Color change saber w/Rebel RGB

[eastern57]

This is a Rebel RGB run off of an MR Anakin board (4.5V <1A). I'm using the 8-position rotary push-button that I showed off in the other thread, here it is again:

http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/RS-143/BCD-PUSHBUTTON-ROTARY-SWITCH/-/1.html

Also the low-profile tri-lens from luxeonstar.com.

The wiring is fairly simple, if not cumbersome: battery, board, 8-pos switch, LED...there was just a lot of wires. But all in all, I was very pleased with the results. This is just the preliminary test, and I plan to do more, but here's what I got for now - I like it and it sure beats the heck outta stringing LEDs together for hours on end...

I shut it off a few times to show you that you can leave it on which ever color you like and it doesn't reset anything. I did it with the purple and the yellow.

ref here for last update in other thread:
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=5145&page=2

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn260/eastern57/Misc/th_MOV03668.jpg (http://s306.photobucket.com/albums/nn260/eastern57/Misc/?action=view&current=MOV03668.flv)

direct link:
http://s306.photobucket.com/albums/nn260/eastern57/Misc/?action=view&current=MOV03668.flv

eastern57:)

[Hasid Lafre]

Not bad....not bad at all.

[Lord Maul]

Awesome man. This is basically the next best thing to doing GeluKhan's method of 3 pots, one for each LED. Actually...you can't really say which one is better. GeluKhan's is better for fine tuning colors whereas yours is easier to switch between them.

[eastern57]

Awesome man. This is basically the next best thing to doing GeluKhan's method of 3 pots, one for each LED. Actually...you can't really say which one is better. GeluKhan's is better for fine tuning colors whereas yours is easier to switch between them.

True. This set-up would be better for people who don't need to fine tune the colors. Like me. Speaking of which - the color response is much different now that the Blue and Green are being driven a little better - I changed the pack to a 6V, took out the MR board, and threw on a resistor - just to see what it's like. The color blends are phenomenal but the angle of the lens is way too much... it's a "25 degree" lens.

As far as brightness/evenness... it's about on par with a color filtered white k2.

[Lord Maul]

25 degree lens means 50 degrees total. That's way to wide of a angle for a saber. God when will they make a fricken Endor optic that works for us?

[eastern57]

"Hear, Hear" ... It would be nice, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

[Novastar]

Eastern this is some GOOD stuff! Grayven would be proud, heheh. My only comments:

* I would avoid the Rebel altogether (for now)... for LED saber purposes, it's better to have an RGB under one dome instead of separate ones

* The reason the Rebel lens will likely NEVER get "better" than the "25 deg" lens... is again: b/c of the 3 separate LED domes separated by a few mm each. Bad for us. Good for other projects. But... BAD for US. :)

* So... choose a different LED--maybe the Seoul RGB or even Prolight

* You COULD do some kind of relay setup where the LED could be given more/the "correct" amperage while not destroying the MR board

I think you know all of this, but... I can safely say that the biggest thing to avoid is that Rebel. It was a mistake that I ever posted excitement about it (for OUR purposes as saber "freaks").

The Rebel serves a decent purpose for SOME things... but unless some funky REFLECTOR is set up (that would resemble an hourglass)... that is both efficient AND small/compact... the Rebels will be pretty useless compared to a "one dome" solution.

[Malaki Skywalker]

So that means no Tri-Rebel clash flash set up until we get better optic? Still, thanks for posting a demo :D

[eastern57]

Okay, here's the latest:

Rebel RGB connected to 8-position switch, 6V pack, 1.5ohm 5w resistor... and a regular 10 degree lens / k2 lens holder... no special optics

Seriously, I was surprised with this one... but, you make your own call.

This is next to my Seoul P4 green @1.2A/7.4V (also a 10 degree lens).


http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn260/eastern57/Misc/th_MOV03669.jpg (http://s306.photobucket.com/albums/nn260/eastern57/Misc/?action=view&current=MOV03669.flv)

direct link:
http://s306.photobucket.com/albums/nn260/eastern57/Misc/?action=view&current=MOV03669.flv

eastern57:)

[Malaki Skywalker]

If using just a normal K2 10* optic was pretty effective, I wonder how a 5* would go? :p

[JetSet]

7.2V AAA 1000mAh NIMH Rechargeable battery pack
Could I use this battery pack with a 2.7 Ohm 10 Watt, would that be right or too much for this led?

[eastern57]

Um. Are you just going for one color? A single Rebel LED only needs about 3-3.5V and 700mA. There's a bunch of different ways to wire a tri-rebel - but the "best way" depends on what you want.

What do you want to do?

[JetSet]

I wanted to do the 7 colors with the 0-8 switch like talked about above, but wanted to buy one of the rechargeable battery packs from this site, so I could have a recharge port and all that hubbub.

[xwingband]

If you stick to what the Joe-Jedi board does you're dividing the current. That won't be driving them nearly as hard as they could be, but if you don't care then it will be fine.

I'll send you a PM. I have an options that will beat the P4 Eastern showed.

[eastern57]

who said anything about joe jedi? I think your pain meds are going to your head, xwing ;)

[xwingband]

I'm not on any pain meds... :P (I refuse to use them pain lets you know when to stop)

Duh, I just didn't pay attention though (didn't read properly and had sound off on my comp). Still applies though. :) I can help you beat the P4 using much the same stuff. PM will come in a bit.

[xwingband]

Oh man... I really thought there was a n00b to reply to in this thread.

To address a lot of what Novastar said... it's true to a point on the Endor! The problem is the used that stupid triangle config. They're surface mount and you can put them anywhere so why they picked that far apart is beyond me.

There is a solution. The PCB's that are out there! I've bought the equipment to reflow solder and tried it. They put the domes as close as possible. These are small LEDs so now they're only like 6mm apart. This is close enough they fit right under the normal optics we use! :)

It's still not perfect... it's a very "floody" pattern like a V, but such is the way it goes. You can't get that with any LED. The real upshot is that you can pack serious lumens under it! Plus, clash flash is freakin' A-mazing with one white LED! It whites out the color just like we've always wanted. :)

[Novastar]

Awesome X... sounds exactly like what Gravy and I are trying to shoot for regarding the seven 616s...

