Wiring a Force Feedback motor to gun trigger

[BadMouth]

In another thread, I managed to get a big metal "joystick" type gun working by wiring the potentiometers to an act labs racing pedal box.

I'd like to get the force feedback working, but it isn't as simple as I thought it would be (or I'm overthinking it).
The feedback motor is just a DC motor that spins a lopsided weight on the end of it.  No recoil or anything.

It just needs to spin when the trigger is pulled and stop when the trigger is released.
I thought it would just be a matter of wiring a relay to the switch, but realized that I didn't know anything about how that might affect whatever circuit is used to link the switch to the computer (pad-hack or encoder).  I could use a double throw relay tripped by the trigger pull and have it complete the button press circuit, but the delay would probably be annoying.

The triggers use leaf switches.  I'm not sure if a double position leaf would fit in there, but that's the simplest way I can think of.

What is the easiest option?

Can someone draw me a circuit in laymans terms that would work and would protect the keyboard encoder?

[bkenobi]

I'm not that good with EE, but I think you might want to consider a transistor instead of a relay.  I guess it depends on the voltages you are working with, but a transistor is like an electronic relay (no coil involved).  Relays are rather slow and you will hear a 'click' every time  you actuate it (pull/release the trigger).

Someone that knows more about usage will hopefully step in and clear up my mess.   

[BadMouth]

Back to this project until I get distracted again....
(got aiming working in this thread: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=104688.0  )

Here is what I came up with for wiring a gun with force feedback:
A gameport adapter and solid state relay


Gameports can accept up to 4 axes directly from potentiometers as well as 4 buttons.
Perfect (overlooked?) interface for mounted guns!

Unfortuneately, testing reveals that the "Super Joybox 7" can only accept 2 axes (but still 4 buttons), so you'll need 2 if mounting  a pair of guns.
(or install a $5 soundcard with a gameport and get a Y adapter).

Using pinouts and information found online...and a 600mhz celeron computer that I don't care if I fry, I set about doing some tests.
The buttons circuit is 5v and the gameport can supposedly handle 500 mA.
So I should be ok triggering my relay(35mA max) without needing a transistor.
I'm not going to put anything on the same USB header just to play it safe.
The relay is a DC/DC solid state relay with a 3-32v trigger.
I installed a protection diode across the input side with the stripe to the + side.
If this is wrong, please let me know.
I'm new to this stuff and struggling to learn how to translate diagrams into real parts.

I didn't wire the pots up for this test, just a button & the relay.
Power for the feedback motor was provided by a jumpstart booster pack.
Well, pull the trigger=gun shakes+button press registers....and no smoke or anything.
I thought maybe the relay would heat up, but it was still cold to the touch after a solid minute.
I haven't checked to see how much current the feedback motor is pulling.
That's on tomorrow's agenda, along with finding a cable to hack that isn't beige.
Everything from the gameport era was beige.

[BadMouth]

Aurrrgh!!!   

The pots aren't playing nice with gameport adapter.
In the calibration screen, it works fine until I've moved about halfway across the range (and the marker has only moved about halfway).
At that point it freezes up and jumps to full turn.
I guess it's something to do with the range.

I guess it's either replace the pots or go back to using the act labs pedal adapter for the movement and use the gameport adapter for the buttons.