have you ever heard of an instance where someone is inexperienced with wiring and lighting and miswired a model, plugged in the batteries or plugged it in only to have the polystyrene burst into flames barring explosives pre-installed into the kit?

no...but I'd love to see the pics of your............

oh, sorry........




pics of THAT terrible event!

Not quite. But I did learn the hard way why not to use Quartz Halogen flashlight bulbs inside an enclosed model. It soon resembled something that would be done by Salvadore Dali.

have you ever heard of an instance where someone is inexperienced with wiring and lighting and miswired a model, plugged in the batteries or plugged it in only to have the polystyrene burst into flames barring explosives pre-installed into the kit?

I have seen pictures of people using Christmas lights and foil as a light block,
It sure made me cringe.....:drunk: We all need to respect eletricity, especially
high voltage. Even if the current is low, it can kill...... Or in the case you speak of, burn down the house..... Even if a battery is all someone is using, get the polarity wrong or a short and that battery can explode. I'd hate to be the dad rushing his kid to the emergency room with acid burns. I've been working with electronics since I was a kid and professionally for over 30 years
and have a healthy respect for eletricity.... Be informed before you start and
you will have fun lighting your kits, don't, and it will come back to bite you.

P.S. I hope that wasn't you....

goodness no. I was just prompted to post this when I saw modelsj's war machine in the other thread with the transformer in the kit rather than outside it. Frankly, I wouldn't have known any better either - just I know they can generate a lot of heat and I know from experience polystyrene is very flammable.

Hence the reason that wiring diagrams, schematics and layman-language instructions are VITAL with lighting kits!!! Sure, as modellers we know how to putty, sand, cement, primer & paint, but not all of us are experienced with wiring, soldering and basic electronics, no matter how "simple" it is to the folks who make these lighting kits who assume that we kit builders are just as skilled as they are. :(

Be informed before you start and
you will have fun lighting your kits, don't, and it will come back to bite you.

I hear a lot of people use the term "bite" when referring to being shocked when working with anything electrical. Here's why:

I was tinkering with a disposable camera - two AA cells, "no big deal", I thought until I touched a steel contact. Yeah, I got bit. :eek:

I hear a lot of people use the term "bite" when referring to being shocked when working with anything electrical. Here's why:

I was tinkering with a disposable camera - two AA cells, "no big deal", I thought until I touched a steel contact. Yeah, I got bit. :eek:

That's because of the high voltage for the flash unit.....:wave:

Not to mention the power is increased so many times being routed through so many transformers...yeowch!

not like sticking your tongue on a 9V, either.

Felt that for days.

Not to mention the power is increased so many times being routed through so many transformers...yeowch!

not like sticking your tongue on a 9V, either.

Felt that for days.

Even when off or the batteries out, the main capacitor can have a few hundred volts stored in it and when on, the trigger voltage for the Xenon
tube can be about 4kv.......:drunk: It's a step-up transformer and can do it's job very well.....;)

I hear a lot of people use the term "bite" when referring to being shocked when working with anything electrical. Here's why:

I was tinkering with a disposable camera - two AA cells, "no big deal", I thought until I touched a steel contact. Yeah, I got bit. :eek:

On Spike TV's Manswers there was a segment on turning a disposable camera into a taser. Not something I would just be playing around with unless I know what I'm doing!


For the record...I wouldn't have a clue, and would end up knocking my tush across the room from the shock!!!

I wrecked a perfectly good slot car. I was adding a custom made led 4 bulb set a friend made for me. I thought it would be cool to light all 4 headlights in Monogram's Shelby Cobra GT...well, not so much. I made a mess of a cool light set and a pretty slot car.

Steve

Yep, when I was testing that thin fluoro for the m.w.m with 6v d.c., it bit with what felt like 110. The flat sheet I used for my NX-01 engines steps 9v up to 110 and found that out the hard way!!

this may be an appropriate time to point out that with the higher voltages used on EL sheet and CCFLs are enough to stop a heart even at the low power involved.

The horribly wrong here could be hurting yourself.

If you're not sure what end to touch, stick to low voltages (no up-converting AC driver modules involved) and bulbs or LEDs.

No, Alexandria Indiana is the REAL hell!