Painting over IR Emitters ?

[MichaelC]

Hi all,

Does anyone know if you can actually paint over the IR Emitters ? Would the signal still come thru if you have a light coat of dust/dirt over the bulb ?

Thanks !

Michael.

[Tankbear]

Not certain. I know painting over the LED headlights it still shines through, so guess same with IR although may well reduce the range.

[Tankbear]

If you want to avoid painting over the emitter try recessing it in the mantlet. Tamiya standard have them in a tube 7-9mm from the front of the tube.

[FreakyDude]

official rules here in NA say your emmiter needs to be recessed 6mm from the crown of the emitter.
Don't paint over it, it just hurts you in battle

[MichaelC]

FreakyDude, does that mean none of the HL stock tank complies with official rules since they don't recess at all ? I guess even if I am using the stock IR I will still have to recess them myself then.

Thanks everyone for your comment. I will just recess them. Don't care much for them just don't like it sticking out and thus the question about painting them over.

[FreakyDude]

Yes that is exactly what it means. The stock HL IR emitters are almost close to a shotgun lol the spread on them is really really bad.
Just use a 6mm plastic tube, works like a charm.

FreakyDude, does that mean none of the HL stock tank complies with official rules since they don't recess at all ? I guess even if I am using the stock IR I will still have to recess them myself then.

Thanks everyone for your comment. I will just recess them. Don't care much for them just don't like it sticking out and thus the question about painting them over.

[B.A.D.A.S.S.Force]

official rules here in NA say your emmiter needs to be recessed 6mm from the crown of the emitter.
Don't paint over it, it just hurts you in battle

FreakyDude, is that 6mm depth from the IR crown what is usually used now officially?

I've never been to a battle anywhere other than on my own property, so I'm not aware of the official battle guidelines used at most NA clubs now, but don't clubs usually go by R.C.A.C.N. rules?

On the RCACN website in their 2009 Rules of Engagement handbook document (here) they still list a minimum of a 9mm depth, but using 6mm diameter receptacle (tube) to hold the emitter, under rule 3.3.1. Here is that rule:

• 3.3.1 The TBS IR emitter LED shall be mounted in a manner so as to be as close to parallel as possible to the main gun barrel. The IR-LED emitter should be mounted in the standard Tamiya LED holder and mounted in the mantlet (recommended location). If the Tamiya LED holder is clipped to the main gun barrel, the mount shall not be mounted any more than half way towards the end of the barrel. The LED emitter shall be mounted in a receptacle with the following dimensions derived from the standard Tamiya LED holder. Maximum bore diameter / inside diameter: 6 mm (0.236 inches) and a minimum depth to LED crown of 9 mm (0.354 inches)

Just want to make sure ...

~ Craig ~

[lilgoth89]

to reduce the spread could you paint most of the LED but leave the tip open ? this would allow light to leave the end of the LED only and in theory reduce the shotgun effect of the protruding LED ?
or is this a bad idea ?

[MichaelC]

I have been experimenting with this and the painting over most of it doesn't really do it. You still get the shotgun effect but to a lesser degree. ideally you want it to come out straight on inline with the gun so no matter how much you paint it you still get a spray. I don't care too much about the regulation but I do want the gun to shoot straight rather than spray so I am going to try to use the plastic tubing and see what happens. The only problem is that most of my IRs are exposed so it would be butt ugly to add a plastic tubing in front of it. I am almost tempted to go the Tamiya way and just add a external IR emitter when I need it.

[lilgoth89]

well what i might try to do it pop the LED out of the mantle, mount the tube so it ends up being flush with the hull, then mount the LED to the back of the tube ( although i havent had either of my turrets open to see how much / little space there is behind the LED )