Do you think the optics will be difficult due to the position changes of the dies you'll be making?

[Matt Thorn]

* So... choose a different LED--maybe the Seoul RGB or even Prolight

Would you happen to have URLs for these LEDs?


* You COULD do some kind of relay setup where the LED could be given more/the "correct" amperage while not destroying the MR board

I'm sure I'm not the only one who would love to see diagrams for such a setup. :D I'm totally out of my depths here, but am eager to learn.

[eastern57]

The problem with RGBs... is that there's 3 LEDs to manage and drive. And the methods used, depend on one's own preferences.

But about as simple as it goes: a rotary switch with and RGB LED would be the best [simplest] course of action.

My personally prefered set-up ;) :

While it doesn't have the best light output per color, the LEDEngine RGGB is a great LED.
http://ledengin.com/products/10wLZ/LZ4-00MC10.pdf

8-position rotary switch: http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/RS-143/BCD-PUSHBUTTON-ROTARY-SWITCH/-/1.html

driver control (corbin driver, ultrasound, CF, MR) - something that will provide regulated current.

edit: diagram attached

[vargose]

The LEDEngine is a great idea. I plan on using it myself.

Why not use the LEDEngine RGBA with a ten position switch?

How does the brightness fair with the split current in the color mixes (RG, GB, RB, RGB)?

[Matt Thorn]

The problem with RGBs... is that there's 3 LEDs to manage and drive. And the methods used, depend on one's own preferences.

But about as simple as it goes: a rotary switch with and RGB LED would be the best [simplest] course of action.

My personally prefered set-up ;) :

While it doesn't have the best light output per color, the LEDEngine RGGB is a great LED.
http://ledengin.com/products/10wLZ/LZ4-00MC10.pdf

8-position rotary switch: http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/RS-143/BCD-PUSHBUTTON-ROTARY-SWITCH/-/1.html

driver control (corbin driver, ultrasound, CF, MR) - something that will provide regulated current.

edit: diagram attached

Ask and ye shall receive. Thanks so much for this information and the easy-to-read diagram, Master Eastern! :D

[Matt Thorn]

The problem with RGBs... is that there's 3 LEDs to manage and drive. And the methods used, depend on one's own preferences.

But about as simple as it goes: a rotary switch with and RGB LED would be the best [simplest] course of action.

My personally prefered set-up ;) :

While it doesn't have the best light output per color, the LEDEngine RGGB is a great LED.
http://ledengin.com/products/10wLZ/LZ4-00MC10.pdf

8-position rotary switch: http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/RS-143/BCD-PUSHBUTTON-ROTARY-SWITCH/-/1.html

driver control (corbin driver, ultrasound, CF, MR) - something that will provide regulated current.

edit: diagram attached

A question about the LedEngin RGGB and your diagram. Since the LedEngin actually contains 4 LEDs, how precisely do you wire it to the 8-position switch? Do you wire the two green LEDs together to have them always on or off together?

[eastern57]

A question about the LedEngin RGGB and your diagram. Since the LedEngin actually contains 4 LEDs, how precisely do you wire it to the 8-position switch? Do you wire the two green LEDs together to have them always on or off together?

Yup. But try different combinations. Once you have the LED, you'll see that one green will produce a different color mix (w/R & B) than two greens. Same thing with series vs parallel.

And please don't call me "master" :rolleyes: I am, by no means, a master ;)

[Matt Thorn]

Yup. But try different combinations. Once you have the LED, you'll see that one green will produce a different color mix (w/R & B) than two greens. Same thing with series vs parallel.

And please don't call me "master" :rolleyes: I am, by no means, a master ;)

Great. Thanks again, Ma--er, Eastern. :oops:

[Matt Thorn]

So, has anyone tried to match up an RGB (or RGGB or RGBA) LED with the board from the Clone Wars Ultimate Lightsaber? I just got the latter today, and am going to try to track down the LEDengin RGGB LED Eastern introduced, and order a rotary switch, as well.

[ARKM]

Luxeon has some new lenses with holders for the Rebel including a 6 degree lens. I wonder if this will make them as good to have as the Seoul or Prolight versions.

[eastern57]

Those new rebel Hex optics are for individual rebel emitters on a pcb or star - the Endor star is the tri-rebel. There ARE optics that fit standard Endor (tri-rebel) stars, but it's either to wide an angle (25deg) or the 181 color mixer, and those are huge.

Xwingband has a good, working solution for tri-rebels, but they're specially made and they're not the stardard Endor stars.

[Matt Thorn]

Those new rebel Hex optics are for individual rebel emitters on a pcb or star - the Endor star is the tri-rebel. There ARE optics that fit standard Endor (tri-rebel) stars, but it's either to wide an angle (25deg) or the 181 color mixer, and those are huge.

Xwingband has a good, working solution for tri-rebels, but they're specially made and they're not the stardard Endor stars.

Is it worth the trouble when LedEngin has RGGB and RGBA LEDs available? :confused: I've just ordered one of each and am hoping to find a way to use them with the guts of my Clone Wars Ultimate Lightsaber. I wonder if the Luxeon lenses and lens holders sold here at TCSS will fit the LedEngins.

[eastern57]

The silicon emitter domes on the LEDEngine LEDs are a micron bigger than the holes on standard collimators, and unfortunately, if you force them on, when you remove them - the dome will come off before the collimator will.

[cannibal869]

adding subscription and making some popcorn ;):mrgreen:

Yeah, I'd like to hear about using the Clone Wars Ultimate Lightsaber board too.
I've already got one of these working, hooking it up to a 1000mA buckpuck.
Maybe we can put the output from the buckpuck to the 8 position switch and then to the LED like Mast..uh.. Eastern diagrammed?

-C

[Matt Thorn]

The silicon emitter domes on the LEDEngine LEDs are a micron bigger than the holes on standard collimators, and unfortunately, if you force them on, when you remove them - the dome will come off before the collimator will.

Any kind of work around, apart from just never trying to remove the collimator? I wonder if you could make the collimator pocket a bit roomier with a Dremel and a narrow buffing bit (see below), without messing up the optics.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SXPcSELHdNI/AAAAAAAAATE/pJVNg5DFZf0/s288/buffing_bits.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/b950EiAf3hkHLtUBQaf1mQ?feat=embedwebsite)
It strikes me as odd that, on the one hand, you have Luxeon making a product with the name "Rebel Endor Star" (which sure makes it sound like they are catering to folks like us) that can't produce a narrow beam with any existing collimator, and, on the other hand, you have LedEngin producing an LED on a standard MCPCB that doesn't fit into standard collimators. :-?

