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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Nerf Rayven - Mod Guide!

This Mod Guide will cover some performance mods for the Nerf Rayven.

Mods covered:
- Voltage Increase
- Stefan Compatibility
- Access Hatch Removal

Disclaimer: Modify at your own risk. Modifications may wear out or damage your blaster. Please be careful when using hobby tools!


:: Voltage Increase ::

As the Rayven is a flywheel based blaster, the faster the flywheel motors spin the faster foam darts get fired out, hence longer range and faster dart velocity.

To increase the speed of the motors, simply increase the voltage feed.

In my examples, i use 14500 size 3.7V Li-Ion Rechargeable Batteries (Brand: TrustFire / Unprotected versions) in my modded Barricades. The batteries can be sourced from specialist electronics stores or online sites.

14500 size 3.7V Li-Ion TrustFire rechargeable batteries are usually charged up to 4.2V, so i use various configurations (along with dummy AA batteries to fill in the empty slots if required).

The Rayven has 4 x battery slots (one slot more than in a Barricade), this allows for additional voltage increase options without the need to mod the battery compartment.



In the photo above (from left to right), the voltage configurations are at 8.4V, 12.6V and 16.8V.

I have noticed that the Rayven's stock motors can run on 16.8V without the inbuilt safety thermistor cutting off the power, therefore it seems to have a much higher voltage and current tolerance than compared to the Barricade.

See the test fire video below for the range results based on these various increased voltages.

Note that normal Alkaline batteries have limited discharge rates, and may therefore perform differently at the same voltage compared to these unprotected TrustFire Li-Ion batteries.


:: Stefan Compatibility & Access Hatch Removal ::

As most experienced nerfers will know, stock streamline foam darts are too unbalanced and inconsistent to be usable in Nerf games, especially with modded blasters. They naturally tend to swerve unpredictably in flight. There isn't much point shooting far when the shots can't actually hit anything reliably.

Most modders prefer to use "stefans" instead (short length customized and calibrated foam darts), as they provide more consistent performance and much higher accuracy. For clip-fed blasters, stefan compatible clips would be required.

For reference, you can find an example of a stefan compatible clip using the "guide rod" design Here.

We shall now look into modding the Rayven to be able to fire stefans. At the same time, removing the access hatch to allow for a clearer view of the firing process and for quicker jam clearing.


Step 1: Disassemble your Rayven. Make sure to remove all the screws before detaching the casing and internal components.




Step 2: Remove the dart pusher stalk and drill a hole through the middle of it. Prepare a suitable length of bolt to become a "stalk extender".

In my example, i used a 4cm length threaded steel bolt.




Step 3: Install the bolt into the dart pusher stalk. Use a bolt nut to secure it properly.



If required, this "stalk extender" mod is easily reversible, simply uninstall the bolt to revert it back to stock condition and you can use normal length foam darts again. :)


Step 4: Remove the access hatch piece. Use a strip of tape to wrap around the pressure switch so that it is kept activated. This mod is also reversible too.




Step 5: Install all the parts back into the casing. It should look like this.




Step 6: Adjust the reach of the new "stalk extender" so that it can push the stefans forward properly.




Step 7: For those who create their stefan clips using the "guide rod" design, you will need to extend the guide rod higher until it reaches just below the top-most stefan, this is the prevent the moving dart pusher stalk from dragging subsequent advancing stefans too far back during usage and causing jams.

In my example, i used a short length of wooden rod wedged into my stefan clip's existing guide rod. This is also easily uninstalled, so that it can still be usable for other clip-fed blasters too.




Step 8: Its completed!



Now you have a semi-auto + clip-fed + stefan-compatible blaster!


:: Modified Nerf Rayven - Demo & Range Test Video ::




Notice that the streamlines have a much wider left/right shot spread radius, so they tend to be rather inaccurate at longer ranges.

Calibrated stefans have a much narrower left/right shot spread radius, so their overall accuracy is much better and more consistent.

Also note that there is a fair amount of range variation when the blaster is fired quickly, this is likely due to the flywheels slowing down momentarily between each shot, therefore the key to firing such blasters is to regulate the rate-of-fire for more consistent ranges.

In addition, at higher voltages like 16.8V, the flywheels spin so fast that there tends to be an increased rate of slippage and mis-fires, which results in rather unpredictable shots.

So far in my tests, i've found the most ideal voltage to be at 12.6V for a more reliable combination of improved range and shot consistency.


