[simpits-tech] Circuit question - plus another for Gene

[Alan Murray]

Hi Brian,

I sent the first part of the circuit you requested to
your email on Tuesday but haven't heard from you so I
didn't know if the AF is placing me in the spam
category or not. I've got the 2nd part designed and
plan to breadboard both parts over the next couple of
days and then test it in the beginning of next week. I
also have a few pages of documentation for it ready as
well as both sets of schematics.

I hope other Simpits members will find it useful...I
need to finalize and test before turning it out to the
group. The circuit is capable of more than you
intended...I think you will like it..looks like $5 or
$6 in parts probably.

Cheers,
Alan

--- Brian Sikkema <bjsikkem at gimail.af.mil> wrote:

> >Looking for clarification...
> No problemo. :)
> 
> >1. Are all leds the same color (or at least match
> the
> >same voltage drop - diff colors have different
> drops
> >usually)?
> Could go either way. If it would significantly
> simplify things to have all one color, I'll do all
> one color.
> 
> 
> >2. What are you trying to emulate? i.e. Why does it
> >need to be one led at a time rather than a progress
> >bar style?
> It's going to be for a car, the gearshift indicator
> on the dash. I.e. Park, Neutral, Overdrive, Drive,
> etc.
> 
> 
> >3. What is the power source availability (9v from
> >battery, 12vdc from wall transformer, how much
> current
> >overhead do you have?)
> 12V, current should be plenty for whatever is
> needed.
> 
> >4. What is your budget for the circuit?
> Meh. Dunno really. This is a project for "sometime
> down the road" anyway. Since this is just a small
> part of the overall project 
> I don't think too much, but no hard number for that
> one.
> 
> >5. Just for you or are you considering
> manufacturing
> >these?
> Just for me right now, but the possibility of making
> more has occured to me... Would depend on the kind
> of demand I could drum 
> up. If I get mine done and other people like the
> look, I may definitely look at making more for fun
> and profit. ;)
> 
> >Btw, there exists an "audio taper" version of
> slider
> >pots which is non-linear; they are parabolic in
> gain
> >meaning that you get a very similar characteristic
> to
> >what you describe...having to come up to 33-50% to
> >achieve initial threshold and most of its operating
> >range is on the high side. These are the pots used
> in
> >soundboards. They are higher priced but designed
> for
> >heavy duty use...here is a reference
>
><www.bourns.com/pdfs/gapno_panel_controls_taper.pdf>
> Yeah I had thought of this, but I don't think an
> audio taper would work in this instance.
> 
> 
> >You are looking for a true slider pot and not a
> >rotational, right? The ref above is for rotational
> but
> >they make them in the other form as well. I only
> >mention this for your reference not that it is
> >necessarily the part of the solution.
> 
> Yep definitely a slider. The stock unit has a small
> cable that comes up from the gearshift which moves
> the mechanical indicator, 
> which is spring-loaded to pull back to the "park"
> position. Basically my thought is to re-use that
> stock cable, but hooked to a 
> slider to control the LEDs.
> 
> Thanks for the help!
> Brian
> 
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