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Disclaimer: Please be aware that this procedure is exactly what the title implies, a "hack". If you perform this modification on your version 3 shield you should NOT play GBC or GB games while using the light shield, only the new GBA games. The reason for this is that the link port voltage and current rise too much when the system is operating in GBC mode and this will damage your LED. This is not a professional solution nor a thoroughly tested solution. If you should decide to perform this procedure on your pelican accessories light shield, you may NOT hold gbalight.com responsible for ANY damage that you may do to your gameboy advance system, your light shield accessory, yourself or others.
Version 3 LS voltage hack
Introduction
I finally went out and bought one of the new Pelican Light shields. This new version(version 3) is actually the same as the first version, but it limits the voltage output to the light bulb/LED leads to ~2.8v (by means of comparison, the original shield put ~3.1v to the bulb/LED leads).
The problem with this new version is not only that it uses an incandescent bulb, but also the voltage is limited so if you were to modify one with a white LED, you would not get desireable results (i.e. it would be very dim).
With this in mind, and realizing that at this point most everyone who wants to modify a shield is going to have to deal with one of the "new" ones, I set out on a mission: To somehow "hack" the circuit so as to allow at least 3.1v into the bulb/LED leads.
I ended up with greater results than expected: instead of just kicking the voltage up to 3.1v, I kicked it up to 3.29v :)
Benefits
This has been especially useful because now, instead of using the radioshack 276-320 for the mod, you can use the "world's brightest LED" for the mod, which produces a MUCH better end product. The WB LED is a much cleaner light than the radioshack 276-320, and also the WB LED doesn't have the horrible "halo" effect that has plagued the 276-320 since the beginning. You do need to sand the WB LED with steel wool in order to allow it to diffuse properly, but that is really no problem at all.
Here's a couple of comparison "in operation" pictures :)
Procedure
Note: since the original light shield modification procedure describes how to replace the LED, I will not re-post that information here.
I suggest that you replace the incandescent bulb with the LED first by following the original modification here, and then return to this page to complete the voltage "hack".
Check list:
- version 3 pelican accessories light shield modified with a white LED
- a 5/64 inch screwdriver or a tri-wing screwdriver
- soldering iron and solder
Step 1: Remove the screws from the base of the light shield Step 1 image.
Step 2: Remove the base of the light shield Step 2 image.
Step 3: Connect the gap between these two points. Note: there are a few more places on the board that you can jump to get the voltage boosted, I chose this point since it was the the most visible, and the easiest to jump(i.e. one bead of solder, so no wires needed). Step 3 image.
Step 4: Put the casing back on, screw the base back together, and enjoy the ability to once again modify the pelican light shield with a white LED :)
LS version 3 voltage "hack" notes/mini-FAQ
- Not recommended for playing GBC or GB games: the voltage and current reach unacceptable levels when the GBA runs in GBC mode(i.e. you will ruin your LED! )
- Adding a resistor instead of the bead of solder simply will not correct the GBC issue: when a resistor is added to safeguard the GBA running in GBC mode, the voltage & current become unacceptably low when running in GBA mode. It's a vicious circle, I don't know why nintendo didn't just cap the link port voltage at ~3v.
- I thought the WB LED needed 5+v to run? Actually, the WB LED will run fine at anything above 3v. LEDs are more dependent on current rather than voltage, and the link port puts out more than enough current to run the LED.
- The dimmer switch will not work with this "hack".
- The link port pass through does work with this "hack".
- unmodded voltage at LED/bulb leads: bfore hack: 2.8v, after hack: 3.2v
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