Hasbro sound module schematics and discussions

[Strydur]

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/sabers/scripts/corbinsboardhasbro.jpg

Let me start off by saying that this design is not approved by Corbin yet. I modified his drawing to show how to hook up his driver (the 3w driver I sell) and the hasbro sound modules I sell with only 1 momentary switch. I have tested this and it seems to work great but try it at your own risk. One nice side effect that I liked is that if you tap the switch very fast you can get just corbins driver to turn on for those times you dont want sound. Of course you need to tap it again without triggering the sound to set it back to normal. Only takes a minute to master but can be confusing. If you dont want the clash effect (which only seems to work some of the time) just dont hook up the 2 pink wires. I have only tested this with up to 6v and do not know if higher voltages will work.


Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

[Strydur]

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/sabers/ProdImages/soundmodule.jpg

Postitive input = Hook directly to positive on battery pack
Negative input = Hook directly to negative on battery pack
Negative output = Switched output to LED or could be used to trigger a relay in a EL setup

The positive for the LED/EL setup would come straight from the battery

Using the negative output on the sound module like this will have a flash on startup/shutdown and a flash on clash. What I mean by this is the LED will blink on and off fast for a few seconds during these times.

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

[Strydur]

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/sabers/scripts/twoswitchhasbro.jpg

Here is a 2 switch setup thanks to Cain.

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

[Strydur]

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/sabers/scripts/GrimaOllak.jpg

This one was provided by GrimaOllak

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

[Jay-gon Jinn]

This is a schematic of a basic Hasbro board from a 1995 Darth Vader:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o141/Jay-gon_Jinn/000_0772-wiringdiagram.jpg

I added wires for the switch and also a seperate lead for the positive to the led:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o141/Jay-gon_Jinn/000_0778.jpg

The finished board, ready for use:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o141/Jay-gon_Jinn/100_2110-diagram.jpg

This would be best used with a Micropuck driver wired to the led leads, using a Lux I. These boards come from Hasbro sabers using 2 "C" batteries, and will run on 2 "AA" batteries.

[Flyerfye]

Here's a Hasbro Obi-Wan Force Action saber for you. This model has the added bonus of a tiny clash sensor built right into the board. (How convenient and space-saving!)

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b54/flyerfye/hasbrobi.jpg

It'll take 6V without blowing up, and at that input, outputs about 5.5V to the LED leads, so make sure you put a resistor on there if you're running it straight off the board (that is, with clashflash).

[Phiily Manyaan]

I know this has probably been asked millions of times, just couldna't pinpoint it. How does a momentary switch operate? A latching switch is like a toggle switch (push on, push off) correct? So what does momentary do?

[Jay-gon Jinn]

I know this has probably been asked millions of times, just couldna't pinpoint it. How does a momentary switch operate? A latching switch is like a toggle switch (push on, push off) correct? So what does momentary do?

A momentary is only on when you push it, and hold it...in the case of the hasbro boards, they are looking for a momentary, or temporary contact from the switch to tell the board to turn on. Another push or tap on the switch tells the board to turn off.

[Phiily Manyaan]

So it still works as a toggle? If I wired a hasbro board into my saber and used only a momentary I'd have to hold the switch to keep the sound and light? That would get old quick. If I ran a two switch setup, would I still have to hold the momentary? Sorry for the noobness...

[Novastar]

It depends on how the board was designed. Like Jay-Gonn said, in the case of the Hasbro boards (I believe)... they were made to work with momentary switches.

So... put a momentary in there with the Hasbro and it should work as expected. :)

As another example that is a bit weird... if you were to put a momentary switch in with an FX board... well, the Force FX board is made for LATCHING switch types. What happens is this:

* First press does "nothing" (that you can detect)
* Second press turns the FX on
* To shut off, you must double-click again

The PROBLEM with this is that the first press actually CLOSES the circuit, and although it does nothing visually or with sound... the batteries will start draining as the FX sucks current out of them like a Hoover Deluxe.

I just threw that example in there to show that... although you CAN use most any switch type with whatever board... you'll get wacky results (often undesirable in many ways) if you don't match 'em up.

[ThreeQuadFive]

So where exactly would the buck puck fit into this design?

I just got all the rest of my electronic guts for the main portion of the saber, and I'll be wiring the LED in with my obi wan ROTS sound board (not the one that has the motion sensor and the spring loaded saber blade, the one where if you smack it it has 'force feedback' via its spinning motor and an annoying clash).

I figured I could use the momentary switch to turn on the board and have it do the rest of the leg work too?

Also, I plan to run some EL wiring with the whole setup...but I only have a AA battery souce. I still have a 2khz inverter and 9 volt connector from the first go round with my first saber (Before upgrading it with a momentary switch and new 4khz inveter). Should I connect the EL to the inverter, the inverter to the buck puck, or how would that work?

Basically the EL will be some accent lighting towards the top of the hilt (or bottom).

[ThreeQuadFive]

Anybody, beuler?

[Jay-gon Jinn]

Since no one else has replied, I'll take a shot at this. I think you'll have a hard time dong this, as the EL will require at least 9volts. that would burn out the hasbro board in a heartbeat. The only way I can think of to do what you want to do is to have two seperate battery packs, one for the led and Hasbro board, and another 9 volt for the EL wire. You'll also need a seperate switch for each.

As far as the buck buck goes, I'd wire it up to the led leads on the board.

[ThreeQuadFive]

Ok, so the EL wire for now will be scrapped until much later on if at all.
No biggie.

Which pins on the buck puck get wired to the LED and which get wired to the hasbro?
Thats where I'm lost right now.

[LeMoel]

can you run the hasbro board off of 4.8 v's?

[recif77]

Hi, LeMoel

It depends on what type of hasbro card you've got. Mine is running on 4 AA NiMH batteries (1.2V X 4 = 4.8V). Originaly it was a 2004 Obi Wan saber running on 3 AA alcaline batteries (1.5 X 3 = 4,5V). What is yours?
Hope this helps.

[darkeldar]

my is the dart vader with 2 C battery
this is the old version??with a big clash sensor??

[recif77]

If you've got the one who runs on 2 C batteries, then you shouldn't use more than 3.6V (3 AA 1.2V rechargeable batteries ) if you don't want to burn the board.

Is that the one you're talking about?

[LeMoel]

Hey sorry for the late reply, i actually dont have one but im looking it to using them,and just wanted to know if you can go with 4.8 or not, so r you saying what ever the toy lightsaber can take for volts is the amount of volts you use?

and i have a question about the 2 c bateries, can you just use 3 volts to power it then? because arent C batteries 1.5 each?

plus how do you use the "clash version then" if you onlt use 3 volts then how is there enough power to run both the board and led?

[recif77]

Of course you can use 3V as it was running on 2 C batteries. I was just thinking of using rechargeables batteries. But what i meant, you must not use MORE than 3.6V if you don't want to damage the hasbro board.
And I think 3V or even 3.6V is not enough to run a luxeon.

You will have to use 4 AA rechargeable batteries (4.8V) or 3 AA alcaline batteries (4.5V) plus a driver and the hasbro board.
Just tap into the 3rd AA's negative post and use the existing battery pack's + post, thereby only giving the hasbro board 3.6V with rechargeable batteries or 3V with non-rechargeable instead of 4.8V. Essentially, you're tricking the hasbro board into thinking there's only 3 batteries instead of 4. Since the NiMH batteries are 1.2V and non-rechargeables are 1.5V, you won't get EXACTLY what the board is used to, but that's ok. It's used to 3V normally, so 3.6V would be fine.

I hope this makes sense and helps you.

[Rapscallion]

Although I have not tried it myself. I have read that the hasbro boards can usually take up to 6v, including the 2c ones. It was in a thread somewhere, it may have been an old one.

[LeMoel]

so that means a buck pucks out of the question?

[Jay-gon Jinn]

so that means a buck pucks out of the question?

No, just wire the inputs on the puck to the lamp outputs on the board. Also, I'd be very careful about giving an older 3 volt, 2-cell Hasbro board more than 4.5 volts, as they will burn up with more than that. I know, I've had it happen to me before. The only Hasbro's that can handle 6 volts are the newer boards that were used to light up an led array for lighting the blade.

[LeMoel]

oh crap i forgot that a puck can run off of 4. 8 volts

[swear000]

Of course you can use 3V as it was running on 2 C batteries. I was just thinking of using rechargeables batteries. But what i meant, you must not use MORE than 3.6V if you don't want to damage the hasbro board.
And I think 3V or even 3.6V is not enough to run a luxeon.

You will have to use 4 AA rechargeable batteries (4.8V) or 3 AA alcaline batteries (4.5V) plus a driver and the hasbro board.
Just tap into the 3rd AA's negative post and use the existing battery pack's + post, thereby only giving the hasbro board 3.6V with rechargeable batteries or 3V with non-rechargeable instead of 4.8V. Essentially, you're tricking the hasbro board into thinking there's only 3 batteries instead of 4. Since the NiMH batteries are 1.2V and non-rechargeables are 1.5V, you won't get EXACTLY what the board is used to, but that's ok. It's used to 3V normally, so 3.6V would be fine.

I hope this makes sense and helps you.

Ok, sorry to resurrect a dead thread but I wanted to be very clear on the Hasbro boards. I have a battery holder. This battery holder holds 4 AA alkaline (non-rechargeable) batteries. Is it possible to use this to power the Hasbro board and the LED. I am overly concerned about the Hasbro board itself because I have already blown one of them. Should I scrap the battery holder idea and just build a 3 cell pack with battery bars? I think if I give the board, the maximum voltage it can handle, I can use the + and - LED leads with a resistor to power the LED. Am I wrong to assume this?

[Mewgen]

Which hasbro board are you using? I just finished wiring up the "ultimate lightsaber" electronics this morning. If it's that one, then 4 AA should be just fine since I'm using 4 AAA with mine. No resistor needed for a Lux K2 or III. Works just fine here. Best thing about these boards is it comes with the Luke ROTJ activation sound. Let me know if you need a diagram. I may have one up by mid-day.

[swear000]

it is the vader force action electronic:
http://shop.starwars.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=405383

It says it requires 3 AA batteries. One of them came with a 3 battery holder. They all have fuses built on the board. I think a voltage too high will cause the fuse to blow. However, on the card I did blow, I cut the fuse off and jumpered it with wire and it was still a dead board. So, I am speculating that these boards are very sensitive. I am thinking that if I wire an accent LED with the board that it will draw off some of the voltage from the four cells.

[Donnovan Sunrider]

I would just say get a 4AAA holder and roll with that. I'm using that for that same sabre board and it works dandy with a nice looking Lux III LED.

[swear000]

well I will certainly give it a try. I have a voltmeter so I will try and get things set as accurately as possible. Has anyone used and adjustable power supply and found out what the maximum threshold is? I have a power supply (modded ATX) and a potentiometer so I may give it a whirl and sacrifice a board for science.