:: Sample Test Fire Data ::

Ranges are PTG: Parallel-To-Ground (Shoulder height, no elevation).
Distance is measured at where the shot lands (Average of 18 shots).

Stock Rayven (6.0 Volts)
Range = 25-30 ft

Modded Rayven (8.4 Volts)
Range = 35-45 ft

Modded Rayven (12.6 Volts)
Range = 60-70ft

Modded Rayven (16.8 Volts)
Range = 80-100ft

Note that the tests were done under controlled conditions with either stock streamlines or calibrated stefans. The results are sample estimates for reference (your results may differ depending on materials and mod techniques used).


:: Summary & Game Usage ::

Having tested out modded Rayvens in a few Nerf games, i've found it to be quite a versatile blaster for fast-paced gameplay. Its compact form factor is easy to handle and very maneuverable.

The clip-fed system makes a big difference in being able to sustain continuous firepower over extended game rounds (just be sure to equip more spare clips), and the capability to use stefans greatly increases the shot accuracy and hit rate over longer firing distances.

In addition, you can instantly double the fun by dual-wielding 2 x modded Rayvens too! :)
.

100 comments:

  1. Great job! Does the flywheel need time to spin up to max speed before firing darts?

    ReplyDelete
  2. interceptor,

    At stock voltage, it does take abit of time for the flywheels to spin up to speed.

    But with increased voltage, the response time is faster, so the flywheels get up to speed alot quicker.

    ReplyDelete
  3. a 100 ft, semi auto, uber comfy bullpup gun. AWESOME and congratulations on (I think) Being the first person to mod one of these puppies.

    ReplyDelete
  4. ion.homedawg,

    Yes, it can work with FDL foam darts too... but make sure to only use the foam darts with properly aligned tips, 'cos the ones with tips that are off alignment will spiral all over the place. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. 100 feet! now thats awesome!




    http://imodifynerfs.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  6. What if you replaced the barrel with brass? Couldn't that decrease the friction, allowing the dart to slide through easier but still maintain accuracy?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Where can I purchase trustfire batteries?

    ReplyDelete
  8. How compatible is the rayven with whistlers?

    ReplyDelete
  9. USNJediKnight,

    Not too sure about how much less friction brass tubes would have compared to the stock plastic barrel, i guess you could try and see if there is any noticeable difference.

    Though with flywheel systems, since there is no air pressure propelling the foam dart, it doesn't work with an air-tight breech barrel/system anyways.

    For flywheel blasters, barrels in any form will always tend to cause resistance as the foam darts bump against the barrel walls, hence to improve range, most modders usually just remove the barrel completely.

    ReplyDelete
  10. damien,

    I order my TrustFire batteries (unprotected versions) and TrustFire charger from DealExtreme website (they offer free international shipping), here are the links:

    TrustFire 14500 3.7V 900mAh Rechargeable Lithium Batteries (2-Pack):

    http://www.dealextreme.com/p/trustfire-14500-3-7v-900mah-rechargeable-lithium-batteries-2-pack-19771?r=30088751

    TrustFire TR-001 Multi-Purpose Lithium Battery Charger:

    http://www.dealextreme.com/p/trustfire-tr-001-multi-purpose-lithium-battery-charger-12594?r=30088751

    ReplyDelete
  11. supersonic1997,

    The Rayven can use Taggers and Sonic foam darts too, but the restriction in usage is mainly due to the clip-system, those foam darts with wider tips don't fit as well in N-strike clips.

    ReplyDelete
  12. SGnerf, where did you get the dummy spacers?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hey there SG Nerf! I just purchased a Rayven and did the voltage mod up to 16.8. It's working great, but I was wondering if you have ever tried using a muffler or some sort? The noise is extremely loud haha. Or do you have any idea of how I could keep the voltage, but lower the noise? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  14. d3fault22,

    The dummy AA spacers i use are simply made from AAA to AA battery converter shells with a thick coiled copper wire installed inside connecting the + and - contacts.

    ReplyDelete
  15. RodsTods,

    I guess you could try installing sound absorption foam material in the empty spaces within the casing, that could help reduce the buzzing sound of the motors.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Where can you get the dummy batteries that go next to the trustfires?

    ReplyDelete
  17. raz4128,

    As mentioned in my earlier comment, i DIY my dummy AA spacers from AAA to AA battery converter shells with a thick coiled copper wire installed inside connecting the + and - contacts.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I see in most voltage mods that trustfire 14500 are used. Could 18650 be used to make them last longer having more mAh?

