Joe Jedi Lightsaber contruction set info

[TroyO]

I have been playing with an old Joe Jedi board and made some discoveries that may help some others out. AKA Lightsaber Construction Set from Radio Shack, AKA SW616 SW-616 (It will help the search engines)

I figured out a problem that was causing a transistor (Q1) to overheat, which is probably the cause of folks burning out some of them at 5V to 6V when they may have otherwise been fine. The speaker that comes with it is a 16 Ohm speaker, If you replace that with a 4 or 8 Ohm speaker it will pull too much current. Too much current = overheating Q1 = Letting out the magic blue smoke.... especially if you are over-volting it as well. Luckily I figured it out before the smoke got away.....

FWIW, it draws about 110 mA @ 3.3V, and 158 mA @ 5V (With the stock speaker)

Anyway, maybe it will help someone out.

[Novastar]

Good post, TroyO... it might actually help ME... :) I don't know though... they are working ok (so far) with a single Li-Ion 3.7v cell + some 28mm and 40mm speakers.

While we're here... Don and I have found that if you have the 616s on a DPDT (to do some kind of setup--for example--where you drive the light separately of the board)... for the little slide latching switches WE used... it seems to cause a "weird" issue with the board not always giving the user the power down sound.

It's hard to explain... if you slide the switch off "normally" (quickly, fast, you know--NORMAL)... sometimes it will simply "stop". Light cuts, sound cuts = no power down sound.

BUT... if you SLLLLLOOOOOWWWWLLY (and I mean slowly) sliiiiide the latching switch down... you'll get both of the results: light will turn off... (keeeep sliiiiiding swwwitttcch)... sound will shut down. Or perhaps light 1st off, then sound 2nd off.

Anyhow. It's a weird one. I have to be honest with you... ... I don't get it.

[Invisas1979]

Great post TroyO/Nova

I'm going to be using a 616 shortly and I needed to know the output voltage of this board. Is this the 3.3 and 5v mentioned in your post?

[TroyO]

The ouput voltage or the input voltage? I haven't measured the output as I haven't used it.

It's made for ~3v. Some folks have run it at 6V with mixed sucess... again, it's a guess but the ones that blew may have been while using a "better" speaker with it.

Another option for those who want to run higher voltage might be to use two 8 Ohm speakers, or find a 16 Ohm or even higher (20 Ohm?) speaker to swap with the stock one.

The slide switch issue.... the switch isn't hooked to the power input of the Soundcard at all is it? It's only connecting the two switch leads?

You might look at bypassing half of the switch leads all together... if you shoot board voltage (Whatever the power input of the card is) at one of the switch leads it turns the soundcard on... may save a step. It's also a chip input of some kind... minimal/negligible current draw on that lead so just about any switch would work. Alternatley... a small capacitor across the switch may help.

That's what I will be up too.. one lead to turn it on/off, one lead to switch into "sith sound mode" and a +/- power feed.

[TroyO]

Also note the 110/158 mA draw was without the LED portion hooked up.

[TroyO]

I was reading through some other threads... the board may be made for 4.5V. Its been so long since I stripped the thing apart I can't remember how many batteries it had, LOL.... but some other folks noted 3 of them which would be 4.5V.

[Kal El Rah]

I was reading through some other threads... the board may be made for 4.5V. Its been so long since I stripped the thing apart I can't remember how many batteries it had, LOL.... but some other folks noted 3 of them which would be 4.5V.

Correct, only 3-1.5v cells= 4.5v

[xl97]

Nova-

I only briefly read through.. so if Im stating stuff you already read.. (ignore me) :)

But Randy (Arm On Fire), had a post on this same topic of loosing power down sound..etc..

and it was debated and talked about a bit...an then people (Randy) put some diodes in place to take care of the power down problem..

I know this was never pouplated..and used as it should have been (Im sure it takes time)

but if you go to the TCSS Resistor/Led chart..
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/wiringbuilder/wiring.aspx

there is another little tab called: MISC DIAGRAMS..

in the drop down box.. just so happens to be both diagrams that Randy posted.. 9and alink to the original post I think)
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=4252&highlight=diode&page=5

that was used to start off that 'option' for the application..


Also, Im wondering if you get the same 'effect' form the SAME SET-UP..but using a PUSH-BUTTON DPDT? (possible thoughts of mechanical problem on ow sliders work?)



Hope this helps..

[Silent_Jedi]

Could the "Magical Blue Smoke" problem be fixed or is it a permanent problem?

[Novastar]

xl97... well... Don built me these sabers, and--yup--we used some DPDT setups (I'm going to do a video soon enough to say thanks + show folks)...

...so... hmm, THANKS--you never know--that could be the issue. I mean, Don and I wondered about this for a long time, but we finally decided that it wasn't a big deal, and just put up with it.

Ultimately though:

* I haven't tried a different switch on any of them... yet.
* I haven't taken a single one apart yet... since I just received 'em, and they all work "as we expected" (which is pretty darn good despite no power off sound).
* I don't care all THAT much, since these were meant to make the "birthday party" kids happy and the "saber classes" kids happy...
* It can't POSSIBLY hurt to ~attempt~ adding diodes in there someday... only questions are--will I bother to take all 7 apart, and does it really matter?

But thanks XL97! And special thanks to Randy (Arm On Fire). :)

I will e-mail this link to Don. Hi, Don. :D