[MoonDragn]

I brought a simple Jedi costume with shirt, pants, sash and cloak and the guy threw in a hasbro Vader Lightsaber. Now I have a new toy to play with. Thanks for the wiring guides.

[Mewgen]

"Do or do not, there is no try..."

You should be just fine

[PsH A Dead Guy]

Okay, I read through most of the posts, and I'm doing all of my own wiring for the first time. I hope this isn't too noobish of me, as I do try to do as much reading as possible before asking any questions.

I have a Force Action Obi Wan Hasbro board, one of the newest ones. I'm waiting on my LED to arrive, but I'm curious. I'm running 4 AAA's to the board, so that should be 6 volts, but someone mentioned that if I run the LED straight off the Hasbro board, that I won't need a resistor? Is that so? Or would I be better off just wiring the LED seperately? As in, off the same battery pack, but just not connecting it to the board and using a resistor?

I don't mind losing the clash flash on the LED so much, but if its possible it would be nice to have. I do have both an LED and the proper resistor on order, its a LUX III Amber and a 2.2 Ohm 5 Watt resistor according to the chart.

So, I'm guessing there are 3 possible setups, depending on what works...

Hasbro Board straight to LED, Hasbro Board to resistor to LED, or lastly, skipping the Hasbro board and using a seperate connection from the battery pack to run the LED on the resistor...

[Mewgen]

If you run the LED straight off the battery, you WILL need a resisitor. If you run the Lux off the board, it will be resisted already, and you will NOT need a resisitor.

I just bought the Hasbro Vader today, same as Obi, and I just ran the 4AAA with Lux hooked up to the board. Works great here.

[PsH A Dead Guy]

Okay cool, so the board is like a built in resistor? Awesome. That means I can keep the clash flash yay! lol

[sithlordfaust]

what do you do with all the extrapower cuttoff wires on the force actioin hasbro board?

[Mewgen]

Get rid of them. They're only used when the toy blade is retracted to turn-off the saber.

[sithlordfaust]

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/sabers/ProdImages/soundmodule.jpg

Postitive input = Hook directly to positive on battery pack
Negative input = Hook directly to negative on battery pack
Negative output = Switched output to LED or could be used to trigger a relay in a EL setup

The positive for the LED/EL setup would come straight from the battery

Using the negative output on the sound module like this will have a flash on startup/shutdown and a flash on clash. What I mean by this is the LED will blink on and off fast for a few seconds during these times.

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

the highlighted red -- meaning i nee a second switch? notunderstanding...if anyone has the schematic that went here i would love it...im running a seoul p4 and its nowhere near as bright as my 616. im trying to brighten the blade till i can get a 1000ma puck without drilling another hole for a latchin switch. fender told me the hasbro board im running only puts out 500ma. ive got a resister to put in place...help...please:) ive got a red lux III but im undrstanding it needs 1400ma:(

[LordBane21]

are any of these diagrams of the new hasbro sound boards from the new spring loaded sabers? Cause I am thinking of getting hasbro board to start out?

[Donnovan Sunrider]

This one (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showpost.php?p=89957&postcount=6) is it.

[Danz409]

i have recently bought a Darth Vader force action light saber for parts and here is the diagram on how its wired. a bit different then lukes

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p2/danz409/eletrnoics%20and%20schamatics/Darthvaderforceactoinhasbrosaberwir.jpg

kinda crapy, hope its readable

[LeMoel]

question: is the clash version the newest version?

[Danz409]

yes this thing does have movement sensor, it is the newest. bought at walmart yesterday. the clash IMHO is a bad thing. this thing is WAY to sensitive and extremely repetitive

not too shure about the clash verson. it has 2 clash sounds tho. 1 for a smaller hit which is short and a longer for a harder hit

[ThreeQuadFive]

For a Hasbro it's actually pretty good.
I'm using the force action Obi in my saber until I get my Ultrasound and atm I'm happy with it.

[Darth Chuck]

I've been reading through and I guess bottom line is there's no way to use a hasbro board, with a Luxeon III LED, using a 9V power source? That's the setup I was hoping to try but based on what I've read it's not possible without burning out your board. That or change the battery type is the only other option right?

[Danz409]

I've been reading through and I guess bottom line is there's no way to use a hasbro board, with a Luxeon III LED, using a 9V power source? That's the setup I was hoping to try but based on what I've read it's not possible without burning out your board. That or change the battery type is the only other option right?

nah this can be done. but there will be a downside

youll have 2 completely different circuits powered off one source and toggled on and off by one switch having the LED stand alone and if you want get a driver for the LED and have the Hasbro board on another circuit with the proper resisters to change the voltage to each circuits voltage requirements. i plan to do this myself. the swich is going to be tricky tho. even tho its a memory switch for the Hasbro board im using a post switch the kind you slide and it keeps the connection. i tested with my Hasbro board and it works, to turn off tho you would have to flip off and on and off agan to turn the sound off, the blade will be on or off, depending on switch position

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p2/danz409/fullwireup.jpg

this has not been tested yet, so try at own risk, i cannot be held responsible for anything that happens.. this includes the generating of black holes or rip in space /time contenueum

[swear000]

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p2/danz409/Darthvaderforceactoinhasbrosaberwir.jpg



What is the blade activated switch? Can it be bypassed or not used at all?

[Mewgen]

Please try and read the posts before asking.

If you look on the board itself, it's a deactivation switch when the blade retracts on the toy.

[Danz409]

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p2/danz409/Darthvaderforceactoinhasbrosaberwir.jpg



What is the blade activated switch? Can it be bypassed or not used at all?

its the swich that is activated when the blade is closed on the hasbro toys. usalyh not used at all when the board is used for home made ones

[swear000]

Ok I pulled out the brown and the blue wires and am using the outermost VCC red as the power from the battery. The two yellow switch wires were replaced with a red and black going to the switch. I want to hook the board up but am concerned about frying another board. So, is there anyway to safely test the setup. Also, is there any case where the power would go to the switch instead of the board?

***edit***
I actually had this setup working until the metal ring from the speaker hit the metal pipe. Then...dead....

[Danz409]

the diagram i have isn't a layout i made. it is the original for the toy saber. i plan to do some modifications to it. i plan to bypass the LED from the board all together to give a fade on and dim out effect when turned on and off and to remove the flash-clash effect

[swear000]

cool. Post schematics if successful :-)

[sithlordfaust]

your good on the wiring ....
but never let the magnet of a speaker come to close to your pcb or anything its connected to



Ok I pulled out the brown and the blue wires and am using the outermost VCC red as the power from the battery. The two yellow switch wires were replaced with a red and black going to the switch. I want to hook the board up but am concerned about frying another board. So, is there anyway to safely test the setup. Also, is there any case where the power would go to the switch instead of the board?

***edit***
I actually had this setup working until the metal ring from the speaker hit the metal pipe. Then...dead....

[swear000]

your good on the wiring ....
but never let the magnet of a speaker come to close to your pcb or anything its connected to

OMG! You hit the nail right on the head! That pesky magnet was giving all sorts of trouble! I got a new board wired in and now I am trying to devise a plan to electrically insulate everything before it gets installed in the hilt without sacrificing very limited space. When I test the setup outside the hilt, all is fine. I mount everything on the battery pack and start sliding the assembly in. Usually, after getting things half way in, there is a short somewhere that blows the board. ARGH!!! Good thing these boards are cheap!

Best advice for n00bs (like myself) is use a cheap hasbro board first. You will start to find areas of simple mistakes that need to be rectified before moving up to a high end board like MR or CF.

[sithlordfaust]

OMG! You hit the nail right on the head! That pesky magnet was giving all sorts of trouble! I got a new board wired in and now I am trying to devise a plan to electrically insulate everything before it gets installed in the hilt without sacrificing very limited space. .

Im a noob like yourself and heres what I did:

go to your local wally's or to anywhere that develops good ol' 35mm film and ask for empty film canisters... they fit perfectly in an MHS hilt section

here I cut the bottom and then some (down to the length of the hasbro board) off of one canister and took a section out of its side so it would fit the inside diameter and used it as spacer insert in the canister in the picture, then I cut a hole for wires and trimmed a can top so it would fit inside the canister and sits on the spacer made for the inside of the can. I cut the motion sensor from the wires and screwed it to the bottom of the can (top of assembly) with the screws that held it in the hasbro saber.I cut another hole in the top for wires going to the switch and LED and also to the sensor. screw the sensor on the top from the inside of the can so they don't interfere with the board or the wiring and put a small piece of electrical tape over them
then put it together slide it over the battery holder/speaker holder and slide it in the hilt, capping it on the bottom with a pommel
Ive got a 5" hilt section so cutting the insert like i indicated works perfect, but if you use a longer tube you either don't cut it, or you can glue 2 cans bottom to bottom to make the fit you need
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h36/sickboy1138/Saberdesign/cantut2.jpg
this is how it fits in my hilt. I put a 1 1/4" o ring in and when i screw the next section in its all held in place

[prowless]

Here's a Hasbro Obi-Wan Force Action saber for you. This model has the added bonus of a tiny clash sensor built right into the board. (How convenient and space-saving!)

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b54/flyerfye/hasbrobi.jpg

It'll take 6V without blowing up, and at that input, outputs about 5.5V to the LED leads, so make sure you put a resistor on there if you're running it straight off the board (that is, with clashflash).

I m sorry to bring up an old topic, but can clsh flash be disabled on this model?
If so, how and would a resistor still be needed running to the LED?

Thanks

[LeMoel]

Hey with the Hasbro sound board you cant use a lux 5 because of the voltage right? so does that mean you can run lux k2 full potiencial with using say 2 700 ma pucks or would that over load the board also??

please reply thanks

[Ghostbat]

Hey with the Hasbro sound board you cant use a lux 5 because of the voltage right? so does that mean you can run lux k2 full potiencial with using say 2 700 ma pucks or would that over load the board also??

please reply thanks

You would not be driving the board off the buckpucks. If you are using buckpucks they are parallel to the sound board rather than in serial with it. They effectively become the LED driver and the board is used only for sound, both running off the same battery pack.

[Marduk]

Which hasbro board are you using? I just finished wiring up the "ultimate lightsaber" electronics this morning. If it's that one, then 4 AA should be just fine since I'm using 4 AAA with mine. No resistor needed for a Lux K2 or III. Works just fine here. Best thing about these boards is it comes with the Luke ROTJ activation sound. Let me know if you need a diagram. I may have one up by mid-day.

I would like to see a diagram if you have it, I've been using that board as my first build, would love to see how you get around the built in switch.
Thanks

[JetSet]

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/sabers/scripts/corbinsboardhasbro.jpg

I just purchased a Sith saber for 10 bucks at walmart and it has the same setup as above (without the board and led of course) but it was made to run on 2 C batteries.

1) I read this thread with no definitive answer, can it handle 4AAs?

2) This board also has the most annoying swing and clash sounds ever. I only want the power on/power off/hum sounds, can I just remove the clash sensor to get rid of the rest? If so, which part is the clash sensor. Is it the round thing with the 'bead' in it?