    ReplyDelete
  19. Pothier,

    Yes, 18650 size batteries can also be used, but they are much larger than 14500 size batteries so you'll need to mod the battery compartment or use a separate battery holder to fit them to the blaster. 18650 size batteries are also  heavier in overall weight too.

    ReplyDelete
  20. since i have no way of making a spacer, i most likely will be using 4 trustfire batteries. In games did u use the 12.6v config and if so do you feel that the range was sufficient compared to the 16.8v. Is there a way to make the stick streamline more consistent while maximizing range?

    ReplyDelete
  21. dkris2020,

    Well, you don't have to use the exact dummy battery setup as mine... an alternative method many modders do is just to tape a short length of insulated electrical wiring between the contacts of the empty battery slot, that does the same job too. :)

    As for 16.8V vs 12.6V voltage, i prefer 12.6V 'cos although the range is less, with controlled shots the 60-70ft is much more consistent and accurate. 16.8V is just too erratic in performance, thus not as effective in actual Nerf games. I guess its more suitable for those who like to just "spray and pray", then hoping that a random shot might somehow tag an opponent. :)

    Personally, i'd rather have accuracy versus just range, 'cos there is no point shooting far but not hitting anything anyways. I guess its just up to personal preference.

    So far i've still not found an effective way to make streamlines as consistent as stefans, even after modding them with calibrated tips, they still tend to swerve in flight (though less wildly)... i guess its just the characteristics of foam darts, the longer the foam body length, the more vulnerable it is to aerodynamic and flight variations.

    ReplyDelete
  22. do the flywheels have a very tight fit on the darts, or would a ring of Plasti-dip on the flywheels improve ranges?

    ReplyDelete
  23. IAmSparticus,

    I guess an additional thin layer of plasti-dip on the flywheels could help, do try it out and post up your results for reference. :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Where do you buy your clear aaa to aa battery cases?

    ReplyDelete
  25. shadownerfmods,

    I got them from Unicell shop at Sim Lim Square (Level 2) in Singapore... its a battery/electronics parts supply store.

    ReplyDelete
  26. So I have failed twice to implement a trigger mod on a pair of Barricades that was sturdy enough for even normal use. Because the Rayven uses a separate trigger to spin up the flywheels, is it worth paying $65 for a pair of them or should I keep trying to mod the Barricades I already have?

    ReplyDelete
  27. KalebPSpector,

    Well, both blasters have their unique features... though overall the Rayven does have more advantages over the Barricade, so if you're keen on flywheel based blasters, its definitely worth getting instead.

    ReplyDelete
  28. SG-

    Have you measured the current that the motor pulls during both start-up and full-speed? I only ask because I'm using an 8.4V battery and the motors have a slight burning smell. I've installed an 8.4V rechargeable NiMH airsoft battery. Even though it's not a crazy high voltage, I think the low internal resistance of my battery is causing the motor to pull a ton of current. I'm getting 1A during start and 0.45A full-speed. This is probably because there are no resistors in the circuit, so the internal resistance of the battery is going to play a huge role. A lot of people have said the 4 yellow things are resistors, but I'm pretty sure they are diodes. I left in the PTC and it hasent tripped yet, but the burning smell is making me think about adding in a low value resistor to limit current.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Marc,

    I'm not sure what the electrical parts in the circuit are either. Honestly, you probably have way more knowledge in electronics than i do... all i know is just done through trial and error, my electronics knowledge is caveman level at best!

    Do post up your test results if you manage to solve it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  30. Here's my electronics analysis of the rayven:

    The most important thing to understand is that there are no resistors in the circuit, and the motor has a fairly low resistance. This means the internal resistance of the battery will play a HUGE role in how fast the flywheel spins. Everyone in the community is probably use to just thinking about the voltage they are using on their blaster, but unfortunately there is more to it. So unless we are all using the exact same batteries, there needs to be another way to discuss what we are feeding our blasters with. I recommend learning how to measure current with a multimeter, and stating both the start-up current and full-speed current. Although that might be asking too much from the average nerfer.

    As far as the components in the blaster; the 4 black ones are inductors, used to lower the inrush current (motors can draw TONS of current at start-up, or in the case of a jam). Although they look fairly small so they might not do an amazing job. If anyone wants to mod their blaster to make the flywheel get to max speed super-fast, then you would probably want to remove the inductors and buy nicer motors.

