Adam Savage's Guide to Cosplay and Prop Electronics!

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Adam walks us through how to draw and implement a wiring diagram to incorporate simple electronics like lights and fans to your cosplay and props. Electronics can be an intimidating part of prop building, but they can be kept simple and implemented without any soldering if you use off-the-shelf components like wire nuts and alligator clips to test your setups. Adam gives a demo of his personal electronics process using a foam helmet by adding lights, fans, and a power switch!
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Shot by Gunther Kirsch and edited by Norman Chan
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Thanks for watching!
#AdamSavage

[@almostanengineer]

That self gate keeping is why I’m 34 and on the first year of my BEng in Mechanical Engineering, it took a global pandemic to make me realise that if I don’t try, I will never know if I can do it or not, but if I do, I’ve a greater chance of being able to.

[@wints2000]

Another way of doing diagrams is ground along the bottom, and power (hot) along the top. (battery at the side) This helps to show which things influence which current paths. Each row from top to bottom is a flow of current (add them for total current usage) Each item encountered on each row is a place you could have a voltage drop. (12V -> [resistor] -> [LED] -> gnd) All voltage must be accounted for from top to bottom. This would show that the main switch will be carrying more current than the others, (obviously) and that the failure of any one LED will not affect any of the others. Also when making you can build any path from top to bottom and then test that individually without having to wait till it is all built to start testing.

[@JosephDavies]

Those are useful tips, thank you!

[@KiatnissNZ]

wish my teacher taught me that in highschool, would have made that unit so much easier

[@mbushroe]

This makes each 'section' wired in parallel, which is by far and away the most common. I just that that it you used the same style you could take each section, the LEDs and use a whole sheet to draw just them, a wire coming into the top of the sheet, the LED switch, then below that a line side to side for the plus end of each diode, a line across the bottom to attach all the black LEDs, then line going down the bottom for ground. With clip leads for power for each section they can be tested individually. Once they do what you can cut and paste them into a larger piece with the battery and master power switch.

[@Edi62768]

Thank you so much for making this video. You did help demystify LED lighting for me. Also, the part about out mental gatekeeping, struck home. A lot of my life has been me doing that to myself, and every time I overcame it, I wondered why I let learning something new stop me before. Thank you, Adam.

[@simonhoney2050]

This always feels like a stupid story, but my epiphany with this came a few years ago when, at 30, I decided to improve my handwriting. Just something I'd never even imagined I could change, you know? That's just something that you leave school and it is what it is, right? But work and practice you really can learn anything. It's really just self gatekeeping holding you back. Anyway I write in a relatively good Spencerian cursive these days.. even do some calligraphy. :)

[@3.k]

@@simonhoney2050 I’m German, and my handwriting is horrible, but if I take the time, I can do some calligraphy. Because I want to improve my handwriting, and I noticed that American cursive looks different from German cursive, I had an American friend send me handwriting learning books for American first graders. Now I just need to push myself and start practicing. 🙈

[@DaniRiot]

Adam, you need to discover wago connectors. They will instantly be your new preference over wire nuts

[@Doodlebob563]

Never heard of these before, so fancy! I imagine though that each has it's own use, and wire nuts are certainly cheaper :o

[@prodestrian]

Saw a video on these recently and thinking about picking some up, they look very handy!

[@cobiebeef]

@@Doodlebob563 you should give them a try! They make wiring things up a joy! It's especially great for things you plan to put together and take apart later (it doesn't chew up your wires like regular wire nuts)

[@Doodlebob563]

@@cobiebeef I'll keep them in mind for sure! I can already see that they would make everything much cleaner as well, wire nuts are not a very pretty solution.

[@andrewsheffield4226]

Whoa that's amazing

[@JohnyByrne]

I like the way Adam puts the wiring at the end of the build process. Like a building (construction) contract. The sparks are the last to work on the structure as the main work has been done already.

[@Kiranito7]

Love watching your channel! Thanks for demystifying wiring for me. Sometimes it is hard to find someone who actually explains everything with the perfect amount of info needed to understand a topic and at the same time motivate to learn more about it. (Hope that made sense) You're a great teacher! Keep it up!

[@AggroNoobs]

3 years later and this little guide helped me finally wire up a piece without burning the house down. Adam stays the king.

[@timatee4545]

Someone's probably mentioned it but: You should really give WAGO connecters a try, specifically the WAGO 221 series. They're great! They've significantly sped up my protyping speed and I don't tend to run into the same issues I do with wirenuts (breaking the nut or breaking off the conductor wire.)

[@metrazol]

Lever nuts are a goshdarn delight.

