasnt worried about light leaks from the fiber optics (well....I was a little, but you have set my mind at ease!) But I was worried about the 5mm LEDS. Those rascals are bright!


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## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

Actually, the board and the programming already exist. It's just, does he want to buy those parts, or build and program his own.



Paulbo said:


> F91 - I don't think that's going to be a very short term solution. Basically it means creating a totally new circuit board arrangement and reprogramming his chip. Not a HUGE delay, but it's not something that'll be done in a day. If you're in a hurry, I'd find another solution.
> 
> OTTO - what are you using for fiber optics that you need to worry about light-leaks out the side? The side-leak on standard optics grade fibers is minimal and if you're using something cheezy like fishing line (I *hope* I'm joking) you can just dip the full length in some black paint and snip the ends to expose the tip again.


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