CyberHippie Posted November 22, 2005 Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 I've been playing around with different ways to light up frisbees for night golf.Currently I'm using the two LED taped to a battery method. I just take an LED slide it over a thin watch battery so the + lead is on the + side of the battery, and - on -.The biggest problem is that it's a pain to setup and tear apart. A switch would be amazing.I discovered last night, that if I slide a paperclip over the unit to that it touches the LED leads on the top and bottom of the battery, it will short the circuit and stop the LED's from shining.What I don't know though is, is this shorted circuit still drawing power from the battery? It's really strange because after I pull the paperclip off, the led's take a few minutes to start shining again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradm Posted November 22, 2005 Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 Yes, you've shorted out the battery, and the battery is getting drained. (In essence, you've provided a better [lower resistance] way for the current to flow.)As for a switch, you could either solder/wire in a small electrical switch, or maybe rig up a mechanical switch, which would insert/remove a small bit of insulation (e.g., a bit of flat plastic) between the battery and one of the leads of the LED.Aloha,Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcO Posted November 22, 2005 Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 try adding a VX-4 quantinizer module (v 2.3) to a Fairfax 11-volt Doinkalator and see if that helps. Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AD Posted November 22, 2005 Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 try adding a VX-4 quantinizer module (v 2.3) to a Fairfax 11-volt Doinkalator and see if that helps. Just a thought.I added this to my Humflaparitz the other day and it worked great! Thanks MarcO!ad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted November 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 Thanks Brad. Your solution is sound, but beyond me unfortuantley... I guess I need 4 new batteries... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey Boy 2.0 Posted November 22, 2005 Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 try adding a VX-4 quantinizer module (v 2.3) to a Fairfax 11-volt Doinkalator and see if that helps. Just a thought.i think that's how i knocked up catphish :crazy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooly Posted November 22, 2005 Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 take one of those glowstick necklaces and tape it around the edge of your disc, they fly nice on their own too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted November 22, 2005 Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 would this help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted November 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 Thanks Mike, I think that rig would be too big, plus I don't want flashing. BUT, that definitely give me some more ides. The little battery holder is gold, I'm sure I could do something with that. Maybe attach the led's directly to that, then it's just a matter of pulling the battery out.Cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberdinghy Posted November 22, 2005 Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 try adding a VX-4 quantinizer module (v 2.3) to a Fairfax 11-volt Doinkalator and see if that helps. Just a thought.i think that's how i knocked up catphish :crazy:BWAHAHAHAHAaaaahahahahahahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonyak Posted November 22, 2005 Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 I would just put the battery in the middle, take a small switch and just wire it between the battery and the led so that you can turn it on and break the circuit to turn it off..also you migth wanna add a current limiting resistor into the circuit so that it A) does not blow the led and B)will make you battery last longer. The negative effect of this is that the led will not burn as bright.just my 2 cents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted November 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 I would just put the battery in the middle, take a small switch and just wire it between the battery and the led so that you can turn it on and break the circuit to turn it off..In theory that sounds good, but I'm kinda lost in the application. What kind of switch would I be looking for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradm Posted November 22, 2005 Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 (edited) Here's a really neat idea: get a mercury tilt switch. This is a very small (about 1ml or so) glass container with two contacts in it, along with mercury. When the container is tilted the right way, the mercury falls across the contacts, completing the circuit.What you could do is place such a switch along the underside of the rim, but so that the mercury fell across the contacts only when the frisbee was spinning, due to centrifugal force. That way, you wouldn't have to worry about turning it on or off manually; you might have to be careful about setting it down tiltedly (if that's a word...), though.Aloha,Brad Edited November 22, 2005 by Guest Added link to Wikipedia entry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted November 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 That's a pretty cool idea Brad. But a big part of the light is being able to find the disc if it lands in the bushes or under snow. The fact that it looks really cool while flying is just a bonus. It sounds like as soon as the disc came to it's resting place, with a mercury switch, it would turn off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonyak Posted November 22, 2005 Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 the best switch for this would be an spst switch and just leave one side unsoldered.a good 1kohm resistor would work great as well.. if you wanted it a little brighter go with a 470ohm..hey brad that mercury thing would work awesome.. btu ya if you set it down the wrong way it would stay on..how about a switch and then the mercury thing so you could totaly turn it off when not in use..man we're nerds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kookycanooky Posted November 23, 2005 Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 "Theres something about flying a kite at night thats just so unwholesome"You have to be careful when making your own led system from scratch because if its too bulky or not placed properly the disc won't fly properly. http://www.flashflight.com/gallery1.shtmlCheck out these pro-discs...the led's and wires all embeded in the plastic and they kick ass. Someone had one at Shoreline festival and it was perma-smiles the whoooole night. they range from $20-$40 US which is easily worth the cost compared to making one yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted November 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 The flash flights are very cool, but they are for playing catch. They don't make golf discs with lights built in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kookycanooky Posted November 23, 2005 Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 How do frisbees and Golf discs differ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 Have you seen these lightup frisbees Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted December 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 Yes they are very cool!Kooky - Golf discs are quick a bit smaller, and have a much lower profile and sharp edge. Wouldn't want to catch them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve from Cleveland Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 This might be too low-tech of a solution for you... Don't they make glow in the dark golf discs? Or couldn't you paint one with glow in the dark paint?!?SfC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deeps Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 I have a frisbee that lights up quite well.It uses a watch battery to get it done.I can find out who makes them and let you know.Deeps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted December 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 Hey Steve - they do make glow in the dark ones, but you have to carry around a black light with you to charge it up before each throw, and the amount of glow pales in comparison to what a little LED can do.I've figured out a solution that will work quite well, just need to get a soldering gun. I bought some little coin cell battery holders. So I can solder the LEDs on to the bottm, and just pop the battery in and out of the unit. On the bottom of the unit I'll place a little velcro patch so I can move from disc to disc. Should work like a charm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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