444 replies to this topic

[skewba98z28]

Got my boards today Zebulon. They look great. Guess I better order the rest of the parts for my pin now since your boards are the only parts I have currently. Haha!!

Thanks!

[zebulon]

Got my boards today Zebulon. They look great. Guess I better order the rest of the parts for my pin now since your boards are the only parts I have currently. Haha!!

Thanks!

Glad to hear they arrived safely, sounds like you have some work ahead of you. Good luck with the build.

[Gigagamesguy]

i am to blöd, i dont understand where i must put fuses to protect the board, max and zeb has answer it, also i cant it understand

must i have fuse after the meanwell amp on witch wire, it goes the power for the tools 12 volt and gnd

must i have a fuse after the psu amp on wich wire, it goes to the powerboards 5 volt and 12 volt and gnd

see the pics from the cab

Toms Pin

[zebulon]

Die Sicherung der Stromversorgung schützt das Board. Wenn das Netzteil nicht über eine Sicherung, setzen Sicherungen auf der 5V und 12 Eingangsleitungen an den Vorstand.

[MatthewTheRaven]

I'm doing my best to understand the wiring using the Booster Boards, so please forgive me if these questions are redundant to any other posts, I know the fuse questions have been answered quite a bit. I'd like to describe my intentions as far as wiring and please anybody correct me as needed.

I have three sources of power, a 24v power supply, a 12v power supply, and my computer's PSU, which can provide +12v and +5v. I have two high power Booster Boards. I intend to have 8 Contactors, 10 LEDs (5x2 wired in parallel), a Shaker Motor and a Gear Motor.

For the Booster Board power:
I'm going to use a molex connector from my computer's PSU that supplies +5v and +12v and add a 3A fuse to each line. Now I would normally think to simply use the ground lines provided from my PSU also, but if these are the common grounds to use for my toys, should the ground lines come from my 24v and 12v power supplies? Since there are 4 ground inputs on the Booster Board, should I use two grounds from the PSU and one from the 24v and 12v power supplies?

From my 24v power supply:
I will have a 3A fuse on the +24v, which will be connected to a terminal block. I will wire all of the inputs on the terminal block in series and then have a connection on the output to each of 8 Contactors. The ground of each of the Contactors will go into the Booster Board with the matching terminal next to it going into the LEDWiz.

From my 12v power supply:
I will have a 3A fuse on the +12v, which will be connected to a terminal block. I will wire all of the inputs on the terminal block in series and then have a connection on the output to a LED, a gear motor, or a shaker motor.

• For the LEDs, I will wire a common +12v to the +R, +G, and +B for each LED. The -R, -G, and -B will each have a resistor, then I will join one LED from the playfield and one from the backbox and have them use a single connector into the Booster Board, with the matching terminal connecting into the LEDWiz. Am I correct in the idea of how to wire them in parallel, with each color from each LED having their own resistor (total of 6 resistors) but only using 3 connections into the Booster Board?
• For the Gear Motor, I will wire one of the +12v lines from the terminal block outputs into the + side and connect the ground to the Booster Board, with the matching terminal going into the LEDWiz. I will wire a diode from the +12v to the ground with the stripe going toward the +12v line.
• For the Shaker Motor, I will wire one of the +12v lines from the terminal block outputs into the + side and connect the ground to the Booster Board, with the matching terminal going into the LEDWiz. I will wire a diode from the +12v to the ground with the stripe going toward the +12v line.

In this setup, the LEDWiz requires no power lines, only the USB connection to the computer, correct? Am I missing any place that needs a fuse and will 3A be enough? Are slow-blow fuses the correct type? Is my understanding of the diodes correct?

[zebulon]

For the Booster Board power:
I'm going to use a molex connector from my computer's PSU that supplies +5v and +12v and add a 3A fuse to each line. Now I would normally think to simply use the ground lines provided from my PSU also, but if these are the common grounds to use for my toys, should the ground lines come from my 24v and 12v power supplies? Since there are 4 ground inputs on the Booster Board, should I use two grounds from the PSU and one from the 24v and 12v power supplies?

One ground from the PSU is sufficient and one from the 24V and 12V power supplies.

From my 24v power supply:
I will have a 3A fuse on the +24v, which will be connected to a terminal block. I will wire all of the inputs on the terminal block in series and then have a connection on the output to each of 8 Contactors. The ground of each of the Contactors will go into the Booster Board with the matching terminal next to it going into the LEDWiz.

Wire the terminal block in parallel.

From my 12v power supply:
I will have a 3A fuse on the +12v, which will be connected to a terminal block. I will wire all of the inputs on the terminal block in series and then have a connection on the output to a LED, a gear motor, or a shaker motor.

Wire the terminal block in parallel.