    There is also a PTC (thermistor), but I think it's meant to open the circuit when the current is 10x what it should be, not 2x. PTCs have a small resistance so removing it would increase the current, which could be good or bad for what you're trying to do. The last component is just a diode to make the gun does nothing when the batteries are reversed, and probably to prevent back-feeding current when you let go of the trigger.

    I think there is huge opportunity for nerfers to modify flywheel blasters using a better motor and battery. Assuming the plastic holds up, you could get some serious power. And a faster spinning flywheel might not even be the best mod; if you got a motor that was slower but with more torque, you could fire more rapidly. So clearly there is a whole bunch of stuff to try out.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Marc: One thing to notice with this gun is how the motors STOP. If you simply let off the motor trigger, they coast down normally. However if you open the jam door or remove the clip they slam to a stop rather quickly. My guess is that Nerf was being obsessively child-protective about fingers finding their way into the motors while still spinning.

    Anyway, if you notice also, the motor trigger is a simple single-throw on/off switch, whereas the switches for the jam door and magazine sensor appear to be double-throw, routing current one way or the other. My best guess is that they're actually creating a deliberate backfeed to the motors for that insta-stop behavior. Those inductors you speak of might be providing the temporary reverse current by field-collapsing the wrong way through the motors.

    This might also help explain the existence of a diode in the system to render the gun inert if the backfeed circuit is essentially "active" any time the jam door and/or clip sensor switches are registering an opening in the gun. Otherwise the motors might just start spinning backwards if you still had the motor trigger engaged.

    I gotta be honest, I had to take it apart to check it out but I've not actually spent much time in the guts of this gun (too busy playing with it, hands down favorite Nerf gun of all time) so I've not chased the wiring to confirm my guesswork. Plus I'm far from professional in my knowledge of electronics. Just a clever caveman, as SG Nerf says. Your identification of the components definitely helps though. If anything I've said makes sense, let me know what you think.

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  32. I wish I spent more time looking at the circuit before taking out those safety switches. I think the 3-way switch made the motors connect to common instead of power, so you end up shorting the motor (since the other side of the motor is always connected to common). Then when the motors keep spinning they look like a voltage source instead of a load, so current flows the other way, which quickly stops the motors. As far as why they added series inductors, I can only guess. But usually it's to smooth out current spikes.

    ReplyDelete
  33. The SPDT switches on the magwell and jam door are wired for passive motor braking, i.e. they short the motors when opened. Since a DC brushed motor is functional as a generator, this causes the motors to rapidly decelerate using their own winding resistance to dissipate the rotational KE of the armatures and anything attached to them. This is entirely safe for the motors and is a common practice in e.g. electric tools when a motor must be rapidly stopped and an external mechanical brake is undesirable. It is also used in the Stampede action's fire control to arrest the gearbox's rotation pseudo-immediately when the bolt returns open and the cycle switch returns to its rest state.

    The diode and inductors (chokes) near the motor terminals have nothing at all to do with the braking. During braking, the diode is out of the current path. It is there purely to prevent the flywheels from rotating backwards if batteries are miswired. The chokes are an RF/EMI suppression component, as are the small SMD capacitors found on the tiny PCBs soldered to the motor terminals - anyone who has experience in the RC hobbies will know what motor suppression is about. Motors produce a lot of switching noise and inductive spikes and can interfere with radio control. In a nerf gun, it may be desirable to eliminate that so that no kids firing guns next to a TV cause complaints. However, in my performance builds, all components that could contribute resistance unnecessarily are deleted including the chokes and PCBs.

    Now for the battery internal resistance issue, a more common way to refer indirectly to battery internal resistance is by discharge rate. Higher discharge rate cells have a lower internal resistance and can supply more current with less voltage drop under that load. Alkalines have a very high internal resistance and can't do more than a few amps (and that is with a LOT of voltage drop), but Ni-cd (hobby-type) cells and lithium ion/Li-po cells have very low internal resistance and can supply much greater currents. This is common knowledge among any user of such cells - including a lot of nerf electric builders.