[Novastar]

Welcome to our world of frustration, Matt. :) Well... it's not ALWAYS frustrating. But certainly this issue is.

It's one of the reasons I haven't bothered screwing with Rebels and the LEDEngin stuff for the moment. I'm not in a hurry, but... yeah, it'd be nice if there were some standards across the board, hahahha.

[JerrySkywalker555]

yeah that6s pretty stupied haha

[Angelus Lupus]

Look if you don't have anything constructive to add then don't post just to call someone stupid. It's not helpfull, or polite.
Oh and I think you meant to type an apostrophe instead of the number 6.

[Hasid Lafre]

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb168/Sidneyious/Misc%20Pics/bigrofl.gif

[JerrySkywalker555]

It strikes me as odd that, on the one hand, you have Luxeon making a product with the name "Rebel Endor Star" (which sure makes it sound like they are catering to folks like us) that can't produce a narrow beam with any existing collimator, and, on the other hand, you have LedEngin producing an LED on a standard MCPCB that doesn't fit into standard collimators. "Matt Thorn"


I was saying that its stupied that the companies dont make the the optics and such useable. and that they dont fit.:cool:

[Matt Thorn]

I was saying that its stupied that the companies dont make the the optics and such useable. and that they dont fit.:cool:

I figured that's what you meant. ;)

Well, my LedEngin RGGB and RGBA are on the way. Now I just have to figure out the best way to make use of them. Eastern's solution does sound like the easiest, but I'd like to be able to mix colors. I'm thinking about the possibility of forgoing the rotary switch and instead adding a row of push-button latching switches for each color, separate from the on/off switch. If done well, with the right switches, it could be a nice part of the hilt design. I'm thinking of a row of colored switches that light up when turned on. You would need some kind of guard or lip to prevent accidentally pushing them, but that shouldn't be too difficult to arrange. It's really too bad that the Clone Wars Ultimate Lightsaber board can't drive a 3W LED, since it already contains switches for each color (though they are non-latching, push-to-make switches held down with the plastic crystals). It seems there's always some frustrating obstacle that prevents these Hasbro sabers from being modified in really cool ways. :?

[JerrySkywalker555]

I figured that's what you meant. ;)

Well, my LedEngin RGGB and RGBA are on the way. Now I just have to figure out the best way to make use of them. Eastern's solution does sound like the easiest, but I'd like to be able to mix colors. I'm thinking about the possibility of forgoing the rotary switch and instead adding a row of push-button latching switches for each color, separate from the on/off switch. If done well, with the right switches, it could be a nice part of the hilt design. I'm thinking of a row of colored switches that light up when turned on. You would need some kind of guard or lip to prevent accidentally pushing them, but that shouldn't be too difficult to arrange. It's really too bad that the Clone Wars Ultimate Lightsaber board can't drive a 3W LED, since it already contains switches for each color (though they are non-latching, push-to-make switches held down with the plastic crystals). It seems there's always some frustrating obstacle that prevents these Hasbro sabers from being modified in really cool ways. :?


are the RGGB and RGBA 10 watt leds?

[Matt Thorn]

are the RGGB and RGBA 10 watt leds?

Yes, they are, but I'm not sure exactly what that means in this case. 10 watts total when all LEDs are on? I've looked over the spec sheets, and frankly they are mostly Greek to me. I'm assuming that each of the four LEDs under the dome has it's own wattage, and that the wattage is probably the same as that of the corresponding Luxeon III. Hopefully someone with more electronic knowledge can shed some light (so to speak) on how the setup I described (a latching switch for each color) would actually need to be wired. Would I need a resistor for each color? Could a Buckpuck or a Corbin driver somehow be set up to handle all four LEDs? I'm out of my depths here.

[LeMoel]

i thought i saw someone make a RGB saber by using one of these 10 wats using a buck puckor buck pucks. it was a really nice saber. it was on this forum

[Matt Thorn]

First, allow me to apologize for cross-posting this to three threads, but I think it's pertinent to all three.

I just got my LedEngin RGGB and RGBA LEDs today packed liked precious jewelry. :D And I finally hit on what I think should be a good working solution for the elusive Clone Wars Ultimate Lightsaber conversion that preserves both the sound and light functions of the original. I'm posting my tentative wiring diagram here in the hope that more experienced sabersmiths can check it for flaws. Since the LedEngin LEDs are not particularly cheap, I don't want to experiment with them till I'm 99.99% sure that I at least won't fry them. ;)

This uses the CWUL board, a LedEngin RGGB (LZ4-20MC10), a Corbin driver, three latching DPDT switches (one for each color, replacing the three push-to-make switches held down by the crystals), and one momentary DPDT switch (for turning the saber on and off). It seems to me that if the wiring diagram Eastern posted (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showpost.php?p=113939&postcount=20) works, this one should work, too.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SX6MYvBepnI/AAAAAAAAAW0/H4buNvVZlNQ/s800/CWUL_LedEnginRGGB.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BcdgdRqVMzPiRZaX-Bshgw?feat=embedwebsite)

EDIT: The wiring for the green LEDs was wrong in the diagram. This is a corrected diagram.

BTW, the latching switches for the colors that I'm thinking of using light up in their respective colors when activated, and have a diameter of 7.4mm (0.29").

[eastern57]

If you're using 4.5-6v - Looks like a win to me! With the corbin driver attached, you'll considerably less likely to blow the LED... but with both green dies running in series, it might be overpowering. I never had too much luck with my RGGB, but that's not the LED's fault. :)

[Logan Cade]

Good-looking set-up, Matt!

I think you’ll really like that RGGB. I have 2 of them and the brightness is decent. They’re no lux V, but running the 2 greens at the same time gets ya close. I see you’re not mixing colors but if you choose to play around with it, lower the voltage down on the red led by adding 1-2 zener diodes (hooked up backwards) in line. Each zener diode will drop about 3/4 of a volt. You can get a real good purple and amber this way.

