Vibro-motor question/help.

[CGompertz09]

I have two questions. Number one, those of you who have put vibro motor in hilts, has anyone used one similar to this?
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w124/viperboygts14/IMG_0264.jpg
It's out of my old Motorola Rizr phone. I can't find anywhere online what kind of power it requires/maxes out at, and therefore wouldnt know what resister to use. I know there are ways to test for that, but I lack the equipment. Any thoughts?

Number 2, has anyone used the 3V vibro motors that Radio-shack sells? Work well? Easy to hook up? Resister required? Any input would help, thanks.

[mrknify]

uh..... sorry buds, there was one guy on here who talked about a motor along time ago. best bet is check your motorolla battery for voltage, and start with 1/5 that and see.

now some of the r/c "standard" motors can burn out without resistance (in the form of it moving something) so best bet is board it, and check with a variable resister, (i had the name a minute ago..)
Potentiometer!!!

[Jabbas_reluctant_slave]

I haven't used that exact motor, but I have used the one from radio shack, and a few others. I've always based the resistor value solely on how much I wanted it to vibrate. Think of yourself as Ivan Drago
http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u384/Jabbas_reluctant_slave/Lundgren_Ivan_Drago.jpg( I ALWAYS do)and the motor as Apollo Creed "If he dies, he dies!" and dont worry too much about burning it out. Grab a handful of different resistors (or a potentiometer) and use the value that seems to work best for the level of vibration your looking to achieve. I have yet to kill one using the "Drago" method.

[DarkarNights]

They tend to run 1V to 3V, but the current they can handle is the more important thing. In the PC2.0 manual on page 19 Erv describes the use of these and how to calculate the resistor you need. Erv uses an example of running it at a current of 100mA. From my reading on here, many smiths seem to prefer running lower in ranges from 20mA to 50mA so the vibrations are "less annoying." Finding the current that produces your preferred vibration level may take some experimenting.

[CGompertz09]

I haven't used that exact motor, but I have used the one from radio shack, and a few others. I've always based the resistor value solely on how much I wanted it to vibrate. Think of yourself as Ivan Drago
http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u384/Jabbas_reluctant_slave/Lundgren_Ivan_Drago.jpg( I ALWAYS do)and the motor as Apollo Creed "If he dies, he dies!" and dont worry too much about burning it out. Grab a handful of different resistors (or a potentiometer) and use the value that seems to work best for the level of vibration your looking to achieve. I have yet to kill one using the "Drago" method.

Haha, love the analogy. May I ask what strength (right term?) resistor you used with the Radioshack motor?

[DarkarNights]

Unfortunatly you will not get a quick easy answer to this question. There is not an exact resistor to use with that motor. As I described above, you use the right resistor based upon how much current(mA) you want to feed to the motor to get your desired level of vibration. The RadioShack motor is a 3V motor, so that's the value you will use to calculate. Use the formula found in the Petit Crouton 2.0 user manual like I mentioned above. Go here, http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz, to find a good resistor calculator. If you are using a PC/CF with flicker effects and tying it into your led so it changes vibration with blade flicker, then the source voltage will be the forward voltage of the led. If your setup is direct drive or buckpuck then you are going to use your battery source as the source voltage. Plug in the numbers to figure out which resistors will be needed to get different current numbers (i.e. 20, 30, 40, 50, 100mA). Then experiment to find out what current produces a vibration you like. If you choose the quick and easy path (and you know where that leads8-)) you can just pick a current and take a gamble on ordering one resistor. I don't suggest going higher than 100mA.

[Jabbas_reluctant_slave]

Yeah, what Darkar said. And sorry, I dont know what resistors I've used for any of them. I can tell you that I've let them run a lot higher than 100mA, but thats just me. I figure if I'm going to to put a rumble motor in there I want to really feel it, and they can hit pretty hard before setting off your swings. Like we've said, just experiment (you can get a pack of assorted 1/4 or 1/8watt resistors pretty cheap) and find the value that works for you. Also, maybe write down whatever it is you end up using, so when someone asks, you can give them a real answer and not have to resort to making bad Rocky references (like some people).

[DarkarNights]

Yeah, the only reason I say I don't suggest over 100mA is because that is what Erv suggested, and I know it's a safe number that won't fry your motor. I have no idea what the upward limits of these motors are.

[CGompertz09]

Thanks for the tips guys! I have already been reading the PC 2 manual a lot lately, but I have very little knowledge of working with electronic's resistors, wiring, voltage and all that jazz. Hence why I'm going with pre-wired PC 2.0, haha. I actually just put in my order for the majority of my hilt's electronic a few hours ago, except for LED; P4 Blue is out of stock... :( But at least soon I'll be able to start fiddling around with everything.

[mrknify]

i read how erv (plector creator) built his crystal chamber to react with the sound voltge, soumds like the motor could do the same ;)

[Jabbas_reluctant_slave]

i read how erv (plector creator) built his crystal chamber to react with the sound voltge, soumds like the motor could do the same ;)
I think it was actually the Plecters that created Erv.

[DarkarNights]

I think it was actually the Plecters that created Erv.

LOL, that's the funniest thing I've read all day. Yeah, Plecter is Erv's name, not a product. :p