USB Powered PG Gundam
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22)
Mon 2005/11/14 00:47
If you own a PG kit, you will know by now that the eyes light up (if you didnt know then you didnt put your kit together properly!) But you would also have noticed that the batteries run out in no time meaning that your Gundam can only look cool with those glowing eyes for a limited period of time. Even when they are lit up - the power from the batteries are so weak anyway that the glow makes your Gundam look sleepy. Now how on earth are you supposed to impress the boss and get that raise without constantly glowing eyes in yer Gundam?!
Its not too late! Now you can have your Gundams cool glowing eyes constantly lit all day long! This takes a look at how to do this with a PG but I have seen people do this with their MG's too - just need to get a LED from the electronics shop and mod the head so that it fits inside.
If you are going to attempt this - please do so at your own risk - If you end up burning your house down or even worse - melting your Gundams head - its your responsibility!
This is the back of PG Gundam MK II with the cover removed - the batteries are inside - a pain to replace. The switch is also here too which is also a paint to turn on - double pain!
Its not too late! Now you can have your Gundams cool glowing eyes constantly lit all day long! This takes a look at how to do this with a PG but I have seen people do this with their MG's too - just need to get a LED from the electronics shop and mod the head so that it fits inside.
If you are going to attempt this - please do so at your own risk - If you end up burning your house down or even worse - melting your Gundams head - its your responsibility!
This is the back of PG Gundam MK II with the cover removed - the batteries are inside - a pain to replace. The switch is also here too which is also a paint to turn on - double pain!
I just happened to have a USB power cable lying around which I cut up and extended with some electrical cord. If you are going to make your own USB power cable - do a search to see which pins you need. As you can see from this shot - you can also use the mains to power your Gundam - not just the USB on your computer.
If you are doing this for your PG Gundam MK II - all you have to do is attach the electrical cord to the plus and minus. All PGs are different though. Strike for example has the batteries in its head so when I do Strike, I will have to feed the wire under its armor.
For now, I dont mind the visible cord but for those who do mind, you can use adaptors and modify your PG so that the wire maybe feeds away out of the back of the foot or something.
New and improved PG Gundam MK II running off the mains - the glowing eyes can now be lit 24/7 ;-) No more batteries running out, no more dimly lit eyes.
Example of the new and improved PG Gundam MK II plugged into the Mac Mini in the living room.
Example of a constantly-glowing-gundam on the third floor.
More shots of PG Gundam MK2 coming very very soon ;-) Muhaha.
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Tue 10/18 14:54 comments (175)
Ryan in Toronto
thats a great idea danny...so u can use any usb cable right?
(ID #33574) Posted on 2007/01/02 02:35
Danny Choo in 東京
Hey Ryan - not just any old cable - the USB cable I used was one for supplying power only. If you dont have one, you will probably need to make your own by looking at a USB2 diagram like this one. http://www.matsonic.com/new/faqsdata/image/usb.jpg My electronics is not up to scratch though.
(ID #33576) Posted on 2007/01/02 02:35
Hates_ in London, UK
And there was me thinking you'd managed to make it fly via USB power! ;)
(ID #33577) Posted on 2007/01/02 02:35
Hardi in Shang Hai
Hmm ... Gundam Mk II with cables. "Gundam Mk II Lift Off !" - NERV HQ.
(ID #33578) Posted on 2007/01/02 02:35
Ryo Saeba in Shinjuku
Um so which of the wires in the usb cable gives power. Can anyone tell me the name of the wires? Lol u can weather down a gundam easily if we can blow one up with high voltage, or melt it. :)
(ID #33584) Posted on 2007/01/02 02:35
Chopper Dave in Medford, Oregon
Wow. Very nice. You mentioned the PG Strike Batteries were in the head, does this make them a pain to replace? And is the switch a pain as well? Im only asking cause I have one ordered and am curious
(ID #33604) Posted on 2007/01/02 02:35
Danny Choo in Tokyo
Dave, The batteries for Strike are in the head - same goes for GP01. I am not sure about the others but all of these involve removing armor to turn on the diodes...
(ID #33640) Posted on 2007/01/02 02:35
Chris in Melbourne
What brand/colour did you use for the blue on the Mk2? I like it =p
(ID #33832) Posted on 2007/01/02 02:35
William in New York
Alright, long post.... Just wondering how you would mod the Strike Freedom Lightling Edition since it uses two different sources. (Would be nice if it didn't need the stand the torso to light up) Also, I was wondering where I would be able to get a suitable usb power cord for the modding. I have a general idea on what has to be done for the head to light up, although a little tricky. Making a hole through the neckpiece and getting wire to link up with the rest of the circuitry. Thanks.
