Add-on board for adjustable LED driver schematic

[Strydur]

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/images/wiring1.jpg

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/images/wiring2.jpg

[Crystal Chambers]

clash switch? So it's not a sensor it's an extra switch? Since it has 2 settings for mom or latching how would this work? Or does this work like US with the momentary?

Make sure I've got this straight. So with the add-on I'll have ramping on activation and shutdown, pulsing/shimmering, and clash flash? Not like the clash flash we see on CF?

I'm guessing the only advantage to this is the other driver has only puts out 1000mah where the other is adjustable right?

[Strydur]

You can use a momentary switch or a clash sensor for the flash on clash. I am not sure how well the clash sensor works with setup..sensitivity, etc..

You can select either momentary switch setup or latching switch setup..just depends what type of switch you want to use.

With this combo you have all of the old driver specs but with selectable mA output.

[Rhyen Skytracker]

What determines what type of switch you use? Latching or momentary. Is there a dip switch or something?

[FenderBender]

Its probably a firmware thing, like the original driver board.

[Strydur]

We sell them both ways.. you order a latching or a momentary.

[Rhyen Skytracker]

Tim, are you planning on offering a mounting solution for these cards?

[Strydur]

Both of these cards will eventually be sold as one unit so I am waiting until then to come up with something.

[Rhyen Skytracker]

That is what I was waiting to hear. Do you know how much you will charge for the single unit yet?

[vargose]

I wonder if there is a way to use this without the adjustable LED driver. Like maybe using a resistor instead. ???

[Sunrider]

Yes. 6A limit.;)

[Strydur]

Please do not assume this has any or all of the same functions as the d2flex. While the board may be the same these where setup and programed for this application.

[vargose]

Please do not assume this has any or all of the same functions as the d2flex. While the board may be the same these where setup and programed for this application.

I was just wondering if the add-on could be used without the adjustable LED driver.

[vargose]

Is there a voltage drop across the add-on?

[Sunrider]

It sounds like during clash flash the controller will switch to 100% pulse or drive. Can we get an estimate on normal operation drive percentage?

Trying to formulate a setup.

[DJMoonbass]

sorry quick question. what is the Ma rating of the clash effect?

so lets say your running or over driving an LED at 1200 ma plus. will the board compensate for this and put more current out for the clash? because on the 3watt driver V2, it puts out 1200 ma for the clash.

UPDATE!

According to the manufacturer if it is set to say 1500 then it will pulse between a lower setting and 1500.

compliments of tim :D

[pittapittae]

Sorry, it's a lame question: I suppose the add-on has the same max voltage limit as the main driver, right?
@DJMoonbass: this means the pulse/ clash flash is done by reducing the current? or is it that the base current is reduced with respect to the driver setting?

[DJMoonbass]

i think it pulses a max of 1500 then if set on 1500 it pulses less. im just assuming i cant be sure ive never used them. i plan to soon though.

[Matt Thorn]

I was just wondering if the add-on could be used without the adjustable LED driver.
That's what the Luxeon 3W driver V2 (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Luxeon-3w-driver-V2-P230.aspx) is for. It provides 1000mA current along with the flicker and clash effects (though you need to add a 25¢ clash sensor (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Clash-Sensor-P485.aspx) for the latter).

EDIT: I just realized the link to the driver was completely wrong. (That was a link to a response to something I wrote about manga translation! :oops:)

[vargose]

That's what the Luxeon 3W driver V2 (http://schoolgirlmilkycrisis.com/blog/?p=804) is for. It provides 1000mA current along with the flicker and clash effects (though you need to add a 25¢ clash sensor (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Clash-Sensor-P485.aspx) for the latter).

This is true, but this is far cheaper. If we can use it with a simple resistor instead of the adjustable driver.

[Matt Thorn]

This is true, but this is far cheaper. If we can use it with a simple resistor instead of the adjustable driver.
The operative term here is "add-on". ;)

[shiningknightnjb]

I wired up my adjustable driver and add-on boards the other night and I have no shimmer or ramp up/down effects... also I was under the impression that with the momentary switch firmware that I could press it once to turn on and press again to turn off... instead I have to hold the switch to keep it on... could my board be defective or is it something else? oh, and it should be known I am running a luxIII (cyan) and my power supply is 9 volts...:confused:

[Jay-gon Jinn]

I wired up my adjustable driver and add-on boards the other night and I have no shimmer or ramp up/down effects... also I was under the impression that with the momentary switch firmware that I could press it once to turn on and press again to turn off... instead I have to hold the switch to keep it on... could my board be defective or is it something else? oh, and it should be known I am running a luxIII (cyan) and my power supply is 9 volts...:confused:
Sounds like you have a latching version of the board:

We sell them both ways.. you order a latching or a momentary.

[shiningknightnjb]

well, i really hope not since i ordered the momentary version... and there is nothing indicating which one it actually is (ie. markings of any kind)... but even if in fact it is a lathing version it should still have the shimmer while holding the button... right?

