An idea for Hasbro "Economy" boards

[Skottsaber]

Hey guys

I was thinking about how great it would be to have the best of both boards, the force action that can drive the LEDs but has... questionable sound, and the 2010 board that has awesome sound, but can't drive LEDs, so you need either a relay etc that can be confusing to some, and then it sprang to me.

If Goltar can run 2 economy boards at once, why can't you do this with the 2 types? Why not run the force action for the LED, and have no speaker attached, and have the 2010 running no LEDs, but have the speaker attached?

Thoughts?

[Rhyen Skytracker]

It would be a whole lot better to use a buck puck or the new driver than the Force action board. With the force action board you are still limited to 350 mA. Plus, a buck puck is about the same price or a little cheaper than a Force action lightsaber.

[Novastar]

@Skott...

This kind of thing is done all the time:

* El cheapo Sound board used for sound...
* Direct drive used for light...

* El cheapo Sound board used for sound...
* Buckpuck used for light...

* El cheapo Sound board used for sound...
* Corbin board used for light...

etc. etc.

Sure, the wiring/electronics can get messy/involved--but it works. And certainly I'd rather feed 1A--or whatever I DEEM FIT--into most any given LED (for blade/saber illumination) rather than be "stuck" with 350mA from a Joe Jedi / MR616 or "Force Action" or... whatever.

[Skottsaber]

Oh, cool. Must've overlooked that in some builds. I am just stumped how you could switch on a direct drive/buckpuck setup with a momentary switch. I thought that by putting the boards like that you would only need the 1 mom switch.

[Novastar]

Differing board types (and mixtures of this board + that) would require some planning/thinking to get it to work well. BUt for example:

* One momentary button for sound...
* One latching for light...

...so you could individually address both. Maybe even separate battery packs. It's ONE way.

* Match a momentary "cheapo" sound board with...
* Momentary Corbin board (you can choose the switch type, I believe)

...there ya go...

* Match a latching "cheapo" sound board with...
* Latching Corbin board (you can choose the switch type, I believe)

...and you can use one DPDT switch... ~or~ still go with 2 switches so that you could individually address sound... light... or both.

Take-a you pick, anh?

[Rhyen Skytracker]

The way most of us do it is to use a relay. The coil of the relay is energized by the LED output of the board and one side of the relay contact goes to the battery + and the other goes to the LED +. The LED - goes straight to the battery.

[FenderBender]

Isn't the transistor easier and cheaper? Haven't done it personally, as I don't usually mess with these boards, but the 2010 ones have some pretty good sound.

[Rhyen Skytracker]

I haven't used the transistor either and I can only speak of what I have used. I do plan on using the transistor in the near future though.

[Jordandau]

I have tried both, and the transistor was a lot easier to wire up. But if you can find the relay locally, it's cheaper.

[Dakarn]

The appropriate relay is about $1.50 at Radio Shack, pretty dang cheap. And not too hard to wire either.