(ID #35289) Posted on 2007/01/02 02:35
Nomisk in Sydney
Hmmm okay so i tried to usb power my Lightning Version Strike Gundam ....and it works! well for about a day before the head light blew and also since i've connected it to my usb port which is connected to my PC it keeps saying a power surge occured and then nothing conneted to the hub works :/ needless to say that i guess it would work if u get ur voltage/current calculations right or jsut get better LEDS
(ID #36174) Posted on 2007/01/02 02:35
Nomisk in Sydney
Oh and just to flow up on that previous post, William i kinda left out the switch in the head to make some room for the wires coming out and then just used soldered abit of wire to the metal connectors in the head NOT the led, cause i know that they are quite heat sensitive and melt easily, then just screw in the other ends to the back hidding it in the armour not too difficult and shouldnt need for any cutting plasitc bits if u use thin telephone wire (the head is a bit of a diffie since you've got to solder it in the right place else the solder gets in the way of it closing nicely ) Then i just soldered the usb end into the base at the bottom and cut out bits of plastic here and there to make it fit. Like i said before the light might blow out since a cr1220 battery which it takes is only 3v and then the voltage from 3 AA batterys is 1.5v if my memory is still good voltage gets added in series so its 4.5v and then with usb ur supplying it with 5v which will give it an extremmly cool glow if just not for very long(eyes especially)...
(ID #36176) Posted on 2007/01/02 02:35
Andy in Northern Ireland
after getting the usb idea from danny, i thou i wud give it a go, my first "project" was to mod my kampufer. i took the led which was supplied with my old MG zeta gundam, the lil led tht goes into the bk tail. and the good news is tht its the same size as the eye of the kampufer... (and its a clear led which emits red light when connected, WooHoo). wired it up with a cut off usb led and it worked!! my next project was my PG strike, i didnt start with the head led cos its sorta boxed-in, i need more time to figure out how to minimise the damage when wiring it in. n e ways, i turned my attention to the mod-able beam rifle. after cutting off holes here and there i finally managed to fit in a led, but when connected to the usb it heats up in less then 10sec... >_< well, i was kinda thinking of finding a 2v resister to wire in, but then i think a dimmer switch wud b a better idea since a dimmer switch controls the power going into the light bulb. n e ways, i've yet to try it out but tell me wot u think guys.
(ID #37390) Posted on 2007/01/02 02:35
Carl Smith in Wiltshire,England
What type of USB cable(s) and other cable(s) would be best to use?Is it just one type or any type of cable?
(ID #46847) Posted on 2007/04/21 13:00
I just used an USB extention cable and cut off one end, and leaving the other end that is used to plug into my computer. And connected it to the leds, but in the case of my pg strike, I extented it with telephone cable cause the cables are thin.
(ID #47366) Posted on 2007/05/04 18:34
shane in maryland
can the strike freedom lightning edition be powered by a usb cable to? so it can still light up its body and head?
(ID #48704) Posted on 2007/05/29 17:42
Omg!! I so wanna do this, but the melting head thing really made me worry lol
(ID #54805) Posted on 2007/08/18 19:52
Right i found out that most usb cables have a voltage of around 4.75 to 5v so you would need to check the maximum voltage the LED you are using can take. i hade to modify the head of my PG rx78-2 to hold a 5mmm LED since the LED i got with the kit has a maximum voltage of about 2v and i frazzled that withing about 3 seconds of connecting it up. So for any one that wants to do this in the future u might wanna find the maximum voltage your LED can handle.
(ID #56261) Posted on 2007/09/03 19:52
Full-time slacker A.K.A College Student
I saw this done once to a PG Wing Zero Custom. I was pondering the idea of doing it to my MG Zaku. The melting head is a concern though.
(ID #67992) Posted on 2007/12/28 02:50
Ryan in Toronto
thats a great idea danny...so u can use any usb cable right?
(ID #75578) Posted on 1999/11/30 15:24
Danny Choo in 東京
Hey Ryan - not just any old cable - the USB cable I used was one for supplying power only. If you dont have one, you will probably need to make your own by looking at a USB2 diagram like this one. http://www.matsonic.com/new/faqsdata/image/usb.jpg My electronics is not up to scratch though.
