Tri Crees and Crystal Focees

**Manadono** · 07-25-2016, 08:48 AM

subtitle - I may have missed some small print when ordering all my electronics.

I have a Red Photored Green tri-cree lined up for my vader saber and I was just flicking through the guide to the CF8 and noticed that the colour pads 2 through 4 don't have high amperage drive capabilities (or do they?) and only the current regulated 1st channel is able to drive high power LEDs.

First, IS THIS TRUE?

Second, How am I going to wire the R Rp with +G Flash on Clash?

I guess to you hardened guys this seems like some noob question, but I was under the impression the first 3 colour pads were capable of 1A direct drive off the board (pretty sure Msr. Petkau did a tutorial on the CF7 wiring, but I might be mistaken...)

anyway, thanks if you can help me :>

**Forgetful Jedi Knight** · 07-25-2016, 08:53 AM

Only the first channel is current regulated. The others have "high amperage drive capabilities". You need to RE-read the manual a few more times to find out how it's handled. It's all explained in the manual.

**Manadono** · 07-26-2016, 06:20 AM

okay, I found the video that had the original soldering guide for what I thought was good (it was Msr. Plecter in fact!) and I can see I have forgotten a good few details between watching it and trying to use its info to inform parts purchasing for the vader.

The video shows rudimentary colour mixing on a tri-cree using the single cell hack and access to the two power extenders. Although watching the video, and trying to find it and hence watching more videos, has made me wonder; can I wire the Red and Photo Red in parallel over the current controlled channel and then have the Green run off the on board PeX? I have a double cell though, would I need a chock off power resistor on the PeX connection? Assuming the amperage over each red LED is 700mA, the total amperage won't go over the board's max 1.5A (although it cuts it mighty close).

I'm not sure Erv has calculated for the genius-idiot wiring schemes in his manual, I will go and read it again right now, but in the meantime what do you think to this?

[There's stuff in the way to the manual, reading later]

[Erv seems to think it's a bad plan:

]

**xl97** · 07-26-2016, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by Manadono

okay, I found the video that had the original soldering guide for what I thought was good (it was Msr. Plecter in fact!) and I can see I have forgotten a good few details between watching it and trying to use its info to inform parts purchasing for the vader.

The video shows rudimentary colour mixing on a tri-cree using the single cell hack and access to the two power extenders. Although watching the video, and trying to find it and hence watching more videos, has made me wonder; can I wire the Red and Photo Red in parallel over the current controlled channel and then have the Green run off the on board PeX? I have a double cell though, would I need a chock off power resistor on the PeX connection? Assuming the amperage over each red LED is 700mA, the total amperage won't go over the board's max 1.5A (although it cuts it mighty close).

I'm not sure Erv has calculated for the genius-idiot wiring schemes in his manual, I will go and read it again right now, but in the meantime what do you think to this?

[There's stuff in the way to the manual, reading later]

[Erv seems to think it's a bad plan:

]

I'm not even sure/clear what it is your asking?

...but if Erv, the creator of the board & and an EE by trade, says whatever you are trying is a bad idea, I'd listen to him........no?

**Manadono** · 07-26-2016, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by xl97

I'm not even sure/clear what it is your asking?

...but if Erv, the creator of the board & and an EE by trade, says whatever you are trying is a bad idea, I'd listen to him........no?

I'm asking how to wire a tricree to a CF without a CeX, he said using the basic colour mixing wiring for a single cell hack board is a bad idea (and I agree with him, it's not what I'm trying to do.) I just wanted to know what the deal with the colour channel power ratings was as the single cell hack takes electricity directly from the battery (essentially) and it would be super inefficient to run the board with giant power resistors to soak up all that extra voltage.

Actually, if the on board PeX channels run at the battery level, could I use a potential divider to run one line as two? And can anyone confirm the parallel wiring of an LED?

To be clear, I'm not bothered about being able to colour mix on this build, it's a RRG for all intents and purposes and as long as it can be wired RR with G over the top FoC I'm cool, in fact it's the reason I only got one CeX...

**FenixFire** · 07-26-2016, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by xl97

I'm not even sure/clear what it is your asking?

...but if Erv, the creator of the board & and an EE by trade, says whatever you are trying is a bad idea, I'd listen to him........no?

From experience few people ever listen to an expert who tells them their idea is a bad one...just sayin'.