# Proteus Power option



## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

If you have been wondering how your going to power your Proteus here is one option. For my self I have always tried to power my subjects internally as running a power cords no matter how fine can be awkward and if your at a show / contest with no power source close by that can leave you dead in the water or over in a corner someplace out of category....either way its not good. 

This method means forgoing the laboratory which can be a big YIKES! to some.

After carefully cutting out the door and adding thin strips of plastic to get the fit just right two light powered magnets are locked snuggly in place so no chance of them coming loose later on ...after its all glued together thats the last thing you want to happen! Then two paper thin metal strips are ca glued to the underside of the door. Ok great how to remove the door once in place? a small stronger magnet is hidden inside the rear landing foot then another magnet tool was put together to pull the door away. Ok what about power? After a discussion with Randy at Voodoo Fx the light strip uses a 9V batt and combined with other led's you can imagine its drains the battery rather quickly so what I will do is use a single 9V for just the light strip and a tight AA quad pack at 6V to run the rest of the led's as there is more than enough room back there for all your wires, a switch and batts. I hope this is clear enough any questions just ask or pm me.
Happy building all! Fluke.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Its too bad the sub drivers headrest was not molded in clear.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

One small warm white for the Sscilloscope.


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

I like your power supply location but does it sacrifice the aft lab room?

EDIT-
Sorry- reread post and found answer. I think I am going to resort to external power, I really want to keep the Lab area.


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## JeffBond (Dec 9, 2013)

...I believe he just said that.


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

Another possibility is to get a flat lithium ion battery, like what is used in tablets. Then create a thin, flat metal antenna that would be placed against the floor of the model. A circuit could be set up to allow charging of the battery through the antenna using a QI or other electromagnetic oscillation device used to allow charging of cellphones by laying them down on the surface.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Very clever indeed but if that battery ever failed or worse kiss your model good by.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Phew! It was a gamble but the x ray screen is lit.


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

That X-Ray screen really looks great- how did you mount the light to avoid a hot spot?


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

THANK YOU! 
There are two small warm white leds placed about 1/2 inch back from the screen but the real look is due to the plastic used i can not remember where it came from as I keep all kinds of stuff from things I take apart before trashing it......the tone and the thickness were perfect as if it were the real thing.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

If anyone is interested....I have more of that milky white plastic for a few more screens, pm me and just cover shipping ill send some enough to make two in case the first attempt fails. Paypal will work. :smile2:


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Port side rear wall with fiber optics.


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

fluke said:


> If anyone is interested....I have more of that milky white plastic for a few more screens, pm me and just cover shipping ill send some enough to make two in case the first attempt fails. Paypal will work. :smile2:


I'm interested- I love the way that turned out and IMO it is one of most prominent elements you see when looking into the vast greenhouse- don't want to short change it.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Thats what I said to my self to light up everything else and not that screen would have just killed it.

Pm me with your paypal info and I will get that out to you asap.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

I thought the way they put holes the subs front shelf for tabs was a bit over kill for a piece that fits in place well enough I filled the holes so I can paint it separately.
Here you can see the front oscilloscope's led in place.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Here is the scope final image.


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## jimkirk (May 27, 2010)

I am currently working on my Proteus. I am using the Paragrafix photoetch etch set,so I will not be using FO. i am also lighting the xray scanner but just the middle. I wish a backlit film would have been included with the etch set for it but the decal will you suffice. I used 2 1206 SMD's and built a little light box for it. I am also puttin tubing into them map holes.


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

Any photos of the map-tube mod?
I am thinking of doing the same- as mentioned that one spot is one of the most visible in that greenhouse and I want it to look particularly good...


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## jimkirk (May 27, 2010)

I haven't finished that console yet. It needs paint on the main cabinet parts then the tube hole section will have to be painted. Then I will insert the tubes.
Luckily the etch sheet came with 2 hole parts and I mounted one in the back to support the tubes. I have pics of progress to this point but they need to be resized to post here.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

I too look forward to those images. Because of a big re wire job in the neighborhood my cell is the only internet right now so the images I am posting are limited in quality. 

Here are the rear bulkheads lit. 