Where’d you get the small-lighted latching switches? I’d like to check those out.

[Matt Thorn]

If you're using 4.5-6v - Looks like a win to me! With the corbin driver attached, you'll considerably less likely to blow the LED... but with both green dies running in series, it might be overpowering. I never had too much luck with my RGGB, but that's not the LED's fault. :)

Thanks, Eastern. Anything I can do about the overpowering with the two greens?


Good-looking set-up, Matt!

I think you’ll really like that RGGB. I have 2 of them and the brightness is decent. They’re no lux V, but running the 2 greens at the same time gets ya close. I see you’re not mixing colors but if you choose to play around with it, lower the voltage down on the red led by adding 1-2 zener diodes (hooked up backwards) in line. Each zener diode will drop about 3/4 of a volt. You can get a real good purple and amber this way.

Thanks, Logan. Actually, I am planning to mix colors with this set-up. The idea is that you can have the three color buttons activated in any combination you want. That's why I wanted some expert advice: my primary worry is how this set-up will respond when more than one color is activated.

I had never even heard of a Zener diode until I checked it on Wikipedia after reading your post. My online source here in Japan carries 60 flavors of Zeners, each with a different voltage/wattage. Which would I need for this set-up, and what do you mean when you say "hooked up backwards"? :confused:


Where’d you get the small-lighted latching switches? I’d like to check those out.

Those are made by a Japanese company, Linkman. I found them while searching for colored, light-up switches that are neither too bulky nor too dorky looking. :cool: The part numbers are:
Red = PB61303AL1102
Green = PB61303AL6102
Blue = PB61303AL4102
I Googled the part numbers, and couldn't find a single non-Japanese page. I also searched Mouser (http://jp.mouser.com/Search/Refine.aspx?N=254124+4294735256+4294733377+4294734 840), and couldn't find anything like these. If you're interested, I could order them for you and ship them to you. (My source doesn't ship overseas.)
Here are some photos. (My order hasn't arrived yet; these are pulled from the web.) The only drawback (if you consider it a drawback) is that they are colorless when not activated.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SXvBrN0VTyI/AAAAAAAAAV8/ZLXrgUF341g/s288/PB61303AL_a.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mOeIM-wFREEvxu1lCRGiGQ?feat=embedwebsite)http://lh3.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SXvBqWpyQ0I/AAAAAAAAAV0/_aQrC0NyaHM/s288/PB61303AL_b.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/U8Q2bKVMyc10JxUf-neNiA?feat=embedwebsite)http://lh5.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SXvBq3--7SI/AAAAAAAAAV4/o-ENe5yrA_M/s288/PB61303AL_c.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pkpbxYySZdLSMSyNSXOTtQ?feat=embedwebsite)
Unfortunately, they don't make one in yellow/amber. :(

[Matt Thorn]

The switches just arrived. They look even better than in the photos. But I'm stumped about what kind of resistor they'll need. No information about diode forward voltage or diode forward current is given. I suppose I should assume it would be 2V, 20mA. So a string of three getting 6 volts would require a 1/4W 1 ohm resistor (brown black gold)...? (I still can't wrap my head around ohm/resistor calculations. :()And now it just occurred to me that my wiring diagram doesn't include the wiring for the LEDs in the switches! :rolleyes:

Regardless, these are very classy little switches. :cool: Now I just have to figure out how to fix them in the hilt. This is something that always puzzles me. Bracketed switches and accent LEDs are simple enough, but trying to figure out a way to install non-bracketed things is like figuring out a Rubik's Cube (and even Abe Sapien hasn't worked that one out yet ;)). I suppose that's why people tend to stick with switches and accent lights that can be easily attached and detached with nuts (or snapped in and out, like the 8-position rotary switch that has been mentioned). Oh, well. I'll try to think of something. At least the buttons on these can be pulled off and snapped back on, so I suppose I can fix the switches to a sled, and snap the buttons on from the outside after the sled is in place.

Sorry. I'm just thinking out loud here. Anyway, if someone wants some of these switches, PM me.

[Matt Thorn]

A question from someone too thick to really comprehend Ohm's Law: Considering the presence of the Corbin board and LedEngin LED in the circuit(s) above, do I even need resistors for the LEDs in the latching switches? Pulling the button off one of these switches, I see that the LED is extremely tiny. It may prefer 10 mA to 20 mA. On the other hand, maybe the physical size doesn't matter, since each LED on the LedEngin MCPCB is obviously physically quite small.

If I only had a brain...
http://l.yimg.com/img.movies.yahoo.com/ymv/us/img/hv/photo/movie_pix/warner_home/the_wizard_of_oz/ray_bolger/wizardofoz1.jpg

[Logan Cade]

Hey Matt,

I would think the manufacturer built in the correct resistance to light the led based on the min/max voltage requirements of the switch. I could be wrong…but a data sheet would sure be helpful from them.

As far as the Zener diodes, here’s a spec sheet:

http://www.tnw.utwente.nl/onderwijs_overig/practica/doc/componenten/1n4007.pdf

The one I was using is a 1N4004; it’s all I had laying around the house at the time. I connected it in series with the negative lead of the red led with the cathode (banded side) of the Zener attached towards the negative side of the battery. It creates a voltage drop of about 0.7 volts. You can attach multiple of them in series if you want more of a voltage drop.
I haven’t studied up on how exactly they work, but it seems these Zener (silicon) diodes differ from normal diodes in that they can be used in both directions, (they have a forward voltage and a reverse bias mode?). I was having trouble with purple and knew I had to reduce the voltage/current on the red led to achieve this. I tried resistors and potentiometers and didn’t care for the set-up and heat. I get no heat from the Zener and it’s small and unobtrusive.

[Swordlord]

Matt, would it be possible to use some type of potentiometer - rather than three individual switches - to alter the color saturation of the RGGB LED? That way (at least in my rather outdated electronics knowledge), you'd not only be able to choose between the three colors, but also be able to mix the colors to create the color you want. I thought that was the beauty of RGB-type LEDs -- the ability to create a wide range of color from one output device, as with your television set.

I think that's what FenderBender accomplished with the purple saber he just sold on Fleabay. Although, I'm not sure if he simply activated the red & blue leds on the Rebel Star, or if he balanced the color with the use of all three emitters.