[@KG4JYS]

wago seems to be what Europeans use, wire nuts are what Americans use. For home and auto electrical anyway. For electronics, normally a soldered connection is used due to the smaller size. Also, wago and wirenuts have a significant voltage drop and corresponding power draw. Soldered connections tend to be electrically indistinguishable from uncut wire (or close). The drops will be in millivolts (as are LED's) but that can really add up over time and matters when you're running from a battery.

[@johnalexander2349]

Stop it, Patrick, you're scaring him.

[@MagnaRyuuDesigns]

@@KG4JYS Well for prototyping and testing a circuit the drop and draw of Wago isn't an issue

[@bmailliard]

WAGO are so much better than wire nuts

[@TheoneStanband]

I LOVE them wire nuts, I can never have enough of them things lying around my work bench.

[@calebfink3542]

Im currently in the field of electrical control systems, and videos like these are what first sparked my interest! I started out with a box of leds, transistors, switches, and some resistors without any idea of how to use them. But after lots of tinkering, and playing around with them (and plenty of KZbin videos) I got the gist. 7 years later now I'm wiring up robotic assembly lines! This stuff is my jam, and this video brings back memories that are much more fun in hindsight lol. Thanks for the smile mate!

[@cobiebeef]

No way, I'm in the same field! I'm not as far along in my carrier though :)

[@papabear2970]

Hi Adam , i learned my self electronics by imagining the leads as a running water system💧 and the switches as valves to regulate where the flow can and cant go. This makes it much much to get into the basics. Love your vids greetings from Holland

[@simonhoney2050]

So my dad was an electrician, and this is sort of how he showed me to do electronics as a kid. It's something I've always felt comfortable with because of that. I hope your energy and can-do attitude help people approach low voltage projects more willingly, or dig deeper into electronics in general. You can learn anything, and that's never been more true than it is now.

[@rlt422]

YAY for basic electronics! I've been an electronics hobbyist for decades now and I ALWAYS love seeing people cover the basics because everyone has different approaches to things and I find that you are NEVER so advanced that you don't need a refresher of the basics every now and then :)

[@redwolf9342]

This video absolutely did help me overcome some hesitation on wiring my Mando costume. Also the staff I'm building with it.

[@bikerfirefarter7280]

See Grom 2000's comment, use that method and you will know/remember huge systematic diagrams. It is the way plug/ptototype boards are set up and used.

[@juliabreckner2759]

The wiring diagram and alligator clips were the majority of my college physics two lab! Love the explanation of electronics.

[@sirzaphod8412]

I would strongly recommend the book "Getting Started in Electronics" by Forrest M. Mims III. I am an electronics engineering student and this book is by far the best introduction to electronics I have ever read. It only has 99 pages of instructions written in an easy to read format (with lots of pictures) for people with short attention spans. It covers the basic formulas need for calculating electrical values, and is designed for easy referencing. I keep a stack of these books at home to give away as gifts.

[@TheGeekiestGuy]

Nice helmet, BTW. Good stuff, my mans. To whomever is actually reading this- thank you for cutting this video together and publishing it online.

[@TheGeekiestGuy]

I've twisted a lot of wires and put out a lot of other peoples fires. I thank you, Adam, for showing folks the basics. I wish I could attain the strippers you use and that crimper is truly ballin outta control, my friend. I think showing folks the basics is a good thing. If they don't feel comfy shoring things up after that- I always suggest passing off their projects to somebody that's good with a soldering iron and a schematic to tighten things up and make their working prototype into something wearable. You, showing folks this stuff is truly a good thing and I wholeheartedly think more folks should create and build their dreams. I'm rewiring a 1954 Chevy Belair tomorrow and it makes me so very happy to know people can watch this video and know they can at least get the basics down before completion. You rock.

[@bob9802]

This certainly is all the basics to get started. Simple circuits are just a game of connect the dots. Look at the voltage ratings, and it is all pretty easy from there. To improve longevity and reliability, the crimpers have an optimal direction. The crimped end of the spade connector has a split in the metal. The crushing force should be applied in line with that split. If the crimper has the male and female side to the jaws, put the split in the female, with the male crimper pushing on the solid side. Crimping randomly works most of the time, but it is much more likely to fall apart over time. If you have a little more money, and want a reusable solution easier than wire nuts, look at Wago lever nuts. The have them from 2 to 6 opening that I have used. They are more reliable, and far easier, but 5 to 20 times the price. I pulled a ton of them out of the scrap bin at work, and they are still going strong a dozen projects later. (I use them during prototyping, and then solder the final)

[@MLSMultimedia]

The enthusiasm - I love it! I really enjoy your videos, and great tips & tricks for demystifying electronics! Thank you! Keep it coming!

[@blackbadger4419]

That is by far the most useful video I've gotten out of my subscription of this channel. Considering the crazy amount of tips, insights, ideas and perspectives I've already gotten, that's saying a LOT! Great video, great execution, thank you guys so much!

