RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Well I've had a really 'fun' morning. It's my own fault really, I decided that because the Mk13 had infra red headlights as well as normal ones, I'd get creative and put red leds to represent the infra red. So having soldered up the leds and tested each one, I installed them, and only the red leds worked. Ok so first thought was bad soldering so I unsoldered and tested the white leds and they worked. So I resoldered everything and only the red leds work. SO out there some of you guys are probably chuckling to yourselves knowing why this is happening, but for the life of me I don't, so I disconnected the red leds and the Cent now has a pair of headlights.



If anyone can enlighten me as to why this was happening then please do. I don't know the spec of the leds as they just came out of my led lucky bag.

Alwyn

Would they work in parallel rather than in series? LED's are diodes and drop voltage, maybe the white ones are a lower voltage rating than the red ones.

Sorry, don't know the full ins and outs of diodes, just know they drop voltage as part of their job, something like 0.7 of a volt I think, therefore they don't work the same as bulbs.

They were wired in parallel so I don't understand why they didn't work?

Alwyn

Crap, sorry, in that case, the LED's must be a different voltage rating. Electricery takes the path of the least resistance, the red LED probably draws most of the available current.

Maybe try in series. Can you clip the LED's together to save re soldering while you try?

Red takes more voltage than white...

On the basis that infra red isn't visible I think I will leave the other headlights non working. Maybe in the future the headlight can be covered in a red lens?

Alwyn

Good idea - keep white running and he can get red lenses.

As the Italians say 'FINISSIMO!








I just have a few tiny jobs to do including putting on the tracks, putting the sprocket covers on, fitting the side skirts and she's good to go! Phew.....

Alwyn

Awesome looking model Alwyn

When I've made LED Christmas decorations from white light sets, I've used nail varnish to colour the LED's, it works quite well

Absolutely brilliant, Alwyn ..and so is that white