# non Talking Boris



## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

Hi all,

Wonder if anyone can help with a non-talking Boris. He's been working perfectly through all my mods up until the last one which was the separation of the battery box from the skull.

First mod was a volume control and input socket as per the Wolfstone modification page - worked perfectly with an MP3 player via a 0.1uF capacitor.

Mounted him on an armature with a servo doing random head movement. Decided the servo was trying to move too much weight so decided to cut out the battery box. Did this carefully with a Dremel, spliced in some cables, checked continuity between the original power wiring (Blue =- 6V, Orange/Red = 3V and Black = Ground.

Now nothing!

Checked that power is going to the correct points on Boris's controller board, spliced the original mic back in and still nothing. Spliced the battery box back in, still nothing. A faint click when I turn him on and that's all.

Any suggestions please?


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Are the batteries OK? Every Boris I've had is a power hog and burns batteries really fast.


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

Well I'm getting just over 6V and 3V at the relevant points. Will get some new batteries tomorrow and try again but I reckon they are OK.

Bugger! This prop was going really well too. 

I've ordered a Cowlacious Scary Terry board as well as some sound boards just in case - it looks as if it will be easy to mod the skull for a Scary Terry - just rig the servo to the existing arm.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Yep, sounds like the batteries are OK. Could any wires have been pulled loose when the battery box was first removed? I mean wires that are not involved with the battery pack itself.


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

Had a look but nothing very obvious. I'll try fresh batteries tonight but I'm reconciled to rebuilding him (we have the technology). 

Interestingly, there is some moulding in the skull which suggests it's designed to take a servo - not quite standard size. Maybe the mini ones. I'll measure up and check but it looks as if I can grind away enough to get an ordinary servo in there without too much hassle.

I've got a Scary Terry board on order but I also need to play with my Picaxe based audio to servo driver.


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## The Watcher (Sep 13, 2008)

Did you put in a pot? If so, is it turned up any?


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

Checked that as well and wired the original mic directly back in without the pot in circuit


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## THN (Aug 24, 2009)

Another Halloweenfan from Germany I know have atalking boris from America. I want to read all your posts, but I understand only the half ^^


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## hpropman (Jul 27, 2008)

Fritz did you solder any wires directly to the board? If so it is possible that you may have short between the + and - . check your connections again adn do a continuity test between the power leads with out batteries of course. If not then it sounds like the board poped


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

Nope - no direct soldering at all. Because I'd heard they were tempremental I cut the wires and spliced in. All was working until I cut out the battery box. Continuity is fine with all voltages going where they should. I suspect he is dead (sniff)

I'm tracking others on eBay but the US carriage is a killer.


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## The Watcher (Sep 13, 2008)

You know you could still put a servo in the head and run it with the Scary Terry board.


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

That's exactly what I'm doing. Got the ST board on order, tried a servo for size in there.

Just so annoying coz the original mods were going so well.


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## Mazz (Jun 24, 2007)

Is this the original 4 voice Boris or the newer 10 voice one?


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## Decrepit Desecr8shun (Aug 10, 2009)

Otaku said:


> Are the batteries OK? Every Boris I've had is a power hog and burns batteries really fast.


no doubt about that,mine is 2...best thing you can do is adapt a wall wart if you can run power 2 where you want 2 display him.
Not nessesarily, batteries don't always show decreptitude by dropping voltage...current output can be low w/o voltage being low @ all. If you haven't tried new batteries,do so. Also,1 further thing..how much did you extend the wires? You may have extended the wires 2 the point where the resistance of the wire exceeds the capability of the battery pack to make the servo move. Try higher milliamp hr. rated batteries 2. Remember servo wires are generally 24gauge...not much conductive material there. Think of wire like a water hose...voltage is the amount of work that can be done...it is a constant in a circuit unless an outside force acts upon it. current is relative 2 the volume of work that can be done...resistance greatly decreases the amount of work its capable of.
The larger the hose the more potential you have


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

4 Voice Boris. New batteries. Yes, about the only thing I haven't done is solder the battery pack back in directly. Will do that this weekend but I don't hold out much hope.

Although the extended wires are thinner than the originals, I would have expected some response but anything is worth a try. If it works then I'll put it back together and use a better servo and bearing. I'll adapt the Scary Terry board for a Lindberg skull I have (if Boris works again).

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.


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