FreeTrack Forum

Hello. First off, thank you to everyone here for creating and supporting this community! I am anxious to actually get to experience what this fine piece of software has to offer!

However, the point of this post: I am having difficulty with building my IR LED circuit. I have used the calculator and purchased the needed supplies. I have wired up the circuit how I think it should be, however the battery supply gets rather hot and quickly!

Here is how I have things wired: 9V battery supply, positive lead wire soldered to one side of a push button switch, positive wire continuing from same side of switch to two (2) 100 ohm resistors (couldn't find a single 200 ohm) soldered together end-to-end, continuing to the positive lead of the first LED, then negative lead from first LED to positive lead of second LED (this repeats one more time for third LED), then from the third (last) LED, wire continues to other side of push button switch, then from same side of switch to negative lead of 9V battery.

What is wrong with that? (Assuming it made sense) My thoughts are I might have the switch wired wrong, or the switch introduces resistance that I am not accounting for in regards to the resistors. Also, the switch activates the LEDs 'backwards'. In other words, what I would think to be the 'off' position actually turns them on and what should be the 'on' position turns them off. The battery heats up regardless if the LEDs are on.

I am able to confirm the LEDs actually work by using a video camera with "Nightshot" feature activated.

I harvested the LEDs from remote controls I had laying around. I checked the forward voltage of each LED with a meter and they each were in the 1.6 to 1.7 range (I used 1.7 for the calculator).

Any help or input would be appreciated! Thanks much.

Hello !

I don't really know the reason which explain that your battery is hot, I'm sorry...

But I don't really understand the way you've put the switch. I tried to draw a little scheme explaining how your switch should be placed :



The first one is yours today (the way I've understood, it at least ^^) and the second scheme is how it should be.

Maybe it'll solve the heating problem...

Good day !

Rémy

Thank you so much for the quick response!!! And yes, your explanation makes sense to me, I am going to go try it now! I knew it would be something simple, but I just couldn't figure it out. I will post back here with my results. Thanks again!

       


Thank you! That was the issue. Basically I was shorting out the battery the way I had it. Duh! Thanks for the simple solution.

Pics will be up soon of the completed setup.

Great, I was sure it wasn't that hard !

Have a good day and a merry christmas !

Rémy