Power cut-off problem

[amwolf]

I have a problem I am hoping someone can help me solve – I’ve wired up an 2010 Obi-Wan Hasbro board (all new wiring) w/ a Trustfire 18650 3.7v battery, recharge port, BD242CG PNP transistor, momentary AV orange illuminated switch (w/ 82 ohm 1/4 watt resistor), TCSS speaker, and a red-orange Lux III (w/ a 1ohm 2 watt resistor). There is a thermal tape pad under the RO Lux. The battery and the RO Lux are (were) quick connected, the rest is direct wired. Without the RO Lux connected, everything else works. When the Lux is 1st physically connected, there is a brief flash from the led; turn on the power and the system works for a second then shuts down and will not work until the battery is physically dis- and then re-connected. This cycle will then repeat.

My multimeter shows 4.14 volts coming off the battery, and 3.94 volts going to the Lux.

I’ve retraced my wiring, looking for loose connections (repaired one – did not correct the problem). I swapped out the RO Lux with a spare Cyan(ish) Lux III and it produced the same effect (placing the RO into another saber lit everything up orange till I turned it off). I removed the QD for the battery and tried direct wiring it – same problem, and obviously I have to resolder those connections to hook the battery back up. I double checked w/ several resistor on-line calculators and while the RO Lux resistor should be ok, the AV switch is coming up w/ a 100 ohm 1/4 watt - I disconnected the AV led but this also did not solve the problem (if I had wired the main and accent leds in series not parallel as I had planned wouldn’t this have solved the problem – simply not enough voltage?).

I’ve attached my wiring diagram – my apologies if it’s a little hard to read. It was done in AutoCad and the colors are a bit washed out.

I’m stumped. I keep reading and trying to hone my google- and search-fu skills but my knowledge of electronics is growing but obviously limited. I hope someone can help point me towards a solution.

[Novastar]

I'm not very good at interpreting wiring diagrams, but...

Did you try directing connecting the battery leads right to the LED (+ the small resistor to drop the voltage closer to ~3.2v)...

If so... does that produce consistent light? Or does it also give a brief flash then nothing?

Finally... did you try another battery altogether? Even a different battery type just for testing (such as ~4.5v alkaline with a bit different resistor)...

It MAY be that battery cell is bad/problematic/old(?)

[amwolf]

Thank you for the reply, Novastar! I hadn't thought of the direct battery-to-Lux setup. Honestly, soldering to the Led is the part that makes my heart leap into my throat... I followed your suggestion and set up the direct wire setup w/ the resistor using the other set of pads on both the RO and Cyan Lux's in the hope that I can't make the same error twice. I soldered the + wires directly, but left the - wires free and just held them together...

I produces the same effect! There is a brief flash every time the circuit is completed, but no continuous light. Same story w/ both Led's. Battery, then?

I don't have another battery, unless I can make a battery pack out of AAA Energizers. I've got an order list on my desk for TCSS as it is... I'll order another, uh, few batteries.

Supposition: the battery's "problematic" over a certain voltage draw? With the board and speaker and accent Led being below that threshold, but the Lux by itself is over that threshold?

My wife had a 3v calculator battery in her purse which produces a constant light when connected.