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Captain
01-23-2013, 10:19 PM
I have been looking on the forums for a bit and I am still baffled on how to wire an Illuminated AV switch to a NB I am sure its easy but I have absolutely no electronic experience what so ever. If there is a post some where that I have missed please point me in the right direction. I just don't see how to wire the switch LED to the rest of the circuit, pictures on how anyone soldered their NB sabers would greatly help. I am using the MWS Nano B with all JST connectors.
I have all resistors and other stuff figured out so just this one part is confusing me/

Darth Ryo
01-24-2013, 03:00 AM
Hi Captain,

Take a look at page 10 of the owner manual, you'll see where to solder AV Switch Led (3.3v accent led pad). That would require a recherche port with kill key tho, otherwise the led will stay on and use battery unecessarily.

I've also read you could wire this led in parallel of the main blade led, if you do not want to use a recharge port (that way the accent led only ignite when you start the saber). this is actually easier to wire if you have JST (just put both led wires t your JST male plug, with the proper resistor of course).

Hope it helps ;)

Captain
01-24-2013, 01:55 PM
Alas but I am using the NB MWS with all the JST connectors. So would I connect the Accent LED neg to one of the per-existing wires for the battery?

Forgetful Jedi Knight
01-24-2013, 02:11 PM
Alas but I am using the NB MWS with all the JST connectors. So would I connect the Accent LED neg to one of the per-existing wires for the battery?

It would have to be connected to the battery (-).

Xevious
01-24-2013, 02:14 PM
Alas but I am using the NB MWS with all the JST connectors. So would I connect the Accent LED neg to one of the per-existing wires for the battery?

Well, that is a problem. If you wanted to have the accent LED illuminate only when the main LED is on, you could maybe use one of these (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/2X-JST-female-connectors-with-shared-ground-P824.aspx) to wire the accent in parallel with the main. IOW, use the same + and - that the main LED is using, just make sure it goes through its own resistor and not the main LED's one.

The other route is of course to solder a connector to the 3.3V pad in the middle of the sound card.

Captain
01-24-2013, 08:52 PM
I plan on using a kill key with a charge port. So would I want to solder the switch LED positive to the accent LED pad and the neg to the battery neg then. If so do I cut the battery neg and solder the switch LED to it then heat shrink it, so it would be three wires getting soldered?

Forgetful Jedi Knight
01-24-2013, 08:57 PM
I plan on using a kill key with a charge port. So would I want to solder the switch LED positive to the accent LED pad and the neg to the battery neg then. If so do I cut the battery neg and solder the switch LED to it then heat shrink it, so it would be three wires getting soldered?

That probably would be safest. ;)

Xevious
01-25-2013, 09:58 AM
Your accent LED circuit should run from the 3.3V accent LED pad to your resistor+LED and then back to the negative pad on the NB itself (which is the negative node that comes back from the recharge port), not the negative terminal to the battery itself. The negative terminal on the battery runs to the recharge port and nowhere else.

Captain
01-28-2013, 08:24 PM
Alright thanks Xevious. Good thing I came back and checked! :)

Darth Vane
03-09-2013, 11:22 PM
Your accent LED circuit should run from the 3.3V accent LED pad to your resistor+LED and then back to the negative pad on the NB itself (which is the negative node that comes back from the recharge port), not the negative terminal to the battery itself. The negative terminal on the battery runs to the recharge port and nowhere else.

i have also wondered this. so if i read your post correctly i would wire the - from the swich to the same prong of that the - wire goes to on the recharge port. just like the battery and board + prong?

Arryck Corso
03-10-2013, 10:37 AM
I asked erv about this some time ago as I knew I was going to do a NB build. Actually, wiring your accent LED to the 3.3v pad will work with out the need of a recharge port. At least that was my understanding.

Darth Ryo is right in that the LED will stay on and use the battery unnecessarily while the board is powered. However once the board enters deep sleep mode (which btw is a configurable value of the board) the LED will power down as well. That's the whole point of the deep sleep mode delay of board. It's a power saving mode that allows the battery to last longer on one charge when not in use. IIRC when the board is in deep sleep mode, it uses less than 0.1mA. It's meant to act just like a kill key.

So the only question is what kind of look are you going for. If you want the accent LED of your switch to be on whether or not the main LED is on, the wire it to 3.3v pad. If not, wire it in parrllel with your main LED.

It's also important to remember that accent LED's don't draw much juice (depending on what resistor you use). I prefer mine to actually under draw current a little bit as I feel that accent LED's should be just that....accents. I want to be able to see them but not be blinded by them. Especially when you're considering using green, white, or blue as they can be insanely bright when giving the juice. Green and white just love current. A 10mA draw on an accent LED will hardly bother a 2600mAh battery.

Your other option is to always make it so your battery is removable.