[@punishedprops]

Excellent upgrade to the helmet! =D

[@ChadForquer]

Now I want to see a video where you add a spinning light to something.

[@maxximumb]

When saw the helmet at first I thought it was missing something. Now I know.

[@kaleikealoha6775]

I needed to wire my spengler neutrona wand to my proton pack. This video couldn't have come at a better time. Thanks Tested!

[@elijahmoore9414]

Honestly the most demystifying video I've seen on electronics introduction. Thank you Adam!

[@Stickiedude]

I just got finished making an RGB led strip controller for a mates film set. I've been tinkering electronics for years. We pretty much follow the same process.

[@mycarolinaskies]

A reasonable base primer for the DIYer thinking about wiring simple DC circuits. Another build method is to use a breadboard for the circuits. It's a handy tool for building the wiring circuits without connectors until you've proved the system works. Look up breadboard kits and you can discover how to built basic circuits and learn how your electronics work. Though today much of the wiring is replaced by micro circuitry, the concepts are the same! I built a 'dew heater' and dashpot control for a simple 12v heating system for a telescope to keep dew from forming on the optics. Starting with a diagram and figuring out the voltages and resistances took me a while with the math, but the wiring itself was straight forward.

[@Vickie-Bligh]

Thanks for making a wiring diagram much clearer.

[@ronniepirtlejr2606]

I'm happy to see that someone as well-known as Adam, does His schematics & wiring like I do!👍

[@peckenstein]

This video has amazing timing! I've been trying to wrap my head around the wiring of some 12v accessories and corresponding rocker switches for my golf cart. You never cease to amaze me Adam with your knowledge and the ability to break it down in layman terms. I really hope to one day have the opportunity to meet you. Keep being awesome!

[@michaeldean1934]

"pole" is the number of circuits the change with a single movement of the switch. "throw" is the number of contact points. single pole, double throw has two circuits with one or the other (not both) operational at a time double pole, single throw has two circuits that be either both closed or both open double pole, Double throw, center open has two "A" circuits, two "B" circuits, and the center leaves all 4 circuits open. (three position lever)

[@JonoButSimple]

This was such a useful crash course for someone who is aspiring to add lighting to builds but has always found the task too daunting. Thanks guys!

[@aanderson1991]

I've been a huge fan of Solder Seal Connectors lately. Super easy to use, just hit with a heat gun, and you get a solid connection that's water tight.

[@BenRyherd]

The 6 pin one is a double pole, double throw. You can also use a single pole double throw to alternate between turning on a 5v circuit and a 12v circuit. You connect both grounds to the center/common and then the rest of your 5v circuit to one side and the rest of your 12v circuit to the other side. 12000mAH (milliAmpHours) is the same as 12 amp hours, which would mean that you can "run a solid amp" for 12 hours assuming 100% efficiency and properly labeled batteries. It also means you could run 12 amps for one hour if your batteries can actually manage to put out 12amps, which most power banks can't). Then if you're running lower voltage items off of higher voltage batteries, you can also run your calculations by watt hours (Voltage x Amp hours) to get your equivalences. IE a 12 volt 5 Amp Hour battery (60 watt hours) could drive a 5 volt 1 amp item (5 watts) for 12 hours (5 watts * 12 hours = 60 watt hours) again assuming properly labeled batteries, 100% efficiency and batteries capable of delivering the required current.

[@SamiKankaristo]

It's not a normal DPDT switch, since the switch has 3 positions. The middle position is probably off. So, it's kind of like a 2P3T switch, where one of the throws is unconnected (or in the case of that switch, cannot be connected).

[@robb1267]

"Being dumb on camera is my brand." Lol :)

[@tested]

Check out kiwico.com/tested and get 50% off your first month of any crate! DC Power Supply: amzn.to/3iYCJ1n Automatic Wire Strippers: amzn.to/3slTN4m Alligator Clips: amzn.to/3g98RgQ Wire Nuts: amzn.to/3jZABWi Assorted wire connectors: amzn.to/37LxxaC

[@spyder2782]

I didnt see a link to the battery pack you showed

[@djalien.official]

gooooooood

[@rioncitylife1917]

hi Adam, " well don't have to worry about not being seen", :) future of hemets

[@Napster60]

I want to wire all your things.. I love low power DC wiring like this so much. also.. REALLY want to solder your setup XD Like an O.C.D. level of want to make it clean and durable..

[@thompuckett9547]

Great information Adam. Thank you so much for the share. I co-Admin a model building group on Facebook and love to share your videos to our members. Lots of great information for the newbies as well as the seasoned model builder. Again thank you so much.

[@springmontes]

What's the name of the FB group? I'd love to join.

