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Old 12-17-2016, 09:02 PM   #1
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Default Light switch from a servo

Here's a video I made showing how to turn an old servo into a switch for your lights! Let em know what you think!

https://youtu.be/8pzTqHDY5d0
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Old 12-17-2016, 10:08 PM   #2
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Default Re: Light switch from a servo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Canadiankrawler View Post
Here's a video I made showing how to turn an old servo into a switch for your lights! Let em know what you think!

https://youtu.be/8pzTqHDY5d0
Love it! Great idea. I've been using an on/off switch for my winches since I'm too cheap to buy a controller. But have to touch the truck to turn the switch on or off to prevent creep. I'll try this on my next build.

I do know you can measure the resistance of the potentiometer at "center", then solder in a resistor with the same resistance and do away with the potentiometer.
Ben
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Old 12-18-2016, 08:14 AM   #3
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Default Re: Light switch from a servo

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Originally Posted by Canadiankrawler View Post
Here's a video I made showing how to turn an old servo into a switch for your lights! Let em know what you think!

https://youtu.be/8pzTqHDY5d0
Nice work!
If you want, you can actually control two sets of LED lights with that and have one set or the other on at a time. Because LEDs are polarity sensitive, they will only light with the proper polarity voltage. The servo controller board will output both polarities of voltage.
Connect one set of LEDs to the output with the opposite polarity. When the servo signal is in the center position, both LEDs would be off. Move the servo signal one way and one set of LEDs will turn on and move the servo signal the other way and the other set of LEDs will turn on.
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Old 12-18-2016, 08:50 AM   #4
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Default Re: Light switch from a servo

Now this is great Info! Question... Can this be done with a micro servo? Im just thinking compact would be better.
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Old 12-18-2016, 10:37 AM   #5
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Default Re: Light switch from a servo

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Originally Posted by heyok View Post
Nice work!
If you want, you can actually control two sets of LED lights with that and have one set or the other on at a time. Because LEDs are polarity sensitive, they will only light with the proper polarity voltage. The servo controller board will output both polarities of voltage.
Connect one set of LEDs to the output with the opposite polarity. When the servo signal is in the center position, both LEDs would be off. Move the servo signal one way and one set of LEDs will turn on and move the servo signal the other way and the other set of LEDs will turn on.
I never considered that before, I might do exactly that with some low brightness warm white led's for low beam and some stupid bright 3w cree's for high beam in a scaler...
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Old 12-18-2016, 11:09 AM   #6
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Default Re: Light switch from a servo

Never thought about the polarity thing, might have to do that for some reverse lights and running my light bar. A micro servo control board should work the same.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
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Old 12-18-2016, 12:37 PM   #7
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Default Re: Light switch from a servo

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Originally Posted by doubler View Post
Now this is great Info! Question... Can this be done with a micro servo? Im just thinking compact would be better.
Shouldn't be a problem to use a micro servo. I've got one kicking around, maybe ill try to make one with it this afternoon.
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Old 12-18-2016, 02:07 PM   #8
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Default Re: Light switch from a servo

like wow !!!

you could also use this for turn signals,

and here is the killer question ....
if we did not glue the potentiometer and left in all the gears and just paralleled the plug
to the motor, could we not use the servo motor and gears to adjust the intensity both
up and down?

so glad I have a dx7 haha need 4 channels for the crawler, leaves 3 more for servos
I can bind channels so one can go with the steering for left right turns
the flaps is 3 pos switch so plus zero and minus
the other switch is landing gear so it is plus and minus
without 4ws one joystick would be dimmable
and if only one esc the other joystick could also be dimmable.

thanks

just fu***ng brilliant Canadian

now to learn about leds and what resistors to use
how many leds per resistor
etc.
any help/info would be appreciated

Last edited by cabron; 12-18-2016 at 02:11 PM.
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Old 12-18-2016, 02:27 PM   #9
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Default Re: Light switch from a servo

It would be difficult to adjust the brightness by turning the pot, but you might find some change with a very small amount of movement.

This might help you with your LED questions and wiring:
How to wire LEDs

Al
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Old 12-18-2016, 02:29 PM   #10
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Default Re: Light switch from a servo

This is pretty cool. To bad its limited to rx/servo voltage though, all my lights run off 3s.
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Old 12-18-2016, 02:56 PM   #11
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Default Re: Light switch from a servo

hmmm

thanks al
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Old 12-18-2016, 04:20 PM   #12
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Default Re: Light switch from a servo

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Originally Posted by doubler View Post
Awesome!!!!! Great idea and thanks for sharing this cheap DIY mod.
No problem, glad you enjoyed!!
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Old 12-18-2016, 04:23 PM   #13
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Default Re: Light switch from a servo

Quote:
Originally Posted by cabron View Post
like wow !!!

you could also use this for turn signals,

and here is the killer question ....
if we did not glue the potentiometer and left in all the gears and just paralleled the plug
to the motor, could we not use the servo motor and gears to adjust the intensity both
up and down?

so glad I have a dx7 haha need 4 channels for the crawler, leaves 3 more for servos
I can bind channels so one can go with the steering for left right turns
the flaps is 3 pos switch so plus zero and minus
the other switch is landing gear so it is plus and minus
without 4ws one joystick would be dimmable
and if only one esc the other joystick could also be dimmable.

thanks

just fu***ng brilliant Canadian

now to learn about leds and what resistors to use
how many leds per resistor
etc.
any help/info would be appreciated
Thanks a lot!! Glad you enjoyed the little tip. Such a great idea I had to share it, cause who doesn't have broken old servos laying around right? I'm not too sure about not gluing the potentiometer, HeyOK is definitely the gut to ask about that kind of stuff. I'll be doing some experimenting, so I'll make sure I post what I find on here.

PS Super jealous of your DX7!! I have a DX4S and am out of channels for most of my rigs!!
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