PDA

View Full Version : new persontrying to build first saber



shaas0927
02-04-2007, 04:50 PM
hello Im building my first saber, and I have a couple of questions
1 Will a thinner wire ie 22-2 and a 5 watt resistor make the led dimmer the reason Im asking is i was wondering if the wires natural resistance would be a factor in the short run being used in a hilt?

2 I tried to use a 3 amp switch from radio shack( liked how it looked) and it didnt work is 3 amp not strong enough?

3 Where can I find a resistor chart ?

by the way I have been reading the forums for a while nowand I have learned alot.
thanks
scott
let the butchering of the noob begin :D

xwingband
02-04-2007, 05:04 PM
No you're cool. Usually we can tell when a n00b has done some research and hasn't just dropped in to say "Tell me everything I need to know in one thread."

1) Wire... doesn't matter a stitch other than ease of soldering it all together. I actually need to get some different kinds because I used some 18 guage solid and it made my life so difficult on a recent saber.

The natural resistance is negligible, in fact the variance from LED to LED is more than wire could ever do.

2) We'd need to know more to figure that one out. What style was it. SImply saying 3 amps isn't enough to describe what might be wrong.

3) There is one stickied in one of the LED forums. :wink: It's easy to figured out though it's voltage over the diode (battery voltage - LED forward voltage) divided by the amperage you'd want.

shaas0927
02-04-2007, 05:35 PM
thanks for the info xwing by the way here is the switch i used
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062500&cp=&pg=2&sr=1&origkw=switch&kw=switch&parentPage=search

I think I'm just going to use one from the store I know they'll work but id still like to know what happened

thanks

xwingband
02-04-2007, 05:59 PM
That switch should work. Has to be some wiring issue.

Marsupial
02-05-2007, 10:20 AM
What resistance did you use? I see you mentionned its 5W, but if you're running a 75 ohm, here's your problem - a too big resistor will dim the led. You're in the right way tough trying to figure out how to calculate it.

Another thing to verify is the batteries themselves. Make sure you're having ennough juice coming out of it.

In fact, led being dim is most likely a wrong battery output / resistor in your circuit. Therefore, without more info on your specific configuration, its hard to give advices.

shaas0927
02-06-2007, 02:53 PM
2.2ohm this is the resistor THat came with the electronics What Im trying to do is savange an older led saber that I bought about a year ago from a different sight and build a custom saber with the electronis from it

02-06-2007, 07:19 PM
That switch is momentary. I bought one thinking that it would work with a MR board. I thought that EL with no driver had to be latching.

Does it light up at all when you hold the switch?

Yoiaholic
02-07-2007, 05:07 AM
That switch is momentary. I bought one thinking that it would work with a MR board. I thought that EL with no driver had to be latching.

Does it light up at all when you hold the switch?

I have one. It is not momentary. Clearly it states it is push on/push off. There are momentary switches like that at RS but the one he linked is not one of them.

02-07-2007, 05:38 AM
I see that it clearly says on/off. The fact is that I'm in RS a couple times a week to bs with a pal and I've never seen a latching switch in that model. I've looked. I was just trying to help troubleshoot.

After all it does say that he's building his first saber. If he bought it from the store, maybe he picked up the wrong one and then linked to the wrong switch. I wont know until he responds.

shaas0927
02-07-2007, 05:57 AM
no its on off Ive even double checked the package and then Ieven pushed the button a couple of times to here the "click" Ive also been reading the forums since oct.
btw thanks everyone for the help

02-07-2007, 09:25 AM
Sorry bout that shass, I misunderstood the entire topic. First of all, I didn't realize that this was an LED topic. I saw the words 22 and wire, and thought you were talking about EL. Selective reading I guess.

Anyway, does anything happen when you just hold the switch wires together?

shaas0927
02-07-2007, 03:13 PM
thats cool.
However Im not sure Im following your question when Inby pass the switch and go straight from the battery to the led it lights up so I know that its not the power source or the resistor or the led in my mind its either the switch or I broke the solder when I put the heatshrink tubing on when i mounted it to the hilt thanks

Firebird21
02-07-2007, 03:18 PM
It's real easy to fry one of thoes switches when soldering them. Is there any sign of melting plastic around where the contacts enter the switch body? If so, you may very well have toasted the switch.

02-07-2007, 03:56 PM
I forgot that you weren't using a soundcard or driver. Thats why I ask about switch wires.

Can you exchange that switch for another one. Like I said earlier, I have the momentary version of it and I think that its a very cool switch. I would look great on the right saber.

I agree with Firebird though, you may have cooked it.

shaas0927
02-07-2007, 05:59 PM
yep its toast :x I think Im just going to try one of tims switches when I get ready to do anothe order they look easier to work with :D