Help with parts needed

[iainm]

I want to use the Rebel Green LED in my saber. I also want to use rechargeable batteries and a charging port. Please advise me what parts to purchase - which battery pack, buck puck or resistor and size etc. I want to use a regular unlit on-off switch. No sound required. Many thanks.

[Silver Serpent]

Any 3.7v li-ion battery pack, a recharge port, any latching switch, the Rebel Green LED, and you can calculate the resistor with the resistor calculator in my signature, or read this post http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?17109-Tutorial-FJK-s-quot-Down-and-Dirty-quot-guide-to-Ohm-s-Law to learn how to calculate them yourself.

[iainm]

So, how about this. Will this work? Too much, too little power? Rebel Green. MWS Recharge Port, MWS Long Latching Switch, Li-Ion 18650 3.7V 2600mAh PCB Protected Rechargeable Battery Module and a BuckPuck 1000mA 6-wire. The resistor chart suggested 1Ohm 2Watts or 1000mA BuckPuck.

[Silver Serpent]

If you go with the BuckPuck, you will need to move up to a 7.4v battery pack. The BuckPuck requires a minimum of 5v to operate properly.

The resistor is easy to hook up, very inexpensive, and will operate fine with the rest of your setup.

[iainm]

Nice. Thank you. Filling the shopping basket now...

[iainm]

Had to wait until the 15th to be solvent again! Just noticed that USPS Priority International does not allow Li Ion batteries to be shipped. Can you recommend an alternative for my saber that is not Li-Ion. I still want to be able to recharge the battery without dismantling the saber.

[iainm]

Finally found a company in Turkey's business capital Istanbul that MAKES Li-Ion batteries. Here is what they can provide. Which one would best suit my requirements?

2200 2900 and 3400 mAh and 3.7 Volts The sooner someone can reply the sooner I can place my order with these people.

Thanks and Merry Christmas.

[Silver Serpent]

It depends. Typically I say to go with the highest mAh you can fit in the saber. Physical size is the more important factor here.

If you went with the BuckPuck, you'll want a 7.4v protected pack. As a reminder, two 18650 sized li-ion batteries will not fit side-by-side in MHS parts, though they will fit as a stick pack.

If you're using a resistor, go with the highest mAh single cell li-ion you can find. It should be a 18650 sized cell, and a single one is typically easy to fit into a saber.

[iainm]

Thanks for this. Very helpful. One more important question: what kind of recharging device should I use? Another question: does the mAh value dictate the size of the resistor? If so, what size resistor would I need for a 2900 and 3400 mAh battery? Thanks again.

[WookieeGunner]

No, the mAh is how long it will last. Picture a bucket of golf balls, the Voltage is how high the bucket is and the amperage is how fast they are falling out of the bucket. The resistor is to keep the golf balls from cracking no your skull when they hit. The mAh is how big the bucket is.

[bigkevin61]

No, the mAh is how long it will last. Picture a bucket of golf balls, the Voltage is how high the bucket is and the amperage is how fast they are falling out of the bucket. The resistor is to keep the golf balls from cracking no your skull when they hit. The mAh is how big the bucket is.

I've heard the water pipe explanation before, but never a bucket of golfballs. I like this better!

[iainm]

No, the mAh is how long it will last. Picture a bucket of golf balls, the Voltage is how high the bucket is and the amperage is how fast they are falling out of the bucket. The resistor is to keep the golf balls from cracking no your skull when they hit. The mAh is how big the bucket is.

Thanks. Very enlightening. Appreciate it. I'm still looking for a suitable charging device. Any help would be appreciated.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

The charger you'll need depends on the voltage and capacity of the battery pack you have decided to use. With a high mah rating over 2200mah, I'd suggest looking for a charger that has a charge current of 1000ma or higher. The battery manufacturer should also be able to give you the charging specifications for the battery you select.

[iainm]

The charger you'll need depends on the voltage and capacity of the battery pack you have decided to use. With a high mah rating over 2200mah, I'd suggest looking for a charger that has a charge current of 1000ma or higher. The battery manufacturer should also be able to give you the charging specifications for the battery you select.

Thanks. Looking at options here in Turkey. Found a few that might do. I'm assuming the actual plug is going to fit. What brands or models do TCSS customers use to recharge their batteries? Just to be safe I would prefer to buy whatever they use and ship it here from the US rather than risk buying something in Turkey that might not fit or work.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

many people use the ones sold in the store here: http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Li-ion-Chargers-C86.aspx

[iainm]

Don't know how I missed that page! Thanks again. Life saver. Order placed.

