Crystal Focus 3.0 problem - help!

[erv]

investigation in progress... Current guess is bad wiring of the recharge port. I'll post more here if you find out what happened, in order to increase the shared knowledge about how using CF
Erv'

[Barmic Rin]

I'll slap him round the back of the head for ya on saturday if you want Erv!

[Sethski]

...

...well, my little CF 3.0 will shortly be on it's way back to 'the creator' for checking and possible surgery...

...what can I say - boys and girls (there are girls who like lightsabers as well aren't there? I do hope so...) - exercise caution and extreme common sense when wiring in your recharge port. Erv has been a star with quick replies and I now understand how to avoid what probably happened ever repeating itself.

I will just have to fall back on a plain old MR board-powered saber to defend myself from the punitive head-slappings of Barmic Rin on Saturday

[Jedi-Loreen]

There's at least one girl here to likes lightsabers, and posts regularly.

[Sethski]

Yay! Well that makes the world a slightly improved place in spite of my CF mess up

[Novastar]

Glad Erv was able to help you, Seth. I sent you a wiring diagram that might help you too... as simple as it may be, it will give you the idea.

Another good thing about making a big mistake is... you are usually thereafter the LEAST likely to repeat it... and will be extremely helpful to warn others about similar pitfalls.

In the meantime... don't feel so bad. Things could be worse, and you could have done... THIS with *TWO* CF boards:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgYUqwG7BB8

Warning... the above video contains serious abuse of buttered electronics. Watch at your own risk. Not responsible for drinks shooting out of nostrils, nor pulled hair from follicles in frenzied frustration.

[Sethski]

Ouch! That makes me feel a bit better, though, but kind of sad for the poor little CFs...

I've indeed learnt from it. I'll post "what I did" and "what I should have done" diagrams with the wiring over the next couple of days.

[Novastar]

Sounds like it was a matter of allowing voltage through the CF circuit board via the switches rather than "truly" cutting things off with the kill switch. I mean, maybe it was something else... but... good to keep all electronics out of the loop during charging or "kills" (except the batteries, duh).

It just goes as a reminder that people should have a look at this thread if they are planning recharge/kill ports:
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/fo...=2402&start=30

Read from page ONE too... that is, whomever is out there reading this now.

A good step is to first create a "basic" resistor-only (or truly direct drive) saber... but use rechargeables. Make a charge port. Then try making it a KILL + charge port. THEN go to using it with a more expensive driver.

Killing a resistor = no big deal
Killing a Lux LED = no big deal (oh gee, $6-$8... not horrible)
Killing a CF = uh oh!

[Vazan Maceu]

A good step is to first create a "basic" resistor-only (or truly direct drive) saber... but use rechargeables. Make a charge port. Then try making it a KILL + charge port. THEN go to using it with a more expensive driver.

Yes, it makes sense, and it is the path I´ve taken. Begin with the simple things, for they are the building blocks of the complex ones!

[Novastar]

Right Vazan, exactly.

In fact, this is how staged combat works (and pretty much everything else in life)... without solid basics... no "fancy" stuff can be learned... or performed!