7 replies to this topic

[Chewbacca]

Hey, long time since I've been active here. Must have been at least 2 years. Anyways, after a long break, I'm getting back into modding Nerf guns, and I have a quick question for those of you who are more experienced than I am in electronics. I want to mod and paint a Stampede, but in addition to that, I want to hook it up with some LEDs. I'm not very experienced in this, but I know I'm capable of setting up the LEDs on a separate battery. However, I'm wondering if it would be possible for me to have them get energy from the same batteries that power the motor? This would make changing batteries much easier for when they ran out, etc.

My only worries are that I'm unsure of if the LEDs can be powered by D batteries without blowing up or anything, and also how I'll wire that without screwing up the wiring for the motor.

Thoughts?

-Chewy.

[dizzyduck]

You'd need to get an appropriate resistor to avoid frying your LED. Usually that info comes with the LED when you purchase it.

[boisie]

D batteries run at 1.5 volts just like AAs as I recall. Therefore, find LEDs that are rated above the voltage your stampede uses, and hook them up.

[Forsaken angel24]

Resistor Calculator.

This is what I use.

[Zack the Mack]

The key here is to wire the resistor-LED circuit in parallel with the motor at the switch, or the LED will only illuminate when the blaster is being fired.

[ghost recon]

Chewbacca, on Dec 29 2010, 12:11 AM, said:

Hey, long time since I've been active here. Must have been at least 2 years. Anyways, after a long break, I'm getting back into modding Nerf guns, and I have a quick question for those of you who are more experienced than I am in electronics. I want to mod and paint a Stampede, but in addition to that, I want to hook it up with some LEDs. I'm not very experienced in this, but I know I'm capable of setting up the LEDs on a separate battery. However, I'm wondering if it would be possible for me to have them get energy from the same batteries that power the motor? This would make changing batteries much easier for when they ran out, etc.

My only worries are that I'm unsure of if the LEDs can be powered by D batteries without blowing up or anything, and also how I'll wire that without screwing up the wiring for the motor.

Thoughts?

-Chewy.

just one problem with your idea the motor would be much slower but you can replace the motor with a better one or find a really strong battery

[Chewbacca]

Thanks for all the helpful replies, guys. I figured I'd have to run it parallel with the motor. I'm in the process of getting my hands on a stampede, and I can't wait to to get this project going!

Chewy.

[Zack the Mack]

Chewbacca, on Dec 30 2010, 08:30 PM, said:

Thanks for all the helpful replies, guys. I figured I'd have to run it parallel with the motor. I'm in the process of getting my hands on a stampede, and I can't wait to to get this project going!

Chewy.

I'm waiting on it. I'm hashing out a mysterious project with electronics that are sensitive to fluctuations in voltage and current, and I'm still not 100% sure on the Stampede's characteristics.