My Enterprise D ‣ THE ELECTRICS

With more wiring than any other partwork I have ever built, this U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D build can truly test our determination to finish the model. I thought I would take some time to help explain the electrics in our model with details and diagrams on what each piece is, how they work, and what wire is used where.

Disclaimer: This page may not be 100% accurate, but I have done the best I could. As with all electrical devices, take care when making connections and pay attention to what goes where. Do not connect anything with the power switched on and nothing should be forced together. Neither I, nor Fanhome, are responsible for any damage to your model. Just be careful and have fun!

NOTE: I have not received all of the model parts as of this writing, so this information will be updated as the parts arrive. Also, this page contains data about the stock build of the Enterprise D and not the extensive Model Remodel changes I am doing separately.

The Batteries

Due to its ability to separate, our Enterprise D model is powered by six (6) different battery packs requiring fifteen (15) individual batteries. These packs provide between 4.5 and 6 Volts DC to the various PCBs used by the lighting circuits.

Saucer Section Port (left) = 3 x AAA Batteries
Saucer Section Starboard (right) = 3 x AAA Batteries
Neck Section = 3 x AAA Batteries
Battle Section (Stardrive/Engineering) = 2 x CR2032 Button Cells
Port Warp Nacelle = 2 x CR2032 Button Cells
Starboard Warp Nacelle = 2 x CR2032 Button Cells

The Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs)

There are at least nine (9) PCBs used during the construction of our Enterprise D model. Each PCB has either a wired connection or provides multiple sockets for connecting the lighting. Here is a list of each PCB and the assembly stage in which they arrive:

Lighting Test PCB (Stage 3)
Main Impulse Engine Light PCB (Stage 14)
Neck PCB (Stage 22)
Saucer PCB 1 (Stage 31)
Saucer PCB 2 (Stage 45)
Port Warp Nacelle Light Strip PCB (Stage 46)
Saucer PCB 3 (Stage 57)
Battle Section PCB (Stage 61)
Starboard Warp Nacelle Light Strip PCB (Stage 109)

The majority of these boards simply provide basic power distribution and the resistors for each lighting socket. For example, all of the 4-pin sockets marked ‘A’ on the Saucer, Neck, and Battle Section PCBs can receive the 4-pin plug for any lighting that should be steady lit (such as Deck Panel windows). The same goes for all of the 2-pin sockets marked ‘B’ on the Saucer PCBs. This may make things easier if you want to re-organize your wiring during the build.

Importantly, there are special sockets on two of the PCBs that contain extra circuitry to flash the connected lights on and off:

The sockets marked ‘W’ and ‘G/R’ on the Saucer PCB 1 (for the saucer’s side and rear red/green navigation lights)
The socket marked ‘D’ on the Battle Section PCB (for the main rear navigation lights)

As for the Neck’s flashing navigation lights, this is due to a circuit embedded in the Battle Section Lights (22L) cable. Likewise, the Nacelle navigation lights flash due to a circuit embedded in each Nacelle Light Strip. Unfortunately, with all of these separate flashing circuits, it means the various formation lights around the starship are likely to flash at different speeds/intervals once turned on.

The Lighting

All of the lighting in the model is provided by LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) that are either pre-wired to plugs or surface mounted on PCBs.

The wired versions contain between one and three 3VDC Cool White 2x3x4mm rectangular LEDs connected to a 2 or 4 pin 1.25mm pitch JST female plug. These plugs are then attached to the male sockets on the PCBs as the build progresses. Surface mounted LEDs can be found on the Main Impulse Engine Light PCB and the Warp Nacelle Light Strip PCBs.

The Wiring

All of the wiring in the model is color-coded, but this is basically just to help find wires when you need to. In cases where the instructions say fit a specific LED on a multi-LED cable to a certain notch/location, the other LED could also also be used – the LEDs themselves are all the same.

