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Thread: Stunt Saber Staff Brightness Difference

  1. #1

    Default Stunt Saber Staff Brightness Difference

    I am rather new to the forums, but this is the second stunt saber I've built. It is a staff that also can separate into two single blades that each has a blue and a green LED. Upon finishing the second blade, it is dramatically dimmer from the LED and the illuminated switches. I do not have a soundboard, and am using resistors for everything rather than a buckpuck. I have read a few posts about how variance in LED brightness should be expected, but this doesn't explain why even the switches are dimmer. Looking for possible reasons one set-up could be so much dimmer than the other.

    I am using(for each blade):
    Cree 4x3W LED
    16mm Anti-vandal latching switch with illuminated blue ring
    16mm Anti-vandal latching switch with illuminated green ring.
    Resistors (according to LED Calculator)

    Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

    DSC_1531.jpg
    Last edited by 88fett; 12-30-2014 at 11:06 AM.

  2. #2

    Default

    Are both sets of batteries charged?
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  3. #3

    Default

    Sorry I forgot to list that. For each blade I have a 4xAA holder with three brand new AA batteries and one "dummy" battery so the total source voltage is 4.5.

  4. #4

    Default

    Maybe something conductive is touching the hilt. No thermal tape under LED or not centered on the heatshrink? Not always an issue but a potential fail point.

  5. #5

    Default

    I'd check each battery you're using. Looks like one of them may be weak.

  6. #6

    Default

    Thanks everyone. I took it apart again to have a look. I definitely had something conductive touching the hilt. I was also playing around a little and found that the way I had my LED wired up with the switches was causing both to be dim. I guess I should take the old adage "measure twice, cut once" and apply it to lightsaber buildering..."check connections twice, solder once."

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