Guarded Switch electronics question

**Atomic** · 02-20-2010, 02:05 PM

Hey all!

I'm actually building a non-saber project (I know! /gasp) but I'm using TCSS parts and all the saber know-how that I learned here.

Here's the set-up.

Guarded switch 1, Latching. Connected to EL wire and two AA batteries.

Guarded switch 2, Momentary. Connected to a toy soundboard and three AAA.

The switches are mounted in plastic, about 3 inches apart.

Everytime I touch switch 1, the latching switch, it triggers the momentary, switch 2 (and the sound).

What gives? The two systems are totally separate.

Thanks!

**Rhyen Skytracker** · 02-20-2010, 02:25 PM

Sounds like you may have some wires crossed somewhere. With the EL wire yuou will need an inverter and most inverters use 9Volts. I have found some special inverters that use 5 - 6 volts but I had to special order them.

**Jedi-Loreen** · 02-20-2010, 07:29 PM

Yeah, EL wire does not run on DC, it needs high frequency AC to light up.

I have some small inverters that only use 3V. They are in little self contained units that house the inverter, battery pack and switches (one for power, one for the blinking mode).

Here's the updated version of what I have. These can be dismantled and the inverter is about an inch square.

http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c....it.A/id.196/.f

Either you omitted the part about the inverter, or you didn't study anything about EL sabers.

**Atomic** · 02-20-2010, 11:12 PM

Sorry. Yes, I have an inverter. It takes two double AA batteries. I have something very similar to what you pictured.

Since I won't have access to the switch on the inverter, it's permanently set to on, but I added a two wire quick connector with one of the wires split and run to the terminals of the latching switch.

I checked both systems and there are no crossed wires.

The momentary switch is connected to the switch wires of the toy soundboard (which was momentary) and powered separately by the 3 AAA batteries.

If I turn the EL wire on or off (latching) it seems to activate the momentary like I pressed it once.

Removing the batteries from the EL wire system makes the momentary sound system work perfectly. Likewise, once the EL wire is on, the momentary sound works perfectly. It's just turning the EL wire on or off that's triggering momentary.

I really am lost. Could the two switches be too close that a press of the latching generates enough moving current to trigger the momentary? I'm going to try separating them and see if it makes a difference.

I'm open to any other ideas.

**Jedi-Loreen** · 02-21-2010, 01:24 AM

Hmm, that's strange.

I helped a friend build a EL saber that ran a 9V inverter, with a separate battery pack for an Economy Hasbro board on a seperate switch. This was back in 2003, before this place existed.

My friend wanted the 2 switches close together so he could active them both at the same time with his thumb. I don't remember anything strange like what you describe happening with that set up.

Maybe try some different switches? See if it stops doing what it's doing?

Or even try it without the switches. I don't know what else to suggest at this point.

**Atomic** · 02-21-2010, 08:09 PM

Ha! OK, at least I'm not crazy. I turned on my swing arm lamp and the toy soundboard fired. I switched the guarded momentary to a spare guarded latching switch I had and it still fired, even with the switches separated but about 2 feet.

I don't think there's a bridge in any of the contacts on the soundboard, since I'm using existing wires, but I'm going to inspect it.

Maybe I'll dip it in hot glue or something to try and insulate it.