To help see where to install each cable plug (by part number), I created these diagrams of the main socketed PCBs. This is based on if you are following the images in the magazines:

Furthermore, I chased down every wire I could to determine what it is for and where it goes. So far, here is what I have found:

Issue	Stage	Part #	LEDs	Pins	To Part(s)	Part Name/Location	PCB Name	PCB Socket(s)
1	1	01T	2	4	01F	Deck Two Front Windows	Saucer 2	A
1	1	01U	2	4	01H/57A	Emergency Flush Vent Left/Ventral Center	Saucer 2	A
1	1	01V	2	4	01C	Bridge Base	Saucer 2	A
2	3	03G	2	4	03B	Deflector Dish	Battle Section	A
2	4	04J	2	4	04I	Deck Panel U3-09	Saucer 1	A
2	4	04J	2	4	04H	Deck Panel U3-10	Saucer 1	A
2	4	04J	2	4	04H	Deck Panel U3-10	Saucer 1	A
2	9	09E	2	4	09D	Neck Upper Windows Left	Neck	A
3	10	10F	2	4	10E	Neck Upper Windows Right	Neck	A
4	11	11D	2	4	11B/12C	Neck Rear Windows	Neck	A
4	11	11E	2	4	11B/12C	Neck Rear Windows	Neck	A
4	14	14D	1	2	14D	Main Impulse Engine Light	Neck	B
5	18	18F	2	4	18A	Deck Panel U1-05	Saucer 1	A
5	18	18F	2	4	18A	Deck Panel U1-05	Saucer 1	A
6	19	19E	2	4	19A	Deck Panel U3-11	Saucer 1	A
6	19	19E	2	4	19A	Deck Panel U3-11	Saucer 1	A
6	19	19E	2	4	19A	Deck Panel U3-11	Saucer 1	A
6	19	19E	2	4	19A	Deck Panel U3-11	Saucer 1	A
6	20	20E	2	4	20A	Deck Panel U3-12	Saucer 1	A
6	20	20E	2	4	20A/37B	Deck Panel U3-12/U3-13	Saucer 1	A
6	20	20G	0	2	15C	Neck Battery Box	Neck	IN
6	21	21I	2	4	20A/37B	Deck Panel U3-12/U3-13	Saucer 1	A
6	22	22F	-	-	PCBs	Neck PCB	Neck	-
6	22	22K	2	4	22B	Deck Panel U3-08/U3-09	Saucer 1	A
6	22	22K	2	4	04I	Deck Panel U3-08/U3-09	Saucer 1	A
6	22	22L	3	4	Neck	Neck Docking Lights/Torpedo Launcher	Neck	A
7	24	24E	2	4	24C	Deck Panel U1-04	Saucer 1	A
7	24	24F	1	2	24B	Deck Panel U1-04	Saucer 1	B
7	25	25E	2	4	25B	Deck Panel U3-07	Saucer 1	A
7	26	26E	2	4	26B	Deck Panel U3-06	Saucer 1	A
8	27	27F	2	4	25B/26B	Deck Panel U3-07/U3-06	Saucer 1	A
8	28	28F	1	2	28B	Deck Panel U1-03	Saucer 1	B
8	29	29H	2	4	29F	Neck Ventral Windows Left	Neck	A
8	29	29I	2	4	32G	Left Neck Front Windows	Neck	A
8	29	29I	2	4	34F	Left Neck Rear Windows	Neck	A
8	29	29J	2	4	29B	Deck Panel U3-15	Saucer 2	A
8	30	30D	2	4	30B	Deck Panel U3-16	Saucer 2	A
9	31	31D	-	-	31D	Saucer PCB 1	Saucer 1	-
9	31	31E	1	4	PCBs	Saucer PCB Cable	Saucer 1/2	IN <-> IN/OUT
9	32	32C	2	4	32B	Deck Panel U1-07	Saucer 2	A
9	33	33C	2	4	33B/55C	Deck Panel U3-02/Right Saucer Impulse	Saucer 3	A
9	34	34G	2	4	34B	Deck Panel U3-03	Saucer 2	A
9	34	34G	2	4	39C	Right Neck Front Windows	Neck	A
9	34	34G	2	4	41F	Right Neck Rear Windows	Neck	A
10	35	35F	2	4	33B/34B	Deck Panel U3-02/U3-03	Saucer 2	A
10	36	36H	2	4	36F	Neck Ventral Windows Right	Neck	A
