Iron man motorised faceplate electronics tutorial!!!

Why are people preferring a rechargeable lithium-Ion battery pack? Why not a rechargeable AA or 9V battery enclosure? Size? Power? Battery Life? Connectivity?
 
JayCVenlo

you can buy the cheap stuff, I'm using 2 18650 li-ion cells (3.7V @ 2100mah, the 2 combined in series = 7.4V @ 2100mah), they cost me including the charger, $10.00

you don't need those ultra fancy chargers, but, if your money allows you to, buy it, they are very well built, and some of them can charge a bunch of different batteries types.

-----------------------------------------//----------------------------------------------------
TattooMike

Cause you will need a lot of 1.2V rechargeable AA batteries to make it work they way it is suppose to work, and they don't last much, so you will end up with a very heavy and expensive battery pack that don't last much in the end of the story.

About the 9V batteries, well, they are pure crap.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
@JayCVenlo

you can buy the cheap stuff, I'm using 2 18650 li-ion cells (3.7V @ 2100mah, the 2 combined in series = 7.4V @ 2100mah), they cost me including the charger, $10.00

you don't need those ultra fancy chargers, but, if your money allows you to, buy it, they are very well built, and some of them can charge a bunch of different batteries types.

-----------------------------------------//----------------------------------------------------
@TattooMike

Cause you will need a lot of 1.2V rechargeable AA batteries to make it work they way it is suppose to work, and they don't last much, so you will end up with a very heavy and expensive battery pack that don't last much in the end of the story.

About the 9V batteries, well, they are pure crap.

Memebr, can i ask why 2 seperate Cells? Arent they available allready combined? What kind of charger you use? (maybe a link)

No i dont need the fancy stuff. the suit is not for wearing daily. :p
And its not like you would wear an active helmet for longer then 1 hour in a row i think. sometimes you will have to open it to catch some fresh air.(and for the fact opening and closing is cool!)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I use this set:

2X Protected Trustfire 2200mA/h 3.7V, 18650 Li-Ion cells
1X 18650 holder (enclosure)
1x protected 18650 charger

20130513_172007_zps6006a023.jpg


$10.00 total.
 
Great solution! Nice and compact!
Saves up much more room then those li-po packs.

Just ordered mine via Ebay. Ultrafire WF-200 Charger, 2 18650 Batterys 2600mah, battery holder. 38 euros
 
Last edited:
wow- (missed these posts!)

order some from ebay or another cheap place then.. (probably have to wait for shipping though)

buy some Li-Ion batteries ad make your own pack: (examples.. make sure ones you get are protected or buy protection pcb with it)

http://dx.com/p/spiderfire-protected-18650-3-7v-3000mah-batteries-pair-50481

http://dx.com/p/ultrafire-protected-18650-3-7v-2400mah-batteries-2-pack-4757

http://dx.com/p/ultrafire-protected-18650-3-7v-4000mah-rechargeable-li-ion-batteries-pair-91889



get some heatshrink/wire make your own pack..(tons of tutorials on YouTube....etc)



pre-made packs (and chargers) here:

Li-ion Packs


over the pond you maybe can check here:

jqsabers » Batteries
 
Last edited:
@JayCVenlo

About the 9V batteries, well, they are pure crap.

couldnt have said it better my self..

just in-general stay away from 9v batteries..

unles they 'really' fit the need.

(ultra low current needs.. and close to 9v req)



now on this point.. I seem to be on the flip side (probably a carry over form the saber scene)..

but I prefer re-charageable 'packs'... so I can leave them in the prop.. and recharge with the charger from outside the prop.

I usually include a re-charge port (posted link previously)... that servers dual purpose.

1.) if you plug in the charger to this port.. it will recharge the batteries in-prop.. (no need to remove a pack or disassemble any prop/helmet..etc)

2.) if you plug in a 'kill key' (piece of plastic or pen/tube) into the port instead of the charger.. it will 'kill' the power completely.. (meaning you dont waste battery life..because right now the power is 'always' on..just because the prop isnt doing anything.. its still being powered.. checking for the switch state....ready to blink leds & move servos on a moments notice..etc..etc.... even when its sitting on your shelf not being played with)

for a couple dollars.. and some wire I can ad this port to make re-charging batteries easy (for me) and give me a cut-off/kill key


*NOTED: you can wire in a 'dead switch' on the battery line as well..but this wont allow in-prop re-charging..