[cannibal869]

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/sabers/scripts/corbinsboardhasbro.jpg

I just purchased a Sith saber for 10 bucks at walmart and it has the same setup as above (without the board and led of course) but it was made to run on 2 C batteries.

1) I read this thread with no definitive answer, can it handle 4AAs?

2) This board also has the most annoying swing and clash sounds ever. I only want the power on/power off/hum sounds, can I just remove the clash sensor to get rid of the rest? If so, which part is the clash sensor. Is it the round thing with the 'bead' in it?

I believe the monkey-head looking part on the left attached by the yellow and black wires is the motion sensor and the square board on the right with the round nubbin in the middle is the clash sensor, so if you remove it, it should get rid of the clash sounds (I think)... someone else may need to chime in here for more definitive proof.

[JetSet]

I was only confused because the clash/motion sensor on a MR FX board LOOKS like the one on the right but has a bead inside it like the monkey head on the left. I'm just assuming the MR FX one is both combined. I guess it's only a 10 dollar board so if I mess it up in some way I can just scrap it.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

I was only confused because the clash/motion sensor on a MR FX board LOOKS like the one on the right but has a bead inside it like the monkey head on the left. I'm just assuming the MR FX one is both combined. I guess it's only a 10 dollar board so if I mess it up in some way I can just scrap it.

Motion sensors for an MR FX are usually attached to the board, only the clash sensors are seperate on those. The exceptions to this are the MR Mace and Luke ROTJ, that have both motion sensors on the same small pcb as the clash sensor.

[Matt Thorn]

Motion sensors for an MR FX are usually attached to the board, only the clash sensors are seperate on those. The exceptions to this are the MR Mace and Luke ROTJ, that have both motion sensors on the same small pcb as the clash sensor.

I would note that in the 2003 Darth Vader, the motion and clash sensors are also together in a unit separate from the board.

[Jonitus]

I believe the monkey-head looking part on the left attached by the yellow and black wires is the motion sensor and the square board on the right with the round nubbin in the middle is the clash sensor, so if you remove it, it should get rid of the clash sounds (I think)... someone else may need to chime in here for more definitive proof.

You can clip off the motion sensor with no worries. You can modify your wiring to get rid of the clash sounds.

Hook the clash sensor ONLY to the TCSS/Corbin driver. DO NOT hook it to the Hasbro board. You'll get the benefit of a shimmering blade when the sensor activates, but not a sound. With what a Hasbro outputs, you wouldn't hear it over the *smack* of the polycarbonate blade anyways.

[JetSet]

So many great replies.

What I'm getting here is that I can clip both the cylinder thing and the monkey head to eliminate the swing and clash sounds, leaving me with power on/power off and hum sounds.

Also wasn't aware that the MR FX boards were different, mine is actually a Mace so that accounts for some of the confusion.

And I don't have a corbin/tcss driver for this as it's part of an extremo cheapo lightsaber project..o.

[Darth Chuck]

Here's what I did but I'm not done with it because my board had an accident and is damaged. However it did work for about five minutes. Problems with faulty factory soldering, lack of skills on my part to fully repair, and a board issue with part of it actually breaking.

I used a EPIII Obiwan saber and gutted it. I cut off the clash sensor because I really didn't care about that. I replaced the 3 AA holder with a 4 AAA holder for size reasons. I swapped out the speaker with a smaller one, couldn't tell much difference with the sound when I did this. Replaced their little button with a momentary switch from the shop. On this board the little LEDs that light up the saber and the clash sensor are on a single board together. Just make sure that you know which wires are for the LED specifically and which ones are for the clash sensor. I am still new to all this and I was able to tell by looking at it alone. Wire the positive and negative LED wires from the board to your bright LED from the shop accordingly. If all your connections are solid and you did it like above everything will work fine. Like I said mine worked great for 5 min until the accident. When I get a new board to play with I will try to post pictures and show some sort of schematic of how I did it.

I really think the obiwan EPIII board though was an EASY one to work with compared to some others. I haven't really bothered with the kind that use the large batteries yet. Although the obiwan was easier to use it was a pain in the butt to get out of the casing without ripping wires.

[Matt Thorn]

Sorry if I'm drifting off-topic here, but which Hasbro board do you (that's "you" in the plural) like best, and why? I've only used two types: a 1998/99 Electronic Qui-Gonn Jinn Lightsaber, and a 2006 Force Action Jedi Lightsaber. I prefer the former by far, even though it lacks a motion sensor. The 2006 model has an awful idling hum, and the motion sensor is overly sensitive and annoyingly monotonous. I'm currently bidding on another model (an Obi-Wan Kenobi "Feel the Force Vibration" Lightsaber (http://img251.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/users/1/5/4/4/oosamado-img500x375-1228766458kxr3ar79317.jpg)) and m looking forward to seeing what it's like. Do any of the Hasbro boards have a decent motion-sensor sound?

[Darth Chuck]

That saber is the EXACT saber I gutted. From a noob stand point I think it's likely the easiest to work with. myself I removed the motion sensor as well, I forgot that was on there. Cutting it off didn't affect anything and it made more room inside because it is kinda big. Not too big in diameter but just large enough to cause space problems. I'm considering just buying a couple more of these online for gutting purposes.

[Matt Thorn]

So you have this one?
http://img251.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/users/1/5/4/4/oosamado-img500x375-1228766458kxr3ar79317.jpg
And you're happy with it? Great. I look forward to getting my own.

[Darth Chuck]

Yes I had that exact one, i remember the packaging being just like that as well.

Last night however I gutted one of the sabers that I got for $10 on black friday that lights up and makes the sounds. It used two C batteries. I followed this diagram I found on the forums and it works perfectly.

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/picture.php?albumid=42&pictureid=368

Other boards such as the the above obi-wan feel the force have two wires to a LED and two wires to the batteries. That was one reason I liked it because it saved a little time in wiring and understanding which wires were for what. I removed the clash and motion sensors for space. I hope to be able to take some pictures tonight of it in detail and showing it working, might do a video. Then I will try putting it into the saber as well and show some of that hopefully.

I'm really excited to finally have sound with my saber.

[Matt Thorn]

I'm glad you found that diagram useful, since I made it. :p That whole thread has been me talking to myself, but I was hoping someone would find use for it eventually. ;)

[Darth Chuck]

LOL, didn't realize it was yours. I just saw it in a repost of it I think. Yeah I'm actually going to make a copy of it using a picture of the board I used since it is the most recent kind to find in store. It was the only thing I could find that clearly told me what to do with the LED/battery wiring being a Y connection. I had suspected something like that had to be done but didn't want to try it and ruin something.

[Matt Thorn]

I was puzzled by precisely the same thing, which is why I was inspired to make the diagram after figuring it out.

[Lord_Anubis]

Oh , man...That is the hasbro i have (Obi-Wan Force Action saber ) , do you guys know how to wire that to a "Version One Corbin Drive"???
I posted here but so far no answers...

[Matt Thorn]

Oh , man...That is the hasbro i have (Obi-Wan Force Action saber ) , do you guys know how to wire that to a "Version One Corbin Drive"???
I posted here but so far no answers...

I just posted the same question here (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=6641) yesterday, but apart from the person who found the diagram useful, no one seems to be reading that thread. :-?

[Lord_Anubis]

Yeah man...I feel your pain...
I am trying to research old threads if i find anything relevant i will sure pass the message along...Another blow to my project, the guy at Radio Shack just informed me that they don't carry the 2.2 ohm 5 watt resistor i needed...
Ah...This is turning out to be real fun, lol.
Someone help the n00b here before i engage the self destruct countdown, lol.
:)

[Matt Thorn]

Yeah man...I feel your pain...
I am trying to research old threads if i find anything relevant i will sure pass the message along...Another blow to my project, the guy at Radio Shack just informed me that they don't carry the 2.2 ohm 5 watt resistor i needed...
Ah...This is turning out to be real fun, lol.
Someone help the n00b here before i engage the self destruct countdown, lol.
:)

Well, here's some help:

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/22ohm-5w-resistor--P11.aspx

[Lord_Anubis]

Thanks Matt!

By the way here is the schematics for the hasbro sound/Corbin driver

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=6800

[Sceptersaber]

Hello Gentlemen, Here is my question:

Is there available, a simple Step-by-Step instuctional/tutorial for a guy like myself who has never wired a soundboard before? And preferably with illistrations and less technical terms.
I already have a custom saber that has working LuxeonIII Led, Momentary Switch, and battery pack(3 AA's). I also have 2 Hasbro Sounboards (1 Vader and 1 Obi-Wan), but my dilema is that I dont know where to start. I have searched these forums in search of some simple instructions, only to become more confused and less confident. Please assist fellow Lightsaber enthusiests.
Thank You

[Matt Thorn]

Hello Gentlemen, Here is my question:

Is there available, a simple Step-by-Step instuctional/tutorial for a guy like myself who has never wired a soundboard before? And preferably with illistrations and less technical terms.
I already have a custom saber that has working LuxeonIII Led, Momentary Switch, and battery pack(3 AA's). I also have 2 Hasbro Sounboards (1 Vader and 1 Obi-Wan), but my dilema is that I dont know where to start. I have searched these forums in search of some simple instructions, only to become more confused and less confident. Please assist fellow Lightsaber enthusiests.
Thank You

Hi, Sceptersaber. It depends on which variations of the Hasbro board you have. There are many different kinds, and some are less straightforward in terms of wiring than others. Can you post close-ups of your boards?

[Matt Thorn]

Here's a Hasbro Obi-Wan Force Action saber for you. This model has the added bonus of a tiny clash sensor built right into the board. (How convenient and space-saving!)

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b54/flyerfye/hasbrobi.jpg

It'll take 6V without blowing up, and at that input, outputs about 5.5V to the LED leads, so make sure you put a resistor on there if you're running it straight off the board (that is, with clashflash).

On my Clone Wars Force Action Anakin, the "ON/OFF" and "Cutoff SW" on the upper right-hand side of your photo are reversed. The "Cutoff SW" (which is a brown wire in mine) is above (closer to the edge of the board than) the "ON/OFF" switch (which is a yellow wire in mine). I only mention this so that people using similar boards are careful about which is which. It seems the commonality is that the two "Cutoff SW" wires are two different colors, whereas the two "ON/OFF" wires are the same color (blue in your case, yellow in mine). It's probably a good idea to label wires when you remove them from the hilt, so you don't get confused later.

[JamoUp]

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/sabers/scripts/GrimaOllak.jpg

Can anyone plz tell me if the above setup requires a resistor on the positive from battery to the LED? Thank you.I am using the "cheapo" Hasbro board as pictured one post up.

[Matt Thorn]

Can anyone plz tell me if the above setup requires a resistor on the positive from battery to the LED? Thank you.I am using the "cheapo" Hasbro board as pictured one post up.

It depends on the power source and the LED you're using. Check Tim's LED Resistor Chart (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/resistor.aspx). By the way, it doesn't matter if the resistor goes on the positive or negative lead (as someone here taught me when I asked a few months ago).

