Just finished cutting (LPKF milling) out the prototype of my new LED controller. Actually... You could control most anything (rocket squibs, motors, relays, whatever!) with it. It has four outputs with 8 amp FETs and one output with two of those in parallel (16.8A). Shouldn't have any trouble turning on GPS's search light. : All outputs and sequences are programmable via USB or serial port. You can store multiple programs and select them with an on board push button switch. If you don't like what you did, you can just plug in and program it again. Neat little surface mount board with fine pitch processor and 10mil lines and spaces. Hope to get it built tomorrow. ...Tiger
GC - I'm going to run a panel of boards so there will probably be around twenty total. Where it goes from there I'm not sure. I'll probably let someone else pick it up as a product. Not sure about that. I don't want to build them. PP - The inputs can read closures or servo pulses (pwm) so you have an unlimited number of control options. Since what it does is fully programmable, your imagination is your only limitation. Easy to make it respond to events like throttle position or steering commands. If you want backup lights on your car when you go into reverse or turn signals when you turn - no problem. It also has a programmable LiPo voltage sensor so you can start flashing lights on your quad or set off a sonalert when the voltage is low - no problem. Tom wants lights in the tail of his edf jet to come on at full throttle to look like afterburners. I just want to control different light flashing sequences from the ground. Whatever blows your skirt up! You can do just about anything and then program it to do something entirely different tomorrow. Should be cool. ...Tiger
Bummer! I brought the board to show you. Sent the gerbers out this morning to fab a panel of real boards so next week I will have production boards to assemble. I'm having a ton of fun with this thing. It's just so much fun to play with. Can't wait to get one on my quad. ...Tiger
Very nice work 8). I admire your skills for producing such a nice piece. I would defiantly be interested in one if and when you want to sell some. That would be perfect in a scale crawler project I am working on. There may even be a use for it in the comp crawler world I think. I read you above descriptions but didnt see one thing I was wondering. Can the board run more than one thing at a time? Would it run say brake lights, right turn signal and 2 separate servos at the same time.
highland - You just hit on something I really never thought about. The board was designed mainly to control things like lights, relays, motors, horns, etc (lights on my quad actually). It has five very high current outputs that can be controlled individually. In addition to those outputs, it has one programmable push button switch and two servo type (PPM) inputs. What I never really thought about was using those two inputs for outputs like servos. There is no reason you can't do that since everything is under program control. In addition, any of the five power outputs could actually drive a servo with the addition of one external resistor. Unlimited possibilities! This is the beauty of this thing. The design is so incredibly flexible. You can really let your imagination run wild! As for board availability, I ordered a small panel of boards yesterday so I will have some units beyond what I was making for myself. I'm sure we can work something out. ...Tiger
So I just figured out how to get a decent video of the prototype I got running last week. Had trouble making the video because the leds are insane bright and they would wash out the camera when they turned on. Today I put a really bright light on the board to trick the camera into stopping down the exposure so the leds wouldn't look so bright. I've programmed all kinds of different patterns and operations into this thing and everything seems to be working. In the video, I'm sequencing through ten different light patterns for testing. I have a panel of real boards on the way and should see them this week. Can't wait to get one of these on my quad. ...Tiger [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crYpU8aYMf8&context=C4af483fADvjVQa1PpcFPDqXRNB28l-QkB6cS_Pu4L0WuUpkXz0xg=[/youtube]
Oh happy day! The boards arrived and they even work. Looks big in the picture, but you can cover it with two fingers. Now I just need to build a few more and get them flying. This has been a fun project. ...Tiger