:)

again.. at this point.. its personal preference IMO..
 
Last edited by a moderator:
My kill switch will be remove the battery pack from the prop, i will place it inside with hook-and-loop fabric (Velcro)

this way if i need to get it working for a longer period of time, all i need to do is change the battery pack.
 
good point!

if at a long con.. 'SWAPPING' batteries is very helpful (when you cant always run to an outlet and 'charge-up') :)

again.. its just personal preference at that point..
 
I definitely want to second having multiple battery packs. It makes staying in the game so much easier. I will take 4 or 5 packs with me to a con and charge them all overnight, and swap them out as needed. You can trawl eBay and buy them in bulk for decently low prices.
 
Uploading a quick video I just took:

IronMan code demo: v2 (w/sound, leds & servos) - YouTube (give it a few) ;)


This shows 'my' personal set-up/tests... (most of this will NOT match what you guys are doing here)

*using a 'custom' Arduino board I made (it has built-in Waveshield/microSd..etc all on-board).. roughly same size of a Nano

ref pic: http://dmstudios.net/misc/scab_assembly/flash_board.jpg

*plays audio (.wav file from SD card)




So far I think I have things set-up fairly close/good..

I have the following:
**press button**
1.) servo sound plays
2.) servos move to close position
3.) clank sound plays
4.) leds blink, fade in full 100%,.. then fade out 'a little bit' at the end (maybe to 90%.....trying to mimic movies some what)
5.) (optional AC/DC Back In Black background track plays.. that was just for you guys though for fun!) lol

**press button**

6.) (AD/DC track stops playing)
7.) leds fade out
8.) servo sound plays
9.) servos move to open position
10.) clank sound plays

......waits form more user input..



I have a few tweaks I need to make:

*clean up code a bit
*tweak servo initial positioning and movement
*add voice changer effects too (add mic so when I speak through bucket.. it changes voice liek Darth Vader or whatever pitch I settle on.. more of a PITCH changer then voice FX..to be fair/clear)



feedback appreciated.


thanks!
 
xl97

Cooooool, bro, and nice board!

i'm going to stick with the basic in my project, cause if i go full bananas like you, i will never stop, my bucket will be like the NASA headquarters.
knowing myself, i'm going to stick with the basic, but the voice changer made me interested, i wanna make one to put on my Clone Trooper ROTS bucket
 
Last edited by a moderator:
(man this site is really annoying lately.. missing posts, site just 'down' completely...etc)

I had responded.. (sorry)
Allistar -

similar (base) sketch of mine was posted on page 3? I believe

its more less same code.. minus any audio stuff. In which the normal person/member here would -also- need an Adafruit Waveshield (or custom solution)

and are you really gonna have room for a full sized Arduino 'and' a Waveshield inside your bucket/helmet? (although I guess you could still use a nano/pro-mini with it I guess?)

even then, my board is a 'bit' different.. as I shifted pins around to open up others the stock Waveshield used/blocked...(I also have to use a special (slightly edited) .h file in the WaveHC library because of that.. (DAC uses different pins)

the eye pcb's were also posted,, I used Eagle to design them...sent them out to China based pcb fab house (iTeadStudio/iMall).. waited (tick-tock)... got pcb's and populated/assembled them. However a member just posted some +5v ones? that seem to look pretty oood too (odd they run @ +5v to me)

servos were not really a conscience choice for this project.. just the cheapest ones HobbyKing had on hand while I was ordering a special cable from them.



memebr -

its really just audio fx added to what we both have going more or less.. :)
(those boards I have/use or what I use for several other props too.. kind of my 'generic' prop FX board/platform)

example: (same board I used in this prop..versatile/generic)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhn8y28O97A

