Hi folks,
Here's a mini-build-sub-thread for converting a spare Electron Beam launch controller for the Q2G2 ignitors. First a few disclaimers and so forth:
-I'm not an expert. I'm relating what I did, not telling you what you should do. Anything you do is at your own risk.
-When I was a kid I was I was kind of a whiz with electronics and such but that was 30 years ago.
-For stuff like this it's my nature to plan a little and then play it by ear. Be kind!
-The idea of using a direct replacement LED that goes in is an obviously great idea but I didn't feel like ordering stuff and waiting for it to come. Also, as you'll see, there would still have been a bit of work to doing it that way.
I'm not sure how to insert pictures inline with the text on this board so I'll do this over a few posts.
OK. First, I'm using as the basis for this build the standard yellow Electron Beam controller that comes in the starter sets. I unscrewed the battery door screws and found that the rest of the works inside were not immediately accessible. They are glued in behind a plastic cover.
To remove this plastic cover I inserted a screwdriver in a little gap near where the positive battery terminal contact is. I levered it up a bit, then used a sharp mat knife (new blade) to cut the bonded plastic joint for the length of the long axis. Every few millimeters I repositioned the screwdriver I was using to pry up a bit more plastic. A steady hand and sharp blade let me cut the whole length of the controller. After that I turned 90 degrees and did the same thing to cut the short side, after which the remaining glue failed and I was able to remove the cover, exposing the guts.
Sorry, I didn't take a picture at this stage.
With the electronics exposed, I could see it was pretty basic in there. A bulb and some sheet metal bits with a little joint for the launch key to make contact across. Should be pretty easy to retrofit.
The parts I used were from Radio Shack:
The Ultra Bright Blue LED part 276-006
Part of an LED holder part 276-080
330 Ohm resistor 271-1315
I unscrewed the screw holding the top metal contact plate that contacted the postive battery terminal. I removed this plate as well as a small yellow plastic ring that retains the bottom contact plate. The bulb is a bayonet-base thing that lives in a little plastic holder that slides in and out of the mount.
Now for an interesting revelation: for a typical user, if the bulb failed, there's no way to replace it short of cutting the controlle open. I assumed the clear bulb protector would twist off or some such but I found it is glued on. The only way to replace the bulb is to cut your way in like I did.
Anyway, I used the rubber lead spacer from the LED holder and slid it over the LED leads, pushing it all the way to the LED. I then built up its width with a strip of electrical tape I cut just slightly wider than the rubber thing. I used enough tape winds so that it now fits well in the bulb holder: