I have a challange for any one that wants it

[raptorrage]

Hi

Let me start by saying i have no idea what so ever about about electronics how ever i can follow a wireing diagram and make it work, just dont ask me why the curcit works and how.

The challange is this:

As a keen airsofter i partake in night games. i would like take a new bit of kit on to the field of battle. This would be the strobe grande or light grande.

This would be a high light led product around the size of a tennis ball and the same shape to allow for it to be rolled in to a room. This grande would need to have a 5 - 7secound delay before emitting the light (as much light as possible). This period of light can be no more then 30 secounds.

I would like the electonics to cost no more then $10 but if its more (not much more) then thats just the way it is.

I hope some one can help me with this

 

[RMMM]

I am guessing you mean grenade? Unless you really want a Grande Burrito from Taco Bell.

556 timer, few resistors, caps, button, battery.

The thing you need first, is the case.

If you can find a hollow clear ball that separates, then you can size the circuit to fit.

 

[raptorrage]

yeah my spelling isnt great i kind of thought i would need those parts. Not knowing how to put it all together is my problem. A nice digram from some one who does know would help me alot

 

[raptorrage]

case is no problem as i have it and its the exact same size as a tennis ball

 

[RMMM]

How will you trigger the count-down?

 

[DerStrom8]

You could use a 556 timer, with half of it (one 555) in monostable mode with an inverter (can be made out of transistors). When a 555 is wired as a monostable timer, it switches the output on for a certain amount of time (triggered by a momentary push-button), and then shuts it off. The inverter would switch this around (off for a certain amount of time, i.e. 5-7 seconds, and then on). The second half of the 556 can be connected so that it is triggered by the first half, and times the output (connected to the light) so that it shuts it off after the desired time (30 seconds?). I'll see if I can work out a schematic for you, if you need it.
Do you have any soldering experience and equipment?
Overall, this sounds like a fun project. Good luck!
Der Strom


note: If you can't get a 556, you can simply use two 555s instead.

 

[raptorrage]

limited soldering but i am a welder so it cant be much harder plus i will buy every thing i need

 

[DerStrom8]

limited soldering but i am a welder so it cant be much harder plus i will buy every thing i need

Soldering is quite different from welding, at least in my experience
You may want to practice a little bit, first. I recommend you buy a plain breadboard and some components, first, and practice soldering them onto the board. And another tip: when soldering chips, it is a good idea to find a chip connector (it has pins that you can solder to the breadboard, and on the top a place where the chip can "clip" in). This will allow you to connect the chip to the circuit without having to solder it directly (makes it less likely that you will fry it). After you've gotten the hang of soldering, then you can start building your circuit.
Der Strom

 

[raptorrage]

yeah sounds like a plan. practice practice! i dont know if its possible but would make the finished product look realy cool is there a switch that works like a ring pull wich you remove to switch on and replace to switch off?

 

[DerStrom8]

I'm sure you could work something like that out. If I'm understanding what you're saying, you could even use an old headphone jack as the switch, and the "ring pull" would have an old headphone plug. Many headphone jacks have two sets of pins. Two will be connected when the plug is inserted, two others will be connected when it is pulled out. You would want to use the latter, connect them between the power source and your circuit, so that when you pull out the "pin", it will connect power to the circuit and start the "countdown."
Good luck!
Der strom

 

[RMMM]

Take a look at personal alarms.

My grandmother had one. The keychain-key-ring was connected to a 1/8inch headphone plug. When removed from the jack(alarm) it sounded the high pitched alarm.

It was soooo piercing, it made you want to puke.

https://www.streetdefender.com/MC-223-C-black.htm

The trigger-pin is a standard mono 1/8in plug.

 

[Boncuk]

Here is a solution for pinned "arm" switch:

Use a reed switch to arm the "grenade". Depending on the monoflop connected the "grenade" will fire after the preset time (normally 2 to 3 seconds).

You don't have to poke holes into the ball and make the mechanical construction as to get a magnet near the reed switch when pulling the ring (mounted outside with a spring loaded magnet moving towards the reed switch).

However, if the "grenade" should indicate firing for a certain amount of time I suggest to use a dual timer, one for the delay and the other one for firing duration.

Don't forget to place multiple LEDs inside the "grenade" to simulate real firing.

Doing that you'll have a "flashbang" without any harm - just to add the "bang".


Boncuk

 

[Mr RB]

A separate firing pin might get lost in games, especially in the dark.

I would favour just using a switch to turn the unit on, the switch could be in a hole to it can't be bumped or damaged during the ball toss.

So you turn the switch on (and maybe a small LED lights up), then a few seconds later the whole thing lights up. That would work well in dark games.

 

[raptorrage]

yeah on secound thoght i think you might be right

 

[MrDEB]

Sounds like a FLASH BANG grenade
Have a schematic somewhere for one.
will locate

 

[MrDEB]

a BASIC flash bang

here is a schematic that never got built so weather it works?
if wanting to just use batteries of low voltage then eliminate the voltage regulator.
A better unit could be built using a PIC but then you need programing.
about the only parts needed then are a PIC, a couple resistors, a transistor and lots of LEDs

 

[Dragon Tamer]

No offense MrDEB, but your schematic is attrotious.

As for the Issue, I would use a 555, or 556 timer. I would also use a capacitor in place of a battery so that the "grenade" can not be thrown back after it has finished flashing. Using a special holder that would connect said grenade to a battery source would allow the capacitor to charge until it is thrown, at which point it would switch to the capacitor. I would use a 10,000uF capacitor. I have one that is rated for 16V and is only 2" long and 1" across. A constant current source would allow the LED to stay at a constant brightness as the capacitor discharges, and a simple comparator would cut off the capacitor once it's dead, and would also act as a switch to turn it on. I'll finish the schematic and post it later.

 

[Grossel]

Hi. Go to a toy store and buy a transparent bounce ball. Drill a hole in it, and stuff into lights and circuits. If it may work, I don't know. But sure you'll need some kind of filling mass to make no air left in the ball after inserting electronics.

What about using camera flash? But it last just very short each time it flashes.

 

[rcane]

Hi. Go to a toy store and buy a transparent bounce ball. Drill a hole in it, and stuff into lights and circuits. If it may work, I don't know. But sure you'll need some kind of filling mass to make no air left in the ball after inserting electronics.

What about using camera flash? But it last just very short each time it flashes.

Fill it with mastic, then you are effectively insulating your "flashbang" too.

 

[MrDEB]

in what way is this schematic "atrocious" (you need to use a spell check for such big words - lol
The schematic was a suggestion. I would go for the PIC idea instead.
The posted schematic was a circuit that was talked about 2 years ago.
The capacitor idea is not bad but not into big capacitors seeing how you have LOTS of LEDs to fire.