• For the LEDs, I will wire a common +12v to the +R, +G, and +B for each LED. The -R, -G, and -B will each have a resistor, then I will join one LED from the playfield and one from the backbox and have them use a single connector into the Booster Board, with the matching terminal connecting into the LEDWiz. Am I correct in the idea of how to wire them in parallel, with each color from each LED having their own resistor (total of 6 resistors) but only using 3 connections into the Booster Board?
  
  Yup, that's the correct way.
  
  
• For the Gear Motor, I will wire one of the +12v lines from the terminal block outputs into the + side and connect the ground to the Booster Board, with the matching terminal going into the LEDWiz. I will wire a diode from the +12v to the ground with the stripe going toward the +12v line.
• For the Shaker Motor, I will wire one of the +12v lines from the terminal block outputs into the + side and connect the ground to the Booster Board, with the matching terminal going into the LEDWiz. I will wire a diode from the +12v to the ground with the stripe going toward the +12v line.

In this setup, the LEDWiz requires no power lines, only the USB connection to the computer, correct? Am I missing any place that needs a fuse and will 3A be enough? Are slow-blow fuses the correct type? Is my understanding of the diodes correct?

Your diode application is correct, usb power for the led wiz is all you need and if your power supply has onboard fuses, they are really all you need. 3A may not be enough for the leds, but a 5A will be sufficient. I never really use slo-blow fuses but they will work if you prefer. Sounds to me like you have a handle on it Matt.

[MatthewTheRaven]

Awesome, thanks for the help Zebulon! Not only do your boards protect the LEDWiz, they REALLY simplify wiring!

[zebulon]

Thanks Matt, the idea was to make it relatively painless to do the hook ups.

[MatthewTheRaven]

Followup question - Is there any reason I would not be able to take another +5v via molex from my PSU into a terminal block and run it in parallel to my Electric ICE 2 RGB-drive buttons, and then run the grounds into the Booster Board with the associated connector running into the LEDWiz? Will 5v pulling 20ma (up to maybe 80ma if I tie the colors on the various buttons together) be too low or cause any issues with the fact that I only have high power boards? Since I'm already on board with the concept of running no external power to the LEDWiz, I would love to continue with this method for 5v stuff...

[zebulon]

Followup question - Is there any reason I would not be able to take another +5v via molex from my PSU into a terminal block and run it in parallel to my Electric ICE 2 RGB-drive buttons, and then run the grounds into the Booster Board with the associated connector running into the LEDWiz? Will 5v pulling 20ma (up to maybe 80ma if I tie the colors on the various buttons together) be too low or cause any issues with the fact that I only have high power boards? Since I'm already on board with the concept of running no external power to the LEDWiz, I would love to continue with this method for 5v stuff...

You can do that and it will work. The 5v rail will no longer be isolated from the input but for the sake of such light loads it's not a real hazard. For safety's sake for your cpu power supply, you might want to throw a 3A fuse on the 5v line going to the terminal block just to cover your butt.

[MatthewTheRaven]

I think my computer PSU has different 5v rails, I'll try to keep it separate if possible.

One last thing... will the knocker be wired the same way as the shaker motor and gear motor in your diagrams? +12v in, diode connecting - to + with the stripe to + and the ground going to the booster board with the corresponding connection to the LEDWiz? Or will it still require a relay for any reason? I am using this knocker.

Edited by MatthewTheRaven, 31 July 2012 - 05:02 AM.

[zebulon]

Wire it in like it was a motor and install a diode like you described and you're good to go. No relay should be required.

[zebulon]

10 Sets of boards are available for assembly.

[zebulon]

Still have 3 sets available and then I'm taking a break from them to work on a new development.

[JaronSenna]

If possible, I would like to order a set of 2 boards to go with my ledwiz. Also sent you a pm on the HS forums, 'cause I heard I had to hurry up :-)

Hope you stil have them.

[zebulon]

I've been developing a newer version of the boards (among my many on-going projects). This board is primarily designed for driving the flasher leds.

The board drives the leds at 3.3v and comes in 2 flavors 5watt and 3watt. The jumper banks have been replaced by the inverter circuit (thanks for the idea go to Maxxsinner) and the switched output provies 12v out for strobe.

To run additional sets of leds from the same outputs would require a "Y" connector (although I'm considering adding a 2nd connector to the board) and a 2nd resistor card. The molex plugs are wired to deliver the - signal and +3.3v to the individual leds.

Hopefully these will de-mystify the process of hooking up flashers to the cabs.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Attached Files

•  IMG-20120904-00315.jpg   152.83KB   63 downloads

Edited by zebulon, 22 September 2012 - 12:48 PM.

[russdx]

idc headers i love it

[bartzenegger]

hi zebulon
im wanting to purchase a board if you still have any.
im new to building and looking forward to this making it a little easier .
thanks sssssooooooo much.

ps i did message you as well
bart

[zebulon]

PM responded to Bart.

[vulbas]

hello,
je souhaiterais acheter une carte booster. comment faire ?

hello,
I would buy a booster. how?