inverter?

[Noyl Wendor]

One more thing. If I use resistors on the wires like in the diagram in the tutorial. That won't take away the power, and will keep anything from blowing out. Right?

[james3]

2aaa is only 3 volts how are you expecting that to work?

If you are trying to run a 9 volt battery and 2 aaa's then your screwed from the go as we have gone over that issue a few times.

The resistor/led prtection deal is really up to you. You will not really notice a difference with it in there, but it could help if you turn it on and there is no blade in the hilt.

[Noyl Wendor]

I get it now. Best to go with the AAA battery hold that takes 8. That I can handle. After looking at the schematic (again) and a little more research, I found that would be easiest (as you had said before). My brain only works well when I have had a decent amount of sleep.
I think that someone said that the one that is at the shop won't work in an MHS. I could rig my own together.
Thanks again. You guys have been a big help.

[james3]

I understand the sleep thing totally!

The 8aaa that Tim has fits the MHS fine. The section that he heat shrinks in the middle is a bit too big for the ribbed section but that is it.
The 4 and 8 AA packs are the ones that work in sink tubes but not MHS, that may have been what someone mentioned.

I only use the 8aaa and 4aaa for my MHS hilts. Keeps it clean, simple, and compact. There are the side by side aa packs that fit the MHS but they are more for a LED setup the EL. I have the 6aa side by side that I am driving a 5w LED with and my only complaint is that you HAVE to have an extension for the pack to fit.

[Noyl Wendor]

I found that I can use the side by side AAA holder. 4 are required, and serializing them can be a pain, I tried it. So I went and grabbed two of the 4 AAA holders. Works perfect. I had to switch up my design but it still looks good.
I plan on adding a sound board later. Haven't decided which one. But like I said, that will be later. I just want to leave myself some room for making modifications.
Thanks again for your help.

[Noyl Wendor]

If I connect the two red wires and the two black wires on both my 4x AAA battery holders, then connect those to a nine volt connector, will I still get the 12 volts I need for the inverter?
Or should I try something fancy and solder them at the terminals and blow up the whole rig?

[james3]

Nope that woukld give you 6 volts with twice the amperage.

What you want to do is tie one red to one black one the two holders. that will leave you with a red and black to supply 12 volts power to the inverter. I also like to use the wired clips so that I can just snap the pack in and out.


battpack------------------------------------------------ to inverter
________________________
battpack---------------------------}splice
_____________________________________to inverter

[Noyl Wendor]

Cool. That's easy.
One thing I notice about the diagram in the EL tutorial is the inverter set up is not quite the same as I have.
The two white wires go to the mono jack, and there is a 1mo resistor spliced in, the wires for the switch are set. As are the battery wires. Where would I put the 470 ohm resistor? Spliced in on the line to the batteries? Or spliced in on the line to the switch?
Did I say thanks for your help earlier?

[vadeblade]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong...

The 1 MOhm resistor is spliced in to bridge the two White wires before they connect to the mono, jack. The resistor is there to provide a load on the inverter in case you accidentally turn on the lightsaber with no blade attached. It's supposed to keep it from burning out.

The 470 ohm resistor is only used if you plan to put an LED between the Battery pack and the Inverter. I think it is used to reduce your 12 v down to the 3.2 volts that the LED can handle.

again, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[Noyl Wendor]

A 470 ohm resistor was suggested on one of the diagrams in the tutorial, that or a 270 ohm.
I guess the big question would be witch one to use? It looked to me like either one would do.