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TheCheeker
10-04-2007, 04:50 PM
i just finished wiring up my first saber. my led keeps flickering fairly quickly. i've had to resolder the wires leading to my led which have come loose a couple times. :x (does anyone have any suggestions on keeping that on? a bit of hot glue or something maybe?) but they seem to be fairly secure this time and i'm getting a wierd flicker. it looks kinda like hasid had a similar problem and the solution was that his saber wasn't getting enough current. here is that:

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3299&highlight=led+short

i'm running a green k2 with a mr board and corbin's driver w/ the 4AAA battery pack and the speaker sold in the store. could what happened to hasid be happening to me or is it the connection to the led? (if necessary i could probably post a video of the flicker)

EDIT: here is a vid of the flicker:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reek4k4ANGI

Novastar
10-04-2007, 05:45 PM
If I had to make an assumption based on what I read and saw... I think Corbin's board just barely has enough juice coming from the batteries to provide the current it needs to function and also provide current to the LED.

However, it seems that it is just not enough... and so it shuts down. Then, current is available again, and it goes back on... but not enough now, shuts down, etc. This is a similar effect you'll get on Corbin's board when the batteries begin to wane / get too low on voltage/current.

So, that's my guess. It doesn't appear to be a bad connection, seeing as it doesn't just go RIGHT out, it FADES... the only component in there that will create a fade... is Corbin's board! :)

TheCheeker
10-04-2007, 06:03 PM
is there anything i can do to fix it?

Novastar
10-04-2007, 06:40 PM
Of course--if that is indeed the problem.

Change the LED to a Lux III Green... might help.

Refresh, add or change the batteries to give a better overall current and voltage. Then again if you're running 6v to Corbin's board, I can't imagine why it would be under-powered.

Try running the Corbin board on its own to determine if it would act this way on its own.

Run the FX board at 4.5v on its own (max around 5v or so) to check if IT is causing problems.

Basically--some troubleshooting! :)

Jedi-Loreen
10-04-2007, 07:11 PM
I use a little 5 min epoxy over the soldered wires on the pads on the LEDs and down to the holes where the wires come up through the heatsink.

I wouldn't want to use hot glue, even the high-temperature stuff.
Think about it.

TheCheeker
10-04-2007, 10:57 PM
wait... correct me if i'm wrong but aren't the mr boards only capable of putting out like 900ma? if the k2 wants 1500ma i'm WAY underdriving it right? or is the corbin driver boosting things back up to 1000ma or whatever? lol i'm confusing myself.

neophyl
10-05-2007, 12:44 AM
How have you got it wired up ? If you are just using the MR board for sound then its current requirements are going to be pretty modest, less than 100ma on average, its capacity to drive a luxeon isnt an issue at all.
If you are using the corbin board to power the led then it should run fine on the 4xaaa batteries. You arent powering the corbin from the mr board are you ?

TheCheeker
10-05-2007, 10:31 AM
i have it wired like this:

http://www.geocities.com/theronroxbon/wiring.jpg

Novastar
10-05-2007, 12:53 PM
Corbin made that diagram himself... hmm... I wonder what is going wrong...

Is the Corbin board you have a LATCHING one? I assume yes, but I might as well get that out of the way. :)

TheCheeker
10-05-2007, 04:22 PM
yeah its latching.... i really have no idea whats wrong here... is it possible that either the positive or negative wires leading to the driver might be loose causing the driver to "think" you turned it off, giving it the fade out effect?

TheCheeker
10-05-2007, 10:53 PM
just a thought.... i originally had everything wired up with a hasbro speaker (to test the electronics while i waited for my new one from the shop) and it worked great.... once i replaced the speaker and crammed everything inside the hilt it started doing this flashing thing. any ideas?

Jay-gon Jinn
10-05-2007, 10:59 PM
The only thing I can think of is that you've got something grouning out against the hilt....butI'm guessing you've double checked all the wire connections.

Novastar
10-06-2007, 01:03 AM
Try going back to the old speaker... and also check the wiring.

But... I have a gut feeling it seems to me that Corbin's board is not getting enough juice. Corbin's board behaves exactly as your video shows when the batteries barely have enough to run the board.

Also--try fresh batteries, or if they are rechargeables, charge 'em.

