This is a conversation that me and another paintball player (electronics expert, he designs the chips for the guns) had about the LED:
MrDoug1 (9:20:23 PM): Wondering what you think about the Safety with LED and Toggle Switch MOD
defiancecp (9:21:00 PM): Really haven't read much of it, to be honest - trying to get these 2k3 chaos boards completely finished up & shipped
MrDoug1 (9:21:07 PM): oh
MrDoug1 (9:21:17 PM): I really hope that goes well!
MrDoug1 (9:21:54 PM): So do you have time to talk with me about it?
defiancecp (9:22:03 PM): Sure
MrDoug1 (9:22:20 PM): Well, i got the switch all hooked up great
MrDoug1 (9:22:29 PM): it is hooked up to one of the solenoid wires
defiancecp (9:22:36 PM): ok
MrDoug1 (9:22:43 PM): when its on the one wire is connected, allowing it
to fire
MrDoug1 (9:22:55 PM): and when its off it is disconnected, not allowing it to fire
MrDoug1 (9:22:58 PM): a safety
MrDoug1 (9:23:07 PM): but I want to have a bicolor led hooked up
MrDoug1 (9:23:21 PM): when its in safe mode, the led is green
MrDoug1 (9:23:28 PM): when it is in fire mode, the led is red
defiancecp (9:23:48 PM): Hm.
MrDoug1 (9:23:56 PM): my friend NATOR said the bicolor changes color with polarity, but I thought it changed with voltage
MrDoug1 (9:23:58 PM): which is it?
defiancecp (9:24:05 PM): Not sure of any way to do that. It is polarity.
MrDoug1 (9:24:13 PM): oh ok
MrDoug1 (9:24:20 PM): an electronics guy told me that
defiancecp (9:24:24 PM): I mean, I know there's a way to do it, but it
would almost require another daughterboard altogether.
MrDoug1 (9:24:29 PM): whoa
MrDoug1 (9:24:55 PM): well... then the switch needs to flip the LED
polarity when the switch is flipped
MrDoug1 (9:25:07 PM): that is all that is really required
MrDoug1 (9:25:22 PM): then I can wire the switch to the battery via an
adjustable voltage reg
MrDoug1 (9:26:30 PM): right?
defiancecp (9:27:14 PM): It's not that easy. Since the switch interfaces
with the solenoid, one of the solenoid wires would have to somehow
switch from negative to positive (or vice versa) by flicking that switch,
and another completely seperate wire would have to do the opposite.
MrDoug1 (9:28:10 PM): Is there a way to have the switch only switch the
leds polarity and not the solenoids
defiancecp (9:29:39 PM): Well, since it's got to disconnect the solenoid
also, it has to use the solenoid as one of it's connections.
defiancecp (9:29:50 PM): Actually, 2.
MrDoug1 (9:29:53 PM): yeah
defiancecp (9:29:58 PM): (in / out)
MrDoug1 (9:29:59 PM): the switch only has two prongs
MrDoug1 (9:30:01 PM): hmm
MrDoug1 (9:30:23 PM): is there a device that switches polarity like that?
defiancecp (9:31:10 PM): like I said, it could be done - but not with just
wiring, you'd actually have to build a full circuit devoted to switching the
LED and disconnecting the solenoid, and that circuit would have to run off
of the switch (instead of running the solenoid off the switch directly)
MrDoug1 (9:31:33 PM): damn
MrDoug1 (9:31:39 PM): that is beyond me
MrDoug1 (9:32:04 PM): hmm... do you think you could do it?
defiancecp (9:33:14 PM): Yes, but not at the moment!
MrDoug1 (9:33:20 PM): awesome
MrDoug1 (9:33:25 PM): how long would it be?
defiancecp (9:33:38 PM): I don't know, just whenever I get some free
time.
MrDoug1 (9:33:49 PM): I could pay you, not much, but still something
MrDoug1 (9:36:34 PM): So this would all be on a chip?
defiancecp (9:36:49 PM): No, it would not be that complex,
MrDoug1 (9:36:55 PM): oh ok
defiancecp (9:36:59 PM): But it would need several components. I think...
MrDoug1 (9:37:03 PM): oh, you said circuit, not chip
defiancecp (9:37:28 PM): Yeah
MrDoug1 (9:37:29 PM): If you could make a list I could order them to
your place
defiancecp (9:37:59 PM): Ok, but I'll have to sit down and work it out
first. I really don't know if it will fit, I'll have to see what is required first.
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Well, what do you guys think?
this is beginning to seem a little more complex than I initally thought.
Do you have any ideas?