[Matt Thorn]

I would think the manufacturer built in the correct resistance to light the led based on the min/max voltage requirements of the switch. I could be wrong…but a data sheet would sure be helpful from them.

The closest thing to a data sheet provided by the manufacturer is a blueprint with very little electrical data (https://www.marutsu.co.jp/data/PB61303L.pdf), though there may be more info in the little circuit diagram than an electrical noob like me can decipher. I'll cross my fingers, hook it up without a resistor, and see what happens. :razz:


As far as the Zener diodes... <clip>...I get no heat from the Zener and it’s small and unobtrusive.

Thanks. I'll give that a try.


Matt, would it be possible to use some type of potentiometer - rather than three individual switches - to alter the color saturation of the RGGB LED? That way (at least in my rather outdated electronics knowledge), you'd not only be able to choose between the three colors, but also be able to mix the colors to create the color you want. I thought that was the beauty of RGB-type LEDs -- the ability to create a wide range of color from one output device, as with your television set.

I think that's what FenderBender accomplished with the purple saber he just sold on Fleabay. Although, I'm not sure if he simply activated the red & blue leds on the Rebel Star, or if he balanced the color with the use of all three emitters.

I think it should be possible, and very cool, but since I'm already out of my depths here, I think I'll keep this first multi-color project as simple as possible, and keep the potentiometer in mind for a future project. ;)

[Matt Thorn]

Okay, I did a bit of studying up on Zener diodes, and as I understand it, they are supposed to be used in conjunction with a resistor. I tried out the Zener Diode Voltage Regulator calculator (http://www.reuk.co.uk/Zener-Diode-Voltage-Regulator.htm), inputting the following numbers:
Desired output voltage = 2.4
Source voltage = 6
Maximum load current = 1100 mA
It tells me I need a 2.4 volt Zener diode with a power rating higher than 2.64 Watts (!), and a 3 Ohm resistor with a power rating higher than 3.96 Watts (!!). :shock: My source in Japan only sells 0.5 and 1 Watt Zeners, and I could find no such critter as a 4 Watt, 3 Ohm resistor.
The TCSS Resistor Chart (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/resistor.aspx) recommends a 2.2 Ohm 5 Watt resistor for a red Luxeon III getting 6v, but my understanding is that a Corbin driver eliminates the necessity for a resistor.

As is so often the case, I'm now more confused than when I began. I think I'll just place my faith in the Corbin driver, hook everything up sans resistor/Zener, just as I diagrammed, and see what happens. :(

I don't think I'm drifting off topic here, since any multi-color LED setup is obviously going to include a red LED, which requires the lower forward voltage.

P.S.: Just to give you an idea how much of an electrical noob I am, until an hour ago, I didn't know that a rechargeable Ni-MH AA battery puts out only 1.2 volts, rather than 1.5 volts. :oops: Which makes me wonder if the advantage of using AAs rather than AAAs is just the (rather significant) difference in mAh output. Or is everyone using single-use batteries in their 4AA setups? :confused:

[Novastar]

To achieve >3 colors with an RGB setup that is "pretty desirable" over using 3 potentiometers, you'd want to set up something like what Grayven has done. Which is a multi-pole rotary switch. I believe it has like 7 switches on it.

The reason this would somewhat trump 3 POTS would be that certain mixtures... just aren't desirable colors. "Dialing a color in" on the fly is kind of a pain... and once you "find" it--you'd tend to want to keep or know those settings.

So... a good way to do this would be to find the exact resistance needed per each R, G, and B die on the LED to achieve a color you like (say, yellow)... then set that up on pole 1 of the rotary using resistors. Then for all other colors you "dig"... repeat. Until you're out of switches, heheh.

Also of note... this kind of thing is best with battery setups that can maintain voltage/current to the LEDs in a consistent manner throughout the length of a charge/discharge cycle (read: Li-Ions are pretty cool for this). Why. Well... as the voltage drops, the LEDs might start BIASING THEMSELVES TOWARD OTHER COLORS. :) Might actually be neat, but... I doubt you want your "yellow" to look like orange. :) You get the jist.

[Matt Thorn]

To achieve >3 colors with an RGB setup that is "pretty desirable" over using 3 potentiometers, you'd want to set up something like what Grayven has done. Which is a multi-pole rotary switch. I believe it has like 7 switches on it.

The reason this would somewhat trump 3 POTS would be that certain mixtures... just aren't desirable colors. "Dialing a color in" on the fly is kind of a pain... and once you "find" it--you'd tend to want to keep or know those settings.

So... a good way to do this would be to find the exact resistance needed per each R, G, and B die on the LED to achieve a color you like (say, yellow)... then set that up on pole 1 of the rotary using resistors. Then for all other colors you "dig"... repeat. Until you're out of switches, heheh.

That is brilliant, and a lot more ambitious than what I'm thinking of. I basically want this to behave just like the Clone Wars Ultimate Lightsaber, but with switches instead of "crystals." Still, I think I can incorporate some of that idea, i.e., adding just the right resistor to each of the three colors in order to get the best overall results. I say "overall," because that setup still limits me to one output level per color. But if, say, getting a nice purple is my priority (and it probably will be), I could find the settings that give me that purple, and also produce acceptable results in other combinations. Anyway, I'm going to take this one step at a time.


Also of note... this kind of thing is best with battery setups that can maintain voltage/current to the LEDs in a consistent manner throughout the length of a charge/discharge cycle (read: Li-Ions are pretty cool for this). Why. Well... as the voltage drops, the LEDs might start BIASING THEMSELVES TOWARD OTHER COLORS. :) Might actually be neat, but... I doubt you want your "yellow" to look like orange. :) You get the jist.

I thought the Corbin would maintain the current... :confused: I haven't tried Li-Ions yet. All the safety warnings have frightened me off. ;) I get the impression that it's not a good idea to use Li-Ions with a recharge port, because they shouldn't be left in the saber even with a kill switch. Also, at least at present, I rarely keep a saber going for more than a few minutes at a time. Not sure if that matters, but....

[Novastar]

Matt, I just realized that Eastern mentioned the rotary switch earlier in the thread--way earlier (which is why I had forgotten it). I also forgot that you wanted to possibly use a Corbin board which would indeed regulate current. Most of the information you need is already here then.