Some things to note (sort of all "duh, we know" things):

* The FX board is clearly running--so that isn't the problem
* The Corbin board technically "works", but it is behaving like it doesn't have enough power in my thinking
* Your speaker is working--no pops/cut outs or clicks (in your video)... so that is not it.
* The FX board is working... so it is certainly getting enough power from the batteries...

If all else fails, perhaps Corbin will see the thread and comment on it.

TheCheeker
10-06-2007, 11:09 AM
yeah its been like this for a while and i hadn't had any time to mess with it before i posted this topic but the first thing i did was change the batteries just to make sure.

Hasid Lafre
10-06-2007, 12:32 PM
Only thing I can say is that maybe the batteries dont have enought power to power the setup.

Yes I have the flashing problem when my batterys are low, But then iam using the store AA 2600Mah pack.

I dont think AAA's have enought current to drive a lux on corbins board then have to power a sound board.

Make sure all connections are correct.

What mr sound board are you using?

xwingband
10-06-2007, 01:13 PM
Yeah when using rechargeables Corbin recommends 5 for 6V. Especially with AAA's you're probably not giving it enough juice.

TheCheeker
10-07-2007, 07:00 PM
What mr sound board are you using?

its an esb vader


Especially with AAA's you're probably not giving it enough juice.

well if that is the case then why would it work for the few weeks it sat on my desk before i got around to putting everything into the hilt?

xwingband
10-07-2007, 07:19 PM
IDK, what's different... is it the same charge, etc...?

TheCheeker
10-07-2007, 07:27 PM
only difference is the speaker. i had it hooked up to an old hasbro speaker to test the circuit until i got the premium speaker from the shop

Hasid Lafre
10-07-2007, 09:51 PM
Ok its pritty much the same setup as mine.

I have a corbin board with an 05 vader sound board and the origional speakers that tim used to sell.

I have a 4.8V2600mah AA rechargable battery pack. I got an accent led driven off the MR board with a resistor inbetween to keep it from frying.

I followed that diagram but I kept the origonal pig tail on the mr board to make things easyer instead of soldering to the sound board itself.

You changed speakers before you put it into the hilt.

I suggest to take everything out of the hilt and check all your connections about 5 times. test some things like the led, the speaker, the connections on the switch.

Did you put the 4 switch wires on the the right 4 tabs on the switch?

What is the other clash sensor you used for corbins board? was it another mr sensor or one off a hasbro?

If you are using a hasbro spring/peg crap style sensor then it could be touching metal and screwing things up.

We need details, pleast take it apart and let us know whats going on.

Novastar
10-08-2007, 12:11 AM
Uh-oh... wait a minute. I *DO* recall something like this happening before on one of my Corbin boards...

only... it wasn't the batteries being low at all. Some kind of capacitor became loose on the board--it literally FELL off, lol...

It also happened on a second board at a later date--although this was about a year or so after owning the boards.

Check to see if all the parts on the board are securely on there. There are also tiny resistors--if any have fallen off or have broken, that could cause something problematic as well.

TheCheeker
10-08-2007, 08:55 PM
What is the other clash sensor you used for corbins board? was it another mr sensor or one off a hasbro?

If you are using a hasbro spring/peg crap style sensor then it could be touching metal and screwing things up.

it IS a crappy hasbro sensor. hmm... i'll take a look and see if the sensor is causing any issues. maybe wrap it in electrical tape or something. i wont be able to get to it for a day or two though because of school and work and everything else but when i do i'll let you guys know.

TheCheeker
10-09-2007, 02:12 AM
i BELIEVE i may have fixed it. there was a loose connection on the corbin board leading to my switch. i repaired that connection and it seemed to work but when i was cramming everything back in the hilt a wire came off one of the pads on the led and i don't have time tonight( wow its 4am... i guess its morning) to mess with it anymore. once i fix that connection we'll see....

Hasid Lafre
10-09-2007, 09:41 PM
Good luck.

A good idea is to have quick connectors whereever handy. Like the led. the switche. battery pack.

Makes craming it all togeather easyer.

If I had the room I would of done it.

TheCheeker
10-10-2007, 11:16 AM
yeah i'm kinda sitting in the same boat as far as quick connectors go. i only put one on the led and i really dont have room for anything else. i'm trying to cram my speaker, battery pack, mr board, corbin board and switch all in a hilt thats only like 11" long. its a pain.