[JamoUp]

Thanks Matt.
I have my saber currently wired like the Hasbro board pic says. The LED is very dim. The schematic I quoted shows "Long+" coming from the sound board and the battery. My question is: is "Long+" the same as "LED+" or "Power+" on the Hasbro board.

I was thinking I could cut "LED+" off of the hasbro board and splice the positive from the battery to the positive of the LED.

or

I could splice the positive from the battery into "LED+" and continue with "LED+" connecting to the LED.

does that make sense?

[Matt Thorn]

Thanks Matt.
I have my saber currently wired like the Hasbro board pic says. The LED is very dim. The schematic I quoted shows "Long+" coming from the sound board and the battery. My question is: is "Long+" the same as "LED+" or "Power+" on the Hasbro board.

I was thinking I could cut "LED+" off of the hasbro board and splice the positive from the battery to the positive of the LED.

or

I could splice the positive from the battery into "LED+" and continue with "LED+" connecting to the LED.

does that make sense?

I think you may be using the wrong diagram for your board. That diagram doesn't show the all-important sound board in any detail, and there are many variations. If you have the same board I referred to in yesterday's post (from one of the comparatively newer Clone Wars Force Action Lightsabers), the wiring is more straightforward than that shown in the old diagram you are referencing. Give me an hour or so and I'll draw up a diagram. DO NOT cut off the "LED+" wire! Without that you've got nothing. (Well, there are ways to wire without that, but let's keep things simple.) The only wires you definitely don't need are the two "Cutoff SW" wires whose original function was to turn the saber off when the blade was pushed back into the hilt of the toy. But to err on the side of caution, you should leave a half an inch or so of even those wires. You never know when someday you'll come up with a briliant use for them. :p

[JamoUp]

Again, Thank You. I look forward to seeing your diagram!

[Matt Thorn]

It's not very pretty, but here it is. Hope you can make sense of it.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SbMn3frecBI/AAAAAAAAAmo/N9PQyLMVtGo/s400/CW_force_action_basic.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Sug2KRvbWHvXI7Uns74ybw?feat=embedwebsite)

[JamoUp]

yes. that is the setup I am currently using. I have an Amber Lux III. Powered with 4AAA. It is very dim. I was thinking that since the board was originally designed to use a flashlight bulb not an LED, the board itself was under-powering the LED. Would splicing a connection from "power+" to "LED+" solve that you think?

p.s. Your additions to the diagram make it much easier to read/understand.

[Matt Thorn]

What is your battery setup? You don't want to give an Amber Lux III more than 3.5V without a resistor. If you have a multimeter, disconnect the LED and measure the voltage and amperage coming through the LED wires with the board turned on.

That board is not clever enough to step down voltage in the way you mentioned. I have one of those boards running both the original three small LEDs (as accent lights for a crystal chamber) and a Blue Lux III with a 4.8V/1000mA Ni-MH battery pack. (I have them running in parallel, not series.)

Maybe more experienced people can chime in here, because I don't have much experience with Amber. It's possible that the LED is not getting enough current. Red, amber, and red-orange are funkier than the "cool color" LEDs. They want less voltage, but more current. My understanding is that an Amber Lux III wants 1400mA current. I'm not really sure how you could get that with this board. Two 700mA Buckpucks hooked up in parallel give 1400mA (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=4251), but Buckpucks require a latching switch, and this board requires a momentary switch. AA batteries provide a lot more current (my Ni-MHs provide 2300mA) than do AAA batteries (my Ni-MHs provide 1000mA) for pretty much the same voltage. Perhaps a 4AA pack of Ni-MHs would work best. (Note: disposable alkaline AA batteries are 1.5V, whereas rechargeable Ni-MHs are 1.2V; while the board could handle the 6V, the amber LED probably could not--at least not for long.)

All this advice is coming off the top of my head without any basis in actually trying any of this stuff, so, again, I hope more experienced folks will speak up if I'm wrong.

[vargose]

The Hasbro boards don't put out enough current to drive an amber lux III. You have two options.

Option 1 (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showpost.php?p=3593&postcount=3):
Have the LED on a paralell circuit with a latching switch. It which case you will need a resistor or two 700mA Buckpucks hooked up in parallel (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=4251). The resitor is the simpler and cheaper option though. This is a two switch setup

Option 2:
Have the LED on a parallel circuit with a relay, controlled by the LED +/- on the sound board. You'll still need a resistor or two buck pucks. The benefit here is you only need the one momentary switch. Here is a sample diagram that somebody else used for a K2, but it will work for a lux III amber just as well.
1213

[JamoUp]

Thank you Vargose. Option 2 sounds right to me. Any further details and/or diagrams would be very helpful.

It sounds like i connect +battery to +LED (resistored) as well as battery into sound card and LED into sound card. yes? Do i need the relay?

[JamoUp]

This is what I was thinking:

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i268/jamothegr8/mail-1.jpg

please excuse my doodle. I am doing this in between students and took pic with my cell ;)

[vargose]

If you want a single switch setup and a fully powered Amber Lux III you need a relay.

Your lux III and hasbro sound board are on separate parallel circuits.

First circuit: Wire up the +/- battery leads to the sound board. Wire the +/- LED outputs of the board to the relay. Your board is essentially powering the relay instead of an LED. When powered the relay acts like a switch.

Second circuit:
Wire the - battery lead to Lux III. Wire the + battery lead to the relay and the relay to the resistor then the resistor to the Lux III

Its all in the diagram (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showpost.php?p=124312&postcount=90) I showed you

[Matt Thorn]

The Hasbro boards don't put out enough current to drive an amber lux III. You have two options.

Option 1 (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showpost.php?p=3593&postcount=3):
Have the LED on a paralell circuit with a latching switch. It which case you will need a resistor or two 700mA Buckpucks hooked up in parallel (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=4251). The resitor is the simpler and cheaper option though. This is a two switch setup

Option 2:
Have the LED on a parallel circuit with a relay, controlled by the LED +/- on the sound board. You'll still need a resistor or two buck pucks. The benefit here is you only need the one momentary switch. Here is a sample diagram that somebody else used for a K2, but it will work for a lux III amber just as well.
1213

Great information. Thanks, vargose!

[JamoUp]

Thank you for all the great tips and diagrams. I successfully wired and (after 2 attempts) installed "option 2" into my first MHS saber!

Before:
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i268/jamothegr8/mail-1-1.jpg

After:
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i268/jamothegr8/mail-2.jpg

Still not as bright as I want it. But better than before.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

Just out of curiosity, what type of blade do you have there? A Corbin film or a TCSS diffuser?

[JamoUp]

It is the Corbin style battle blade

[Sairon]

add some polyp and it will be very even and look brighter.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

add some polyp and it will be very even and look brighter.

That what I was going to say. Add about 4 feet of clear plastic gift wrap, or cellophane from a craft store or even Wal-Mart to the blade. Roll it up an insert it inside the Corbin roll that is already in the blade.

[Matt Thorn]

Just keep in mind that the polypropylene film will severely diminish the "Corbin Effect." But it will give you a much more even light.

JamoUp, what battery setup, relay and resistor did you end up using? I have an Amber Luxeon III that I haven't done anything with yet, and would like to know for future reference. Thanks.

[JamoUp]

Thank you for the suggestions all. I will add the film tomorrow and post results.

Matt, I am using the 4AAA holder/speaker (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/MHS-speaker-and-battery-holder-P315.aspx) mount sold in the store to power things. I am using the resistor (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/22ohm-5w-resistor--P11.aspx) Tim sent me with my kit. And I got a 5v relay from RadioShack (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062480).

[vargose]

are you using rechargeable or regular AAAs?

[JamoUp]

regular duracell

[JamoUp]

Here it is with the polyp inside. It is obviously MUCH brighter!

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i268/jamothegr8/mail-3.jpg

I highly appreciate everyone's help on solving this mystery.

[vargose]

No problem. I am glad it worked for you.

[Matt Thorn]

Looks great! Congrats.

[Sairon]

That looks much better! Glad we could help.

[vargose]

I created a wiring diagram for those who only want a single switch but want full power to their LED. The porblem is the cheap toy hasbro boards don't put out enough current for most LEDs. If you want the 1000ma or even 1400ma it takes to run most LEDs you need a separate circuit with a separate switch. I used a relay for the second switch which is powered by the board. See attached diagram. Be careful to check how much voltage your hasbro board will take. Some are ok with 6v, but some people use 5v regulators to be safe.

1304

[Matt Thorn]

I created a wiring diagram for those who only want a single switch but want full power to their LED. The porblem is the cheap toy hasbro boards don't put out enough current for most LEDs. If you want the 1000ma or even 1400ma it takes to run most LEDs you need a separate circuit with a separate switch. I used a relay for the second switch which is powered by the board. See attached diagram. Be careful to check how much voltage your hasbro board will take. Some are ok with 6v, but some people use 5v regulators to be safe.

1304

That looks great. Thanks, vargose. A couple of questions. Since a Hasbro board takes a momentary switch, and a Buckpuck requires a latching switch, I'm assuming you need a specific kind of relay for this set-up. What kind is required? Also, your digram shows two yellow wires from the relay joined together and then joining the positive lead from the battery pack. Could you explain that? Thanks in advance!

[swear000]

do you happen to know which exact relay to use?

[vargose]

do you happen to know which exact relay to use?

This is the one I used
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062478


That looks great. Thanks, vargose. A couple of questions. Since a Hasbro board takes a momentary switch, and a Buckpuck requires a latching switch, I'm assuming you need a specific kind of relay for this set-up. What kind is required? Also, your digram shows two yellow wires from the relay joined together and then joining the positive lead from the battery pack. Could you explain that? Thanks in advance!

As far as type. Whichever type closes while current is applied to it, and opens when not.

One is the postive for the board. The negative output from the board goes through the relay and back out through the positve to the battery. This is controls the relay. When current is applied the relay closes and the LED turns on.

The other is the positive for the LED. The relay is acting as a switch on the positive line for the LED.

Here is the diagram (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1304&d=1238432716) again. It works great. Does anyone see a problem with it though?

[Matt Thorn]

Great. Thanks, vargose.

[mihunai]

This is the one I used
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062478



As far as type. Whichever type closes while current is applied to it, and opens when not.

One is the postive for the board. The negative output from the board goes through the relay and back out through the positve to the battery. This is controls the relay. When current is applied the relay closes and the LED turns on.

The other is the positive for the LED. The relay is acting as a switch on the positive line for the LED.