    However, your assertion that internal resistance has a large correlation to maximum speed of a brushed motor is false. PMDC motors have a fixed powerband; their maximum ("high idle") speed is determined by motor characteristics and voltage. One critical parameter when choosing PMDC brushed motors is Kv, measured in RPM/volt - which determines how fast a motor will rev unloaded on a given voltage. Unlike series-wound motors, PMDC motors cannot continue drawing current and accelerating beyond the critical speed determined by their Kv and terminal voltage. This is a direct consequence of their fixed timing. Once theoretical maximum speed is reached, back-EMF cancels out input voltage entirely and current drops to zero. Of course, real motors ALWAYS have a load (bearing friction, windage...) and so there is some "slip" in speed and a corresponding rise in current to some positive value even with no external load - but my point is that a motor operating at maximum speed limits its own current. You can't push any more current through it without raising the voltage (which would cause the motor to draw slightly more current, speed up, and then once again self-stabilize at some small idle current) or applying a load to the motor.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Internal resistance never comes into play there because unless the cells are TERRIBLY underspec'ed, motor IDLE current is a MINISCULE, SUBATOMIC fraction of discharge rate and voltage drop is negligible no matter what the cell specs are.

    Where battery internal resistance and discharge rate come into play is when the motor is loaded, such as when it is accelerating the flywheels of a fly gun to maximum speed, or when an electric springer motor is compressing a spring. Even then, the maximum current the motor will draw is controlled by the motor itself - in a worst case scenario (stalled motor) it is limited by the winding resistance. This resistance is often low and operating a motor in stall IS a dangerous condition that can result in excessive current and a thermal failure of winding insulation, but a motor in operation under acceptable parameters (i.e. NOT stalled) may NEVER draw such current due to its own back-EMF. For optimal performance, the cells should be able to supply any and all current demands the motor may produce, up to and including stall. Past that point, decreasing cell resistance does nothing because the voltage drop has already been rendered negligible.

    Nearly any rechargeable cell will be able to supply stall current at full voltage to a Barricade/Rayven motor, FYI.

    External resistances for limiting motor current are only of value of the motor in question will NOT be operated in a sane manner.

    As to higher torque motors, that has been done. I have a Barricade modified to accept 300 series motors. These (specifically 360) are what are in nerf's electric springers. With a suitable combo of motor and cells (such as a slow-revving, 5-pole 365 on an 18 cell power supply which is pre-existing for another application involving a VERY high-revving 360 motor... well, OK, it's a 600RPM swarmfire that shares the power harness!) this gun exhibits minimal windup time.

    As to your burn smell, I have NO idea other than knowing that it is NOT your motors just drawing too much current for the design. After all, LOTS of people run these exact motors like this and they do NOT overheat or fail. I have 9.6v (8 cells Ni-MH) on Barricade motors (higher Kv, hotter wind, less winding resistance) in a rayven and previously ran the same parts in a barricade. They stay cool as a cucumber - just as logic says they should, because although they COULD draw mad current and go up in smoke (the pack could feed them stall current if they called for it), they do not because they are being operated in a reasonable part of their performance envelope, and I am not dumb enough to try holding the grip switch in for 5 minutes with the flywheels jammed (which is what it might take to cook them).

    I would look to other parts of the harness for your burn odor. Perhaps one of the motor suppression PCBs has a stray copper strand shorting it, or perhaps your PTC is heating excessively while still passing current (seen it happen... china components are fail, and the PTCs fitted to stock nerf guns are not suitable for the voltages and currents we want to (safely) pass through the motors and may fail themselves, sometimes even arcing over with flash and magic smoke and becoming shorted/inert once overheated). Another possibility is that one of your motors is a LEMON! While known good 'cade motors are ready for 3s Li-ion and good 360s are ready to pull 25lb springs on 20 volts, quality control IS sketchy. I have received stock motors from nerf with winding faults before, and a shorted winding may heat and smoke.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Very informative toru! I don't have too much experience with miniature DC motors, so I got nervous when the motors were drawing almost 1A at startup (well, 0.5A each). I think the source of burn smell was because the gun was pretty much brand new (I dident have AAs so I voltage modded it from the start). So maybe it was factory oil on the motors or something.

    ReplyDelete
  36. I dont have access to trustfire batteries, or any that would fit in the tray as a AA size. How would i go about hooking up a 9v battery, or a single battery with just one positive and negative pole?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. bobby,

      Well, you can just link electrical wiring from the + and - metal contacts situated at the opposite terminal ends in the battery compartment to the respective contacts of the battery.

      You'll have to check and see which of the metal contacts link directly to the circuit, either open up the casing to see or just do a quick test with the battery connection.

      Make sure it is + to + and - to -.

      Delete
    2. Question here: It sounds like you are recommending he hooks the 9v up in parallel. Is that correct? If so, a quick warning: Don't mix batteries of different voltages when connecting in parallel. You will wind up with back-flow which could blow up your batteries. Instead of hooking up to the battery pack terminals, remove one of the wires that leads to the battery pack and link up the negative terminal of your 9v to the positive end of the battery pack.