*note: you can also see the re-charge port and kill-key stuff mentioned above.. I pull it out..and the prop boots.. I also just hook up my charger to the same port to recharge batteries. (for others who maybe couldnt grasp concept without a visual) :)

Good/great stable, clear, decent range, audio has just been 'hard' for me to fully grasp/get...(still learning) :) so Im sure it could have been designed better by a professional EE or anyone with more experience than myself! lol..

still... as it is, it allows me to have fun and make fun projects/props. :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Wow that looks great. Will the sounds be playing from the helmet or are you running speakers somewhere else. Seems that would be really loud inside the helmet.
 
thanks!

(can always adjust volume I suppose..) :)


but I hadnt thought about it to be honest... its VERY loud because it has nice resonance in the saber pieces it was currently in..
still fairly loud but not as much when out...

I just put in the AD/DC tunes for fun here/you guys..

also, I'm not a costumer really.. so I dont think I'd really wear it ever... more of a show piece.. (but I like to make things work as much as possible, within reason/my limitations) lol

probably sell this set-up in the helmet I have... and wait/save towards getting the real helmet I want.. (and re-do the same electronics/internals again)

but thats a long way off.. the helmet I currently have is a VERY rough cast... so trim, sand, re-shape..etc then figure out mounting..
then finish helmet ...finally install electronics..etc probably going to be a while since its just a personal side project. :)
 
The only reason I thought about how loud it would be is because I added some small 1.5 inch speakers to one of my helmets and it was way too loud inside the helmet. When I adjusted the volume to a reasonable level inside the helmet, it was hard for people to hear on the outside and that was really the point. So I'm thinking about mounting the two speakers behind the two bolts on the chest piece. Unfortunately I have to redo my chest due to some scaling issues so that will be weeks before I can even try it out.

thanks!

(can always adjust volume I suppose..) :)


but I hadnt thought about it to be honest... its VERY loud because it has nice resonance in the saber pieces it was currently in..
still fairly loud but not as much when out...

I just put in the AD/DC tunes for fun here/you guys..

also, I'm not a costumer really.. so I dont think I'd really wear it ever... more of a show piece.. (but I like to make things work as much as possible, within reason/my limitations) lol

probably sell this set-up in the helmet I have... and wait/save towards getting the real helmet I want.. (and re-do the same electronics/internals again)

but thats a long way off.. the helmet I currently have is a VERY rough cast... so trim, sand, re-shape..etc then figure out mounting..
then finish helmet ...finally install electronics..etc probably going to be a while since its just a personal side project. :)
 
but thats a long way off.. the helmet I currently have is a VERY rough cast... so trim, sand, re-shape..etc then figure out mounting..
then finish helmet ...finally install electronics..etc probably going to be a while since its just a personal side project. :)

Same here, my helmet made its bday last month lol, I'm doing stuff very slow, it is also my side project, but I'm confident that i will finish it in the next 10 years tops. LOOOOOL :D
 
feedback appreciated.

xl97 your stuff never fails to impress! That custom 'xlduino' board is sweet! Every custom board layout you have posted is nice and compact and the layout very clean. You certainly raise the bar for the rest of us 'beginners' :) who are looking to also take things to that level.
 
I know this is kinda late to the party, but I just finished building the simple LED with 2 servos circuit board. (very amateur and just copy and pasted exactly how you wrote it in the tutorial on page 1). When I push my tact switch pushbutton nothing happens.
These were the switches I purchased. I used both codes 1 and 2 (no flicker and flicker) and nothing happens.. The LED is lit and the motors kinda jiggle for a second when I first give the arduino power, but other than that I'm not sure.
Here is what I'm talking about in a horrible quality video.Confused - YouTube
 
This thread is more than 4 years old.

Your message may be considered spam for the following reasons:

  1. This thread hasn't been active in some time. A new post in this thread might not contribute constructively to this discussion after so long.
If you wish to reply despite these issues, check the box below before replying.
Be aware that malicious compliance may result in more severe penalties.
Back
Top