Have you guys looked at how the main top and bottom hatches are set up? I am very disappointed for a 89.00 kit you would think more care and thought should have applied. So much effort was given to the interior it seems like the exterior was rushed ....like the side steps YIKES! 
If anyone has plans or any thought what can be done im all ears ....my thought is to fill those hatch holes make it perfectly even then sand down the section of the hatches that were meant to go through then put them in place. Its not like having the hatches in the open position was optional...at least without a lot of work on the builders behalf.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Light ring is lit. Thank you Randy at Voodoo Fx! :grin2:


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Assembly 1C - There is also an issue with the pilots suspension ring fitting up inside the 'bubble base' part No 27. The bubble base has an inner lip that to my knowledge has no purpose and it keeps the suspension ring from fitting up through it. Without careful test fitting and only following the directions in step No 12A any modeler would have been very frustrated to find that they just broke the already fragile connection between the suspension ring and the support post No 62.

This did not happen to me so I carefully dremeled out that 'inner lip' , sanded it smooth and now there will be no problem ( except - and aother word of caution ) .....there is a bit of back and forth movement between Pilot station deck No 55 and aIrlock chamber No 28.....you will need to glue this last as you want the whole 'Piolt Station' assembly to fit centered with bubble base... for myself I am also going to work it so I have at least a few mm play left and right to be sure. Im not sure of any readers Skill level but TEST FIT!! thats is the rule especially here! 

Again for 89.00 these issues should NOT be there at all!....lets face it every kit has its strong and weak points but gheesh!


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

So sorry you are having to deal with all these issues, not only with a pricey kit but so early in the build...

Taking notes though, I will be facing the same problems down the line


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Its nothing a little plastic, putty and elbow grease cant cure lol. I went ahead and filled the top and bottom hatch holes and sanded down the hatches so the look will be much better. Now that I have gone this far im going to re work the whole hinge thing...its another weak spot.....boy they really slacked on the exterior.


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## jimkirk (May 27, 2010)

Ok finally got the pics off my phone and re-sized. I only have a couple but will take more as the panels get finished.
Adding lighting and photo etch adds a bit more time to the build but the results are worth it.
The map console is now primed and awaiting paint. I like to get as much ready for priming and painting since there are lots of the same colors.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Looks great!! :thumbsup:


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## jimkirk (May 27, 2010)

I finally got the tubes glued in place. I am pretty happy with the result. I just need to finish painting the details and then glue it to the table.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

NICE! :thumbsup:

I'm ready to start painting the exterior but waiting for cooler weather mostly for less humidity as I chose for enamel as its a stronger finish.


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## jimkirk (May 27, 2010)

The plate with the holes is not quite correct. I installed it before watching the movie. It's supposed to be flush not set back. It was too late before I realized that. I also opted to only light the decal hence the little lightbox. The area with the decal won't look crooked once everything is installed.


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## pob63 (Jan 2, 2008)

jimkirk said:


> Ok finally got the pics off my phone and re-sized. I only have a couple but will take more as the panels get finished.
> Adding lighting and photo etch adds a bit more time to the build but the results are worth it.
> The map console is now primed and awaiting paint. I like to get as much ready for priming and painting since there are lots of the same colors.


I really like where this thread is going. Your collective solutions are elegant, unique, and well executed.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Thank you. I am ready to paint the body of mine but im waiting for cooler weather with less humidity....I prefer enamels for exterior finishes especially when it is semi or full gloss finish as I have never really mastered masking acrylics but i love acrylics for interiors and sci-fi subjects when weathered or worn looks are called for.


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## pob63 (Jan 2, 2008)

jimkirk,

Absolutely incredible work! I especially like that light. I'm very curious about your technique. It appears as though you embedded an l.e.d. in some clear half-round stock and then applied styrene strip.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Are you sure you mean to address Jimkirk.....He has not yet posted any lit images.


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## pob63 (Jan 2, 2008)

fluke said:


> Are you sure you mean to address Jimkirk.....He has not yet posted any lit images.


Yes. I was referring to the image of rear bulkhead light that's pictured next to the dime for scale. BTW ... what did you use for yours? It turned out great. The level of brightness looks perfect for the scale.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Got it. Because you really can not see that rear bulkhead light that well through the clear canopy I just used a bare round 3mm led that was dremeled down then a resistor was used to cut down the brightness....I did not keep track of value of the resistor as I have a ton of them and just kept trying one til it looked right.


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## pob63 (Jan 2, 2008)

Here's my take on the map console ... 

I modified the kit part by drilling and filing out holes for the map tubes. 

