First build! Graflex 2.0 (ESB) w/CF9

[Tom Tilmon]

...so, I soldered up the LED resistors (minus the white FoC, which is still in the mail), and the wires for the double aux switches. However, test fitting everything in the blade holder has been problematic. The wires are relatively thick, and getting everything to fit properly will be a challenge.

I had initially planned on using magnet wire for all of the wiring, since it’s so thin, but was worried that the wire might not be able to handle the voltage. I ended up using 26 gauge wire.

So, the wiring is really too thick to sit alongside the heat sink and the battery inside the blade holder. Magnet wire should do the trick, but I wouldn’t want to use wiring to small for the current being employed.

In theory, I’m wondering if I could just switch out the 26 gauge red button wire for super-thin magnet wire. Everything else should fit with the 26 gauge, although it’ll be tight. I’d rather not disassemble everything just to switch out all the wiring for a smaller gauge. I’m not wiring anything to the board until I’m sure the fit is right. Thoughts?

I use 30 gauge wire for all in-hilt LED installs, including the lead lines to the LED. There are some nay-sayers to that method, but 30 gauge PTFE tends to fit in tight spots.

There is my 2cents.

Tom

[Gregatron]

I ordered some 28 gauge from TCSS. I think I’ll swap out some of the bulkier wires in the clamp switches, at least. It’ll take some careful splicing if I do the same for the battery and/or LED wires, but it shouldn’t be too bad.

I’d originally gone with the East Coast Sabers method of creating a channel in the first two ribs of the outer blade holder, but now I’m thinking that the best method would be to create a longer channel, so that the red button wires can sidestep the heat sink. If it comes down to it, I may have to stick with a single aux, in the clamp, but I’m not ready to give up, yet. Just annoyed at yet another setback!

I’m also wondering how hard it would be to rout out the inner blade holder—at least the lower half, where the chassis is inserted—to make it more roomy.

[PCModulus]

I use 30 gauge wire for all in-hilt LED installs, including the lead lines to the LED. There are some nay-sayers to that method, but 30 gauge PTFE tends to fit in tight spots.

There is my 2cents.

Tom

Im not sure why people argue over using 30AWG, its rated for 300 volts lol.

[bigkevin61]

Im not sure why people argue over using 30AWG, its rated for 300 volts lol.

Ok, but the Amp rating is the important limit on wire size.

[Gregatron]

Disconnected the various parts, and becgan cutting wires and splicing in the smaller 28 gauge wiring. Also been sanding down the chassis collar—inside and out—which slides into the blade holder, so as to provide a bit less friction. Finally, I received a new blade holder, so I can rethink how to route the red button wiring.

[PCModulus]

Ok, but the Amp rating is the important limit on wire size.

Yea, but its still not an issue in applications like this.

[bigkevin61]

Yea, but its still not an issue in applications like this.

Oh, for the love of....

IT COULD BE.

https://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

Ok, with a TYPICAL load for a main LED, and with the assumption that wire AWG amp (current) ratings are built with a safety margin, AND your wire up the circuit correctly, YES, 30AWG wire would work. Like Tom said, he does it.

BUT, this new forum member is asking questions as he is new to this, wanting to make sure he build his saber safely.

If someone doesn’t realize the POTENTIAL for issues with thin wire, and high Amp loads, like say wiring 2 main LEDs in series, but using a “Y” split in the circut to or from the LED star, which is sometimes done, I’d say pulling around 2amps through a section of wire that rates for less than 1amp could be important in a saber application.

Saying that a VOLT rating (which isn’t even mentioned as a rating scale for the wire in my link) and not AMPs is the reason 30AWG would work “in this application” is false and almost negligent.

A better (safe) statement would be “Yes, you could safely use 30AWG wire to the main LEDs, if you use a speperate circut for each diode, and aware of the amp load you would draw in your configuration, and the safe rating for your wire. Typical configurations should not have an issue.”

Exceeding the AMP rating will cause the wire to fail, and there are potential configurations that 30AWG wire is not ideal, or suited for.

[Gregatron]

Okay, I’ve been hard at work on wiring everything up. The smaller gauge wire allowed everything to fit—tightly—within the chassis.


I have everything wired up EXCEPT for the FoC die. I soldered a 2512 SMD resistor to the board, and will attach the FoC negative wire to that. However, the Crystal Focus 9 manual seems to indicate that the positive FoC wire is supposed to be soldered to the positive lead that connects the board to the recharge port. The photo (pg. 45) in the CF9 manual shows the underside of the board, but the layout doesn’t quite seem to match the actual board that I have.

Before I proceed, I just wanted to see if anyone could confirm whether or not this is where the FoC positive wire is supposed to go. Thanks!

[bigkevin61]

If you had some soldering issues, check your connections again.
Pics to look at would be helpful too.
If you have a multimeter, you can check to see if the board is getting power, also, is the battery fully charged?

[Gregatron]

IT WORKS! IT WORKS!


I wired up the FoC, and popped in the SD card. Everything works! The sound effects, the aux button (in the clamp, at least—I can’t wire up the red button until final assembly).

I’ve been playing around with the preloaded soundfonts on the SD card. Now that I know the saber works, I can customize the sounds.


One question, though—how much heat should this thing generate? I could feel the warmth from the resistors when I was testing the saber’s motion sensitivity. I believe my calculations were correct. I just don’t want this baby to overheat or anything.