Quick wiring question

[djobitwan7]

I need someone with good electronics feedback on this. I purchased an illuminated anti vandal switch from Bulgin. It is a push to make switch and I am hooking this up to a Lux III (Green) LED and purchased a Latching driver board from here as well. Here is the link for that site:

http://www.bulgin.co.uk/Products/Switches/Illuminated.html (MPI002) w/screw terminals.

Tim was gracious enough to drill the size needed for the switch (22mm) and is sending back to me, but stated I'd need a resistor for the AAA battery pack is 6v and would blow up the LED or something inside. Before, I just used the switch here as well using the driver board and needed no resistor.

I just wondered if Tim forgot I have the board and wondered, do I just hook up the switch like normal or do I still need a resistor in-between as well? If so, do I hook up the resistor (2.2 Ohm 5 watt) that come with the kit originally or another resistor? I don't wish to blow up the board, LED or anything...so I wanted to post to be sure.

Don't know if this makes any difference either, but I did purchase a 1000 mA buck puck too. With that, the resistor didn't matter before, but the switch is still in question. Thanks for any future advice and suggestions all.

[Lord Maul]

If you are using a driver board (Puck, Corbin, MR, US, CF), you don't need a resistor. That is a common misconception. If you're running a MR off 6V, be wary about magic smoke being released.

[djobitwan7]

My main concern is the illuminated vandal switch. It has a led circle in the switch itself. Since I have the board, I still don't need a resistor using that vandal switch? I do plan on hooking up sound later with a MR ROTJ Luke, but not at this moment. Just taking baby steps.

[djobitwan7]

Sorry Maul, I read your last post wrong. It was a long day yesterday and I had a brain fart while reading things. Since I need a resistor, do I use the same one my kit came with or do I need another resistor? I did look at the chart and it says the resistor 2.2 Ohm 5 watt it came with for the Green Lux III, but since my switch is different.....I didn't know if that changes things or not. My electronics not so good.

Also, do I attach the resistor like it was originally posted, like in the kit, for I'm not sure if it should be before or after the 3w driver board. Oh and the BuckPuck is still in play too when it arrives in another 4-5 days....I think.

[Obi-Dar Ke-Gnomie]

If you are using the 3W driver, you don't need anything else in there for the Lux III. The driver does everything you need, and there is no need for a puck or resistor or anything else for that.

On the other hand, you will need a resistor for the LED in the switch. I looked at the PDF for the switch, and depending on the color, the LED is looking for 1.8-3.6V. If you are using 6V, you will blow the LED. It says right there: "An appropriate resistor must be series connected by the user".

That means that you need a small resistor hooked into the power supply to the switch LED. If you look in the resistor chart in the store, Tim sells resistors for the accent LEDs. If you have 6V, the resistor it calls for is 220 Ohm 1/4 Watt. That one should do the trick.

Edit to add: What color switch are you using? I might be able to tell you the resistor value for sure if I knew what voltage it was looking for.

[djobitwan7]

It was the Green color for the switch. Thanks for the info as well. I did put a link to that switch in my first post as well. It only shows it in PDF form when clicked on though. I read it as 3.5v for the Green. No resistor was listed in the charts, that's why I asked. Unless I just round up and use that resistor or is the one with the kit I got OK to use too? Just let me know.

[Obi-Dar Ke-Gnomie]

The 2.2 Ohm resistor is rated to be used with the Lux. and won't be nearly enough for the switch LED.

Like I said earlier, I would use the 220 Ohm 1/4 Watt resistor in the store that goes with the accent LED.

Not sure how you would hook that in with the driver though. I'll dig around and see what I can find.

[djobitwan7]

Just to see, I talked with a guy at Bulgin (california site) and he was pretty sure I should use 150 ohm 1/4 watt resistor. Upon asking if a driver board was in-between as well, he didn't really know an answer.

With the resistor (when we figure out the right one)and board both being there at the same time.....would I hook up the Red (positive) wire from the battery pack to the resistor before it got to the board? That was a concern too.

[Obi-Dar Ke-Gnomie]

To be honest, I'm not too sure how you would hook it up with the driver. Maybe Corbin can chime in on this one, since he designed the board.

[djobitwan7]

OK, here is a diagram to show what I have hooked up and then the new Illuminated Vandal switch. The switch has 4 screw terminals. 2 for the LED and 2 for the switch itself. I think I figured out what resistor I need. It's 150 ohm 1/8 watt. Now I just need to know where to place things. If the resistor is wrong let me know too. Thanks guys.

http://a232.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/108/l_c33fd343d6d6e8f4ac93d4cb41ba766f.jpg

[Obi-Dar Ke-Gnomie]

Sorry, bud. You've got me stumped. In a resistor or puck setup, you would just put the switch LED in parallel to the Lux LED. With the driver board, I have no idea where you would hook into the board to power it.

Corbin designed that driver. Maybe you could PM him and ask.

[djobitwan7]

I did try to PM Corbin, but no word yet. I did wonder about one thing though. I tried to see if there were any specs on the driver board itself, but no luck. Does anyone know if there is documentation somewhere about this? If so, maybe I can try to figure it out better. Thanks guys.

[X]

Djobitwan7 I was wondering about those switches too. Is the led on the switch all the time or only when power is applied, if it's only when power is applied then you could wire the resistor from one of the normal switch terminals to the illumination terminal, and the other terminals together. does that make sense?

[djobitwan7]

I haven't the switch back yet, but I was shooting for the LED to turn on only when I turn the blade. I'd hate to take out the batteries every time I left it alone. I was thinking about using the same spot where the Luxeon LED is coming from the board and applying the resistor before it got to the switch. Not sure if you can do that, but I may try that first. My problem is know what the board does. How much voltage comes out, forward voltage and the current. Maybe I can find someone with a multi-meter and see what those values are. That's assuming I can hook the wires in that way. If it's at another spot, then the values would be different. I'll experiment.