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Thread: Initial Attempt. Need help breaking it down into manageable orders.

  1. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Paedryn View Post
    You were saying I wouldn't need a latching switch? Does Pico wire up to act as a momentary to latching converter? I will go read it again. And I still need to research the battery needs. From what I have read, the 18650 is preferred for the Pico, but I am still stumbling over if I should use the 3.7 or 7.2 and what mAh I will need. Any help in directing me to the information would really make my day.
    A quick recap (as I know when I first started here, there were already YEARS of forum posts discussing designs, ideas, parts and available technology, that over the roughly decade the forum has been active, has constantly evolved, and jumping into it without a time frame reference was daunting to say the least).

    Currently the TCSS offers products to build lightsabers of many varieties.
    From empty hills, to “stunt sabers” (just lights, no sounds) to “sabers with sounds” (using pledger lab boards sold here or other board sources).
    All the current Plecter Lab sound boards sold in the store use momentary switches to activate the saber (some older board versions, and higher level boards could use either switch type, but momentary is currently universal, and the Pico Crumble ONLY uses momentary). The board then acts on it’s own to maintain power until the switch is pressed again (so, no need to “hold down the switch”). This is why I said you do not need a latchimg switch.
    Now IF you wanted to build a “stunt” saber (no sound), you would need some way to turn and keep the saber on (without having to hold a momentary switch down). ONE option for this, is to use a latching switch (which holds the connection for you, until pressed again using a mechanical “latch”). The AV (anti vandal) variety of latching switches tend to be LONG and limit design options (in order to fit in the hilt). A SECOND option, is to use a short momentary version of a switch, and then wire in the momentary to latching converter (which is a electronic way, not mechanical, to maintain a closed circuit) to keep your saber on. I’ve used this second method on several stunt PVC sabers i’ve built, as I just couldn’t fit in a latching switch.

    As for batteries, when discussing the Li-ion types commonly sold here, there are 3 basic specs.
    1) Voltage - Each “Li-ion” battery “cell” sold here has a 3.7v nominal capacity (fully charged can max at low 4v, and can drain down to high 2v). If you see a battery “pack” listed at 7.4v, it is just TWO 3.7v “cells” wired in series (adds the voltage together). Only high end boards (not the Pico), and some stunt wiring require more Volts than 3.7v. The Pico Crumble was designed with using a 3.7v cell in mind. This has no bearing on “run time”.
    2) Physical Size - an 18650 is approximately 18mm in diameter by 650mm in length. A 14500 is approximately 14mm in diameter by 500mm in length. These “mm” measurements DO NOT include any protection pcb circutry attached (which usually add a bit more length). The chassis parts sold in the store fit the batteries sold, so no worries there (though some slight modifications may be needed on occasion). Physical size increases tend to offer higher mAh hour “run times” (FYI).
    3 a) Discharge capability - not often directly listed, is how many total mAh the battery can safely discharge at once. For effectivly all soundboard and led configurations you can make with store parts, the batteries sold here are sufficient (there is a special battery with a higher discharge rate, for use with neopixel blades, which you are not building, and would not need).
    3 b) mAh - Milli Amp Hours (is, run time). This is the “listed” run time / capacity for a battery. As an example,your set up draws 1,000mA, and you are using a battery with 2600mAh capacity, you could expect 2.6 hours of runtime before the battery requires charging. Now if you draw more mA, say 2,000mA (a rough guess blending colors of an RGB tri-Cree), and are using the same 2600mAh battery, you could expect 1.3 his of runtime. So higher mAh = longer runtime. Though sometimes you may use a smaller battery (14500), with a lower mAh rating (900mAh) and you saber will still work, just for less time before recharge. So there is no “need” or requirement of mAh for using a Pico Crumble.

  2. #12

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    Just wanted to give an update on the recharge port question. I have received the port, the pommel and the speaker holder.

    Attached to the pommel, the port is 5/8" long. Since the threads cancel out each other, adding in the M/F Extension creates a 1-15/16" or a little under 2 inches to work with between the tabs of the port and the speaker. Total space created is a + 3/4".

    So it will fit, I just need to create the channels for the wires to bypass the speaker mount.

    I really appreciate your concern and caution about the port. If you wouldn't have brought it up, I wouldn't have done the extra research before buying the parts. Thank you!

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