10	36	36H	2	4	36B	Deck Panel U1-01	Saucer 3	A
10	37	37C	2	4	37B/38B	Deck Panel U3-13/U3-14	Saucer 1	A
10	38	38C	2	4	38B	Deck Panel U3-14	Saucer 1	A
11	39	39F	2	4	29B/30B	Deck Panel U3-15/U3-16	Saucer 2	A
11	40	40H	1	2	40B	Deck Panel U1-06	Saucer 1	B
11	40	40I	2	4	40B/40C	Deck Panel U1-06	Saucer 1	A
11	41	41H	2	4	41B	Deck Panel U3-04	Saucer 2	A
11	42	42C	2	4	42B	Deck Panel U3-05	Saucer 2	A
12	43	43K	2	4	41B/42B	Deck Panel U3-04/U3-05	Saucer 2	A
12	44	44D	2	4	44B/C	Deck Panel U1-02	Saucer 2	A
12	45	45C	-	-	PCBs	Saucer PCB 2	Saucer 2	-
12	45	45D	2	4	45B	Deck Panel U3-17	Saucer 2	A
12	46	46F	2	4	46B	Deck Panel U3-18	Saucer 2	A
12	46	46G	9	2	55F	Port Nacelle Light Strip	-	-
13	47	47F	2	4	45B/46B	Deck Panel U3-17/U3-18	Saucer 2	A
13	48	48E	2	4	48B/C	Deck Panel U1-08	Saucer 2	A
13	49	49F	2	4	49B	Deck Panel U3-19	Saucer 2	A
13	50	50E	2	4	50B/55E	Deck Panel U3-20/Left Saucer Impulse	Saucer 2	A
14	51	51E	1	2	49B	Deck Panel U3-19	Saucer 2	B
14	52	52C	2	4	52B	Deck Panel U1-09	Saucer 2	A
14	53	53H	1	2	53B	Deck Panel U3-01	Saucer 3	B
14	54	54D	1	2	54A	Deck Panel U3-01	Saucer 3	B
14	54	54D	1	2	54B	Deck Panel U3-01	Saucer 3	B
15	55	55F	-	2	46G	Port Nacelle Battery Box/Switch	-	-
15	57	57B	-	-	PCBs	Saucer PCB 3	Saucer 3	-
15	57	57F	1	2	PCBs	Saucer PCB Cable	Saucer 2/3	IN/OUT <-> IN/OUT
15	57	57G	-	2	-	Saucer Power Switch	Saucer 1	SW1
15	58	58E	1	4	94F	Port Saucer Formation LED	Saucer 1	G/R
15	58	58E	1	4	86F	Starboard Saucer Formation LED	Saucer 1	G/R
15	58	58F	1	4	-	Aft Port Saucer Formation LED	Saucer 1	W (4-pin)
15	58	58G	1	2	-	Aft Starboard Saucer Formation LED	Saucer 1	W (2-pin)
15	58	58H	1	2	61F	Front Saucer Formation LED	Saucer 1	B
16	60	60G	2	4	60B	Deck Panel L2-06	Saucer 1	A
16	60	60H	1	2	60B	Deck Panel L2-06	Saucer 1	B
16	61	61G	-	-	PCBs	Battle Section PCB	Battle Section	-
16	62	62C	1	2	57A	Lower Skeleton 4	Saucer 2	B
16	62	62C	1	2	57A	Lower Skeleton 4	Saucer 2	B
16	62	62C	1	2	58A	Lower Skeleton 5	Saucer 2	B
16	62	62C	1	2	58A	Lower Skeleton 5	Saucer 2	B
16	62	62D	-	2	PCBs	Power Connector	Saucer 1	IN1
17	65	65E	2	4	65B	Deck Panel L2-05	Saucer 1	A
17	65	65E	2	4	65B/71A	Deck Panel L2-05/Lower Skeleton 3	Saucer 1	A
18	67	67E	2	4	67B	Deck Panel L2-07	Saucer 2	A
18	67	67E	2	4	67B/78B	Deck Panel L2-07/L2-08	Saucer 2	A
19	71	71E	2	4	71C	Battle Section Left Rear Windows	Battle Section	A
19	71	71F	1	2	71A	Lower Skeleton 3	Saucer 2	B
19	73	73G	2	4	73B	Deck Panel L2-04	Saucer 2	A
19	73	73G	2	4	73C	Deck Panel L2-04	Saucer 2	A
19	73	73G	2	4	73B/C	Deck Panel L2-04	Saucer 2	A
19	74	74G	2	4	69A	Rear Deck Navigation Lights	Battle Section	A
19	74	74H	2	4	74F	Battle Section Right Rear Windows	Battle Section	A