[@thompuckett9547]

@@springmontes Styrene Dreams

[@earnbrand8536]

I do a fair bit of wiring as an I&C tech, and also verifying wiring that someone else has installed. Highlighting the prints is absolutely essential for complicated jobs. Our convention is yellow highlighter for wires that have been visually checked, and red pen over that after a continuity check with a multimeter.

[@Varaqouis]

Don't apologize...you've finally made this make sense in my brain. This is awesome!

[@robmills4709]

Great content. One tip, after stripping insulation leave in place and twist whilst pulling it off, makes a tighter twist, especially if soldering.

[@AnthonyFrancisJones]

Good idea Rob, I think many use strippers in a way that removes the insulation completely, which is the problem.

[@justinsaunders4068]

Adam- " I need a wiring diagram, I can't hold it in my head" All electrical/electronics engineers - " Neither can we"

[@Streamtronics]

I mean, the diagram he drew in the video is ridiculously simple. Even the one he showed at 9:10 any electronics engineer could probably wire up just from memory. But hey, that's how we're all different, and I like that.

[@mellepasveer6173]

@@Streamtronics you know ITs international wire diagram symbles .so if the schift changes everybody know what goes where

[@ML_314]

Well... I'm tempted to say that if you can't remember such a simple schematic, than you're a quite bad electrical engineer... But life is about learning. Sooner or later the reading and remembering of schematics well become much easier.

[@pentacleman1000]

@@ML_314 I think the whole point of the video is that he is not an electrical engineer, and is pretending to be a cosplay person who he imagines to also not be an electrical engineer, and for whom such a simple schematic might be hard to remember.

[@cobiebeef]

@@ML_314 it's not even that we (EEs) would have to remember a whole schematic, it's that we have a logical understanding of what goes where functionally. I have a terrible memory lol and I'm not going to let that stop me from being an EE!

[@Spencisuar]

This was so incredibly helpful and entertaining. I just started my first electronics build and jumped right into making a car head unit with a raspberry pi. I'm working on switches right now! I was pleased to see that my instinct for a diagram was wise, and it payed off! No magic blue smoke! Thanks Adam

[@cobiebeef]

DPDT switches are also great at switching polarities meaning you can use it to make a motor change directions without having to build an H bridge

[@sleeplessdev7204]

I've been needing this exact solution for reversing polarity on my DIY desktop vacuum to expel contents into the trash. Tried an h-bridge with MOSFETs, but I was wiring up something wrong and it wasn't working right leading to frustration. Thanks for the tip!

[@benaycock1646]

Thanks so much Adam for going out of your way to make your level of awesomeness seem more achievable to us laypeople. You’ve inspired me to build so many things that I’m proud of and never thought I could do!

[@she_be_rosie2419]

it’s official: it doesn’t matter how much I know about a topic, it will always be entertaining to watch Adam explain his understanding of it from a practical level

[@AnthonyCurreri]

For switches..... The "pole" refers to the number of contacts in the switch. So a simple on/off switch is a single pole because it has only one set of contacts inside being controlled. Double pole means there are two separate sets of contacts inside being controlled. The "throw" is how many positions then switch will be in the "on" position. So an on/off switch is single throw. It's just "on" in one position. The other position is off. Double throw means that switch turns "on" in two seperate positions. Click switch up for one set of contacts and down for the other set. That's a VERY simplified meaning of them. There's many different combinations. Like double pole single throw etc... Hope this helped.

[@mowinckel10]

I work electronics... And your diagram is SUPER close to an actual electronics diagram. It is perfectly readable to me and besides changing a few symbols to standard... it is the same as I would draw it I also recommend a cheap multimeter. For 1 function. It can make a sound when you have a direct connection between 2 points. That helps a LOT with finding out WHERE the wires are not connected... which is the most common error you will run into

[@dadsgametime]

I absolutely love just about everything Adam stands for as a person and enjoy every build he has done over many decades.

[@Iskelderon]

Thanks! Looks like a great starting point for newcomers after which they can dive deeper into KZbin videos on more specific aspects.

[@neeosstuff7540]

Great video! I enjoy seeing your process. Your process are so quick and flexible. For instance, I would have never picked wire nuts for your project. I use those for house wiring! Not home projects! And yet the wire nuts made everything quick, easy and most importantly easy to change. It was also great to see that there were LED solutions with the resistor already built in. I'm the guy who would have wasted a lot of time looking up the LED specs, determining the necessary current, calculating the correct resistor soldering it in and shrink wrapping it. Well, at least in the past. Wow, so much easier.

[@thirdeyenz]

Thank you Adam, I've been needing something like this for a while. I know a bit but always felt like to learn more would mean hours of learning. Not so, thanks to you.

[@bikerfirefarter7280]

See Grom 2000's comment, use that method and you will know/remember huge schematic diagrams. It is the way plug/prototype boards are set up and used. As well as Ohm's Law you might find Kirchhoff's Current Law and Voltage Law very useful too. (sorry about the tryping errors, I've been working 19hrs straight with an e-jit)

[@thirdeyenz]

@@bikerfirefarter7280 Thanks for that!