      The other reason you want to go with series instead of parallel is that in parallel, the voltages won't add to each other. The batteries will add their amperage together and attempt to meet in the middle of the two voltages (I.E. 9v+6v will try to run at 7.5v). When running in series, the voltages will add to each other (9v+6v=15v) which will result in better performance..

      Delete
    3. Ice³,

      bobby was only asking about using one 9V battery for his Rayven, i just advised him how to connect it to the battery sled contacts... which is basically connecting the + pole of the battery to the + contact of the battery compartment, and the - pole to the - contact.

      Basically as if the compartment was made for just one 9V battery.

      Its not about any parallel connection of multiple 9V batteries. :)

      Delete
  37. Since I have put the voltage up to 12v the gun seems to misfire quite a bit with the dart stopping just after passing the flywheels. Would adding a little bit of tape to them help to increase the friction so grabbing the dart is more reliable? I have not seen anyone else who has modded their Rayven have this issue.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DanielC,

      With higher voltage mods, the faster rpm of the flywheels can sometimes cause increased chances of slippage in certain units.

      Wrapping the flywheels in tape (as you've mentioned) could help. Test it out to find the best configuration.

      Delete
  38. Cool. I was going to use E-tape. As soon as I have it done I will let you know.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hey SG Nerf, if i use 24v battery, how many feet get...will anything damage on the Rayven??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unknown,

      You probably might get further ranges... but also rapidly overheated motors! :)

      Delete
  40. I plan to smack in 3 trustfire 14500 and change the motors to x2 plasma dash. anything i should worry about before i go ahead with this? also, what if i smacked in 4 trustfire 14500? my rayven will arrive shortly and I will be purchasing the two motors soon

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nikko,

      I guess you could try just out those configurations and see if they can work well, at worst the motors overheat and burn out... if that happens, just buy new motors to replace them. :)

      Delete
  41. At step 4, I used a pair of forceps to pull the switch out and put it back into place backwards (the switch facing the back of the blaster). Kept there from being the tape to pop loose at the wrong time.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Can you use 2 of the trustfire batteries and 2 durecell batteries? I want to know because I don't trust myself to make the dummy batteries correctly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sasha,

      Never mix batteries of different chemistry, voltages or mAh capacity together in the same circuit, this can result in early failure of the batteries and injury.

      Please read up on basic battery safety before attempting such mods, do not end up with dangerous electrical setups.

      Instead of using hollow dummy batteries to bypass the battery slots, you can also solder or tape on electrical wiring to link the empty connection points in the battery compartment, but make sure you link the correct ones (ie. + to -).

      If you are not sure of how to do any of this, please get someone who is familiar with electronics circuits to help you out.

      Delete
  43. Hey Sg, instead of using those dummy spacers, would it be possible to use two TrueFires and two regular AA's? Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KnockoutComix,

      Nope, as mentioned in my previous comment...

      Never mix batteries of different chemistry, voltages or mAh capacity together in the same circuit, this can result in early failure of the batteries and injury.

      Please read up on basic battery safety before attempting such mods, do not end up with dangerous electrical setups.

      Instead of using hollow dummy batteries to bypass the battery slots, you can also solder or tape on electrical wiring to link the empty connection points in the battery compartment, but make sure you link the correct ones (ie. + to -).

      If you are not sure of how to do any of this, please get someone who is familiar with electronics circuits to help you out.

      Delete
  44. Sgnerf, is it safe to completely short out a AA battery, then use it as a dummy battery?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unknown,

      Nope, you should not do that either.

      Delete
  45. SGN, how much is the dealextreme total price for sg? like converted to Singapore Dollars?? *For two only*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dart Taggers,

      The product prices listed on DealExtreme are in US Dollars ($USD), so just do the currency conversion accordingly.

      Delete
  46. Hey, SG Nerf, is it possible to install the motor provided with the Rayven, in the Barricade? I much prefer a revolver-style gun, as opposed to a clip-fed gun, where we have to stuff the darts in the clip, then put the clip in the gun. I would like to do this mod, because I certainly would like my Barricade to pump out darts at a faster rate...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SRSR333,

      It should be possible, they both use the same sized motors.

      Though you may need to use a higher voltage feed with the Rayven's motors 'cos even in stock setup, the Rayven uses 4 x AA batteries to operate (versus 3 x AA batteries in a Barricade).