20	76	76D	1	2	76A	Lower Skeleton 6	Saucer 3	B
20	76	76D	1	2	76A	Lower Skeleton 6	Saucer 3	B
20	77	77L	2	4	77K	Battle Section Left Front Windows	Battle Section	A
20	78	78G	2	4	78C/92B	Deck Panel L2-08/L2-09	Saucer 3	A
20	78	78G	2	4	78C	Deck Panel L2-08	Saucer 3	A
20	78	78H	2	4	78B	Deck Panel L2-08	Saucer 2	A
21	79	79G	2	4	79F	Battle Section Right Front Windows	Battle Section	A
21	81	81E	1	2	81A	Lower Skeleton 2	Saucer 3	B
21	81	81E	1	2	81C	Battle Section Top Middle Windows	Battle Section	C
22	83	83D	1	2	57A	Lower Skeleton 4	Saucer 2	B
22	83	83D	1	2	83A	Lower Skeleton 7	Saucer 2	B
22	84	84G	2	4	84F	Battle Section Left Middle Windows	Battle Section	A
22	84	84H	2	4	84B	Deck Panel L2-03	Saucer 3	A
22	84	84H	2	4	84C	Deck Panel L2-03	Saucer 3	A
22	84	84I	2	4	84B/C	Deck Panel L2-03	Saucer 3	A
22	86	86H	2	4	84G	Battle Section Right Middle Windows	Battle Section	A
23	88	88G	2	4	88A/B	Deck Panel L2-02	Saucer 3	A
23	88	88H	2	4	88A/B	Deck Panel L2-02	Saucer 3	A
24	92	92H	2	4	92B/96B	Deck Panel L2-09/L2-10	Saucer 3	A
24	92	92I	2	4	92B/C	Deck Panel L2-09	Saucer 3	A
24	93	93G	2	4	93F/95D	Battle Section Lower Front Windows	Battle Section	A
24	93	93G	2	4	93F/98F	Battle Section Lower Left Windows	Battle Section	A
25	95	95J	2	4	95D/101F	Battle Section Lower Right Front Windows	Battle Section	A
25	96	96G	2	4	96B/C	Deck Panel L2-10	Saucer 3	A
25	96	96G	2	4	96C/107C	Deck Panel L2-10/L2-11	Saucer 3	A
25	98	98G	2	4	98F/101F	Battle Section Lower Windows	Battle Section	A
26	99	99C	2	4	99A	Lower Skeleton 1	Saucer 3	A
26	99	99C	2	4	99A	Lower Skeleton 1	Saucer 3	A
26	99	99D	1	2	99A	Lower Skeleton 1	Saucer 3	B
26	101	101H	1	2	101C	Deck Panel L2-01	Saucer 3	B
26	101	101I	2	4	101B	Deck Panel L2-01	Saucer 3	A
26	101	101I	2	4	101B/C	Deck Panel L2-01	Saucer 3	A
26	101	101J	4	4	98F/101F	Battle Section Lower Windows	Battle Section	A
26	102	102F	-	2	61G	Battle Section Battery Box	Battle Section	IN
27	105	105I	2	4	105A	Lower Skeleton 8	Saucer 3	A
27	105	105I	2	4	105A	Lower Skeleton 8	Saucer 3	A
27	105	105I	2	4	105A/107B	Lower Skeleton 8/	Saucer 3	A
28	107	107H	1	4	107C	Deck Panel L2-11	Saucer 3	A
28	107	107I	2	4	107B	Deck Panel L2-11	Saucer 3	A
28	109	109E	9	2		Starboard Nacelle Light Strip	-	-
29	111	111E
29	111	111E
29	111	111G
29	111	111G
29	112	112G
29	112	112G
29	112	112G
29	114	114G
30	115	115I

I hope this page helps explain how the electrics work in our Enterprise D partwork model. Any questions or comments, let me know!

The Batteries

The Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs)

The Lighting

The Wiring

Building the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D from Fanhome/Eaglemoss