[@faxisthefox]

Dude, I look at wiring the exact same way - I hope to do it enough to just be able to see it in my head but I'm glad you were able to make me realize that making a diagram is a much smarter move. I look at guitar wiring and it scrambles my brain just staring at the parts and wires.

[@prometheuszero9]

Self-gatekeeping is so dangerous indeed! It's been one of my biggest obstacles with certain things. It's funny you mention the welding thing... it's something I'd like to try again some day. I actually participated in a 10-week, government-funded welding program at a local community college in 2012. It taught us about all the main types of welding both in class and in the shop, as well as how to use tools like grinders, cutters, torches, etc to finish things. We even got an entry level certification from the American Welding Society upon completion! And even after all of that, my self-gatekeeping told me that I hadn't learned enough and wasn't good enough to actually try and get a job. I haven't welded a single thing since then! That said, over the past 5-10 years I have tried out so many other things and it's been a huge boost to my confidence. Each new skill or tool or whatever makes me more confident that I can learn other new things. Channels like yours are indispensable resources for someone like me, and so I thank you!

[@brianspenst1374]

This reminds me of the build videos by Sam with Look Mum No Computer. He always has a wiring diagram for his sythesizer builds. He uses the more complicated circuits but keeps himself from getting lost by starting with the map.

[@prodestrian]

His builds are spectacular, and they seem to be getting more complicated each video! 😁

[@brianspenst1374]

I wish I had the resources to get the robot cat that Adam recently featured on one of the auction videos. That creepy thing would be perfect in the Museum.

[@siehmichjetzt]

another gem. Enrichening lives since forever. Thank you so much, Adam!

[@alex7philis]

Thank you so much for this video! A lot of my friends are electrical technicians for varying areas, arcade repair vs industrial electronics, and i always had the hardest time understanding when they tried to teach me so i could integrate it into my cosplaying. But they taught me how to solder and now i can actually add alot more detail ive been wanting into my cosplay thanks to this and other videos you make!

[@EasternTriad]

I always wondered why you hadn't tackled this subject matter in a video. So glad you did! Very clear and easy to understand.

[@leekestner1554]

Thank man. You cleared up a lot of my trepidations of wiring. I am working on wiring lights for Ashton Greymore's glass hammer (Critical Role). This has helped immensely.

[@mlubecke]

Nice job…. Thank you so much for sharing your process. It totally makes sense drawing out the wire diagram.

[@x1984x]

Soon as Adam said he was putting on a spinning light it made me sad that this wasn't a "build your own Spock Helmet" video...haha!

[@MatthewBryce]

I thought of Spock's helmet too 🤣🤣🤣

[@RjWolf3000]

He really should make one. I can see people entering his cave looking at all the space suits and costumes and just pointing at it and going, what is that?

[@JosephDavies]

OMG! Spock's helmet!

[@mertz7305]

See and I thought of Kearney's helmet from Marge on the Lam.

[@robinbrowne5419]

This is how we do wiring at our shop. For each connection, strip the wires, put on a piece of heatshrink, twist wires together, slip heatshrink over the bare metal to insulate temporarily, but do not shrink yet. Repeat for each connection, switch and component. Test and correct mistakes if needed. We now have working circuits, with all wires and components in place. When all is working, slip off heatshrink, solder twisted wires together using a bare minumum of solder (no blobs), slip on heatshrink and shrink. Repeat for each connection.

[@MobWithGuns]

Adam , it was an honor to meet you and your Tested manager Christine / Christina ? At megacon a few days ago. I was the greenroom access guy backstage. Thank you again for the sticker and the patches.

[@MichelCollignon_Weert]

Very useful video. But in the end I sort of already knew and at some moments I was thinking ahead before you thought of it yourselves. Again very entertaining and helpful for makers who are not at that level. Keep show and tell us how simple things are done.

[@jesseoh777]

The instructional I have been waiting for since I was a kid. Thank u man!

[@bikerfirefarter7280]

See Grom 2000's comment, use that method and you will know/remember huge systematic diagrams. It is the way plug/ptototype boards are set up and used. As well as Ohm's Law you might find Kirchhoff's Current Law and Voltage Law very useful too.

[@mbushroe]

Adam, I am an electrical engineer. And as you commented during the video, I cringed and tried to not bite my finger nails throughout. That or reach through the screen and do it for you. And then at the end you explained why, and I realized that you were completely correct. If I had taught that course, the students would be able to make wonderful stuff, but only the ones that didn't drop out because it was too hard or the expectations too high. And never even try wiring again. I need to learn to teach like you do, scaling the material to the students, and the expectations down to earth, as well. The highest level or expectation should be that you had fun playing with it, because after all isn't that why we build all these strange things? But followed closely by eventually getting it to work, because having that extra do-dad was hat brought you to this in the first place. Did Grant already know all that and use it during his STEAM support in the community?