Here is the diagram (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1304&d=1238432716) again. It works great. Does anyone see a problem with it though?

im going to use an '95 hasbro vader board, corbins LED driver and 4 AA's
1.what would the circuit look like if i wanted to activate both boards simultaniously with a latching switch?
2.can that relay be replaced by a latching switch using this circuit?
3. can a momentary switch be attached to the clash sensor points to make a lock-up sound?

mTm

[vargose]

im going to use an '95 hasbro vader board, corbins LED driver and 4 AA's
1.what would the circuit look like if i wanted to activate both boards simultaniously with a latching switch?
2.can that relay be replaced by a latching switch using this circuit?
3. can a momentary switch be attached to the clash sensor points to make a lock-up sound?

mTm

Answer 1: To activate the hasbro you'll need to use a momentary switch. Which is ok because the momentary corbin boards can be activated by the same momentary switch. No need for a relay or second switch at all. See the first post (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showpost.php?p=29329&postcount=1) of this thread for that diagram. Just make sure you specify momentary when you purchase the corbin board.

If however you are using a latching corbin board. You'd still use the momentary switch for the hasbro board and a relay as the switch for the corbin board.

Answer 2: No need. See answer 1.

Answer 3: Yes. In fact thats not a bad idea. Just replace the clash sensor with a momentary switch and it will work just fine. You could actually wire them both up in parallel if you wanted to have the sensor and the switch.

[mihunai]

thanks, that is going to help a lot
kinda wished i hadnt ordered the latching version now :(

mTm

[vargose]

thanks, that is going to help a lot
kinda wished i hadnt ordered the latching version now :(

No worries. It will work fine. Like I said Just put a momentray on the hasbro. Have the hasbro power the relay and use the relay as a switch for the latching corbin. It will work just fine.

If worse comes to worse you can use two switches with this diagram (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showpost.php?p=3593&postcount=3)

[mihunai]

just one last little question, my switch is one of those illuminated ones
where should i hook up the LED so it dont fry it?

mTm

[vargose]

just one last little question, my switch is one of those illuminated ones
where should i hook up the LED so it dont fry it?

mTm

Answer in this thread
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=7779

[mihunai]

thanks, im finally good to go :D

mTm

[mihunai]

could this work?
http://www.majhost.com/gallery/mihunai/lightsaber/saberwiring.jpg
this is without the relay
since there are 2 positives on the soundboard, one is allways powered, the other only when activated. could that work as a 'latching' switch as well?

mTm

[Roshen]

Does anyone have any experiance with a Mace Windu Force Action hasbro sound board? It looks similar to the Obi-Wan but the wires are different colors, well some of them are. Here a pic of the board, sorry its blurry. I took the photo with my camera phone. I unforunatly cant make heads or tails of some of the print on the board.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/sokignano/Image033.jpg

[Rhyen Skytracker]

Is there anyway you can edit the picture to label the wires with what the board says they are or just type the wire color and what the board says they are? It will make it alot easier for us to help you that way. I have wired a couple, but it has been a while.

[Roshen]

I sure can, i'll post it asap :)

DONE!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/sokignano/untitled.jpg

[Matt Thorn]

I sure can, i'll post it asap :)

DONE!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/sokignano/untitled.jpg

It's basically the same as this, but the wire colors are different and the placement of the wires is just a bit different:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SbMn3frecBI/AAAAAAAAAmo/N9PQyLMVtGo/s800/CW_force_action_basic.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Sug2KRvbWHvXI7Uns74ybw?feat=embedwebsite)


VCC1 is the positive lead from the battery pack
VSS is the negative lead to the battery back
VCC is the positive lead to the LED
LAMP is the negative lead from the LED
ON/OFF and GND are the leads for the switch
SPK and SPK- are the leads for the speaker
SWING- and SWING+ are the leads for the clash sensor
OFF and OFF- are not used

[Roshen]

Thank you so much!

[Roshen]

It totally worked! Thank you very much. But I dont know if its as bright. I'm using 4 AA batteries and a 1000ma puck. Any thoughts

[vargose]

It totally worked! Thank you very much. But I dont know if its as bright. I'm using 4 AA batteries and a 1000ma puck. Any thoughts


I created a wiring diagram for those who only want a single switch but want full power to their LED. The porblem is the cheap toy hasbro boards don't put out enough current for most LEDs. If you want the 1000ma or even 1400ma it takes to run most LEDs you need a separate circuit with a separate switch. I used a relay for the second switch which is powered by the board. See attached diagram. Be careful to check how much voltage your hasbro board will take. Some are ok with 6v, but some people use 5v regulators to be safe.

1304

How did you wire up the buck puck? Did you use a relay like above?
If you are running it straight off the board your buck puck is not getting enough power.

[mihunai]

i just thought of something, the Latching corbin board activates when the switch connects the contacts right? if you where to solder those together, aka allways leave it on, could you just use the light output of the soundboard to activate it/turn on its powersupply, or would this cause an initial burst that will blow it up?

and BTW, could someone take a look at this to see if it should work?
clicky (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showpost.php?p=129256&postcount=120)

mTm

[Storm Sunfire]

Hi all, this is my first post ever. I have been messing around with some MHS and sinktube combinations and after a year I still am without a decent soundcard. I went and bought a Darth Dookie lightsaber so that I can have sound. Here's the catch; How do I wire a hasbro board if I have 4AA's in a pack, a recharge port, a crystal chamber (just an LED I and colimitter from my son's busted Ultrasabers blade with an acrylic crystal mounted just above), an accent LED, an "IQ" switch, and a red Luxeon III LED?

Thanks for the help,
Storm

[cardcollector]

This should help a little...
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=7737
I don't know how to wire in anything else though.:rolleyes:
Some searching would probably help.

[mihunai]

my most current attempt at a wiring schematic with a '95 Vader and a latching Corbin.
will have a 5V regulator on there
it is mainly based on the Habro relay setup posted earlier
but would this turn the Corbin on nomatter what the Hasbro does?
http://www.majhost.com/gallery/mihunai/lightsaber/lightsaber_wiring_3.bmp

BTW, how likely is the '95 Hasbro to fry at 5V?

mTm

[Hasid Lafre]

Ive been told that that wont work.

[Jedi-Loreen]

For one thing, it looks like you have 2 power inputs going to Corbin driver.

I'm not sure why you're using a relay there. Is that supposed to be turning the Corbin driver on and off?

There are more problems than just this, but I'll let someone who's more familiar with using these boards than I am tell you what and why.

[eastern57]

Mihunai, yes the corbin board will operate separately. There's no switch going to the corbin board, so if you leave it in the "on" position, your kill key will turn the blade LED on/off, but your switch will only turn the sound on/off. Know what I mean?

What do you want it to do? Do you want them to run at the same time with one switch? If so, this will not work.

Edit: don't know what you're doing with the relay there. Corbins can take a lot more than 5v and hasbros have shown to work fine at 6v.

[mihunai]

Mihunai, yes the corbin board will operate separately. There's no switch going to the corbin board, so if you leave it in the "on" position, your kill key will turn the blade LED on/off, but your switch will only turn the sound on/off. Know what I mean?

What do you want it to do? Do you want them to run at the same time with one switch? If so, this will not work.

Edit: don't know what you're doing with the relay there. Corbins can take a lot more than 5v and hasbros have shown to work fine at 6v.

i think '95 hasbros would porbably blow up at twice the normal voltage...
new plan. wiring in series.
ill try to figure out a wiring scheme with both boards wired in series, with the corbin switch soldered shut, so allways closed, and some voltageregulators/resistors to get 3V to the Hasbro, and the rest to the corbin. maybe going for a 9V battery...

mTm

[sfer1]

This is the one I used
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062478



As far as type. Whichever type closes while current is applied to it, and opens when not.

One is the postive for the board. The negative output from the board goes through the relay and back out through the positve to the battery. This is controls the relay. When current is applied the relay closes and the LED turns on.

The other is the positive for the LED. The relay is acting as a switch on the positive line for the LED.

Here is the diagram (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1304&d=1238432716) again. It works great. Does anyone see a problem with it though?

The black wire connected to the relay is the LED - from the board, right?

And the LED + is left unused, correct?

[mihunai]

Hasbro + latching Corbin + Rechargeport/killswitch wiring scheme (minus quick-connects)
http://www.majhost.com/gallery/mihunai/lightsaber/lightsaber_wiring_5.bmp

mTm

[vargose]

The black wire connected to the relay is the LED - from the board, right?

And the LED + is left unused, correct?

Yes that wire is normally the negative for the light bulb. My particular board is an older hasbro, so it didn't have a LED +. It connected back to the postive on the battery. If your board has a LED + you should use it instead of wiring back to the battery.

[sfer1]

Yes that wire is normally the negative for the light bulb. My particular board is an older hasbro, so it didn't have a LED +. It connected back to the postive on the battery. If your board has a LED + you should use it instead of wiring back to the battery.

Thanks!

My board has a LED +. Which one of these two would be correct (A or B)?

Edit: Neither one was correct I removed the pics to avoid any confusions.

[vargose]

Thanks!
My board has a LED +. Which one of these two would be correct (A or B)?


Well A is closer. You've got to make sure to hook up the relay correctly. Do you understand how they work? As current flows through the relay, in this case from LED - to LED +, it acts as a switch for the positive line between the battery and the buck puck.

[Revan]

It depends on how the board was designed. Like Jay-Gonn said, in the case of the Hasbro boards (I believe)... they were made to work with momentary switches.

So... put a momentary in there with the Hasbro and it should work as expected. :)

As another example that is a bit weird... if you were to put a momentary switch in with an FX board... well, the Force FX board is made for LATCHING switch types. What happens is this:

* First press does "nothing" (that you can detect)
* Second press turns the FX on
* To shut off, you must double-click again

The PROBLEM with this is that the first press actually CLOSES the circuit, and although it does nothing visually or with sound... the batteries will start draining as the FX sucks current out of them like a Hoover Deluxe.

I just threw that example in there to show that... although you CAN use most any switch type with whatever board... you'll get wacky results (often undesirable in many ways) if you don't match 'em up.

so if you wanted to use a momentary to power up a crystal focus saber then you would have to do the same thing? or are there some kind of configuration files that you choose from to select the function of the switches?

[Jay-gon Jinn]

so if you wanted to use a momentary to power up a crystal focus saber then you would have to do the same thing? or are there some kind of configuration files that you choose from to select the function of the switches?There is a config file that you simply change the setting on to use a momentary or a latching type switch.

[Revan]

sweet!

[gcnywaldork]

Yes I had that exact one, i remember the packaging being just like that as well.

Last night however I gutted one of the sabers that I got for $10 on black friday that lights up and makes the sounds. It used two C batteries. I followed this diagram I found on the forums and it works perfectly.

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/picture.php?albumid=42&pictureid=368

Other boards such as the the above obi-wan feel the force have two wires to a LED and two wires to the batteries. That was one reason I liked it because it saved a little time in wiring and understanding which wires were for what. I removed the clash and motion sensors for space. I hope to be able to take some pictures tonight of it in detail and showing it working, might do a video. Then I will try putting it into the saber as well and show some of that hopefully.

I'm really excited to finally have sound with my saber.

I gutted an AOTC Obi-Wan Lightsaber and found that the sound card was identical to this one (though wires are in the same place, but in different colors). Which LED did you use? I have a Lux III Amber that I bought in the package with the momentary switch and 4AAA battery pack and a resistor. Does anyone know if that set up would work with this diagram?

