So today was LED wiring day.
4 additional white LED’s
3 blue LED’s
1 green LED
1 orange flickering LED (which is in transit with an ETA of October 13)
My second circuit with power switch went in fine, although the electronics shop didnt have battery boxes with covers or built in power switches, so I had to learn how to solder in a power switch. Chatgpt told me how to do it, and how to use my multimeter for testing the circuit as well as how to test an LED works without having to temporarily wire it to the battery box. Big help for future models.
I don’t think I did too badly for my first time soldering.
I did make one very rookie mistake. Well 2 actually.
The first was that I must have mixed up a purple LED with my white ones as the purples I have don’t have a visible colour to the bulb until they are turned on. I had soldered everything and it was not until I did a power test that I discovered by mistake, so I had to cut that one out and replace it. ![]()
My second mistake is a lot more obvious as I cannot fix it at this time. I never planned anywhere for the second battery box and switch to go, nor did I take into account that the additional wires being added to the original battery box would not fit into the compartment built into the model for the box to be hidden. At this time for the competition unfortunately both battery boxes will sitting be hidden behind my model. At some point, I will make something to cover them and paint it up to look like part of the mode. Who knows, I might come up with a solution before submission cut-off, but I am going to Rottnest Island for 5 days on the 18th and won’t be able to take anything along to build ![]()
I had also 3D printed some 3mm LED spotlight housings (designed for a RC Car) and diffusers for some of the LED to be mounted into. They turned out well I think.
Wiring for the one above will be painted black and hidden under external dead greenery.
Here is how they look lit up. These are white, but my photo makes them look bluish. I was unable to get warm whites to match the interior one, but I think cold white suits outdoors better. If I want to change them, I can always colour over the difusers with one of my alcohol markers to tint them.
So even though today was all LED’s (except for grocery shopping), I think it was very productive.
I think I will be finished at some time in the next week, with the exception of the one flicker LED that I am waiting to arrive and the necessary work to hild that ones wires.
How are you going on your models?
Happy Crafting folks.