[@davedujour1]

I get so many wonderful ideas from this channel. A few months ago I saw Norm's video of the 1:1 model of HAL 9000 and I thought to myself "I bet I could take my Google Nest Mini and mount it behind the HAL model." So I started working on that. I've ended up with a HAL hanging on my wall that is okay. Trying to make the speaker smaller I ruined the sound. The red LED eye doesn't light up as much as I'd like. The touchable areas are gone. This video has helped me understand how to wire the LED better. And how to add another power option than the 14V (why Google?) power supply. It's also shown me that some of the stuff I've been "messing around" with isn't too far off base. And I've lost count of how many tools I've bought because I saw them on Tested first. The 123 blocks were the first, but new wire strippers, sheet styrene, glues....it's changed my making hobbies in wonderful ways. Thanks everyone at Tested!

[@theheathen1516]

I found these new wiring connectors when i put a new car stereo in, and they work great. They are called Posi-products Posi-twist wire connectors. They are a threaded sleeve part and a screw in cap/spike. You put the twisted together wire ends into the leave and then screw in the cap, that compresses the wire between the spike and the sleeve. I have found that at least for thinner wire they were easier to use than regular wire nuts, even if they cost a little more.

[@originalkhawk]

as an electrical engineer, i aprove this, only thing i would recomend is to look up the wiring diagram symbols for things you use a lot like LED's for example, learning those will make your diagrams easyer to read and draw in the wiring. ultamately it comes down to do what ever works best for you, but in my expiriance symbols work a lot easier once you know them. also don't waste your time on learning symbols for something you only wire up once or twice per year, that time is better spend working on something usefull or productive

[@pentacleman1000]

Learn the proper symbols? Maybe. Sure, another language is easy once you learn it. But we’re talking about people (cosplay people) who quite possibly have absolutely no ambition of ever being an electrical engineer, or ever sharing their diagram with another person, especially an electrical engineer. Many might just want to figure out one system for one costume. So sure, I agree, a sloppy diagram that makes sense to only them might be just fine and that they shouldn’t waste time learning another language if they don’t intend to use it in the wider world.

[@originalkhawk]

@@pentacleman1000 all i am saying is that someone like Adam, who does a lot of making that involves electronics, might benefit from knowing a few of the symbols of things he uses the most, like LED's for example, because once you get used to those symbols, it makes drawing and reading your diagram a lot easier

[@landonmaas2830]

Thank you so much for doing this video! Wiring has always been something I have wanted to put in my builds, weather they are props or cosplays. I have always been scared of messing up, so I avoided it. But this helped so much! The links are very helpful as well. These videos help me become a better creator every day! Thank you so much Adam and the Tested team!

[@bikerfirefarter7280]

See Grom 2000's comment, use that method and you will know/remember huge systematic diagrams. It is the way plug/ptototype boards are set up and used. As well as Ohm's Law you might find Kirchhoff's Current Law and Voltage Law very useful too.

[@OG10Speed]

Automatic wire strippers are the coolest thing ever.

[@jasoncsullog3741]

Great run through. I've done a couple costumes for Halloween contests (while underway on a past Navy ship) all out of scraps. Even made diy momentary switches out of battery leads and electrical tape that ran to under my big toes to control lights while walking. Wish I would have drawn it out because doing it on the fly was mind melting.

[@joshuamartin7756]

I have been lusting after those power supplies since seeing them in the video about the cooling suit. Now that I know they're custom-made ILM magic, I'll have to think about making one...

[@2TheHandsome]

The timing is perfect for this. I'm setting out to not make costume electronics, but some prop electronics. Thanks for the primer!

[@tested]

Awesome! Share photos on social; we'd love to see them!

[@bikerfirefarter7280]

See Grom 2000's comment, use that method and you will know/remember huge systematic diagrams. It is the way plug/ptototype boards are set up and used. As well as Ohm's Law you might find Kirchhoff's Current Law and Voltage Law very useful too.

[@ga5743]

Your the best Adam, what an inspiration and teacher. Certainly let us know if they let you on the plane. 😆

[@hardrockinhere]

11:56 Anyone else gonna say how satisfying that noise sounded?

[@dr.uncertain6732]

I teach Physics Labs and this is EXACTLY how I want to introduce students to working with electronics. Thank you for this great new resource for understanding!

[@bikerfirefarter7280]

Rubbish! See Grom 2000's comment, teach that method and you will know/remember huge systematic diagrams. It is the way plug/ptototype boards are set up and used.