This my first attempt at building a saber, and I'm really new to all of the electrical work...

[Matt Thorn]

I gutted an AOTC Obi-Wan Lightsaber and found that the sound card was identical to this one (though wires are in the same place, but in different colors). Which LED did you use? I have a Lux III Amber that I bought in the package with the momentary switch and 4AAA battery pack and a resistor. Does anyone know if that set up would work with this diagram?

This my first attempt at building a saber, and I'm really new to all of the electrical work...

I have used blue, green, and cyan Leds with this board. Red and amber are a bit trickier, but since your kit came with a resistor, you should be fine. Just put the resistor on one of the wires attached to the LED. (It doesn't matter if it's the positive or negative.)

[Necator]

Does anybody know how to wire in a switch for the hasbro dooku board. It has no wires for the switch it has a rubber push button built into the board. Any help would be most welcome.

[Matt Thorn]

Does anybody know how to wire in a switch for the hasbro dooku board. It has no wires for the switch it has a rubber push button built into the board. Any help would be most welcome.

It is probably identical to the switch on the Clone Wars Ultimate Lightsaber. Check out LDM's great little tutorial (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=6571&page=4#40) (including video) on how to wire a switch to it. It's a bit tricky, but it can be done.

[Necator]

It is probably identical to the switch on the Clone Wars Ultimate Lightsaber. Check out LDM's great little tutorial (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=6571&page=4#40) (including video) on how to wire a switch to it. It's a bit tricky, but it can be done.

thank you for the help.

[cardcollector]

Does anybody know how to wire in a switch for the hasbro dooku board. It has no wires for the switch it has a rubber push button built into the board. Any help would be most welcome.

Before you read this- GET THE BOARD OUT IN FRONT OF YOU!!!

got it? good.

There are two Solder tabs on the bottom that are connected to the switch part of the board.
One is kinda over lapping one of the "E"s.
Follow the line off the other "E" that goes under the green insulation to the connected solder tab. Works like a charm!

[Matt Thorn]

Before you read this- GET THE BOARD OUT IN FRONT OF YOU!!!

got it? good.

There are two Solder tabs on the bottom that are connected to the switch part of the board.
One is kinda over lapping one of the "E"s.
Follow the line off the other "E" that goes under the green insulation to the connected solder tab. Works like a charm!
Excellent advice. I don't know why I didn't think of that when I soldered my own switch. :oops:

[Lonewind]

I'm not an expert at electronics but after reviewing this thread I took out a sound card from a spare Vader Hasbro toy saber and tinkered a bit.

I was able to hook up a Luxeon 3w Amber LED to a 2006 Vader toy sound card and a 4.5v battery pack.

The LED lit up nice and bright and it flashed on power on, flashed on power off, and flashed on clash as well.

I only tested for a couple of seconds at a time but once I hook it up to a heat sink I will try it out again.

Here is a look at my setup - I tried to be verbose and label everything.

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu348/Lonewind2009/Parts/2006EcomonyHasbroSoundCardtoLux-3W-.jpg

[Madcow]

Where did you get that 3 AA battery holder???

MC

[Lonewind]

Where did you get that 3 AA battery holder???

MC

From here....

http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine.aspx?Keyword=12BH432A-GR

[Rhyen Skytracker]

Do you know if that battery holder will fit in a MHS hilt?

[Lonewind]

Do you know if that battery holder will fit in a MHS hilt?

It should - this one is a 3 AAA holder.

According to this data sheet, its only .879 inches across and 2.23 inches long.

http://www.mouser.com/catalog/specsheets/EPD-200478.pdf

[Thaxos]

Do you have a soldering iron?
I suggest soldering those points instead of using marettes, and just heatshrink tubing over that. Marettes can come apart after some time.

[cardcollector]

Do you have a soldering iron?
I suggest soldering those points instead of using marettes, and just heatshrink tubing over that. Marettes can come apart after some time.

I think the maretts were for a temporary connection. The LED is Soldered if you look.;)

[Lonewind]

I think the maretts were for a temporary connection. The LED is Soldered if you look.;)

Correct - this was only a test. I quickly soldered the LED to keep make it simpler to test the connections. :D

[Rhyen Skytracker]

Great picture and good description of the components. Good fine on the battery holder too.

[cardcollector]

Yeah, I forgot to mention the batt. pack!!!! That is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo awesome!!!!

[Lonewind]

Thanks, guys. I learned a lot from this thread and I thought I would share and perhaps help others :D.

[silverclown]

cool i need this

[gcnywaldork]

I have used blue, green, and cyan Leds with this board. Red and amber are a bit trickier, but since your kit came with a resistor, you should be fine. Just put the resistor on one of the wires attached to the LED. (It doesn't matter if it's the positive or negative.)

thanks for the help! everything worked out. now i just have to finish off some detailing and my saber will be complete :)

[Goltar Bias]

Ok, I had an idea and i just wanted to run it buy people with more experience with these things then i have. Please tell me if this is doable or just not something possible. Here's the idea:


running two hasbro sound modules(say a force action vader and a spiderman 3 green goblin laser sword) off one power source. Unless i have my terms wrong i believe they would be run in parallel to each other each one running a buck puck and led, plus speaker but both on the same battery pack, thus giving two overlapping sound effects. The part i am not sure how it well it would work in the switching since both work on a momentary switch could both be wired to the same momentary switch to turn them on and off or would this do something that would possibly fry both boards, or is there just not going to be enough power to run everything. Used this thread in building my first saber and saw mention on running two leds on one power source needing two switches on latching one not, I also remeber seeing in the post about finding the green goblin board something about blending the sounds from two boards, which is what led me to this idea. So anything any one could tell me would be helpful. Thanks

[Rhyen Skytracker]

Powering both boards with one power source will work, but you probably won't get too much run time. Most of those boards run voltage through the switches and it would not be a good idea to have one switch for both. Good job on your research so far. We like helping people who try to help themselves first. Let me know how it turns out.

[Goltar Bias]

Thanks the idea is for one board to control the blade led and the other to control the crystal led, sort of as if the crystal has almost to much power running through it and you would get double clash sounds and only one motion sound. going to be trying this in an up coming saber, hope i can get a video shot of it.

[X]

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu348/Lonewind2009/Parts/2006EcomonyHasbroSoundCardtoLux-3W-.jpg

Ok i have a brand new ani Hasbro I picked up for a birthday present for a friends son. the problem I'm haveing is when I'm testing the board like the pic above (I still have the orginial LEDs hooked up and 6v power) the LEDs are always on and when I push the switch all I hear is a small half ignition sound. Now when I hook the cutoff + wire to the battery + wire I get the sound the way it's suppost to work but the LEDs stay on. I haven't seen anyone else talk about this so is this suppost to happen or am I missing something.

[Matt Thorn]

Ok i have a brand new ani Hasbro I picked up for a birthday present for a friends son. the problem I'm haveing is when I'm testing the board like the pic above (I still have the orginial LEDs hooked up and 6v power) the LEDs are always on and when I push the switch all I hear is a small half ignition sound. Now when I hook the cutoff + wire to the battery + wire I get the sound the way it's suppost to work but the LEDs stay on. I haven't seen anyone else talk about this so is this suppost to happen or am I missing something.
X, I can't quite make out how you have things wired there, but that's a Force Action board you're using. Here's the diagram you need for it (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showpost.php?p=124216&postcount=87).

[X]

I just quoted lonewind's post with his set up. His board, and your board are the exact same if you look closely and mine is the same. I just can't get my sound to work right without hooking up the cutoff + wire to the batteryand board + wires.

[Matt Thorn]

I just quoted lonewind's post with his set up. His board, and your board are the exact same if you look closely and mine is the same. I just can't get my sound to work right without hooking up the cutoff + wire to the batteryand board + wires.
Then I'm guessing the problem is the fact that you still have the original LEDs and 6V battery pack hooked up.

You said you picked this up for a present? Are you trying to modify it before giving it to him? Using the board in a Luxeon III conversion would pretty much necessitate destroying the original toy. I guess I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to do.

[X]

I gutted the toy to put it into a sinktube saber with a green lux III but if the led is going to stay on all the time if it's wired directly to the board then it won't work and I'll have to run an older momentary corbin board with it. Some of you have said that the sound runs fine without hooking up the cutoff+ wire to the power+ wire while the one I have will only work when those wires are hooked up. Is there some different about the ani board then the vader and obi boards that anyone knows of or should I just wing it and post my results.

[Matt Thorn]

I gutted the toy to put it into a sinktube saber with a green lux III but if the led is going to stay on all the time if it's wired directly to the board then it won't work and I'll have to run an older momentary corbin board with it. Some of you have said that the sound runs fine without hooking up the cutoff+ wire to the power+ wire while the one I have will only work when those wires are hooked up. Is there some different about the ani board then the vader and obi boards that anyone knows of or should I just wing it and post my results.

Could you upload a photo of the board? If it's identical to the one Lonewind and I used in our diagrams, the only reason that wiring wouldn't work if there was something wrong with the board or some other element.

[sfer1]

I created a wiring diagram for those who only want a single switch but want full power to their LED. The porblem is the cheap toy hasbro boards don't put out enough current for most LEDs. If you want the 1000ma or even 1400ma it takes to run most LEDs you need a separate circuit with a separate switch. I used a relay for the second switch which is powered by the board. See attached diagram. Be careful to check how much voltage your hasbro board will take. Some are ok with 6v, but some people use 5v regulators to be safe.

1304
In another thread, I read you wrote that the 5V relay doesn't respond as well as the battery power drains. You wanted to get a 3V relay or something. What did you end up using on your new saber, instead of the 5V relay? Is there any place I can order it online (I live in Argentina)?

[vargose]

In another thread, I read you wrote that the 5V relay doesn't respond as well as the battery power drains. You wanted to get a 3V relay or something. What did you end up using on your new saber, instead of the 5V relay? Is there any place I can order it online (I live in Argentina)?

Yes, when the batteries get low the 5v relay starts having trouble, but it doesn't happen until very late in the battery packs life. The problem is that as the batteries die the voltage drops, and eventually there isn't enough to trip the relay. I've just been recharging it. A 3v solid state relay was recommended to me, but I haven't tried it out yet. When I do, I'll be sure to post about it.

[Lonewind]

Ok i have a brand new ani Hasbro I picked up for a birthday present for a friends son. the problem I'm haveing is when I'm testing the board like the pic above (I still have the orginial LEDs hooked up and 6v power) the LEDs are always on and when I push the switch all I hear is a small half ignition sound. Now when I hook the cutoff + wire to the battery + wire I get the sound the way it's suppost to work but the LEDs stay on. I haven't seen anyone else talk about this so is this suppost to happen or am I missing something.

Somethings to try:
* Use less voltage - I have only 4.5v there.
* Hold the power on switch until you hear the full power on sound then release - repeat to power off. Does that work?

