How to test your individual components?

[JoeKerr]

What do you guys use to test your individual components? I'm working on my first saber, and I'd hate to get it all put together just to find out that something is wrong.

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

I generally don’t, except for maybe the LEDs. I use “new”components for each build I do. As long as you know what you are doing, and are careful, everything should work fine. I DO test everything outside the hilt first.

[rlobrecht]

A multimeter can be used to test most of the electrical components, as well as continuity of your wiring. Listen to FJK, testing outside is much easier.

[Tom Tilmon]

I test all my LEDs on the star multiple times. I'm a bit crazy. Well more than a bit.

But I test them to check the hues, and label them with a sharpie, so I know what I've got. If you are testing red/amber or off a 7.4 v battery pack, use the appropriate resistor so you don't kill your LED. I use a battery pack with leads and alligator clips. If I need to test with a resistor, I clamp one in there.

LED tests as I'm installing:
1. Color Check
2. Initial Wiring Check
3. Wiring with resistor check once on the heatsink and inside the module. (This is my final test, and I check the halo against the wall to make sure the lens is focusing the light of each diode evenly.

After I have tested the LED these 3 times, so long as I've treated the LED gently, I assume at this point it is ready to install. My switches, I generally check depression continuity with a multi-meter to make sure I am wiring the correct poles. This is really anal, because I know which poles but I check them anyway. I clip the multi-meter on with sound on continuity check and depress the switch. When I get the beep, I know I'm golden.

I follow Madcow's tutorial on checking the RC Port everytime as well. I know which pole is which on the switchcraft, but I still confirm each time I wire one. I also check continuity once everything has wires attached. Once all my continuity tests are done on the switches, and recharge port voltage checks are complete, I'm ready to install those components. Now I have a mess of wires in my hilt. I have a color scheme I tend to stick to, so I know what each wire drives. I install my board, and solder the wires where they go. Once that is done, I insert my SD and pull the kill key for my initial bench test of the saber before I button everything up. That is my method. Its nuts, but I have not yet had these checks let me down on a properly functioning board.

Tom

[Warlock]

Basically same as TI check my LED the most, making sure I don't have to resolder anything prior to mounting on the heatsink

[JoeKerr]

So I've got about 1/3 of my Korbanth K4 installed, which in my case is a tri-cree LED, resistors, crystal chamber LED, and battery. I still need to do a second crystal chamber LED, momentary switches, soundboard, recharge port, and speaker. As this is my first build I'm nervous about soldering job. So I was thinking about wiring in a toggle switch so I could test what I have installed. It should be safe to do, right? It would basically be like wiring up soundless stunt build.

[Tom Tilmon]

So long as your LEDs are resistored. I just use my test battery and wire straight to the juice to test it all. If your resistors are in place between your power supply and LED's, you should be ok.

Tom

[JoeKerr]

16529

This is my wiring chart. Everything left black line has been wired up. I seem to be having some problems though. Firstly my Blue LED's only turn on when touching the negitive wires from MAIN LED's to the negative line from the BATTERY. Hmmm, something not right. Then I can't get white to turn at all. And my crystal LED was turning on with the rest. But now it's quit. Anywho I pulling my saber apart to check everything any help would be greatly appreciated

[Tom Tilmon]

So, you've resistored all your positive legs, which is fine.

You say when you touch the negative lines on your blue LED's to negative that they light up? That is correct.

Your white doesn't light up, check the connections on the LED Star, and also the resistor.

Chamber LED came on, and then went off? I don't know there, where did you get your resistors from? Maybe a bad LED? 5mm are cheap. I have hundreds of them. Test each component before you run wires.

Use a test battery/power supply at 3.7 v. Use resistor in your positive alligator clip, just like you are in your diagram. Test each LED on the star. Everytime you wire something else to the star, check it again (using a resistor on your tester, if its not yet in the line). This will tell you where your problem lies. Start at the LED star and work your way out. This is why I check after each step, after every solder joint. If it worked preliminarily, and didn't work after I took a step, the error is in the last step I made.

Clear as mud?

Tom

[JoeKerr]

So, you've resistored all your positive legs, which is fine.

You say when you touch the negative lines on your blue LED's to negative that they light up? That is correct.

Your white doesn't light up, check the connections on the LED Star, and also the resistor.

Chamber LED came on, and then went off? I don't know there, where did you get your resistors from? Maybe a bad LED? 5mm are cheap. I have hundreds of them. Test each component before you run wires.

Use a test battery/power supply at 3.7 v. Use resistor in your positive alligator clip, just like you are in your diagram. Test each LED on the star. Everytime you wire something else to the star, check it again (using a resistor on your tester, if its not yet in the line). This will tell you where your problem lies. Start at the LED star and work your way out. This is why I check after each step, after every solder joint. If it worked preliminarily, and didn't work after I took a step, the error is in the last step I made.

Clear as mud?

Tom

Thanks! I'll see what I can figure out.