What output LEDs should I get for my BOP?

nicholjm · Post by **nicholjm** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 11:09 am

For my first lighting adventure, I'm going to light the engines and torpedo launcher of the AMT Klingon BOP with some red LEDs. I want them lit bright enough to see them easily in normal room lighting, but not SUPER bright that you can't look at them without squinting. Should I get standard, medium-output, or high-output LEDs? Here are the specs on the ones that I'm looking at:

Standard LED: 2.0mcd @ 10 mA
Medium-output LED: 725mcd @ 20 mA
High-output LED: 1000mcd @ 20 mA

I was thinking of getting the standard LED but running it at 20mA, will this make it brighter?

robiwon · Post by **robiwon** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 3:56 pm

I did this to my BOP years ago. It looks good too. I used 4 reds for the engines, 1 red for the tube, and 2 to light up the interior. I cut out the windows and filled them with white glue. The reds I bought were in a multi pack from Radio Shack. I think the 2.0 mcd are going to be pretty dim. I would go the next one up. As a side note, I'm using 10,000 mcd 10mm LED's in my martian war machine!

nicholjm · Post by **nicholjm** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 4:11 pm

Thanks, dude! I hadn't thought about lighting up the interior of the ship and the windows. That would be cool, but I think I'll stick to the launcher and engines, since this is my first lighting job.

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 5:49 pm

Don't forget the gentle pulser circuit, you can set it so the LEDs never turn completely off, just dim slightly. They can be set for rapid dimming or slow longer period dimming. I posted a link to the circuit in the electronics help sitcky.

You can alwys diffuse the LEDs if they appear to bright (not much you can do to brighten them), tissue paper, or clear sheet thats has been snaded with 1000 grit automotive sand paper. Jsut get some samples in and test it out before assembly.

admiralcag · Post by **admiralcag** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 8:03 am

I am roughly following the article over at CultTVman for my BoP -- http://www.culttvman.com/dave_campbell_s_bop.html. I am also using the DLM flasher circuit. I am adding some yellow LEDs for the formation lights on top of the main hull and the bottom of the head.

Vern

nicholjm · Post by **nicholjm** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 9:49 am

Well, I just placed an order with Jameco.com. I ordered some red LEDs, a couple of switches, a battery holder, some resistors (dang these things are cheap!) and a few other things. I know how to solder, but I'm not very good at it, so I'm gonna practice first by making an LED flashlight out of a Eclipse mints tin. I order two bright white LEDS that I'm gonna fit into the lid, then mount a switch on the side of the box. Should be good practice on soldering, mounting LEDs, etc. and be a good conversation piece if it works. This weekend I fashioned up a solder iron stand out of a chunk of wood and a piece of coiled up coat hanger wire. It works great and it was free!

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 11:04 am

1 watt

heh...

5 watt

robiwon · Post by **robiwon** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:00 pm

Good deal. Here's a soldering tip. Keep a damp sponge handy while soldering. Periodicaly wipe the tip on the sponge to remove excess solder. This helps the tip stay clean and hot. I have to make a new base for it but I just finished rewiring my BOP over the weekend. I built this when it first came out. Man, did I use some thick wire back then, like 18 guage solid!

nicholjm · Post by **nicholjm** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:48 pm

I just realized that I'd like to have a removable connection between the BOP and its base, so I can periodically remove the ship and swoosh it around the room

What kind of connector do I use?

admiralcag · Post by **admiralcag** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 5:47 pm

nicholjm wrote:I just realized that I'd like to have a removable connection between the BOP and its base, so I can periodically remove the ship and swoosh it around the room What kind of connector do I use?

I am using a type N (?) power connector I picked up at Radio Shack. The male end will be mounted inside a 3/8" brass tube with the female end epoxied to the top of the main body.

Vern

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:01 pm

Make sure the connector is good and epoxied. I had one pop off a tube mounted down in a pvc pipe, even though I could get to it to after the model is disassembled for shipping, I was unable to make the repair. Everytime I plug in a docking arm it would pop off the connector. It was soldered on before, then I tried aves.

Maybe put it back against a block so that as you press it in and the model sit on it. The connection to the tube isn't taking the force, instead the block behind the connector is.

admiralcag · Post by **admiralcag** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 6:41 am

Sparky wrote:Make sure the connector is good and epoxied. I had one pop off a tube mounted down in a pvc pipe, even though I could get to it to after the model is disassembled for shipping, I was unable to make the repair. Everytime I plug in a docking arm it would pop off the connector. It was soldered on before, then I tried aves.

Maybe put it back against a block so that as you press it in and the model sit on it. The connection to the tube isn't taking the force, instead the block behind the connector is.

Thanks for the heads up. The way it is designed now, the tube is bearing the weight of the model. I will thoroughly test it before final assembly.

Vern