Poll: Multi-color windscreen lights with brake and reverse
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Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Virginia Beach
MacGyver,
I spent some time playing around with some stuff in the lab and I think your route will be the best. I couldn't come up with anything better than what you have in feasability, reliability, or size wise. Go with what you've been working on. And congrats on the the defense!!
Let me know via PM or in-thread if any other assistance is necessary for the project.
I spent some time playing around with some stuff in the lab and I think your route will be the best. I couldn't come up with anything better than what you have in feasability, reliability, or size wise. Go with what you've been working on. And congrats on the the defense!!
Let me know via PM or in-thread if any other assistance is necessary for the project.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 7,134
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From: Columbia, MD
OK, I just hooked up one of the LEDs to the tinted screen....and I'm not very happy at all. I will check it again once it's dark outside, but at the moment it looks like the tint will be too dark to allow enough light to pass through for any reasonable amount of brightness.
The good news is I am reasonably satisfied with the brightness and color range with the clear screens. Again, it's still too light outside (even with the blinds closed) to make a definite decision, but my guesstimate says it will be pretty damn bright. The white looks pretty good, but I think that one is best judged during the nighttime. I'm even quite happy with some of the more difficult colors, like purple...it looks like the blue is bright enough, which was a concern. I didn't adjust for more than 2 or 3 minutes, but yellow (another troublesome color) seemed to be possible with a bit of fine-tuning...I'll check that one during the night, as well.
I think I'll run by RS in a few minutes to pick up some phone cord (be damned if I can find my stash of it) and start to put the windscreen portion of the prototype together.
The good news is I am reasonably satisfied with the brightness and color range with the clear screens. Again, it's still too light outside (even with the blinds closed) to make a definite decision, but my guesstimate says it will be pretty damn bright. The white looks pretty good, but I think that one is best judged during the nighttime. I'm even quite happy with some of the more difficult colors, like purple...it looks like the blue is bright enough, which was a concern. I didn't adjust for more than 2 or 3 minutes, but yellow (another troublesome color) seemed to be possible with a bit of fine-tuning...I'll check that one during the night, as well.
I think I'll run by RS in a few minutes to pick up some phone cord (be damned if I can find my stash of it) and start to put the windscreen portion of the prototype together.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Columbia, MD
OK, tried the tinted again and it definitely will NOT work...you can hardly tell the LEDs are on. 
Played with the clear again and it WILL work
I'm trying some different soldering techniques, where to route the wires, etc. The space inside is really tight in places, so I need a method that will allow me to make these quickly and efficiently. My current (and hopefully soon to be replaced) technique is to carefully trim away the insulation on the wires at different spots along a single set of wires, then solder, but the wire is so thin it's a real PITA.
I don't think I'll have pics tonight, but tomorrow looks like a definite possibility. The final prototype will most likely have 6 LEDS (I'll try 4 to see if they're bright enough across the whole screen), but I'll try to get the 2 closest to the center installed for some pics. I only have 5 LEDs at the moment, and I need to order some of the other parts, as well, before putting together a full system.
Played with the clear again and it WILL work
I'm trying some different soldering techniques, where to route the wires, etc. The space inside is really tight in places, so I need a method that will allow me to make these quickly and efficiently. My current (and hopefully soon to be replaced) technique is to carefully trim away the insulation on the wires at different spots along a single set of wires, then solder, but the wire is so thin it's a real PITA.
I don't think I'll have pics tonight, but tomorrow looks like a definite possibility. The final prototype will most likely have 6 LEDS (I'll try 4 to see if they're bright enough across the whole screen), but I'll try to get the 2 closest to the center installed for some pics. I only have 5 LEDs at the moment, and I need to order some of the other parts, as well, before putting together a full system.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Columbia, MD
Managed to get two LED clusters soldered to the wire and installed in the mechanism...looks niiiice 
My digital camera is OK, but not the best in the world (I can't adjust shutter speed), so the low-light pics don't turn out well at all. I'm running the two LEDs off of the current calculated for one, so the full brightness is quite a bit less. Despite that, the thing is still very bright. I tried getting pics of several different colors, but they're very hazy, so pretty much useless.
I will continue working on the control circuit tomorrow. I may tweak my assembly process in the future, but so far it seems what I'm currently doing is about the best I can do. The bad news is, the process is pretty slow...if I set up a simple jig, I could probably put together 2-4 sets a day. The good news is due to the nature of the design, there is potential to send the wire/LEDs preassembled along with the control box and let the buyer install it...the downside is the buyer will have to cut into their windscreen at the proper places (something I believe will scare away most do-it-yourselfers).
My digital camera is OK, but not the best in the world (I can't adjust shutter speed), so the low-light pics don't turn out well at all. I'm running the two LEDs off of the current calculated for one, so the full brightness is quite a bit less. Despite that, the thing is still very bright. I tried getting pics of several different colors, but they're very hazy, so pretty much useless.
I will continue working on the control circuit tomorrow. I may tweak my assembly process in the future, but so far it seems what I'm currently doing is about the best I can do. The bad news is, the process is pretty slow...if I set up a simple jig, I could probably put together 2-4 sets a day. The good news is due to the nature of the design, there is potential to send the wire/LEDs preassembled along with the control box and let the buyer install it...the downside is the buyer will have to cut into their windscreen at the proper places (something I believe will scare away most do-it-yourselfers).
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Home
Mac, for pix: See if you have a timer on the shutter. This would be the feature that would allow you to "snap" the picture then run into the frame, and they the camera actually takes the pic.
Assuming it has this feature, then setup your camera on some sort of stable base (tripod would be best, but get, well 'MacGyver-ish' with it. Some pros use sandbags in a pinch.) Set the delay, and then stand back. The key is to make sure the camera does not move while it's taking the pic.
Hope this allows us to get some pics.
Assuming it has this feature, then setup your camera on some sort of stable base (tripod would be best, but get, well 'MacGyver-ish' with it. Some pros use sandbags in a pinch.) Set the delay, and then stand back. The key is to make sure the camera does not move while it's taking the pic.
Hope this allows us to get some pics.
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Baton Rouge, LA
[QUOTE]Originally posted by MacGyver
[B]mwy: I was originally in the all-classes degree route, then an opportunity to work on some really cool stuff came up and I couldn't pass it up.
[B]mwy: I was originally in the all-classes degree route, then an opportunity to work on some really cool stuff came up and I couldn't pass it up.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 7,134
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From: Columbia, MD
Ooooh, I like the mercury switch idea...can't believe I didn't think of that one myself. Fitting one in there is going to be an issue, though, unless I can find a really small one. I would need to set it at a 45 degree angle...that way, it actually activates/deactivates with the screen up/down, but isn't affected by someone parking on a slight incline.
Another issue is more wires...now I'm forced to move from a simple 4-wire phone cable to a 6-conductor setup. In and of itself not a big issue, but I've only been able to find the thin conductor cable in 4, not 6.
Another issue is more wires...now I'm forced to move from a simple 4-wire phone cable to a 6-conductor setup. In and of itself not a big issue, but I've only been able to find the thin conductor cable in 4, not 6.