[dj2rbo]

I have one also but I haven't used it. Why don't you try a latching switch because it might be the wrong item.

[Skottsaber]

oh, and it should be known I am running a luxIII (cyan) and my power supply is 9 volts...:confused:

Why are you using a 9v battery :confused:
They are heavily inferior to AA cells. (runtime wise)

[Matt Thorn]

Indeed. I don't know about lithium 9V PP3 batteries, but your standard 9V battery is completely useless for a lightsaber.

[forthetwilight]

Hello there, Im pretty new to saber building, and although I have a real basic one working fine, I did have a few questions I hoped you all could answer for me.

Ideally, the new saber I was working on was going to use a rebel tri-star (wbb), and Im wondering if I could set up (or if someone could maybe help me understand how I could) the add-on board to work so that only the white LED would be used for clash.

Beyond that, I apologize if the next question has been answered already (I spent most my time trying to find answers to the first in my searching), but how would a person go about setting up a clash function to work on both a sensor and button (if its possible)?

Thanks in advance.

[Sunrider]

The add on board will flash the main led with a mom switch or sensor. Only CF has external flash circuit. People usually go with a multi die led rather than the tri rebel.

[forthetwilight]

I attempted to do a search here, but it appears that die is too small a word to successfully look for, so when you say a multiple die led, I assume you are referring to one that has all of the LEDs/colors under the same little dome, like a Seoul 3.5W RGB SMD (If I'm reading it's description right). I've looked around youtube for a bit and found sabers people have built (no doubt many of you fine folks where in those results) that allow for changing colors on the fly. Would this be one of the benefits of using a multi-die as opposed to the three separate LEDs?

I'm honestly more used to working with computers than I am any of these, but it is getting quite interesting none-the-less. Also, thank you for the pointing myself in the right direction. :D

[Arkhan]

The "multi-die under one dome" LED allow you several options you don't get with normal single color LEDs. (the rebel tri-star has the same options, but due to the orientation of the LEDs themselves, the choices for optic lens aren't quite narrow enough for most saber usage)

You can, with some wiring tweaks, mix the 3 colors in various combinations (based on resistors). The awesome purples that folks get are based on this setup.

You can also setup a rotary switch or similar with varied resistances and cycle through color presets.

If you had a computer controlled version of the rotary switch above, you could have it cycle automatically, limited only by the circuit itself.

While only the CF has the flash on clash feature built in, you could, for instance:

Mix the Red and Blue dies together to get a purple, and then with a momentary switch, manually activate the GREEN die to simulate blade lockup or similar, which would shift the blade color towards WHITE while the button was held down.

Keep in mind that unless you're using the 10W LEDENGIN RGBA (a 4 die LED I believe), you're not going to get quite as much brightness from any ONE of the individual dies as you might from a dedicated single color LED.

The 3W RGB LEDs people often use are ROUGHLY 1Watt per die. This is less bright than a typical single color LED of the current generation, but it wasn't that long ago when 1W was *bright*

Still, you trade a little raw brightness for increased flexiblity. You can always get more than one LED/heatsink and swap them out as you like.

[Sunrider]

If you want a normal color ie., green or blue look for Ledengin 10w with parallel pcb. They have 4 3watt leds & one dome.

[forthetwilight]

Okay, so I think between this and some other forum topics I've gotten the basic understanding of how this would generally work (what with the rotary switch being the kind of hub-redirect for positive flow to get the specific colors, the resistors involved, etc). So I suppose I only really have one or two left before I can start ordering some parts to fill my poor empty hilt here.

A) This is more a confirmation that I'm understanding right, but the Add-on board's clash only effects the main led (no separate circuit), so it would need a separate switch from the power on/off (from the pack) in order to get the desired clash effect. If that's the case, what I would be looking for would be a latching switch to apply to the boards clash-switch contacts so it could be triggered "as desired" by holding the switch down, correct?

B) Although I believe its by default, it never hurts to ask: Would the shimmer/ramping effects require a similar switch, or would these simply trigger by turning on the power (from pack)?

Thanks both of you for all the help - its already steered me to change a couple aspects of the little project I'm working on. The biggest problem now is going to be trying to make all these parts fit into the poor little guy!

[alreadyRogue]

Hi everyone
I have a 3-6A driver from another site which has all the same inputs as adjustable driver board (PWM also).
So my question is would I be able to use this board as an add on for that board so that I can still have all those cool effects.
Here is the link to the board, Here (http://www.taskled.com/h6cc.html).
Thanks - Rogue

[Sunrider]

Yes. You must use add on board Rev 3.0. Simply specify in the notes section when you order.

[alreadyRogue]

What does rev 3.0 mean, I just like to know what I'm doing and stuff.
Thanks - Rogue

[Sunrider]

This is the pic of the add on board at the store here.

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Assets/ProductImages/addoa.JPG

See how it says d2Flex V2.0.

You need V3.0.

[alreadyRogue]

Alright Perfect, thanks.