The LED Wheel (for RC cars)

I have always loved lights in motion because the visual effects are awesome, LED's have made this project possible and fairly easy to make.

So here I have setup  some rainbow LED's that have built in sequencers to create amazing wheels for RC cars. specifically for Drifters since their wheels are continuously spinning and don't really go fast allowing viewers and racers to  see the full effect.

the video  shows the wheels in motion but also is an actual tutorial in itself.

Step 1: Parts list

1/10 scale RC Car Disc Brake kit
Batteries x 12 or 3 packs of 5 (LR41 cell size. Dollar store has tons.....)
Some small gauge wire (20 gauge will do)
a 30 watt soldering iron
Some Rosen core Solder
Some Chrome Wheels (find them at macphreak.com)
Slide Switch x 4 - Mouser.com (Model # 688-SSSS711403)
LED = Rainbow 3 mm x 8 (Not that easy to find, try ebay)
Fine grain sandpaper (400 grit will do)
A Pair of Helping hands
Cyanoacrylate (CA ) glue (Hobby grade, PLEASE USE CAREFULLY.)

Comments

[randomizator]

awesome instructable, easy & well explained, my question is can this be done without batteries ? i.e replace them with capacitors in some way...
thanx !

[macphreak]

While Caps would be cool they would require some sort of power generation like coils and magnets. This would significant;y ad to the unsprung weight on any RC car and change the handling.

[randomizator]

Thanx for ur reply; actually I'm thinking about up-scaling your idea and putting it on the wheel of a real car... but you're rite the main problem is maintaining the wheel balance, that needs to be figured out...

[macphreak]

There are already some for full scale cars. Even some that can display images. Also some leds that you can install on your valve stem that flashes.

[randomizator]

thanx again for ur reply;
yes I'm aware of all those products, but they all use batteries (battery packs or the Car battery itself) & the valve stem thingys would get stolen in a minute in the neighborhood that I live in...Lolz !

actually the shake flashlight schematic completely satisfies my requirements, when the car stops the induction stops coz of no movement & a small capacitor would discharge within a minute & automatically turn off the LED but when the car is in motion again the LED would light up, this way I don't need a on/off switch or batteries...

the only problem that I need to solve is the wheel balance...
:)

[Chris Marini]

awesome"