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RSS >  Using the LED setup wizard, entering values
Volans #16 15/09/2010 - 06h37

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@ShiMaKe: well, show us a picture of that led, maybe we can help.
   You can measure easily the led using any electronic measure device: forward voltage and fw current, no need of that "electronics guy"...:)
 You can also make an educated guess, and take some medium values for common ir leds: forward voltage set  at 1.5 volts and forward current set at 50 mA, it will work for sure, you don't need high precision as long as you won't mess with usb power.....Use batteries instead.
 One more thing: there is a high probability that your "generic led" is an narrow angle, in that case you have to sand it flat , to become "wide angle", usable for freetrack.
 Have a nice day, and don't be upset about your county mate, there are always worse alternatives....
ShiMaKe #17 16/09/2010 - 10h02

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Thanks for the quick replies,
country = Taiwan where nothing works they way it should.:D   I'm an expat, starved for diy shops, sports, snow, and good beer. To give you an idea of the shipping, each LED would be up around $5.

I'll take a pic when I get home, but it just looks like a clear LED. I'll check more closely later as well.

I got a few different resistors to experiment with, corresponding to both the RS and the Osram IRs with 2NiCd AAs. At least I'll have enough practice to get my soldering chops back.

My friend told me the shops do crap like this so that you bring any and all electronic/electric work to them. That its a the same all over the island.  :wacko:
dewey1 #18 16/09/2010 - 15h51

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Volans #19 16/09/2010 - 17h14

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Post a picture
Anyway leds are not rocket science  :D . Using resistors with slightly different value than ideal results only in a reduction/increase of led "luminosity". Experiment, after all, when using batteries as power suply, you can't blow up anything.maybe fry a led or two.. :fear:
ShiMaKe #20 16/09/2010 - 17h23

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Ok here we go, sorry not as clear as would like.
Posted Image
short leg on flat side

BTW saw Volans thread, outstanding tutorial sir
Edited by ShiMaKe on 17/09/2010 at 13h45.
TheFabFour #21 21/09/2010 - 22h14

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I live in WI just 45 miles from the Twin Cities in MN.  I ordered the shipping ground UPS.  Should have use USP.

It's so dam hard to find resistors.  I want to build a system using 5 volts unregulated.  An old cell phone charger.  I put the info into the wizard and looks like I need one 20 ohm resistor.  The best I could find at radio shack was 10 ohm 1 watt.  Can I use 2 of these.  And what's the deal with the watts anyway?  I also have some 22 ohm 1/4 watt resistors, would one of those work?  This may be as close as I can get.

thefabfour
TheFabFour
dewey1 #22 21/09/2010 - 23h36

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You must be near Menomonie!
I live near Appleton, just south of Green Bay.

Just use USPS when ordering from Digi-Key.

Use the 22 ohm 1/4w.
Assuming a 6 volt supply and 3 SH485P in series you need to drop 1.5 volts.

1.5/22=68 ma. Power is 1.5 x .068=.1 w actual. 2 times actual is typically advised.

So .25w is 2.5 times greater.

You are good to go!
TheFabFour #23 22/09/2010 - 07h12

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Yes, Menomonie ( me no money ) That's how I remember how to spell it. lol  It's about a 30 minute drive east from where I live.

Thanks for the link to the 'how to' on the cutting of the LED's.  I knew I was suppose to sand them flat, but didn't like the idea of the sanding and getting them all the same.  Never thought about using my dremal tool.  So today I cut all three of the radio shack IR LED's with the dremal tool.  I did not do any sanding, instead I dipped each LED into some methyl ethyl ketone this gets rid of any cutting marks and then I used the polishing tool in my dremal set to buff them into a nice clear condition.  Now I can't turn my head far enough to cause the LED's to flicker out.  Works 100 percent better and my kill rate in IL-2 went up today.

I have to build several more FreeTracker's for some of my friends that are getting into this IL-2 game.  So thanks for all the help.


TheFabFour

OOPS, Dremel tool.
Edited by TheFabFour on 22/09/2010 at 07h14.
TheFabFour

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