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Thread: AAA battery holder question

  1. #11

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    If you don't mind me asking, I was looking again at your tutorial for PVC sabers for children. You run a Rebel star at 350ma off 2 AAA with a resistor. TCSS says amber lux rebels should be run at 700ma. Like I said, I'm brand new at working with LEDs, and I'm wondering if running them at half capacity shortens the life of the LED or has any other adverse effects, other than a dimmer blade. Your picture at the end looks pretty bright.

    I'm probably going to be making a PVC saber soon for my son, and I'm wondering if I should go the same route with his when I do.

    Thanks again.

  2. #12

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    It's a pretty old tutorial. Some of the older LEDs were rated at 350 mA, but could be driven much higher for more brightness. Even some of the current LEDs will list ratings at 350mA. The difference is less light, less heat, and a little longer lifespan for the LED.

    For a child's saber, you don't want it stupidly bright if the blade is removable. Kids WILL shine the naked LED in their eyes (or someone else's eyes) and possibly cause damage. My son's PVC saber has the blade semi-permanently attached with a set screw so that he doesn't hurt his eyes.
    We all have to start somewhere. The journey is all the more impressive by our humble beginnings.

    http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz for the lazy man's resistor calculator!
    http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...e-to-Ohm-s-Law for getting resistor values the right way!

  3. #13

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    Yep, what Silver Serpent said...I used those at 350ma because of the safety issue with kids. also, those didn't use resistors, but a micropuck driver that maintained a constant current of 350ma over the life of the batteries. It was more expensive thatn resistors, but also solved the problem of not being able to fit anything larger than a 2-AAA holder in them.

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