[@aaronraw]

I SH*T YOU NOT. I was just sitting in front of TinkerCad Circuits trying to figure out how to power 2x2.2v red and 1x3v white LED with the same 3AA power pack without blowing something but still getting the right voltage to each. THEN I see this! I'm very excited to watch this. Thanks Adam/TESTED!

[@DonOblivious]

100 ohm on the 3v, 150 ohm on each of the 2.2v all wired in parallel will getcha around 15ma of current through each led. You'll need to play around with an led resistor calculator (so you stay under the typical 20ma current limit) and an assortment of resistors if you want to match brightness.

[@aaronraw]

@@DonOblivious Thank you very much for your help! Im making a scale Raider At-ST from Mando and the eyes and flood is EVERYTHING.

[@Gatorman3385]

I love seeing the quick zoom close-ups. It's the little things. 😁

[@Ace0nPoint]

It's honestly so fucking wholesome how many maker creators are getting behind kiwico. xD

[@JustPlainRob]

"They keep us awake ALL over the world sticking out of our VCRs..." 80% of viewers: "What's a VCR?" The third toggle with the six connections is DPDT. It has two connections in the middle (poles) of which it can throw both to two (double) different outputs. They're great for simple polarity reversing switches.

[@tec4303]

One more useful thing about voltages: Adam mentioned that he tries to buy everything for one voltage level (5 V or 12 V). But of you (for some reason) still need two voltage levels in your circuit (like 12 V and 5 V) and you don't want to use two power supplys or batteries, you can just include a supply for the higher voltage and then connect a step-down converter (also called buck converter) to it. You can put in a higher voltage on one side and a lower voltage cones out of the other. To adjust the value of the voltage that comes out, you need a multimeter to measure that voltage and a screwdriver to turn the little thing on the converter that changes the voltage. Two more notes about that: if the converter gets hot or things don't work, you might need a bigger converter because you connected something to powerful to it. Secondly, if your converter does not come with a housing, you should wrap it in tape to make sure that no metal parts or wires come in contact with it.

[@jasonpavlich8579]

I am familiar with all of those switches, and that wire gauge is easy to work with. Love your videos. 😁👍✌️❤️🌎

[@brettdavis387]

This is exactly the kinda video I needed. electronics wiring has always been confusing to me and this helped a lot..

[@davidsondan7471]

My "quick and dirty" method I learned from old Chevy trucks and that is to have a "ground bar". Ground everything to the ground bar if all the functions have the same voltage, solder everything else together with heat shrink with all your switches on the positive side. It makes it easy to fix wiring problems later on.

[@davidsondan7471]

Most of the time my stuff involves much bigger electronics like when I'm building a clock or wiring a Harley.

[@shaggygoat]

Having a cheap wee multimeter ($5) or even a continuity tester (a battery, lamp/buzzer and probes to poke at something to complete the circuit) is great for sussing out which the poles/commons are on a switch, and which throw terminals correspond to which direction (throw) of the switch lever. At the final assembly, before the terrifying connection of the battery, you can use the resistance measurement function to see if the circuit has suspiciously low resistance (a short?) that might upset a battery if it were to be connected.

[@nekokyun]

I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who just puts electronics together without using math!

[@chartle1]

That 6 pin DPDT switch is also a very common way the switch the rotation of a motor. With the one you showed is turn on way, off, turn the other way.

[@RandiRain]

Exactly. It was a triple position switch, but it was still a DPDT.

[@chartle1]

@@RandiRain yea I had a few on on for those toys you can make where you flick a switch and a finger comes out and turns it "off", some that are momentary off momentary to control motors but only when pressed and on off on for always on motor rotation.

[@hullinstruments]

Dear Adam, if you like those power banks… You would love the ones like I use in my day-to-day work (doing component level board repairs mostly on test equipment etc.…)A lot of times working out of my “metrology lab in a pelican case“ in my truck 😂 The banks I use have completely adjustable voltage. 0-32volts or0 to 24 depending on which one They have the Standard QC outputs and everything like the “normal decent” power banks but they also have a little attachment that makes them totally adjustable and can even boost their voltage to24 or 32 V according to what attachment you’re using. Super cool and handy to have. Keep in mind with the completely variable voltage models…some of them don’t offer CC/CV (constant current/constant voltage) like a benchtop supply. but I believe attachments with those options are available. I have an array of the anker brand power banks, but the cheapest ones available in that brand. All with the quick charge capability (because I use that for my TS 80 soldering irons)… But they are the cheapest anker variant only costing around $20-$30 depending on their capacity. And commonly available even at Walmart etc.… I know that company makes some great banks that are more expensive over $50… heck they even have the big chunky models made to run televisions and stuff like that costing several hundred dollars. And everything the company makes has been top notch in my opinion. But I just don’t need the functionality of the bigger or more expensive models. In other words… You can get a 20,000mah anker power bank like mine for $15-$25… but you can also find Anker power banks that look identical and with the same capacity… But with more options and it might cost $60. And for me personally as long as it has the quick charge capability that’s all I need. Add the small cheap attachment for the adjustable/buck/boost voltage output… And you have a really cheap and super convenient easy to use power supply that will cover pretty much anything hobbyists need… and even myself as a professional… Covers about 80% of everything I need to do in the field. Obviously it’s not a replacement for metrology grade programmable supply but that’s neither here nor there. 😂 The functionality, price, and wonderfulness of a set up like that… I’m just so glad stuff like that’s available cheaply to hobbyists and beginners. Would’ve killed for portable functionality like that 10 or 15 years ago.

