Is it possible to connect two LEDs in one button so that its brighter?
Im sticking with Ben’s method as it works great for me. Im planning to put two wires from the button signal slide terminal and connect them to each of the LEDs as well as daisy chaining the 5v. Is this possible? Will it work well?
you want to do this one?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]53514[/ATTACH]
8 Buttons, each with 2 LEDs = 16 LEDs. One LED needs 20mA * 16 LEDs= 320mA
2 LEDs on one signal, then the signal has to drive 40mA per Signal pin.
Additionally you`ve only 5V.
Hmm, could be to much for the PCB.
Could you post the specs of your LEDs like forward voltage?
Another possible solution to increase the brightness of your buttons by using high brightness leds.
Ummm. The diagram you just posted isnt really like what I was thinking… hold on.
5v (+) [ LED 1 ] ( - )-------- ---- ( - ) [ LED 2 ] ( + ) — 5v
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Button signal
As for specs. Im not quite sure, I need to look for the site I ordered it from. They are supposed to be 3.3v and they came with 1/8 150ohm resistors…
EDIT: Found the site
LED specs:
Forward Voltage: 1.8-2.2v
Current: 30mA
Size: 3mm
Resistor is actually 1/4 watt 1% resistance
Ahja, and you want to wire the leds in paralell.
okay, 3mm, 1.8V, 150 ohm resistors. Means you`re running the LEDs exactly at 20mA. Your resulting circuit for the LEDs will then draw 320mA in worst case. Of course USB should meet this since I guess that your game pcb does not take over 180mA. However, this is on the edge.
Nevertheless it sounds that your LEDs have low illuminance power.
I think the best solution is to use high brightness leds.
This ones have 13000mcd, runs with 5V, prewired, cheap, less wiring, … what do you think about these ones…
Yeah I guess I should go that route. I ordered these parts a few months ago and only now did I start working on my stick. Apparently I didn’t do enough research haha. Thanks for your continued support, Ben!
no problem, guess how many LEDs I was buying ;))
Experiements with one 3mm LEDs (same as you did)
Experiements with two 5mm LEDs, but with low illuminance power
Experiements with SMD LEDs, but very (!!!) hard to handle.But the result was very good
And then I used the high illuminance power 5mm LED.
[URL=“http://bencao74.blogspot.com/2008/10/seimitsu-button-hack-led-on-press.html”]
Ah, so witch LED would you recommend? SMDs?
no, to difficult to assemble. Go with the recommendation in post 564
very nice thread.
I’ve bought these buttons
did anyone use them?
wrong!!!
looks like it does not light up on activation, either stay all on or all off.
however, it’s a very nice mod
You have to wire them up like in this Thread if you want them to do what you mentioned.
Thanks guys, this stuff works like a charm.
I’ve decided to give this one more spin, I stopped last time because of how much my stick was costing but at this point I’m just going ALL IN. Right now I’m using 3 controller guts (X360/PSX/Wii Classic) and my goal is to get the buttons to light up corresponding with which system is plugged in. If my understanding of multi-PCBing is correct, the main thing I need to do is tie the Vcc and GND of all the PCBs together, sothat they are all powered. The problem with this, is I can’t create any ‘switchless’ circuit which will let me know which controller is the ‘main’ since they all ‘have the same state’. I’m trying to figure out someway of telling the LEDs (looking at using RGBs epseically since those are the three colors I want heh) which controller to ‘follow’. Anyone know something I could use with that regard?
I think I figured out a solution, I’ll keep you guys posted…
After a weekend of soldering I finally hooked up my IMP and MC Cthulhu to my X360 TE stick with this illumination mod:
Along with that I also added a lit ball to my Joystick that should stay lit as long as the switch is on.
I was going for the switchless one but forgot to order the higher ohm resistors so I figured I’d go with the switch one and redo it later.
The Cthulhu and MadCatz PCB works great, no problems there but the light up mod is giving me a headache.
If I flick the switch to ON everything works fine, the ball lights up as does the buttons when pressed.
But if I turn the switch OFF the Ball and Buttons still light up, just with a feinter light.
Looking at the schematic again I realize that even with the switch in the OFF position the battery is still grounded through the controllers ground, so it should still be lit.
But why the feinter glow? I then proceeded to remove the batteries altogether and the result was the same, a feint glow from the stick and the buttons.
Now I’m really at a loss, anyone got any suggestions as to what I’ve managed to mess up?
Or is it my understanding of the 74HCT04 that’s messed up?
EDIT: I measured the voltage on the VCC pin with the stick plugged in to the system but with the battery unplugged and it was 1.9V. Not that that makes any more sense.
@castigation: I guess the problem comes from the inverter not being powered and not acting like it should, ie inverting its inputs. Some electricity must be flowing to the inverter’s outputs and forcing the LEDs lighting up. If it’s the case, you should see a constant weak light up from all LEDs (whether buttons are pressed or not) and an even weaker light-up when the buttons ARE activated (this is assuming the batteries switch is OFF). That’s how I understand it anyway.
So basically you’re saying it could be normal to get randomness like that if the Inverter is not powered?
Basically yes. Frankly, why don’t you use the other,battery-less schematic since the TE pcb offers a +5 V voltage already ?