working on a PVC build and have a few (perhaps silly) questions

[jcook1023]

hey guys, so ive got a "small" build i'm working on (small being nearly 14" in length) and have a few questions i'm hoping someone might be able to answer...
1) i know TCSS store has heatsink for a 1" ID tube (the base of my build with a 1.25" ID shroud), but im using parts i scavenged from an ultrasabers hilt a buddy gave me that i later sold the hit itself. ive got the LED and the battery/soundcard, but the LED module is slightly larger than the 1"; once i get the heatsink, what else do i need for it? this current module has the heatsink, the piece it screws into and an 8.7 degree collimator, but theres no lens holder. do i need one of those?

2) do you guys by chance know if any of the tcss parts can be attached to 1.25" ID Schedule 40 PVC?

3) would anyone be able to advise a wiring question? ive got an AV style switch that i had previously wired to an old build but since removed; its got 4 wires coming off it and ive only got 2 free wires from the old switch from the US hilt. would it be easy enough to wire this guy up? im guessing +/- to the old switch wires and a +/- joined with the LED wires? or should i make my life easy and just got a standard style switch?

thanks in advance...been a few years since ive done a build so i'm a bit rusty!

[Miraluka]

I'm not sure why your US sink would be larger than 1" but I've only seen 1 US hilt and it had a 1" sink. Aaaaanyways...

If you have the 8.7? single lens, you'd want a lens holder for it. If you're buying the heat sink for 1" tubes from TCSS, you'll want star thermal tape pads and either the tri lens (without a lens holder) or a single lens with a lens holder.

Attached like how? Liiike screwing them together? Making a shroud?

What type of switch did your US hilt have? Guarded momentary? If so, those only need 2 wires for the switch function. If your AV switch is lighted, it'll have 2 more wires for the accent LED + and -
Not sure what you're saying with the "im guessing +/- to the old switch wires and a +/- joined with the LED wires?"
Only 2 of the pins on the AV switch should be polarized. Those would be for the LED. The other 2 pins should be blank and used for the switch function.

[jcook1023]

The heat sink from the US itself is 1", it's the holder that it screws into that's just slightly larger, so I figure the $9 for the TCSS 1" is fine by me hahah.

Regarding attaching MHS pieces, is there a way that I can use a pommel in conjunction with the PVC pipe and join them together? Not sure how I would go about that... I would just get the parts from TCSS but I had spare PVC and well, I'm being pretty cheap right now hahaha

The us switch was if memory serves a guarded momentary like you said. I know the two blank poles on the AV will go to the on/off switch wires but the +/- ones; what do I wire them to? Would I splice them into my +/- wires leading to the LED?

Thanks for getting back to me so quick!

[Kouri]

I've seen male-threaded MHS parts screwed into 1.25" PVC conduit. Don't know how well it works in the seemingly harder plumbing pipe though, since the MHS part would have to cut its own threads.

[Miraluka]

The us switch was if memory serves a guarded momentary like you said. I know the two blank poles on the AV will go to the on/off switch wires but the +/- ones; what do I wire them to? Would I splice them into my +/- wires leading to the LED?

The AV switch LED would get wired up just like any other accent LED.

[Ranan Karrad]

I've made a few PVC sabers. For the last sabers made, I used a simple LED set up, 1" OD LED module, simple resistors, simple switch, plus x4 AAA set up. The x4 AAA battery holder was too large to fit into the 1" ID pipe, so instead for the lower part of the hilt, I used 1" Schedule 35 PVC, its a thinner walled PVC than Schd 40. (I also use 1.25" Schd 35 for PVC shrouds). The thinner walled Schd 35 is not as durable as the Schd 40 so I used a self hardening resin wrapping and wrapped the thinner parts of the hilt. It looks great and adds a lot of strength. I'm still a noob with wiring so I'm afraid I can't help much with that question.

[jcook1023]

but thats what im not remembering how to do =) am i correct in assuming i just tap the AV LED leads into the main LED leads?

[Miraluka]

but thats what im not remembering how to do =) am i correct in assuming i just tap the AV LED leads into the main LED leads?

You can run it parallel with the blade LED, yeah. I'm not familiar with obsidian soundboards so I couldn't tell you any other way of doing it. The board probably has accent LED pads like most others but I really couldn't tell you. Never seen an Obsidian before. Somebody on the US forums could probably help you with that.

[jcook1023]

Yeah I'm not too sure either, as the soundboard is taped to the battery pack, saw that's really accessible on it is the USB port to change the sound fun. I'll try tapping into the main LED and of that doesn't work figure it out from there!