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vadeblade
12-06-2005, 12:52 PM
Hi. So I came up with a really cool idea (sorry, i will not share the idea... yet). But the idea requires two Luxeon III. So, the question is, how do I wire up one battery pack, two Luxeon IIIs and one switch? Assume that both luxeons are the same color and have the same current draw. Hilt will not be wired for sound. Do I run the LEDs in series or parallel? And what should the battery packs voltaage be with two LEDs? I tried looking around but found nothing on this topic.


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xwingband
12-06-2005, 01:12 PM
Sorry I don't have any help but I am willing to bet whatever you are thinking of has been done. My guess: One at either end of the tube.

Would this be something you are looking at? Posted in another thread here: http://www.theledlight.com/pdf/Drivers/PowerPuck-Luxeon-Applications.pdf

GeluKhanGharr
12-06-2005, 02:49 PM
Vince,

If you connect the LEDs in paralel they each need a separate resistor and the batteries drain faster, so bigger batteries(c or D) are better. If you connect the LEDs in series you will need higher voltage - more batteries. One resistor will suffice for the circuit, but I'm not sure how you calculate it's value.
Hope this helps.

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UltraSWG
12-07-2005, 05:19 AM
I've made several double blade sabers that run off of one battery pack. They just run paralell to each other and each use their own resistor. The battery life isnt really that big an issue, 4AA's will still run a couple Luxeons for a good long while.

vadeblade
12-07-2005, 05:11 PM
Sorry, not double-bladed. But good guess. I plan to start that project in January, since I am selling off all the lightsaber making tools I am having someone else make the hilt for me. I'll have pictures of the completed project. It'll be great.

GeluKhanGharr and UltraSWG, thanks. I think I will go with parallel circuit. I did an experiment with regular LEDs run in series and the variance in resistance between each LED made some dimmer than others. Although luxeons are far more advanced I think there could possibly be a small variance in resistance between two Luxeons hooked in series that would result in one getting less juice than another one, thus one is dimmer. And it is not just the LED that could cause a resistnace variance either, it could be a flaw in the wire or the poor soldering job i often do.

xwingband, I thought those pucks were too big? if not I think that would be the way to go. Thanks for the link.



Lightsaber Warning Label: "CAUTION: Do NOT attempt to sharpen blade."

xwingband
12-07-2005, 05:51 PM
Yeah, they are 1.5 in diameter but I have no idea what your trying to cook up so I just threw that out there, but if I understand what the others said parallel is the way to go. I don't have that much experience with electronics outside of solder this to that, so I'd trust them.[:D]

UltraSWG
12-07-2005, 07:34 PM
Perhaps you're trying to mix colors? Like a combining a red and blue Luxeon to get purple?

vadeblade
03-06-2006, 09:26 AM
Reviving an old thread.

So I wired Two Luxeon III Stars to one battery pack (4 x AA). One red and one white. For Each LED I have one 2.2 ohm resistor.

I noticed something cool when the battery gets used up and the voltage it puts out drops. THe Red LED dims a little but the white LED actually flickers for about 1-2 seconds and then fades off. The fading off takes about another 1-2 seconds.Now for my application this looks really cool.

This lightsaber project is almost done except I am running into some issues with the emmiter. I am willing to share pictures of the half done project just so I can vent about the problems I am having.

-V


Lightsaber Warning Label: "CAUTION: Do NOT attempt to sharpen blade."

http://www.geocities.com/projectstm/lightsaber.html

xwingband
03-06-2006, 09:59 AM
Cool, I believe the white flicker is because the forward voltage of a Red is lower.

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