Somewhat weird Hasbro soundboard wiring question

**Jonitus** · 03-08-2007, 11:54 AM

Last night I discovered that the last of the Luke MR boards I had ordered from Tim was FUBAR, so it got pitched in the circular filing cabinet and now I am stuck for a sound option for the brass-laden saber I am building.

A thought occurred to me as I sat here this morning, so see if you can follow my line of thinking:

I have 3 Hasbro boards. 2 out of generic Sith sabers, and the third out of a Vader. Could I wire two of the boards parallel for what I want to do?

If I used one board to drive the LED, but desoldered it's shock sensor, would that not get rid of the flash-on clash? The other board would have all it's sensors intact, but would not be connected to the LED. I would parallel wire the switch and the speaker, right? I would still have the flashing when the saber is turned on and off though, right?

**xwingband** · 03-08-2007, 12:14 PM

Ooo... that is an interesting thought.

I have no clue. Seems it would work, I'd love to try it if I had more than one Hasbro left.

Even more I'm thinking of this: Both drive the LED like paralled micropucks. One is FOC enabled and the other not. This will dim it on clashes but not totally off!

Plus if it works like micropucks you can use the default voltage! This has my mind turning man!

**james3** · 03-08-2007, 12:27 PM

Interesting. That setup would work.

xwing, that actually sounds like an interesting idea. Maybe I need to go get some of them pop up sabers and play around. I am running low on Hasbros too.

**Jonitus** · 03-08-2007, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by xwingband

Ooo... that is an interesting thought.

I have no clue. Seems it would work, I'd love to try it if I had more than one Hasbro left.

Even more I'm thinking of this: Both drive the LED like paralled micropucks. One is FOC enabled and the other not. This will dim it on clashes but not totally off!

Plus if it works like micropucks you can use the default voltage! This has my mind turning man!

Ooh! Ooh! Yeah! Parallel the LED and only one of them FOC...that would be nice. A gentle dimming of the LED. Hmmm. Well, I guess I know what I am experimenting with tonight or tomorrow.

**Jonitus** · 03-08-2007, 02:30 PM

Could someone whip up a wiring diagram taking into account what we've discussed here and a recharge port and NiMH battery pack?

Meesa no good at da wiring diagrams.

**Jonitus** · 03-09-2007, 05:17 AM

Well, I got most of the wiring done last night enough to get things working. Long story short, it does work to parallel wire two Hasbros together. I just used a 4AAA pack for my tests last night, but for future reference when this thing gets installed in its final home:

The positive input gets hooked to the center tab of the recharge port, to which the battery pack positive is hooked, and from which the positive going to the LED, right? Properly resistored, of course.

The "battery pack (-)" leg of the recharge port has the negative from the battery pack going to it, right?

The "board (-)" leg of the recharge port is hooked to the negative input of the soundboard, right?

This leaves the negative output wires from the Hasbro boards wired together and then going to the LED directly, right?

**xwingband** · 03-09-2007, 05:50 AM

Originally Posted by Jonitus

The positive input gets hooked to the center tab of the recharge port, to which the battery pack positive is hooked, and from which the positive going to the LED, right? Properly resistored, of course.

No, use the combined lamp wires of the Hasbro's for the LED positive. This is why I stated the paralleled micropuck analogy.

When you parallel them you are combining their power. Where they could use 3AA to power a 1W, both of them combined can power the 3W. Thus I'd start at 3AA or AAA and then move to 4 if you want to push it. If the heatsink doesn't get too hot you aren't pushing the combined amperage too much.

First I'd try the default voltage because some of those Hasbros hate having more. I've been so sick of having them fry I try to never give them more than they were meant to.

I can whip up a diagram later, I'll send you the render stuff then too... gotta get some time.

**Jonitus** · 03-09-2007, 07:06 AM

I'll have to wait for the diagram to see what you mean about the combined wires powering the LED instead of just directly off the battery pack.

In my excitement, I plumb forgot to get the multimeter out and take a measurement of the amperage. I will have to remember to do that when wiring them up after getting your diagram.

Thanks for all the help so far, and thanks for the renders.

**elrond.406** · 03-09-2007, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by Jonitus

Last night I discovered that the last of the Luke MR boards I had ordered from Tim was FUBAR, so it got pitched in the circular filing cabinet and now I am stuck for a sound option for the brass-laden saber I am building.

A thought occurred to me as I sat here this morning, so see if you can follow my line of thinking:

I have 3 Hasbro boards. 2 out of generic Sith sabers, and the third out of a Vader. Could I wire two of the boards parallel for what I want to do?

If I used one board to drive the LED, but desoldered it's shock sensor, would that not get rid of the flash-on clash? The other board would have all it's sensors intact, but would not be connected to the LED. I would parallel wire the switch and the speaker, right? I would still have the flashing when the saber is turned on and off though, right?

Hey, what's "FUBAR" stand for?