CF Color Xtender Issue

[Darkfizz]

On my most recent Lightsaber build I decided to use a Color Xtender, and after using it for a while the 3rd channel (which runs the blue led from an RGB led) now has some problems. If you put more than .5A into it, the led will turn off and whenever you turn on the lightsaber the blue will lag behind and take some time to lightup, and the same goes for turning it off, the color will stay on even after there is no voltage coming from the 3rd channel on the CF board (for ~1 second). In diagnosing this problem I have isolated the blue led by itself and run it without going to the Color Xtender board and it works just fine. The 2nd channel (green) works as intended while going through the Color Xtender.

So does anyone know if this is a known problem or if this is simply a faulty board?

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

I think this was a "firmware" issue with the very first batch of boards.

[Zook]

I do not think this is the firmware issue because of the description.

It sounds like the driver or inductor is messed up.

Check the inductor (coil) to see if there are any breaks at the base (not the ceramic at the top). I had one come in that was doing pretty much the same thing and basically the inductor broke from the base and was causing strange issues.

You can also isolate the sound board as well. Swap the input from FoC 2 and FoC1 and see if the problem goes to the green LED. If not then it is going to be the CEx. If it does follow to the green then it is a problem with the sound board itself.

[Darkfizz]

As I was tearing the Color Xtender out since I couldn't get a good look at the inductor, I noticed the channel #3 wire going between the CF and the CEx was broken. Apparently the CEx outputs power to the blue led if that connection is broken, which I would never have expected. Now that the wire is reconnected it works just fine.