(ID #75580) Posted on 1999/11/30 15:24
Hates_ in London, UK
And there was me thinking you'd managed to make it fly via USB power! ;)
(ID #75581) Posted on 1999/11/30 15:24
Hardi in Shang Hai
Hmm ... Gundam Mk II with cables. "Gundam Mk II Lift Off !" - NERV HQ.
(ID #75582) Posted on 1999/11/30 15:24
Ryo Saeba in Shinjuku
Um so which of the wires in the usb cable gives power. Can anyone tell me the name of the wires? Lol u can weather down a gundam easily if we can blow one up with high voltage, or melt it. :)
(ID #75588) Posted on 1999/11/30 15:24
Chopper Dave in Medford, Oregon
Wow. Very nice. You mentioned the PG Strike Batteries were in the head, does this make them a pain to replace? And is the switch a pain as well? Im only asking cause I have one ordered and am curious
(ID #75608) Posted on 1999/11/30 15:24
Danny Choo in Tokyo
Dave, The batteries for Strike are in the head - same goes for GP01. I am not sure about the others but all of these involve removing armor to turn on the diodes...
(ID #75644) Posted on 1999/11/30 15:24
Chris in Melbourne
What brand/colour did you use for the blue on the Mk2? I like it =p
(ID #75836) Posted on 1999/11/30 15:24
William in New York
Alright, long post.... Just wondering how you would mod the Strike Freedom Lightling Edition since it uses two different sources. (Would be nice if it didn't need the stand the torso to light up) Also, I was wondering where I would be able to get a suitable usb power cord for the modding. I have a general idea on what has to be done for the head to light up, although a little tricky. Making a hole through the neckpiece and getting wire to link up with the rest of the circuitry. Thanks.
(ID #77293) Posted on 1999/11/30 15:24
Nomisk in Sydney
Hmmm okay so i tried to usb power my Lightning Version Strike Gundam ....and it works! well for about a day before the head light blew and also since i've connected it to my usb port which is connected to my PC it keeps saying a power surge occured and then nothing conneted to the hub works :/ needless to say that i guess it would work if u get ur voltage/current calculations right or jsut get better LEDS
(ID #78178) Posted on 1999/11/30 15:24
Nomisk in Sydney
Oh and just to flow up on that previous post, William i kinda left out the switch in the head to make some room for the wires coming out and then just used soldered abit of wire to the metal connectors in the head NOT the led, cause i know that they are quite heat sensitive and melt easily, then just screw in the other ends to the back hidding it in the armour not too difficult and shouldnt need for any cutting plasitc bits if u use thin telephone wire (the head is a bit of a diffie since you've got to solder it in the right place else the solder gets in the way of it closing nicely ) Then i just soldered the usb end into the base at the bottom and cut out bits of plastic here and there to make it fit. Like i said before the light might blow out since a cr1220 battery which it takes is only 3v and then the voltage from 3 AA batterys is 1.5v if my memory is still good voltage gets added in series so its 4.5v and then with usb ur supplying it with 5v which will give it an extremmly cool glow if just not for very long(eyes especially)...
(ID #78180) Posted on 1999/11/30 15:24
Andy in Northern Ireland
after getting the usb idea from danny, i thou i wud give it a go, my first "project" was to mod my kampufer. i took the led which was supplied with my old MG zeta gundam, the lil led tht goes into the bk tail. and the good news is tht its the same size as the eye of the kampufer... (and its a clear led which emits red light when connected, WooHoo). wired it up with a cut off usb led and it worked!! my next project was my PG strike, i didnt start with the head led cos its sorta boxed-in, i need more time to figure out how to minimise the damage when wiring it in. n e ways, i turned my attention to the mod-able beam rifle. after cutting off holes here and there i finally managed to fit in a led, but when connected to the usb it heats up in less then 10sec... >_< well, i was kinda thinking of finding a 2v resister to wire in, but then i think a dimmer switch wud b a better idea since a dimmer switch controls the power going into the light bulb. n e ways, i've yet to try it out but tell me wot u think guys.
(ID #79394) Posted on 1999/11/30 15:24
Would this USB methord fully power the Gundam Strike Freedom Lightning Ed? if not would i have to wire up a second USB?
(ID #343092) Posted on 2008/10/23 05:46
From what I recall when I asked this a while back, it can if you can connect the head LED into the circuit. However, you should either change the LED in the head or put a resistor along the way from the body to the head. This is because the USB power method will output 5volts of power to the gundam, .5 more volts compared to the body and 2volts more than the head. If I ever dig out my Lightling Edition, I might give it a go since I bought a bunch of LEDs. Currently working on 1/144 kits from 00 though. ^_~
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