[sfer1]

I want to use an old Luke soundboard with a red Seoul P4 LED.

http://www.led-tech.de/en/High-Power-LEDs-Seoul/-3.5W-Seoul-LEDs/Seoul-3.5W-Star-LED--P4-Version--LT-1165_121_78.html

mA typ.: 350-800 mA
mA max.: 800 mA
V typ.: 2.20 V
V max.: 3.30 V
Watt: 0,77 W

The board is very similar to the 1995 Darth Vader:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o141/Jay-gon_Jinn/000_0772-wiringdiagram.jpg

Do I need a resistor?

I don't know if it matters, but the battery pack is 4.8V.

[Matt Thorn]

I want to use an old Luke soundboard with a red Seoul P4 LED.
<snip>
Do I need a resistor?

I don't know if it matters, but the battery pack is 4.8V.
It definitely matters, and you definitely need a resistor. This one (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/12ohm-3w-resistor-P22.aspx) should do the trick. Good luck.

[sfer1]

Thanks!

[sfer1]

I'd like to wire an Obi-Wan Force Action board to a BuckPuck, but I've never used a relay before.

Can anyone please tell me if the wiring on my diagram is correct?

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss85/sfer1_album/ForceActionRelayBuckPuck.jpg

I couldn't find a 3V relay where I live (Buenos Aires, Argentina), so I'd be using a 5V one I got from Radioshack.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062478&tab=summary

[sfer1]

Since nobody answered my question, I decided to try it. It seems to work.

[Matt Thorn]

Very creative, sfer1. I am guessing that you still get the "flash on clash" effect, no? Any other strange side effects? I've been experimenting with different kinds of relays (on a Force FX Lightsaber Construction Set) and have gotten some bizarre results.

[sfer1]

Yep, I still get the "flash on clash" effect. No other strange side effects that I could tell.

[Matt Thorn]

Yep, I still get the "flash on clash" effect. No other strange side effects that I could tell.
Great! Then I think you have made a valuable contribution to our collection of Hasbro wiring diagrams. :D

[cardcollector]

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu348/Lonewind2009/Parts/2006EcomonyHasbroSoundCardtoLux-3W-.jpg


I recently bought these battery packs and have to say- HOW DO YOU WIRE THESE THINGS?!?!?!?!?

They won't hold solder, electrical tape comes off, and Hot glue doesn't work either.;)

If i can't get one of these in my hilt I will have to rework my ENTIRE saber design (starting from complete scratch)

So HELP PLEASE!!!:-?:-?:shock:


(ok, I think I was overreacting...:oops::oops:)

[Matt Thorn]

I recently bought these battery packs and have to say- HOW DO YOU WIRE THESE THINGS?!?!?!?!?

They won't hold solder, electrical tape comes off, and Hot glue doesn't work either.;)

If i can't get one of these in my hilt I will have to rework my ENTIRE saber design (starting from complete scratch)

So HELP PLEASE!!!:-?:-?:shock:


(ok, I think I was overreacting...:oops::oops:)
May I recommend a cup of chamomile tea and some soothing Bach? ;) Please give us a link to the pack so we can help you better. I've never seen a round, 3aa battery pack for sale, but since several of the Force FX models used 3aa setups, I don't see why one wouldn't fit in a normal-sized hilt. Are you going to include a charge port, or change batteries manually? If you're going to use a charge port, it might be easier and more space-efficient to make your own pack with a bit of soldering and some heatshrink. Or you might even want to use a single 3.7V Li-Ion battery. That'll fit into anything.

[cardcollector]

Sorry I meant the tabs-

here is the link- http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine....rd=12BH432A-GR

there are not connecting wires

[Matt Thorn]

Sorry I meant the tabs-

here is the link- http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine....rd=12BH432A-GR

there are not connecting wires
The link doesn't work, but I assume you mean this one:
http://www.mouser.com/catalog/specsheets/EPD-200478.pdf
To solder wires to the tabs, first sand the tabs with course sandpaper. This is to give the solder something to hold onto. Then apply a dab of soldering paste (or "flux") to the tabs before soldering. That should do the trick. If it doesn't, you might want to try using different solder.

BTW, the outer diameter is 22.30±.50mm, or 0.9" at the most, so it will fit easily into standard MHS pieces. (I don't know about the ribbed pieces.)

[cardcollector]

Thanks matt, I'll try that.

I will be fitting it into a 1.25" Sinktube. so it fits fine

EDIT:

The paste flux worked, It is really neat hot it heat up and then glues the solder to the tabs.
You gotta be careful though... The plastic around the tabs will start to melt if you're not careful

[Danz409]

A simple update to my old Hasbro diagram/schematic much better then my old setup. less wire. less mess. more simple!

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p2/danz409/eletrnoics%20and%20schamatics/DSHS.jpg

[up4twisting]

This is the info I was looking for! I want to run this board off a 3w rbg 1w per color driver off a multicolored flash light. I hope it will work...

[Steli Demar]

Here's a Hasbro Obi-Wan Force Action saber for you. This model has the added bonus of a tiny clash sensor built right into the board. (How convenient and space-saving!)

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b54/flyerfye/hasbrobi.jpg

It'll take 6V without blowing up, and at that input, outputs about 5.5V to the LED leads, so make sure you put a resistor on there if you're running it straight off the board (that is, with clashflash).

Hey Flyerfye I am using this exact same board in a build I'm doing now, wanted to know, the resistor, would it go on the + side of the LED or the + side of the battery pack? I am using 4 AAA batteries and a Lux III White LED.

[Matt Thorn]

Hey Flyerfye I am using this exact same board in a build I'm doing now, wanted to know, the resistor, would it go on the + side of the LED or the + side of the battery pack? I am using 4 AAA batteries and a Lux III White LED.
The resistor can go on either side of the LED + or -. Direction doesn't matter, either.

[Steli Demar]

OK wasn't 100% thanx for fast reply, so just put resistor between Lux III and the sound board? Also, do you have to cover the resistor with anything like electric tape to keep it from touching other things in saber?

[Matt Thorn]

OK wasn't 100% thanx for fast reply, so just put resistor between Lux III and the sound board? Also, do you have to cover the resistor with anything like electric tape to keep it from touching other things in saber?
Yes, that's where you put it. You want to put heatshrink (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/116-Heatshrink-tubing-P283.aspx) on the exposed wires to prevent short circuiting. (Heatshrink is always preferable to electrical tape.) Don't forget to put the heatshrink on the wire before you solder. I often forget, and end up having to desolder it, put the heatshrink on, and resolder it. :rolleyes:

[Steli Demar]

Since I'm using a Lux III White, do I really need a resistor? Won't the board act like a resistor?

[Matt Thorn]

Since I'm using a Lux III White, do I really need a resistor? Won't the board act like a resistor?
The resistance generated by the board is low, but regardless, yeah, you will probably be fine without a resistor if you're using 4aaa batteries.

[rehpot sirk]

Thanks to everyone for putting this together...I finally have sound in my long suffering "stealth" hilt. I used the Qui-Gonn board with my existing light parts and it all works great. One problem I ran into - my switch I got from here didn't agree with the board - two clicks on, two clicks off, and a clash would also cut it off. So I "modified" the switch to work with the button from the board, and it's all good now.

Just wish I had these schematics before I fried that vader board earlier...!

thanks again!

RS

[cordaroyfog]

Is there anyway to use one of these cheaper soundboards with a Green Lux V by using a relay? Or is it nothing but a dream.

[Matt Thorn]

Is there anyway to use one of these cheaper soundboards with a Green Lux V by using a relay? Or is it nothing but a dream.
It's not a dream. You would just need to use a 5V voltage regulator to keep from frying the board, while making sure the Lux V gets enough voltage. But it would be a lot easier to use a 5-Watt LedEngin LED. Same wattage/brightness as a Lux V, but with the power requirements of a basic Lux III.

[cordaroyfog]

It's not a dream. You would just need to use a 5V voltage regulator to keep from frying the board, while making sure the Lux V gets enough voltage. But it would be a lot easier to use a 5-Watt LedEngin LED. Same wattage/brightness as a Lux V, but with the power requirements of a basic Lux III.

Ok thanks a lot, that makes a lot of sense, if the LedEngin has the same brightness as the Lux V but with the lesser power req., why do people still use the Lux? Is the LedEngin newer to the scene?

[Matt Thorn]

Ok thanks a lot, that makes a lot of sense, if the LedEngin has the same brightness as the Lux V but with the lesser power req., why do people still use the Lux? Is the LedEngin newer to the scene?
Yes, the LedEngin is pretty new. I've used the green myself and am quite pleased with it.

[cordaroyfog]

Ok great, it's much cheaper than the Lux V and the power consumption is a bonus. I definitely wanted the brightest available and if you say this is the equal of Lux V I am onboard. Thanks again for the quick reply, this site is a lifesaver.

[cordaroyfog]

Which lens holder would you use in conjunction with the LEDENGIN LED unit? The one made for the k2 or the III/V?

[Matt Thorn]

Which lens holder would you use in conjunction with the LEDENGIN LED unit? The one made for the k2 or the III/V?
I use the III/V.

[cordaroyfog]

So we've already established that it will be ok to run a LEDENGIN LED through a hasbro sound card. My question is (as I still do not understand a lot about wiring) how much can the sound card handle overall.

If I wanted to use TCSS DPDT Latching green illuminated switch as well, would I need an additional resistor? What about an accent LED for a possible crystal chamber?

[Matt Thorn]

So we've already established that it will be ok to run a LEDENGIN LED through a hasbro sound card. My question is (as I still do not understand a lot about wiring) how much can the sound card handle overall.

If I wanted to use TCSS DPDT Latching green illuminated switch as well, would I need an additional resistor? What about an accent LED for a possible crystal chamber?
The toy Hasbro boards can handle about 6V.
If you use an illuminated switch and/or accent LED, you will need a resistor for each, and you will need to wire all LEDs in PARALLEL, not SERIES. The info for the resistor for the switch is included on the product page.

[cordaroyfog]

ok thanks I see that, would you be able to use a 220 ohm 1/4W instead of a 150ohm 1/4 watt resistor for the illuminated switch?

[Matt Thorn]

ok thanks I see that, would you be able to use a 220 ohm 1/4W instead of a 150ohm 1/4 watt resistor for the illuminated switch?
I don't see why not, although the LED won't be as bright, assuming you are using 6V.

[Nineteen]

What resistor do I need for a Hasbro board when my battery pack is giving off 7.4 volts, and I'm giving the board 6 volts? All the calculators I can find on the Internet need a current(mA) value, which I don't know, either.

[Matt Thorn]

What resistor do I need for a Hasbro board when my battery pack is giving off 7.4 volts, and I'm giving the board 6 volts? All the calculators I can find on the Internet need a current(mA) value, which I don't know, either.
What you need is a 5V voltage regulator, not a resistor. 7.4V is too much for a Hasbro board. Are you using two 3.7V Li-Ions? I don't recommend that, since they will not give you the current you need (unless you're using a red or amber LED), and it's much more voltage than you need. I recommend 4 AAA Ni-MH batteries (4.8V).

