USB Powered PG Gundam
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!
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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Seat warmer
http://bitebackblog.blogspot.com/
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.
Seat warmer
http://bitebackblog.blogspot.com/
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.
Seat warmer
http://bitebackblog.blogspot.com/
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.
Seat warmer
http://bitebackblog.blogspot.com/
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.
College Student :D
Omg!!
I so wanna do this, but the melting head thing really made me worry lol
College Student :D
Omg!!
I so wanna do this, but the melting head thing really made me worry lol
College Student :D
Omg!!
I so wanna do this, but the melting head thing really made me worry lol
College Student :D
Omg!!
I so wanna do this, but the melting head thing really made me worry lol
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.
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.
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.
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.
Full-time slacker A.K.A College Student
http://www.myotaku.com/users/heero_yuy
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.
College Student
Would this USB methord fully power the Gundam Strike Freedom Lightning Ed? if not would i have to wire up a second USB?
Part-timer
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. ^_~