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Wiring Question
Dec 16, 2023 17:50:58 #
gastech1949
Loc: Imperial Beach, CA.
Sorry forgot to tell you that I believe that the white connector is for a battery input, so when USB power is applied you might check to see if there is power to the terminals of the connector.
Dec 16, 2023 18:00:15 #
gastech1949 wrote:
USB power is 5V DC Red wire is positive, Black wir... (show quote)
If the lights are LED then you don't have continuity unless your meter putout more than 2V (many don't).
Dec 17, 2023 07:03:11 #
Jerry, you do find some odd things from time to time. However this time I would have only one question, do you use a large trash bag or will it fit in a regular one! But my guess is that you will get it working!
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Dec 17, 2023 08:08:57 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I got a little display case from China through Ama... (show quote)
The circuit board appears to be a regulator or perhaps a programable switch that allows the lights to blink or even come on at intervals. It regulates the incoming USB line which can be 5 VDC or more depending on the source. LEDs require 3-5 VDC in most designs. So this regulator provides the LEDs with the proper voltage and isolates the display from the outside USB source power. Also, most likely there is a built-in fuse somewhere on that circuit board. This board has surface mount components so it will be very small and non-replaceable for most users.
The output of the circuit board is on the RED (+) and Blue (-) and will be between 3 and 5 VDC. The manual ON/OFF switch switches the Blue (-) line on and off and outputs into the BLACK wire which is still the (-) line.
So the outputs to the LEDs are the RED (+) line and the BLACK (-) line. To make the LEDs work they have to be connected with the proper polarity. Since we cannot see the LEDs themselves and they do not appear to be marked on the wires - Just hook them up, if they are connected with the correct polarity they will light up, if not they will not. So if they do not come on the first time, just reverse the wires.
The LEDs will not be harmed if they are hooked up with incorrect polarity as long as the voltage is correct. LEDs which are diodes, are often used to block voltages of incorrect polarity as long as the voltage is not excessive. If you want to make sure the regulator board is working properly just put a meter (on DC settings) on the RED and BLACK wires. This will tell you the voltage and polarity.
Not sure what the white 2-pin connector is for. I suspect it may be for daisy chaining several displays together allowing them to run from one power source OR possibly this was used to test or program the circuit board after it was built. Circuit boards like this may have multiple uses and this connector may have been used in other products. It is common practice to install these extra pieces when the board is initially built rather than later.
Dec 17, 2023 08:23:09 #
After more thought that extra white connector could be one of several things.
1. Allows daisy chaining of several displays from a single USB source voltage. If multiple displays were together on a table this would allow one power source to power them all.
2. External battery connector - however if it were a battery connector, there should be DC polarity markings. I could not see any on the circuit board or connector.
3. External AC power connector from a wall transformer or wall wart. Being unmarked in polarity this could be an input of 5-15 VAC (guess) into the board which changes it to the 3-5 VDC for the LEDs. I do see a capacitor and inductor on the board indicating that it could do that as well as regulate the LED voltage.
Number 3 would probably be my best guess with number 1 as the second best guess.
1. Allows daisy chaining of several displays from a single USB source voltage. If multiple displays were together on a table this would allow one power source to power them all.
2. External battery connector - however if it were a battery connector, there should be DC polarity markings. I could not see any on the circuit board or connector.
3. External AC power connector from a wall transformer or wall wart. Being unmarked in polarity this could be an input of 5-15 VAC (guess) into the board which changes it to the 3-5 VDC for the LEDs. I do see a capacitor and inductor on the board indicating that it could do that as well as regulate the LED voltage.
Number 3 would probably be my best guess with number 1 as the second best guess.
Dec 17, 2023 08:35:33 #
Jerry, take a photo of the back side of the extra white connector. See if that connector will plug into the white receptacle on the circuit board. Maybe take better focused pictures of the circuit board from different angles. We are just guessing at this time. I'm still holding with my opinion the red and black are the power source wires.
Dec 17, 2023 08:56:32 #
goofybruce wrote:
Jerry; A suggestion: contact your county community college (maybe even on-line) to see if they have someone on faculty who reads Chinese, or, possibly a local Chinese social club. Another possibility is the county Social Services department who might have someone on staff.
That's a good idea. I could also go to the Chinese restaurant half a mile from my house. The Chinese directions do not apply to this particular model - no wiring included in the pictures. They simply show how to insert the four sides, top, and bottom of the box. No directions are required for that.
Check out The Dynamics of Photographic Lighting section of our forum.
Dec 17, 2023 09:11:28 #
jerryc41 wrote:
That's a good idea. I could also go to the Chinese restaurant half a mile from my house. The Chinese directions do not apply to this particular model - no wiring included in the pictures. They simply show how to insert the four sides, top, and bottom of the box. No directions are required for that.
Cantonese or Mandarin restaurant? LOL Different dialects in China. Good luck. Oh BTW I think that extra white connector may have been for an accessory test button with a little battery connected to test the lights in the shop or store prior to purchase.
Dec 17, 2023 09:17:35 #
Real Nikon Lover wrote:
Cantonese or Mandarin restaurant? LOL Different dialects in China. Good luck. Oh BTW I think that extra white connector may have been for an accessory test button with a little battery connected to test the lights in the shop or store prior to purchase.
Different dialect but the writings are mostly the same. The spoken words can be quite different because Chinese characters are symbolic and not phonetic. The characters don't represent on how to pronounce it like western languages.
Dec 17, 2023 09:18:40 #
tcthome
Loc: NJ
jerryc41 wrote:
The only directions were pictures and Chinese writing showing how to assemble it. The pictures do not even show the lamp or the wires. Directions weren't necessary for assembly.
Send a copy to Nikon ,JApan/China or Sony & ask for translation!
& an eggg roll! 
Dec 17, 2023 09:30:38 #
Real Nikon Lover wrote:
Cantonese or Mandarin restaurant?
Seriously? 😂
That's my excuse for not learning Chinese. Would I learn Cantonese or Mandarin? 😋
I've been watching a lot of Charlie Chan movies, and I'm beginning to think in that choppy dialog he uses. It's a shame they couldn't use Chinese actors to play Charlie in those films. There were many other Chinese actors, but not the lead. Two Japanese actors played the lead, but never a Chinese actor.
Dec 17, 2023 11:56:10 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I got a little display case from China through Ama... (show quote)
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=moreart+display+case+wiring+diagram&qpvt=MoreArt+display+case+wiring+diagram&form=IGRE&first=1 might help you out?
bwa
Dec 17, 2023 12:12:09 #
Dec 17, 2023 12:24:49 #
Finn Man wrote:
I know enough about electricity to let an electrician do the job...K.A.N.
Yeah hire an electrician and see if he can do the job.
Dec 17, 2023 13:58:55 #
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