Underwhelmed with Lux3 Amber brightness

[BhujangiJedi]

I finally got my parts and put my sabers together, but I feel like there's something wrong... if you look at my sabers they make the rest of the ambers in the gallery look rotoscoped in comparison.

I'm using 4 x 1.2V NiMH AA with a 1.2 ohm 3W resistor. The one on the right is understandably dim with low batteries (which I have since charged, but the improvement only meets the level of the blade on the left).

It blows me away looking at the first two posts in the amber gallery, by Hajime and Artifical_Lynx - the pictures in a lit room show blazing bright sabers! Mine looks OK in the dark and barely perceptible in a lit room.

I am using "TCSS style" battle blades and plan on getting some poly wrap to put inside, but while illumination evenness will improve, won't the brightness be even slightly less than the current underwhelming level of brightness?

[Lord Maul]

It probably has to do with the exposure settings on each camera. Hajime's and Artifical Lynx's are probably overexposed a bit, while your aren't. That would make a difference in brightness.

[Clockwork]

Xwing has a youtube video on why you get dimmer LEDs with Resistors, that might be part of your problem if you think it isn't bright enough.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG9hfzYIn_Q

[vortextwist]

the CSS battle blade is what it's named for, dueling, not show. get an ultra blade and it will be significantly brighter.

[Lord Maul]

Better yet, get one of Xwing's Nylon blades. They are hands down THE brightest saber blade out there.

[BhujangiJedi]

Countless hours of dry-eyed forum reading and $60 worth of blades and now I hear the TCSS blades are dim?!

Is there a driver that will work with 4 X 1.2V NiMH AA? The shop says the 1000mA buckpuck has a min input voltage of 5V. And you need to use a potentiometer with the buckpuck?

...and if I'm really being cheap, could I maybe bring my LEDs to the electrical engineering lab at the university, have some kids figure out what resistor works best with my specific LEDs, and then go with that?

[Lord Maul]

The TCSS blades are for dueling. That is why they're called battle blades.

You don't need a pot with the buckpuck, and Corbin's board works with a 4.8V pack.

[xwingband]

True, but to be honest Amber is a pretty weak color. Properly driven it's still not a good color.

If you want a yellow color I'd recommend a powerful white LED and a yellow filter. Yellow actually is a great filter.

Xwing has a youtube video on why you get dimmer LEDs with Resistors, that might be part of your problem if you think it isn't bright enough.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG9hfzYIn_Q

[B5813]

I wouldn't personally worry too much that it's a TCSS battle blade versus something else. I too was rather underwhelmed when I first ignited my creation. After viewing many threads on led blades I did insert several feet rolled of celophane inside but I also sanded the inside of the blade. With fresh batteries that blade lit up bright AND even. I think you'll really notice a difference of just the added wrap inside the stock issued film for sure! With my experience of doing the two mods I gave the blade absolutely did not lose brightness as a trade for even lighting!!

[Hasid Lafre]

As far as the blade is conserned. get a mirror in teh tip, and about 3 foot of polyP, cellophaine or ultra film. Then put it inside the diffuser tube and hot glue it in place.

Thin is me tcss thickwalled blade.

Dark room



Partly lit room