[@Mattay20]

I purchased pre wired leds for my warhammer boat dio I'm doing, made things so much easier. Only problem is trying to hide the wires and connections but it's a great feeling everytime I suceed!

[@ksks7185]

Try Wago wire connectors, excellent reusable connectors that can work like a busbar and are low profile

[@stevenmiller279]

If your wiring leds wire them in series and then put one resistor in place to control the current. If you wire leds in parallel use a resistor on each led individually or you can create a thermal run away. Most 5mm leds are about 3 volts and 20ma. For leds it's more important to control the current or amperage then it is to control the voltage. As long as the voltage is above the led forward voltage requirement, its fine.

[@ethanroylance]

Great video, electronics can be daunting because these many slightly wrong ways to do but it will still sorta work. Really would love a video on soldering too.

[@WilliamDudley]

The red-handled automotive switch has a lamp in it to illuminate the plastic toggle. You had the load running through the lamp. The LEDs worked because they draw so little current, but their brightness was low because of the drop in the lamp. The other loads (spinny light, fan) draw enough that they couldn't get enough current through that lamp.

[@Merennulli]

I did solder wiring for one costume, but the vast majority of my costume lighting involved CR2032 with an individual LED wrapped around it with electrical tape. I have done actual wiring for props (before starting to do cosplay) but for costumes it was almost always more logical to just throw the LED lights in with tape than properly wire it since wires are often hard to hide.

[@lklmmedia4715]

The Dud Automotive switch likely wasn't a dud - the dual circuit in them has an GND, Positive and Load tag, If you connect between Positive and GND you are actually going through the LED/Lamp inside the switch. Which is a 12v light, and therefore you are seeing a massive voltage drop (hence dimmer LEDs, and no 12v to the Fan.) because you effectively wired up another resistive load in series with the rest of the circuit - you need only to have swapped to the Load tag and it would have been fine.

[@Ivanovitch2885]

For anything mobile, please don't use wire nuts. They work fine behind the walls of your house, but if you want anything to work with motion or vibration you really need to look at other connectors. Automotive spades are great if moisture in large amounts isn't an issue. But if you need weatherproof look into GM Weatherpac. The terminals and connectors have gaskets to keep the connection dry and most automotive stores can keep you well supplied. An even though it's not great, the aluminum mount for the switches can act as a bus bar for your ground with ring terminals.

[@caseyrusher8952]

This video was SUPER useful! I am building Ghostbusters props (still new to prop building) and I have been learning how Arduinos function. But I couldn't find a good source on how to make toggle switches work. This made everything make so much more sense! Thank you for this! And all the tool explanations. Some of those tools I had seen but wasn't sure that I actually needed them. Any chance you will cover servo motors soon? Got a couple of 3d printed traps that could use working doors lol!

[@nathanalaneller]

Your videos are inspiring & extremely helpful. Thank you for your help.

[@pixiniarts]

Tip if you want a bunch of microswitches if your computer mouse breaks, they can be full of them, especially with a gaming mouse. Remember that they work differently so the side buttons might be one type and the sides and middle another. Salvage and recycle your e-waste for your own projects.

[@BBBrox]

Micro-switches (aka cherry switches (but not the keyboard type)) are what are used in Arcade machine buttons. Arcade buttons have such a great 'click' feel to them, and they are such a simple design. I found out about them building an arcade emulation machine (ie. mame) but have continued to use them for all kinds of projects after that. Look on Amazon for 'arcade buttons'... each one works on a micro-switch (so do most of the arcade joysticks (4 switches for each 4 and 8 way joysticks... again, elegant simple design). Not all of them use or have the metal arm. Just an fyi, in case anyone is looking for micro-switches and very solid feel button with great feeling 'clicky' buttons. I love them (but likely because I grew up playing arcade games... your mileage may vary).

[@littlekong7685]

Good old Wire nuts, or Marrettes, Wire Hats, Cable caps, Spiral connectors, twist on connectors, Cone heads, thimbles, twist ends, nipple tips, thumb screws, yellow hats, toppers, enders, EWC, MTWC, plastic lugs. So many names for such a tiny part.