Handmade flash units?

[Rad_Schuhart]

Hi everyone. I would like to install some flash units in my tanks. So far I have only the tamiya flash units, but those units are not compatible with any of the aftermarket boards, so due to I never use tamiya electronics, I am looking for other flashing units.

Since heng long is not producing those units anymore, they are turning harder and more expensive to find, so I wonder if any of you have created some hand made flasher units. Any clue of what I need?

I have used leds in the barrel, but im not 100% happy with the end result, so I would like to create some high intensity flasher, but not cooking my electronics or setting the house in flames in the process.

[forgebear]

hi this may help save you some time
https://www.forgebeartanks.com/store/p5 ... _Tank.html

[Rad_Schuhart]

hi this may help save you some time
https://www.forgebeartanks.com/store/p5 ... _Tank.html

Hi mate, thanks for the link. I already had your shop in mind, and also saw your items in ebay, I need 3, and shipping to austria will kill the deal... But the main thing, is I love to do my own parts, the building is what I like most of my tanks, so it would be cool to do my own flash unit.

If I fail doing it, and I end burning the tank, the house, the children and electrocuting myself (that is what is going to happen, lol) Ill order some from you.

Thanks for offering!

[forgebear]

your welcome bud stay safe
dave

[Raminator]

I wouldn't recommend building your own flash unit Rad, the xenon bulb operates at several hundred (!) volts. I think this is one of the rare occasions where safety and convenience go hand-in-hand.

You can get them closer to home from Dominique.

[Rad_Schuhart]

I wouldn't recommend building your own flash unit Rad, the xenon bulb operates at several hundred (!) volts. I think this is one of the rare occasions where safety and convenience go hand-in-hand.

You can get them closer to home from Dominique.

Hi, this is indeed a great advice, thanks! I know the tamiya flash works at a crazy voltage (and thats why those units are not compatible with any aftermarket board) I dont know how the heng long units work, but I guess it wont be too different.

I like to create my own parts (and more than everything else, to save dough), but yes, this looks a bit dangerous, and I might end cooking the electronics... And I will end paying more for the garlic than for the steak. lol

So yep, I will try to source those units cheap (in aliexpress were 6 bucks each!) and if not, I think I will call Mr Forgebear.

But thanks for your advice, it made me think twice. Maybe you even saved my life, lol.

[Jay-Em]

You’re not satisfied with LED flashes? Have You tried 9000mcd, or even 16000mcd?

The Henh Long flasher is about as bright as the 16000mcd led, the led is -from the front- jùst a bit more retina-scorching than the flasher. Only disadvantage is that a LED is highly directional, contrary to a xenon-bulb.

Oh, and the risk of electrocution isn’t thàt high. I gots me several slaps from flashers. They’re no more than painfully uncomfortable. ( unless You’re a heart-patient. In that case, stay away from tinkering with flasher circuits!!!) High voltage, but really low amperage. Still, I do prefer LED’s. Faster firing, less power-hungry, and cheaper than flashers and their circuits, or building a flasher. (In the olden days of yore some of my tanking friends even took apart photographic flashing units and fit those in the barrel. Now thàt was a flash! The *pop* could be heard meters away! )

[Model Builder 4]

I second the led flasher jay-em, I use them with my aftermarket boards, it still gives a good effect in my opinion

Cheers, Lee.

[Rad_Schuhart]

You’re not satisfied with LED flashes? Have You tried 9000mcd, or even 16000mcd?

The Henh Long flasher is about as bright as the 16000mcd led, the led is -from the front- jùst a bit more retina-scorching than the flasher. Only disadvantage is that a LED is highly directional, contrary to a xenon-bulb.

Oh, and the risk of electrocution isn’t thàt high. I gots me several slaps from flashers. They’re no more than painfully uncomfortable. ( unless You’re a heart-patient. In that case, stay away from tinkering with flasher circuits!!!) High voltage, but really low amperage. Still, I do prefer LED’s. Faster firing, less power-hungry, and cheaper than flashers and their circuits, or building a flasher. (In the olden days of yore some of my tanking friends even took apart photographic flashing units and fit those in the barrel. Now thàt was a flash! The *pop* could be heard meters away! )

Very interesting answer. My ideas were heading in the photographic flash way... But I cannot find info about scratch building them.

Regarding being happy with a led, well... Not a lot. I have three tamiya tanks. I never use tamiya electronics but I liked the flash effect a lot, but what I disliked is to have that orange thing inside the barrel. Due to I replaced the electronic to better aftermarket options, I started using just leds. Not sure about the MCD value, but what I can tell you is I am using 5mm orange leds, and as you can see here in my tank, the end result is nothing special, specially at daylight.

phpBB [video]

Also what you said is interesting, the led light goes to the front, so when fitting leds in my king tiger and Panzer IV that have muzzle brakes, the effect is worse than the stock tamiya flash, just because the light goes straight and not though the sides... So thats why I wanted to try to do my own flasher. Maybe I can try with a cold white led instead of an orange.

[Jay-Em]

Orange LED’s are -indeed- not a very good choice, though they work great in a machinegun with a glassfiber in the barrel.

The problem with orange LED’s is that they only come in lower MCD-values. To see a LED-flash in the daylight, white LED’s with 9000 MCD or more are the only ones that work. Fleabay sells bags of 50 white LED’s with resistors that go from 16000mcd to 20000mcd for about $7.-. That’s where the brightness itself gets dangerous to look in directly, and You bèt You’ll see them in the daylight.

(By the by, when used as a flasher ersatz, a resistor is not needed. The pulse is too short to heat up the LED)

And, when ‘fired’ at night, they light-up my cul-de-sac quite satisfactory..

But, yeah. With Tigers’ muzzle brakes the Flasher is better, since it’s omni directional.

Disclosure:I personally detest xenon-flashers. Burnt too many of them. They charge achingly slow, make a nasty beeping/squeeling noise when charging, and are very fragile.
Since I fully went for high-MCD LED’s I’m much happier while playing with my “leetle tanks” ( Parafrasing Lieutenant Grüber here. Just got all seasons of ‘Allo, ‘Allo on DVD... )