Some things I CAN add:

* Li-Ions are perfectly safe (in general)
* Li-Ions are perfectly safe with recharge ports
* Voltage from battery X is usually = to voltage from battery Y
* Li-Ions have small circuit boards that prevent all sorts of problems (including short circuits, overcharge, overdischarge and overdrain).
* Any single Li-Ion cell has 3.6 or 3.7v... versus Alkaline or Ni-Mh counterparts which have 1.5 and 1.2 (respectively).
* The energy density in Li-Ions is extremely good... and in some cases, is superior to other cell chemistries of like size/length/etc.

All of this doesn't mean that you "should" use them. Only that you shouldn't fear them. :)

[Matt Thorn]

Thanks for the follow-up and reassurance, Novastar. I searched the forums for something like a Li-Ion tutorial, but couldn't find anything. I don't suppose you'd like to toss one off? :D

Judging from Tim's beautiful MHS sound/speaker/battery combo, I'm guessing it's safe to make a Li-Ion pack with a standard 2AA (?) holder...?

[Matt Thorn]

Would someone who has wired a Led-Engin RGGB be good enough to take a look at my wiring diagram and the photo below? Red and Blue work fine, but when I try to turn Green on, it blinks on briefly (less than a second) and goes out. I have them wired in line, as you can see. Is that the problem? :confused:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SX6AAUBp9iI/AAAAAAAAAWY/duxKCOUhRgA/s400/IMG_0346.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/veMe0Vmph7wl5Wi_ovlyeQ?feat=embedwebsite)

EDIT: Nevermind! That was indeed the problem. I fixed the diagram.

[Logan Cade]

Okay, I did a bit of studying up on Zener diodes, and as I understand it, they are supposed to be used in conjunction with a resistor. I tried out the Zener Diode Voltage Regulator calculator (http://www.reuk.co.uk/Zener-Diode-Voltage-Regulator.htm), inputting the following numbers:
Desired output voltage = 2.4
Source voltage = 6
Maximum load current = 1100 mA
It tells me I need a 2.4 volt Zener diode with a power rating higher than 2.64 Watts (!), and a 3 Ohm resistor with a power rating higher than 3.96 Watts (!!). :shock: My source in Japan only sells 0.5 and 1 Watt Zeners, and I could find no such critter as a 4 Watt, 3 Ohm resistor.
The TCSS Resistor Chart (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/resistor.aspx) recommends a 2.2 Ohm 5 Watt resistor for a red Luxeon III getting 6v, but my understanding is that a Corbin driver eliminates the necessity for a resistor.

As is so often the case, I'm now more confused than when I began. I think I'll just place my faith in the Corbin driver, hook everything up sans resistor/Zener, just as I diagrammed, and see what happens. :(

I don't think I'm drifting off topic here, since any multi-color LED setup is obviously going to include a red LED, which requires the lower forward voltage.

P.S.: Just to give you an idea how much of an electrical noob I am, until an hour ago, I didn't know that a rechargeable Ni-MH AA battery puts out only 1.2 volts, rather than 1.5 volts. :oops: Which makes me wonder if the advantage of using AAs rather than AAAs is just the (rather significant) difference in mAh output. Or is everyone using single-use batteries in their 4AA setups? :confused:



Hey Matt,

I read that also about the Zener, that it’s to be used in conjunction with a resistor.

But I believe that’s for when you’re using a Zener for its intended purposes, which I’m not. I’m just using it to create a voltage drop which I don’t believe is its intended purpose, but in my case, it serves my purpose.

With that RGGB led, when you turn on red and blue with the same voltage and current it’ll create a pinkish/magenta color…. far from purple. You’ll have to lower down the red in some way to achieve what you’re looking for. My suggestion of a Zener is just what worked for me.

[Logan Cade]

I’m having trouble figuring out what you did there, Matt.

I drilled some extra holes in my heat sink and attached 8 wires to my led (2 for each dye) and ran them through the extra holes. If I wanted to run any of them in series or parallel, I just did it with the wiring. We have the same led and I marked your picture with the correct diagram.


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee28/logancade_photos/RGGBtest.jpg

[Matt Thorn]

Hey Matt,

I read that also about the Zener, that it’s to be used in conjunction with a resistor.

But I believe that’s for when you’re using a Zener for its intended purposes, which I’m not. I’m just using it to create a voltage drop which I don’t believe is its intended purpose, but in my case, it serves my purpose.

With that RGGB led, when you turn on red and blue with the same voltage and current it’ll create a pinkish/magenta color…. far from purple. You’ll have to lower down the red in some way to achieve what you’re looking for. My suggestion of a Zener is just what worked for me.

I just tried Red and Blue together, and I see what you mean. Not the color I'm looking for. I'll give the Zener a try. Do you know the voltage/wattage of the Zener you used?


I’m having trouble figuring out what you did there, Matt.

I drilled some extra holes in my heat sink and attached 8 wires to my led (2 for each dye) and ran them through the extra holes. If I wanted to run any of them in series or parallel, I just did it with the wiring. We have the same led and I marked your picture with the correct diagram.

Sorry about that. The problem was that I had wired the two Greens in a line. I fixed the diagram. When I wired them separately, the green works fine. Thanks! BTW, I was going to drill more holes myself, but couldn't find the right drill bit last night and just stuffed all the wires through the two holes. :p

[Logan Cade]

The Zener I used was a 1N4004 400v, 1 Amp. Micromini silicon Zener Diode.

[Matt Thorn]

Thanks!

[Matt Thorn]

The Zener I used was a 1N4004 400v, 1 Amp. Micromini silicon Zener Diode.