[iainm]

Sorry, but more help needed. The parts arrived today. A month after I ordered them. But that's the problem with sending parts to the other side of the world. So, my question is this. How do I connect the LED, the resistor, the recharge port, the latching switch (prewired) and the battery? The latching switch as you know has a couple of yellow wires. What are they for? Just point me to the correct link if there is a diagram. Thanks again.

[iainm]

I get the latching switch wires. One set is for the on/off operation while the other is for the LED. This small tutorial on how to wire up a recharge port is invaluable. Was a bit hard to find, but I found it: http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?2235-Recharge-port-hookup/page14 I'm not using a Buck Puck or any driver board, just a basic resistor.

Do I need a separate power supply for the on/off switch's LED? I brought the prewired one from TCSS. If I can use the 3.7 volt battery pack to power both the LED and the on/off switch's LED, please tell me which wire to connect where.

Many of the pictures and diagrams on the forums have been deleted by their owners. Most threads seem to deal with pucks or drivers, which are not relevant in my case.

Can somebody please tell me how to wire up my parts: LED, recharge port, pre-wired latching on/off with LED, resistor, battery pack.

[iainm]

So, I bought a lot of parts but went with the resistor option instead of the more expensive Buck Puck option. Turns out the long latching switch is not exactly compatible with the resistor set-up. An expensive waste of money. What I need is a simple latching switch to fit in the pommel. The illuminated latching switch is a beautiful design and its fits the pommel perfectly. What do you recommend? Is it possible to disconnect the LED from the long latching switch and use it as a basic on/off switch? I'm stuck with an incompatible part. I'd rather not spend even more money on a replacement but if I must please recommend a switch that I can use in the pommel.

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

So, I bought a lot of parts but went with the resistor option instead of the more expensive Buck Puck option. Turns out the long latching switch is not exactly compatible with the resistor set-up. An expensive waste of money. What I need is a simple latching switch to fit in the pommel. The illuminated latching switch is a beautiful design and its fits the pommel perfectly. What do you recommend? Is it possible to disconnect the LED from the long latching switch and use it as a basic on/off switch? I'm stuck with an incompatible part. I'd rather not spend even more money on a replacement but if I must please recommend a switch that I can use in the pommel.

A latching switch most certainly is compatible with a resistor stunt setup. You"remove" the LED by simply not wiring it up. It sounds to me like you just don't know how to wire your switch up properly. A good high quality wiring diagram would be helpful so we can see what you are doing.

[iainm]

I finally got it to work! But for the record, the first pic is the wrong set-up that we tried to work with. I knew there was something wrong but who am I to argue with a PhD :)

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r117/Ata-pala/Rahm%20Kota%20work%20in%20progress/2015-03-02%2021.16.13.jpg (http://s142.photobucket.com/user/Ata-pala/media/Rahm%20Kota%20work%20in%20progress/2015-03-02%2021.16.13.jpg.html)

This set up, which I suggested, essentially follows the basic direct drive set-up, but then the LED in the switch does not work:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r117/Ata-pala/Rahm%20Kota%20work%20in%20progress/2015-03-02%2021.35.19.jpg (http://s142.photobucket.com/user/Ata-pala/media/Rahm%20Kota%20work%20in%20progress/2015-03-02%2021.35.19.jpg.html)

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r117/Ata-pala/Rahm%20Kota%20work%20in%20progress/2015-03-02%2021.35.34.jpg (http://s142.photobucket.com/user/Ata-pala/media/Rahm%20Kota%20work%20in%20progress/2015-03-02%2021.35.34.jpg.html)

Here is the version where all parts work:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r117/Ata-pala/Rahm%20Kota%20work%20in%20progress/2015-03-02%2021.40.15.jpg (http://s142.photobucket.com/user/Ata-pala/media/Rahm%20Kota%20work%20in%20progress/2015-03-02%2021.40.15.jpg.html)

Battery to charge port. One wire from charge port to LED. One wire from charge port to switch. One wire from switch to LED. Placed resistors on the switch's entry and exit wires but one would be enough, I think. Then I connected the switch's LED wires to the wires coming out of the recharge port, keeping the colors the same. Now all I need is a couple more long wires and some solder then some hot glue to insulate things.

I said who was I to argue with a PhD? I argued, and won!