[Nineteen]

So if I give the board the 5 volts, what will the output be?

[Matt Thorn]

So if I give the board the 5 volts, what will the output be?
With the economy Hasbro boards, the difference between input and output is almost negligible.
Still, if you plan to do much saber-making (or working with any kind of electronics), you should get yourself a multimeter so that you can make the measurements yourself and know exactly what your set-up is doing.

[cordaroyfog]

What do you guys think of this, I found the pic online. Says made for CREE but would it work for a luxeon or ledengin?

http://www.wholesaletip.com/image/16/cree-mc-e-led-emitters-serial-5-pcs-star-connection-heatsink-16544_1.jpg

[Matt Thorn]

What do you guys think of this, I found the pic online. Says made for CREE but would it work for a luxeon or ledengin?

http://www.wholesaletip.com/image/16/cree-mc-e-led-emitters-serial-5-pcs-star-connection-heatsink-16544_1.jpg
Both the Luxeon and Ledengin come with that "star" PCB. Alone, it does not suffice as a heatsink for a high-power (3-Watt +) LED. All of Tim's LED holders come with proper heatsinks.

[cordaroyfog]

my mistake, you mean they all need Luxeon star heatsink from the store in addition to what they come with?

[Kal El Rah]

YES. you must heatsink all the stars to keep the led alive and not overheat.

[Matt Thorn]

my mistake, you mean they all need Luxeon star heatsink from the store in addition to what they come with?
If you use any of the blade holders or conversion kits TCSS, it will come with the necessary heatsink, which will either be copper or aluminum. In most, you use nylon screws (included) to fix the LED star PCB to the heatsink.

[vargose]

A general warning about the hasbro boards. The connections on the board are very weak. I used hot glue to secure the wires on the board.

[noslenpar]

This is my first post on the forums (go easy on me, pls). I'm getting ready to build my first saber, and have been reading the forums for a couple of weeks to learn as much as possible before I get started. So I want to thank everyone who shares what they know on this forum. It's been, and continues to be a great help.
I'm using the sound board from a Hasbro Obi-Wan Force Action Saber that I got at Target for $15. I saw Lord Maul posted a sticky summary of this thread, but it's closed and I wanted to run this schematic by everyone. I just hope people are still looking at this thread.
Before I start my build I want to do more reading and get some soldering practice. In the meantime I'm working on getting my electronics worked out on paper.
Based on schematics by Cardcollector, Matt Thorn and others, I've come up with this for my saber:
http://nelol.home.mindspring.com/Saber/Wiring%20sketch%20RELAY-RESISTOR.jpg

I have some concerns with this schematic:

1. First is the relay. I'm considering this relay (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062478) from Radio Shack, since I live near a Radio Shack, OR this one (http://mouser.com/ProductDetail/Tyco-Electronics/JWS-117-1/?qs=3fkvfLUozgN8mXyG9AI6JA%3d%3d) from Mouser.
In a thread about relays and the hasbro board (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=9642&page=4), Cardcollector wrote:
"So, an ideal relay would be this. (for use in our hasbro boards)
-Switching current: .35A or less.
-Carry Current: 1A or more
-Operating voltage: 6 volts or less.
- must be SPST or SPDT
I have looked around and haven't found any... yet"

I suppose that as the batteries run down the relay will cut out and the LED will turn off while the sound is still on. Since there are no followups on that thread, I guess there's been no luck in finding the right relay.

2. Second is using the hasbro LED's for the crystal chamber may drain my batteries too fast. Maybe I'll replace the hasbro triple LED with a single LED.

After drawing these schematics I'm thinking that I may use a White P4 instead of a Lux III. The P4 will be brighter.

Any comments, suggestions, corrections, etc. are greatly appreciated.

[Shadar Al'Niende]

i would go with a 5mm accent led if i were you instead of the hasbro, it will just plain look better. As for your wiring, (please someone more experienced with electronics diagrams, chime in here) i think it looks ok. I have heard that you have to be careful with the RS relays.

[Matt Thorn]

i would go with a 5mm accent led if i were you instead of the hasbro, it will just plain look better.
Actually, I used the original ring of 3 LEDs from an economy Hasbro to light a vented pommel, and it works great.

[Shadar Al'Niende]

With what power setup?

[KuroChou]

I'm not even going to ask forgiveness for my n00bness on this one, because I searched, but obviously didn't read EVERY post, thus, if you must flame, flame my impatience.

Is there any particular reason we're preferring using a bulky relay in place of a transistor switch?

I've seen the recommended relays in person, and granted they ARE small, they're a whole lot bigger than two pennies stacked together (for a relatively large transistor).

[vargose]

Is there any particular reason we're preferring using a bulky relay in place of a transistor switch?

Enlighten us. If there is a better way I am sure there are people here, who would love to try it.

[Darthcestus]

alright, well i've gone from post 1 all the way to 224. and though the info i have read helps. i still need help.

so here is my problem:
i have:
lux 3 red(1400ma)
latching switch
a led driver3w v2 (1000ma)
6v battery pack

i want:
hasbro sound card and speaker

can someone help me, with the use of a schematic, to get the best bang for my buck, please

[Matt Thorn]

Is there any particular reason we're preferring using a bulky relay in place of a transistor switch?

I've seen the recommended relays in person, and granted they ARE small, they're a whole lot bigger than two pennies stacked together (for a relatively large transistor).
I think the reason is probably that using a transistor requires a lot more calculation, particularly since you need to pump 1000 - 1500 mA through it. If you don't mind doing the calculations and tracking down a resistor that will put out that much current, and you're really short on interior space, a transistor might serve you fine, but if you can fit a reed relay into your hilt, it's just a lot easier, IMHO. The Tyco JWS-117-1 I use is no bigger than a high capacity transistor.

[vargose]

lux 3 red(1400ma)
latching switch
a led driver3w v2 (1000ma)
6v battery pack

hasbro sound card and speaker

can someone help me, with the use of a schematic, to get the best bang for my buck, please

Your lux 3 red will be underpowered by the driver. A Seoul P4 (800ma) red would have been a better choice for the led driver, but you will be fine.

Well you've got one big problem. It sounds like you have a latching led driver. If you had a Momentary led driver you could have used an SPDT momentary switch for both the driver and the sound card, as it stands you are probably going to have to use two seperate switches. A latching switch for your driver and a momentary switch for your toy hasbro sound card. You might be able to use a relay to replace the latching switch, but the flash on clash, startup, and shutdown will make the driver behave funny. Essentially the relay would act like the switch for the driver board. It would be similar to this diagram (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showpost.php?p=139563&postcount=4)

My advice would be to buy an FX lightsaber and gut it for the sound board. The FX sound boards use latching switches and you could use one DPDT latching switch for both the driver and sound board. You could then sell the FX hilt to get back some of the extra cost.


I have some concerns with this schematic:

1. First is the relay. I'm considering

I suppose that as the batteries run down the relay will cut out and the LED will turn off while the sound is still on. Since there are no followups on that thread, I guess there's been no luck in finding the right relay.


This radio shack relay (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062480) would be a better choice, if you are going to use radio shack. Its true that when the batteries run down its harder for them to trip the relay, but honestly it takes a while before that happens, and since you have a recharge port it won't be that big a deal. If you use 5 rechargebles for 6 volts that would happen less, but thats up to you.

[jcook1023]

hey guys, i'm a bit confused and even after reading through the MR/Hasbro FX Wiring Diagram thread, i'm not 100% positive i understand fully... im building a saber using the seoul p4 wiring kit with the premium speaker and a mace windu card...would you be able to confirm my thoughts on this wiring and let me know if i need to think differently? it seems as though i have the gray wire going to my clash sensor with a short blue wire coming off - this gets tied into the LED (+) wire, while the bundle of multicolors (7 wires) runs to LED (-)? Do I just solder all 7 of these wires together with the (-) lead coming off the LED? Also, from the battery pack - red goes to battery/speaker (+), while black goes to battery (-), and brown goes to speaker (-)... i have two blue wires coming to the old switch - those go to the leads coming off the push on/off switch that came with the kit, yeah? now, my kit came with a resistor - i splice that into the LED (-) or battery (-)? it appears as though the MHS LED kit (resistor tutorial) thread (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?326-MHS-LED-kit-tutorial-%28Resistor-variant%29) shows the resistor going to battery (-)/LED (-), but with the soundcard in there, that throws me for a loop... i'm not doing any wiring yet - saving that for next weekend with my brother in law who does electronics wiring for a living, but i just want to make sure i've got the right idea coming into things...

[Darksun75]

Hello,
Another lightsaber noob.
I am using the guts of an Ultimate FX Qui Gon Jinn lightsaber to build my first PVC custom. I have studied various wiring diagrams but haven't seen one for this board. I will be adding a Momentary LED switch, and a kill Switch and possibly another accent LED. I would like to know if my wiring diagram looks right or if I am completely confussed.

Thanks

8491

[jamdar69]

I'm having an issue with the sound not working. Any suggestions?

[a213jf]

Couldnt find exactly where to put this...but I have a yoda lightsaber that lit up but made no sound. Thanks to the various replies on this fourm I was able to disassemble and troubleshoot my issues. I was able to get sound to the speaker but the problem is, the sound is very very faint/weak. Why would that be? Poor connection somewhere or a power issue?

[a213jf]

I had the same problem, turns out i had some poor wiring/soldering connections within the battery/speaker compartment (MR Yoda). I was able to get sound back to the speaker but its now very faint...

[Benji]

This is a schematic of a basic Hasbro board from a 1995 Darth Vader:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o141/Jay-gon_Jinn/000_0772-wiringdiagram.jpg

I added wires for the switch and also a seperate lead for the positive to the led:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o141/Jay-gon_Jinn/000_0778.jpg

The finished board, ready for use:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o141/Jay-gon_Jinn/100_2110-diagram.jpg

This would be best used with a Micropuck driver wired to the led leads, using a Lux I. These boards come from Hasbro sabers using 2 "C" batteries, and will run on 2 "AA" batteries.


I have the Luke version of this sound board from 97. It ran on 2 C batteries for 3V. I'm trying to install it into a hilt as I broke that saber casing years ago. The electronics, as far as I know, still work.

I have purchased a tri LED in green and a buck puck... In short, with the setup I have planned, I am worried about burning out the board. Does anyone have suggestions for a setup to use that would be more compatible with this board?

[Gropey-wan Kenobi]

Sooo.....sorry to drag up a thread that's 12 years old, but would this be the "modern" equivalent of the Corbin driver in the original post?

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Power-Xtender-20-P652.aspx

I'd like to try this out with a Vader toy I found at the local thrift shop.

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

Sooo.....sorry to drag up a thread that's 12 years old, but would this be the "modern" equivalent of the Corbin driver in the original post?

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Power-Xtender-20-P652.aspx

I'd like to try this out with a Vader toy I found at the local thrift shop.

Ummmm no. Not even close.