      Delete
    2. Yeah, anyway, the recommendes voltage is 12 volts for the Rayven motor, so I doubt it would be a problem that the Barricade only supports 3 AA batteries. Hey, and great mobile blog site, BTW.

      Delete
    3. SRSR333,

      Thanks!

      Yeah, with the voltage increase mod, the Barricade's 3 x AA battery compartment is sufficient. :)

      Delete
    4. SRSR333, barricade motors are vastly superior for high ROF. I was the one who pioneered the 'cade motor swap for Rayvens in the HVZ world and it is now quite common. The 'cade motors are torquier and snappier, rev higher and are more durable than the Rayven motors. They are also safe on 3 Li-ion cells (note: do NOT run 4s on them!). You will get faster windup and more range out of the 'cade motors if you want to run 3s.

      Delete
  47. I'm curious if changing the barrel will have any effect here. My intuition suggests that putting a tighter-fitting barrel on the Rayven will reduce range, rather than increase it, since it is a flywheel rather than an air-pressure system, and the pressure in front of the dart will build up and slow the dart down.

    What about using a wider barrel, or one with holes/slits in it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Blarggg!!,

      Yup, since the Rayven uses a flywheel system which basically "throws" out the foam darts, a narrower barrel would just cause the shots to bump and scrape against the barrel walls and slow down due to friction.

      Using a wider barrel can be a good idea as that will reduce the chances of foam darts touching the walls of the barrel. Holes and slits in the barrel don't offer any improvements with flywheel systems though.

      The best range improvement setup for flywheel blaster is actually no barrel at all, some modders simply chop off everything in front of the flywheels to get improved ranges. :)

      Delete
  48. My current setup voltage-wise is 2x 7.2V Radio Shack RC packs wired in series, attached to the blaster via a tactical rail accessory I made with a mutilated Recon light and duct tape. Haven't gotten a chance to really test its ranges yet due to the batteries needing to be charged, but with about two minutes of charging on each it sounds like a chainsaw within a quarter second of revving it.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Why are stefans so short?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. nerffan,

      Stefans are shorter to optimize their weight balance, in order to get better shot consistency, range and accuracy.

      In addition, their short lengths are also designed for usage in hopper clips or RSCB clips too.

      Delete
  50. How long do the batteries tend to last (in this case, I just ordered some, plan to use it at 12.4v)?
    Also, if I plan to use Streamlines, is the flywheel tape mentioned on your Barricade mod a good idea?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. martfreed,

      Depending on the battery capacity, the fully charged 14500 sized TrustFire Li-Ions i used have lasted through 2-3 Nerf games before requiring recharging, that's probably around 20-30 clips worth of ammo fired.

      The Rayven is already designed to use streamlines so its not necessary to add further layers of tape to its flywheels... but you could still try applying a layer or two and see if it helps to increase the grip.

      Delete
  51. Hey SG Nerf,

    If I remove that black "skirt" toward the back of the blaster that the darts go through, will it allow for an easier trigger pull? Thats one of the things I don't like about this blaster, but I don't want to go through the trouble of taking it out if it affects blaster performance in a negative way. Thanks for the answer!

    - Vigilante, Basic Nerf

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. basicnerf,

      The rubber skirting inside the Rayven works as a guide to align the foam darts with the flywheels during the firing process, i guess it helps to reduces the chances of jamming.

      Imho, its probably better to leave it intact. :)

      Perhaps you could try replacing the dart pusher's return spring with a lighter load version instead, that would help reduce the overall trigger pull effort too.

      Delete
  52. SG Nerf

    Its Romperhouse10 again, and I just got my ion batteries in and I was just wondering if it is completely safe to run it with four ions in equaling 16.8 like you said?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Romperhouse10,

      Well, although that voltage can work, the motors will heat up and wear out much faster when operated at those higher voltages, so their lifespan will naturally be shorter.

      Delete
  53. hey sg,
    is it possible to make the rayven have a fully automatic mode?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. matamata,

      I guess its possible, you can try creating another motorized mechanism to automate the dart pusher system within the blaster, needs quite a fair bit of custom modding work though. :)

      Delete
  54. Sg nerf,

    If u wanted a semi auto rayven, could you mod the plunger to slide backwards and forwards without pulling the trigger repeatedly? Then, the flywheel would spin and the gun would just spew out darts like a beast!

    Old this

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous,

      Possible... you'll just have to install a separate motorized system to actuate the internal dart pusher system.

