Hi all. I finally decided to try the LED mod on a couple of my (kid's) bipes. And I may need some help.

If this works out, the Sports are next!

I found these cool LED's at Walmart for $1.82. They are all hi intensity blue bulbs. Clear when off. Don't ask me about MCD's, current draw, etc. because, I don't know and it doesn't say on the package. But they are very bright!

There is a button on top to activate one of three modes. Fast flash, slow flash, and steady.

What drew my attention was the fact that it has that button to turn the LED's OFF for flying during the day. The flashing ("Strobe Blink") was just a bonus.

The plan is to use one button/PCB for 2 LED's.

The question I have is, on the last pic. (Tony's), there are 2 + and 2 - solder points. Can I use just use 1 + and 1 - solder points for both LED's ?

What I'd like to do is 2 wires (+ & -) coming from the Rx to the Button/PCB, then 2 parallel (+ &-) to the 2 LED's. So the button can control both LED's. Would that be OK?

Any help would be appreciated.

KC

I connected one of these to the propeller wires and it doesn't change modes. Just stays steady. Hopefully it works if you use your idea.

KC, yes that's fine, assuming that whatever circuitry the pushbutton pcb has can handle the current for both leds.
Which is highly probable, since they don't draw much.

Only thing, they should probably be identical leds (not different colors for instance).

That's great, A big thanks.

I reread Tony's article and that was my impression, but nice to hear from someone who has done a few already.

I can't seem to find my 100 ohm resistors tonight. I think I left it at work. I'll have to go to RS tomorrow and pick some up. Hopefully I'll have a lit plane to fly later today!

KC

All Done!

And the switch works great! Press once for rapid strobe, twice for slow strobe, three times for steady, and four times for OFF!

Now I need to clean up the bipe with some acetone and have my son do some art work on it. Florescent hi lighter will actually fluoresce with this blue LED!

The Sport's next. Looks like back to Walmart for more LED's!

KC

P.S. Thanks Tony for your Rx layout!

Nice job! Yes, little known fact, blue LEDS will make stuff fluoresce.

One suggestion -- using a separate resistor on each LED would be slightly preferable. If the LEDs are absolutely identical, it doesn't matter, but if they're not (and due to manufacturing tolerances, they seldom are), then one is likely to draw more current than the other in your current configuration. Generally no harm, except one might appear brighter than the other.

If you decide to use two resistors, make them 50 ohm instead of 100.

It does look like a hamster, a very sickly hamster with wings!

Thanks.

Thats good to know about the 2 resistors. I can see how that would be better now. Maybe on my subsequent efforts, I'll do the resistor for each LED.

I think soldering the LED leads on to the Rx, as Tony has diagrammed is much bettter than hooking them on the motor leads. For one thing, it was very easy.

It does look like a hamster, a very sickly hamster with wings!

lol, My son's hamster is about 2.5 years old and he hasn't been looking to healthy lately either. Sniff, sniff. (tear in one eye)

KC

Edit: Just gave the bipe to my son, and the look on his face, grinning ear to ear.... Priceless!