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12-01-2009, 05:48 PM
#101
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12-01-2009, 08:33 PM
#102
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12-02-2009, 12:43 AM
#103
That's not because it has worked so far that everything is good.
Thermal paste tends to be isolating at the begining when it's pasty and creates some thickness between the backplate the and holder. Then with heat, it liquifies and problem appears. That's why I've kept saying for years the led has to be isolated with thermal tape.
As for nova's saber, and the isolating washers, reason was the very same, it's just that fixing wasn't at the right place (sorry nova ). Flange red had... a red luxeon which are known to have a real isolation failure between the backplate and the led itself. I'm not totally sure, but I think I put cool tape on the Amber Amber White setup I wired and sent back, but I can't guaranty the RRW is isolated.
The recharge port sleeve is a the ground when you insert the charger, means that the whole hilt is at the ground. And that's ok. What is not ok is having a GROUND PATH from another spot of the hilt to the electronics, for instance thru the luxeon. Board's negative IS cut in the recharge port, BUT find its way to the board thru the luxeon, and can fry the board.
Isolating the recharge port sort of fixes the problem since it's isolating the thing from the hilt, but the problem is somewhere else.
I use cool tape and build a chassis each time I build a saber and I never have this sort of problem. I experienced it only once, that's when I built my first commission saber with an amber led.
I believe that if you try to charge the saber without the pommel or by removing the recharge port so that it doesn't touch the hilt anymore, the problem will disapear.
Try also by removing the blade holder and get the led out of the hilt, still wired to the board but not touching the hilt.
Try now with the recharge port / pommel in place. If problem isn't there, it's the led + hilt.
As for nova / machined killkey : custom machined ones are great unless a n00b machinist like Erwie Malmschmuck machines them. Back in 2006 - 2007. My bad, I had centering troubles when machining those little piece of plastic, so the center hole isn't perfectly centered.
Add to that the fact there *IS* some ID differences between recharge ports (that's another side of the problem). TCSS ones seemed to be tigher, the one I got slightly larger (or the opposite).
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12-02-2009, 01:52 AM
#104
Council Member
To be perfectly honest too... these past few posts regarding the recharge ports... are *NOT* bugs concerning CF. Erv is telling it like it is... it is indeed a grounding issue.
I've found it to be a common thing too--especially with the 2.1mm setups.
Hmm... all this being said, I used to use a "stereo jack" system which was NOT ideal as a port... but very ideal in that you could cut BOTH + and - ... so... that is a thought there.
The point being... ok--let's say ONE of the lines is shorting to ground... well with the other cut... still no power can flow. I guess though if BOTH short to ground... that could be worse, lol...
So, whatever the case--the lesson for all who are reading = do your very best to:
* Isolate your LED from the heatsink, and thus, the hilt (THERMAL TAPE!!!)
* Isolate your recharge port as best you can from the hilt (use rubber washers, and you might even "coat" the porthole with some paint that is non-conductive + coat the port itself (threaded portion) if possible. ANYTHING to get less contact with the hilt.
* Use a plastic-housed recharge port if possible (2.1mm ones are indeed metal, so... it can be tough!)
Hard to accomplish the last two I list there... believe me, I know.
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12-02-2009, 02:36 PM
#105
Yeah, you were right, Erv. My "fix" was short lived.
I troubleshot just like you said to do. I removed pommel, heat-sink, and even the LED from the heat-sink, and nothing worked. I tested them all individually as well as every combination.
Only when I remove all the electronics from the hilt will it work properly.
I insulated the entirety of the inner diameter of the hilt with electrical tape, as well as the recharge port.
I checked all my wiring, patched up some suspect spots, and knit it all back up again. Seems fine now. Operative word is "seems". I'm not holding my breath.
Just put in an order for some thermal tape.
Sorry to hear you have had the same problem too, Nova. Very frustrating this is.
Last edited by killphil; 12-02-2009 at 09:16 PM.
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12-02-2009, 10:56 PM
#106
Council Member
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12-03-2009, 09:10 AM
#107
Yeah, I hear you. I'm always ready to help with any limited knowledge I take in (still relatively new at this). I appreciate all the help I've gotten thus far.
And yeah, I see that it is not a bug in the board, though I didn't know that when I posted and didn't know where else to post it, short of starting a new topic.
Again, thanks for the help, and I'll keep you all updated when I get my tape in.
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12-17-2009, 04:25 PM
#108
There is never any end to this.
My red saber has an issue that I cannot troubleshoot.
I swear I'm doing nothing to these sabers. It just started happening yesterday for no apparent reason.
The saber is turned on, the sound gets more and more distorted until it stops completely. I turn it off and then the retraction sound comes back on. Menu sound is just fine.
I have replaced the speaker and also the speaker quick disconnect. Something with the board, maybe? Send it out to be upgraded?
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12-18-2009, 09:12 AM
#109
recharge your saber...
on another note, this is a bug list for the CF firmware, not trouble shooting for built sabers. We're trying to update a list of known bugs, not to discuss individual issues that are not "bugs" per say.
thanks.
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12-18-2009, 09:37 AM
#110
Jedi Initiate
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