Next, I cut a rectangular section out of the light table and skinned it over with a thin piece of styrene. It's lit by two leds and one smd.


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## pob63 (Jan 2, 2008)

.... and the rear bulkhead light.

I made this by sanding a clear round rod down to a half-round rod, which I mounted to a small rectangular piece of clear sheet. 

The sides and of lamp housing were made with thin plastic strip, while the end caps were bits of scrap sanded to semi-circles. The light cage was created using very thin strips of foil tape. 

I cut and filed a hole in the rear bulkhead to accommodate the lamp and re-positioned one of the "control boxes" to act as a light box. It's light by a small warm white smd.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Very nice work so far. Thanks for pointing out things to correct.


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## pob63 (Jan 2, 2008)

Trekkriffic said:


> Very nice work so far. Thanks for pointing out things to correct.


To be quite honest, I think I actually made things incorrect. Though a lot of modelers have treated this part as if it were a light, I'm not convinced that the component depicted in the film was actually one. Unless it's contained a high powered lamp, it looked way too robust just for an ordinary light bulb. Plus, it was never lit in the film. It looks more like a piece of ventilation equipment ... perhaps a housing for a blower. As a light however, it works just fine for me.


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## jimkirk (May 27, 2010)

pob63 said:


> jimkirk,
> 
> Absolutely incredible work! I especially like that light. I'm very curious about your technique. It appears as though you embedded an l.e.d. in some clear half-round stock and then applied styrene strip.


I used a piece of round clear spruce and styrene strips for the cage. I filed the back flat the routed a channel for 2 1206 SMD's. I put the piece on a piece of upside down tape to apply the strips. The tape held the strips in place to glue.A touch n flow applicator kept it pretty clean. I wired +to + and - to - so only 2 wires came out of the light. I know that isn't the correct way bit but I said screw it. I ran the wires through a hole behind the fixture since you can't see that high up through the rear windows. I only had cool white LEDs and didn't care for the look and painted them clear yellow. From testing I will need more lights above,so I ordered some warm white LED's. I will post some pics tomorrow. I have been scratch building the details under the foreword bulkheads. I also just finished moding Randy's hatch to open and close. I need to get the seals and widows in so I can finish extending the roof beams.


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## jimkirk (May 27, 2010)

A quick pic of applying the strips.
The tricky part was the vertical pieces.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

*Everyone's builds are looking sweet! GREAT WORK !!* :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

I am very close to putting the upper and lower hulls together.

There is no room for any type of power switch in the battery compartment as the batteries take up every mm of space so in this case I am using 2 magnetic reed switches that will be turned on and off via a magnet from the outside of the hull. 

WHY TWO Reed Switches? Good question... The common LED's combined with the Light ring on just the 9 V battery will suck up power faster than I would prefer so I am using a 4 AA square combo pack for all the room, console and x-ray screen LED's and then a separate 9V battery for the light ring as the light ring will not run from 6V...too bad.

When I have lighted subjects at shows and contest I really don't like to be changing batteries every hour or two and I never use external power as that looks like crud and there is not always a power source near by or under the table. 

Pics will be easier to share as soon as Santa gives me a Lap Top ( ok Me being him LOL ) as uploading images from my cell is just too much work.

More to come soon! :grin2:


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Say Hey! to Rudolph for me!


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

I will as soon as I find that little %@#&*! He's most likely in a bar some place.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Top and lower hulls are now glued together and here is the final light check. :grin2:


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## jimkirk (May 27, 2010)

I have been dragging my feet in getting mine glued together since it's been raining off and on and cold.
I have been working in the base in the meantime.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

That's funny as we here is the Seattle area find that winter is the best time to model ...its the heat and humidity that we find it difficult to build but especially
for painting. 

I wonder is your shop not in the house but like in a Garage like setting?...if so I could understand that.


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## jimkirk (May 27, 2010)

fluke said:


> That's funny as we here is the Seattle area find that winter is the best time to model ...its the heat and humidity that we find it difficult to build but especially
> for painting.
> 
> I wonder is your shop not in the house but like in a Garage like setting?...if so I could understand that.


I build in my bedroom and paint in the backyard patio or garage. I like having the TV on for background noise.
I do all sanding and stuff involving fumes outside.
I like warm still days to paint. Not hot but nice.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

YEP Those are good reasons.


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