      Here is an example that was done on a Nerf Barricade:

      http://nerfhaven.com/forums/index.php?s=d5f02a286fa6c041f0e3746dc445707a&showtopic=21737&st=0

      Delete
  55. Hi there! I simply removed most of the circuitry in my Rayven so that now I can power up my flywheels(Thanks to your referral to the Trustfire batteries, they run creepy fast; great for showoffs!)without my clip in it, to call a bluff. Also, I removed the pressure switch that you said to tape down. I noticed that there were some wires that grounded the circuit as well as a safety regulator, all of which I removed. I only use three out of four battery slots(three Trustfire batteries, one dummy), so do you think what I did is okay?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. c,

      Well, with the inbuilt safety features removed, i guess you'll just have to personally monitor the motors and batteries to ensure they don't overheat too much during usage. :)

      Delete
    2. Thanks! I've been to your website anonymously too much, so I thought I might as well sign in. By the way, do you think the Elite clip system darts Nerf now manufactures are better than stefans?

      Delete
    3. c,

      The Elite foam darts are abit more consistent and accurate than streamlines, and they are better balanced for stock blasters to get good ranges... but they still do swerve and curve in flight, especially in modded blasters (just less severely).

      Delete
    4. Cool. Thanks for the help!

      Delete
  56. What weight, length and style are your darts? Can you post a writeup on your dartsmithing practices for these darts?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ice³,

      The stefans i used in this guide demo are approx. 1.1 gram tip weight and 3.25cm in total length.

      They are made from custom silicone tips and red foam, both sourced in bulk from inform3r at the OzNerf forum.

      The stefan making process with those tips and foam is very simple... i just trim the silicone tips to my specified tip weight requirement and then glue them to the red foam. :)

      Delete
  57. is there a performance difference between protected and unprotected batteries in this blaster?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous,

      For the Rayven, the amp draw in its motors are low, even under load. So i've not spotted any significant difference in performance at the same voltage between protected or unprotected batteries.

      Delete
  58. Also where did you get your dummy batteries?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous,

      I DIY them using AAA to AA battery converter shells, with a thick copper wire wedged inside connecting the 2 ends.

      Delete
  59. Ive been using 2 trustfires and 2 regular rechargeable batteries. Is this bad for the blaster or the batteries? Should I get dummy batteries to fill in for the regular rechargeables?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sachin Suri,

      Never mix different battery types or voltages in the same circuit, it can result in damage to the batteries and/or catastrophic failure (especially with Li-Ion batteries).

      Please use dummy by-pass battery shells to fill in the empty battery slots instead.

      Delete
  60. Percussion MaintenanceDecember 11, 2012 at 8:10 AM

    Rayven painted
    Air-soft red-dot sight installed
    AAA-AA converters ordered
    Trustfire batteries ordered
    LED torch fitted in Top cover
    35 drum mag fitted with "4-bit" dart load.

    STANDBY!

    ReplyDelete
  61. Hi guys,

    I have problem with my Rayven using 3 TrustFire 14500 protected batteries + 4th dummy battery and it is not starting, I have measured the battery part and it has proper voltage, so I assume the batteries protection circuit is turning them off, what can I do?

    My Rayven has just removed all locks, no other circuit changes. It runs fine with regular AA batteries.

    Thanks,
    Lucky

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lucky,

      Looks like the protection limits in your particular batteries have been exceeded... i guess you'll have to get protected batteries with higher amp current draw limits, or just switch to using unprotected batteries.

      Delete
  62. Hey SgNerf... Does the Stalk Extender work with Pak D bob clips?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. epicallyshawn,

      Not sure if it'll work with those types of clips, as their ammo position is in the middle of the clip (not in the front), so the extension bolt might not be able to be long enough... i guess you could try and see.

      Delete
    2. Just tried it out... Pak D clip do not work.. it jams up all the time... only way to make it work is by double feeding the Stefans.... and you'll have 1 shot at the end that cannot be fired....

      Delete
  63. Is it as simple as just replacing the batteries? Or is there any resistor of some sort that needs to be removed??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kianny.,

      So far, at the modded voltages that i've tested, i've not found a need to remove any resistors in the circuit for it to work.

      Delete
    2. Also, where is the best place I can get dummy AA batteries? :\

      Delete
    3. Kianny.,

      I make my own by putting thick copper wires (from Daiso) inside AAA to AA converter shells (from Unicell shop at Sim Lim Square).

      Delete