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xwingband
05-24-2007, 07:49 AM
Okies, I'd like to hear about anyone's experience with this and any recommendations. I'm thinking about getting one just so I can reliably test things.

Currently it's throw on the battery pack and turn the sucker on. :lol: Plus multiple voltages by turning a dial would be nice. Too many times I want to something then, "Dang it, I'm out of battery x/it's not charged!".

Also, a bit ago Corbin bought a blade holder/adapter I had spare to make what he described to me as a bench mount with a PSU. He wanted a setup to show comparison pictures where all variables would be the same. It's a neat idea and I would love to do some thing similar.

Novastar
05-24-2007, 11:25 AM
X to the Z... Erv probably knows exactly what you need... I know he used exactly that in V2 exampler video.

I don't know the name of it, but you're right--it would be especially important to test:

1. How the saber behaves from voltage/current X to X minus whatever... and all the way down to where it shuts off.

2. When and how (and if) a low-battery indicator will start working.

3. To find the "actual" Fwd V of your LED.

Firebird21
05-24-2007, 02:15 PM
I think Erv used the USB port on his computer for power. At least he did when he showed me the prototype. :D

neophyl
05-24-2007, 04:49 PM
My bench power supply was a 'gift' from an old workplace that was going spare at the time. Its old-ish but the quality is the best. 0-15v output @ 0-4Amps both controlled through course and fine dials with digital displays on both. The power putput can also be damped so that if i set 100ma then 100ma is all it allows out.

Its proven very useful as it allows you to test things without damaging anything as the display decimals flash when a device wants to draw more current than you've set. You can test for shorts easily. It also allows you to test performance at different voltages and current capacities (useful for brownout testing etc). Also makes a nifty manual battery charger as I can watch the battery voltage real-time :)

Its was about £500 brand new when released but Ive got no idea what its worth now.

Novastar
05-27-2007, 05:10 AM
That rules! What is that called anyhow? I'm assuming I should invest in one someday. Instead of just my simple multi-meter.

Steeljack
06-04-2007, 07:16 PM
I'm a bit late to the party, but: I have an Extech 382202 (http://www.extech.com/instrument/products/310_399/382202.html), which I picked up at Fry's (http://www.frys.com/) for around $120.

(I'll assume that Novastar knows all about Fry's, but for those of you not resident in Silicon Valley, it's a retailer that sells everything from preassembled and DIY computers to professional-level testing and prototyping equipment.)

The 382202 is rated for up to 3.0 A at 18 V -- obviously way more than enough to keep a Luxeon happy. To drive a Luxeon, I start with the Voltage knob turned about halfway to maximum, and the Amperage knob set to zero. Then I gradually turn the Amperage knob until I hit the rated current for the Luxeon in question. A nice side benefit of this arrangement is that it winds up displaying the emitter's forward voltage in the top panel.

One thing to watch for when testing with such a setup is the risk of shorts in your jury-rigged wiring. I think I've found a workable solution for that, but that might be a topic for another post...

Jedi-Loreen
06-04-2007, 07:52 PM
I bought most of the parts for my new computer I built, from Fry's. Everytime something I needed came on sale, I was there.

I built it 2 years ago, so it's already "old", but I have a case that's easy to get into, so I will just upgrade things as I feel I need to. :D

Novastar
06-05-2007, 02:23 PM
Thanks, Steeljack. Cool to know you're from SJ as well.

PM me sometime... tell me how you got involved in sabers and so forth...