Umm... If I'm not mistaken, the 1N4004 (javascript:openreq('http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/datasheet/fairchild/1N4004.pdf')) is a rectifier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectifier), not a Zener diode. I'm wondering how a device intended to convert AC to DC could help here. :confused:

On a more general note, I've searched the forums for technical specs for the Corbin driver, but can't find anything beyond what's in the product description. I know the Corbin regulates current. Does it also affect voltage? If so, what is the voltage produced? Or does it change depending on what's hooked up to it? Logan, you said you weren't satisfied with the results when you used a resistor. What was the problem? I'd like to find a more, um, orthodox way of adjusting the output of the red LED. :|

[Logan Cade]

Hey Matt,

You are correct, the last component I was using is a rectifier, but it’s similar to a Zener in that they’re both silicon diodes and they work in much the same way…at least for my intent and purposes. Like I said, these are just the components I had hanging around the house that I was experimenting with. Both work in a similar fashion by creating the required voltage drop I needed to achieve a decent purple running the led at 4.5volts.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee28/logancade_photos/diode.jpg


There are many ways to reduce the red down to achieve purple. Resistors and potentiometers are the more conventional ways, but depending on the voltage you plan on running to your set-up, I found resistor size and heat to be a problem for me. I’m just offering you an alternative…. there are many ways to skin a cat.

[Matt Thorn]

Hey Matt,

You are correct, the last component I was using is a rectifier, but it’s similar to a Zener it that they’re both silicon diodes and they work in much the same way…at least for my intent and purposes. Like I said, these are just the components I had hanging around the house that I was experimenting with. Both work in a similar fashion by creating the required voltage drop I needed to achieve a decent purple running the led at 4.5volts.

There are many ways to reduce the red down to achieve purple. Resistors and potentiometers are the more conventional ways, but depending on the voltage you plan on running to your set-up, I found resistor size and heat to be a problem for me. I’m just offering you an alternative…. there are many ways to skin a cat.

Interesting. Thanks for the advice!

[Matt Thorn]

Fine-tuning of colors aside, everything is going well with the wiring so far. The pushbutton momentary DPDT switch works great. But I just realized there's a pitfall in my design.

Like all the Hasbro "toy" sabers (and even the earliest FX sabers), the Clone Wars Ultimate Lightsaber has a time-out function that kicks in if the clash sensor has not been activated for about a minute. Obviously, the Corbin driver has no such function. So if the sound side times out, the LED will remain on, and next time you push the momentary switch (I'm assuming--I haven't actually tested it), the LED will turn off, and the sound will turn on! If that happens, you could just let it time-out again, and then the Hasbro board and Corbin board will be back in sink, but if you don't want to do that, the only solution I can think of is a kill switch, either in a recharge port or as a separate "push-to-break" reset button. (As if this thing won't have enough switches--four at last count--as is.)

Oh, well. When you're working with a Hasbro board (not counting the new Hasbro FX boards), you know you're working with a toy, so it's not reasonable to expect much more. As toys go, though, this one's pretty good. The clash effect actually fudges both clash and motion sounds, by randomly alternating between a motion sound and clash sound. Pretty nifty, and preferable, IMO, to the annoying motion sound on the Force Action series.

[Novastar]

The Corbin board does have a clash effect...

This effect can be tied to a "traditional" switch (like a button you press to trigger the feature)... or a spring-loaded "motion sensor" to detect vibration.

That's actually all the "clash sensors" on MR boards and Hasbros are. Think of two unconnected, exposed wires--just begging to be connected. A spring is put in between them, and so they now connect. Jiggle it a bit and the spring freaks out and breaks the connection for a bit. That's basically how they work (or it can be the opposite, when the circuit would be normally OPEN and having the spring CLOSE the circuit would trigger something).

[Matt Thorn]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I meant the Clone Wars Ultimate Lightsaber has only one sensor, which is nominally a clash sensor but also behaves like a motion sensor. I've got the extra clash sensor for the Corbin there in my diagram. :D

[Matt Thorn]

Well, I've got the wiring pretty much down. I still need to do something to reduce the brightness of the red so that I can get a proper purple, and I've got some switch problems, but I've basically achieved what I set out to do. Now it's just a matter of fine-tuning, and stuffing it all into a hilt. :p

Here's a video of what I've got at this point:
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/picture.php?albumid=42&pictureid=547 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29z7QPectRs)

[cannibal869]

That's pretty pimp, esp. those lighted switches!

I'm working on my own RGB too - will post pics in a separate thread when I'm done :) It's nice that you got the functions to stay the same and it's even cooler that you can combine colors.

[Matt Thorn]

That's pretty pimp, esp. those lighted switches!

I'm working on my own RGB too - will post pics in a separate thread when I'm done :) It's nice that you got the functions to stay the same and it's even cooler that you can combine colors.

Thanks. I hope I can eventually fix whatever it is that makes the blue and green switches so dim in certain configurations. Anybody have any ideas? :confused:

I'm thinking I can work around the time-out problem by adding an unobtrusive push-to-make button that would allow you to force a "clash" without actually whacking the saber. That would bring the total number of buttons up to five. :rolleyes:

[Matt Thorn]

Keeping in mind that I'm an electronics novice...

I used (or tried to use) a multimeter for the first time in my life today to see what the red LED in the LedEngin RGGB was getting from my 4.8v 4aaa battery pack and Corbin board. If I measured correctly, it seems to be getting roughly 3 volts and 700 mA (when the green and blue LEDs are not on). Assuming the desired forward voltage for the red LED on the LedEngin is similar to that on the Luxeon III red, I used the LED calculator (http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz), which recommended a 1Watt, 1 Ohm resistor. To those of you with more experience, does this sound like it might do the job, i.e., reducing the brightness of the red enough to give me a decent purple when combining the red and blue? Or does it sound completely off? :confused: Thanks in advance for any help.

[Matt Thorn]

Well, I more or less finished my RGB saber. I was so preoccupied with the electronics that I didn't give much thought to the hilt. I kept it simple, using pretty much the full length of a TCSS sinktube (so it's pretty long). Even my powder-coating job turned out to be pretty subdued. ;)

The electronics follow the diagram I posted earlier, although the illuminated switches actually make the wiring more complicated than it looks in the diagram. I also added a recharge port. The RGB switches look pretty cool, I think, but I need to find a way to make the activation switch look better. Its too tall, and the plastic caps from the manufacturer are less than thrilling, so you're seeing it "naked" here. :rolleyes:

I ended up using a 1 Ohm resistor, but I probably should have gone higher, since the "purple" is still closer to magenta. But I'm pretty happy with it.

