Thread: Okay, these LED eyes can't be that hard!

Tweet

Just purchased a package of LED lights for my monster's eyes and I don't understand the directions. Is there anyone that can give me a schematic or web site that will walk me through the basic wiring with and on/off toggle switch? My paperwork just shows the basic hookup with the 9 volt battery snap, but that doesn't sound any fun...reaching up under the monster's head to snap the battery in or out. It is strange that they included this long yellow wire that I can only guess what to do with. Is this for the manual switch? Which wire do I connect the end of the yellow wire to; the resistor end or the black wire to the battery snap? I did try a couple of other "how to" sites, but to no avail. I know you electronics wizards out there are going to laugh. I am trying my best not to make a wrong choice and fry the resistor.
Thanks,
Just Nancy

(Check out the photos on down this thread. I finally hooked up a successful LED glowing monster eyes circuit!)

all i can tell you is to look up homemade halloween props on google, then click on mosterpage of project links, i would look around there to find a good schematic.

Can you scan and post the directions? Or take a picture of the stuff you got in the package? That way we can help.

Aunt Nancy,

It does not matter where you break a circuit. In an led circuit you have the positive from your battery that goes to the resistor or resistors. They lower the voltage to match the voltage that particular LED is looking for. Then that power goes to the positive anode on the LED. That is the longer of the two wires on the LED. Then from the shorter wire on the LED the circuit continues to the negative side of the battery. So you can put a break anywhere and stop the flow of electrons and turn off the LED. So the easy way is to just cut the black wire on the nine volt connector. Then take that long yellow wire and cut it in two. Then strip all six ends. Then connect one stripped end of one of the yellow wires to one of the stripped ends of the black wire. Do the same with the other yellow wire to the other end of the black wire. You should solder and use shrink tubing. Or electrical tape. You can use wire nuts as well. Radio Shack item. The end result is that your nine volt connector will now have two long combination black and yellow wires that have exposed stripped ends. Only two ends. Put those two end together and the LED will light. If you like you can pick up a cheap toggle switch at Radio Shack and solder it in. The swich will have some connections labeled common, NC and NO. One end you will solder to the common and the other end you will solder to NO.

Here is a great how to site with lots of info on using LED's - http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/H...ngLEDEyes.html

I'm not trying to be self-serving here but i did something like this in a tutorial a while ago....have a look and if i can help you further in any way.....let me know....'Scruff

L.E.D. eyes for Bucky

And here is an easy to read LED schematic to illustrate......

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=h...:0&tx=51&ty=51

Spinman, Thanks for the great walkthrough. I guess I was just trying to overwork a simple wiring job. Will try my new connects before soldering and see if this fancy toggle from Radio Shack works. Will post a photo or two when completed. Nancy

Oops wrong thread.

Scruffwolf, Your photo tutorial was absolutely the best for me to understand the how when I knew the why. I really need to see it done to believe the positive/negative circuit flow. Your simple application is exactly what I am doing with my animated monster, but I think I will put my toggle switch down lower on his neck because he is so tall. You guys are all so great in giving me different sites to go to. Thank you, Nancy

Thanks guys, it was not that hard. I was just over-thinking it, making it harder than it really is to hook up LEDs with a resistor and a toggle switch. Here are a couple of photos of the Zombie Biker Dude. I show the plastic eyes drilled out with red LED bulbs glued inside the eyeballs. The first photo shows the eyes mounted on a foam board (with the resistor soldered in between the LED legs on the back of the board, which you can't see yet - check following photos).

Red wire to first LED + leg; first LED - leg to resistor; resistor to second LED + leg; black wire to second LED - leg; then black continues to toggle switch "off" post; "on" post connects to with black wire to black on 9 volt battery snap; red battery snap wire to original red wire ...completing the circuit. I soldered all connections and shrink wrapped over them. And I know I could have inserted the toggle switch or the resistor most anywhere in this flow, but this is the way it cut and snipped and soldered for me.










He is NOT FINISHED YET!!! I still have to stuff his legs, hook up the wiper motor and PVC pipe his arms, so this guy looks quite emaciated still. Or maybe he has been in the ground too long; that will do it to you.

Loving HF!!!
Crazy Aunt Nancy