Stunt Saber Staff Brightness Difference

[88fett]

I am rather new to the forums, but this is the second stunt saber I've built. It is a staff that also can separate into two single blades that each has a blue and a green LED. Upon finishing the second blade, it is dramatically dimmer from the LED and the illuminated switches. I do not have a soundboard, and am using resistors for everything rather than a buckpuck. I have read a few posts about how variance in LED brightness should be expected, but this doesn't explain why even the switches are dimmer. Looking for possible reasons one set-up could be so much dimmer than the other.

I am using(for each blade):
Cree 4x3W LED
16mm Anti-vandal latching switch with illuminated blue ring
16mm Anti-vandal latching switch with illuminated green ring.
Resistors (according to LED Calculator)

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

10711

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

Are both sets of batteries charged?

[88fett]

Sorry I forgot to list that. For each blade I have a 4xAA holder with three brand new AA batteries and one "dummy" battery so the total source voltage is 4.5.

[Crystal Chambers]

Maybe something conductive is touching the hilt. No thermal tape under LED or not centered on the heatshrink? Not always an issue but a potential fail point.

[cvsickle]

I'd check each battery you're using. Looks like one of them may be weak.

[88fett]

Thanks everyone. I took it apart again to have a look. I definitely had something conductive touching the hilt. I was also playing around a little and found that the way I had my LED wired up with the switches was causing both to be dim. I guess I should take the old adage "measure twice, cut once" and apply it to lightsaber buildering..."check connections twice, solder once."