Final thoughts: It was fun to transform a cool toy idea (the Clone Wars Ultimate Lightsaber) into something closer to the ideal, while maintaining the simplicity. (In fact, it's simpler, since you don't have to change crystals.) But a toy is a toy. The LedEngin RGGB LED is fantastic. If I use one again (I have a LedEngin RGBA that I haven't used yet), I'll probably hook it up to an UltraSound 2.1 and forgo the fun of the sounds automatically changing to match the colors. Working with a DPDT (two circuits) is a pain, and just doubles the things that can go wrong (mainly, broken connections).
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SZJ3mWmg5EI/AAAAAAAAAbs/WClcPcaRNjg/s400/IMG_0395.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/lh/photo/V6lufkXJmNecr_B4AdR2Yw?feat=embedwebsite)
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SZJ3nsKe18I/AAAAAAAAAbw/xQ9vJRVRwYw/s400/IMG_0396.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/lh/photo/dEfD8spvYQ7H1vnRk_i66g?feat=embedwebsite)
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SZJ3pIc6G-I/AAAAAAAAAb0/GIZ8_m0HLdw/s400/IMG_0397.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/lh/photo/6GGStS_ZwKPdXvJWzuxA-w?feat=embedwebsite)
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SZJ3qkDO01I/AAAAAAAAAb4/-SDxUCNaeVE/s400/IMG_0398.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/lh/photo/hEj6pdAfVhsjFt1rLdkDYA?feat=embedwebsite)
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SZJ3sJkTstI/AAAAAAAAAb8/crR5h2egyeM/s400/IMG_0399.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/lh/photo/a9n-S4Ozj5KLix9LXfremw?feat=embedwebsite)
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SZJ3teW1hHI/AAAAAAAAAcA/IaI9QjkRAhE/s400/IMG_0400.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/lh/photo/uGRMe4zdHBkjNJXzpnQCIw?feat=embedwebsite)
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SZJ3u0H60zI/AAAAAAAAAcE/RJL33GqxAvI/s400/IMG_0402.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/lh/photo/aJzSU7oCOebj6CCSDZF_CA?feat=embedwebsite)
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SZJ3wSp6BUI/AAAAAAAAAcI/UlK23c06wgQ/s400/IMG_0403.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/lh/photo/tuyS9qbOONYcdX_15g8Gdw?feat=embedwebsite)
And here's a video:
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/picture.php?albumid=42&pictureid=556 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okUxFxRVXSc)

[Jedi-Loreen]

You did a good job using what you had to work with, Matt, meaning the Hasbro board.

I really like your little illuminated switches. :D

[winger]

It came out very nice indeed. How's the runtime with your batterypack? And brightness compared to the other popular led options?

[Angelus Lupus]

Loving those switches, pity there isn't a way to bypass the auto shut-off. But I suppose if you're twirling it or dueling then that would be enough to prevent it.

[Matt Thorn]

You did a good job using what you had to work with, Matt, meaning the Hasbro board.

I really like your little illuminated switches. :D

Thanks, Jedi-Loreen. Yeah, the switches are about the coolest part of the saber. :p


It came out very nice indeed. How's the runtime with your batterypack? And brightness compared to the other popular led options?

I haven't played with it long enough to run down the batteries yet. In fact, shortly after finishing the video, I got another broken connection, and need to open it up again and see what's wrong. :rolleyes: EDIT: Oops. Forgot to answer your question about brightness. I think the brightness is about the same as that of Luxeon III. Bright enough for me, anyway.


Loving those switches, pity there isn't a way to bypass the auto shut-off. But I suppose if you're twirling it or dueling then that would be enough to prevent it.

It would be, if the sensors actually responded to anything short of a blow from a sledgehammer. Or being whacked around by a five year-old. :(

Again, if anyone's interested in acquiring the switches, PM me.

[winger]

[QUOTE=Matt Thorn;121271] Forgot to answer your question about brightness. I think the brightness is about the same as that of Luxeon III. Bright enough for me, anyway.
QUOTE]Cool! That's what I was hoping to hear.:D
I just reread the entire thread and ended up a bit confused.
What kind of power pack did you end up using and how hard are you driving the led? Sorry for all my questions. I just want to make sure I have all my facts straight, before attempting something similar. (Trying to determine if this setup would work with a CF board.)

[cannibal869]

It would be, if the sensors actually responded to anything short of a blow from a sledgehammer. Or being whacked around by a five year-old. :(


Try these vibration switches from electronic goldmine. Work SOOO much better than the crappy one they stuck in the ultimate lightsaber.

http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G16165

-C

[Matt Thorn]

I just reread the entire thread and ended up a bit confused.
What kind of power pack did you end up using and how hard are you driving the led? Sorry for all my questions. I just want to make sure I have all my facts straight, before attempting something similar. (Trying to determine if this setup would work with a CF board.)

I did forget to mention that, didn't I? I'm using a pack of four 1000 mA, Ni-MH, AAA batteries (4.8 volts). I seem to remember somebody (Eastern?) saying the Hasbro board could handle 6 volts. With the Corbin board (not to mention the 1 Ohm resistor on red) standing between it and the battery pack, the LED is not being taxed much at all. No doubt I could get more light of it, but I wanted to keep things as simple as possible, and I also didn't want to risk frying the LED, since they are not cheap. ;)


Try these vibration switches from electronic goldmine. Work SOOO much better than the crappy one they stuck in the ultimate lightsaber.

http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G16165

-C

Wow! Thanks. And here I was thinking my only source of clash sensors was old Hasbros. (Damn; I just bought two more of the things on Yahoo! Auctions Japan. :rolleyes: )

[cannibal869]

Just a note about the vibration sensor - it's basically a small metallic ball inside a tube. If you want if off normally (as in when you hold the saber upright), affix it to something so that it's normally sitting with the metallic pin/wire pointing straight up. This way, it only starts making the swing / clash noises when you go about 30 degrees away from straight vertical.

[winger]

Thanks for the update. ;)

[Revan]

could 4 of those energizer rechargeable AAA batteries be enough for this set up?

[Matt Thorn]

could 4 of those energizer rechargeable AAA batteries be enough for this set up?

Assuming they are Ni-MH, sure. I used four Ni-MH AAA batteries for this. I don't know about Ni-Cad batteries, but I don't see why they wouldn't work.

[Revan]

i just tried them out. and they worked like a charm. i just need to get my color selector switches then i'll be ready to finish my saber :roll: