The Joe Puck Problem

[Anavrin]

So here's the deal: I've got a 616. I want to tak the stock set up, and add the power to the LED viabuck puck. So I've got the 616 board's LED+ attached to the REF, the LED- attached to the CTRL, the puck's LED's hooked to the LED itself, and the power meeting the board's power. So the board and the Puck ought be using, in parallel, the same power source, the stock 3AAA speaker pack combo.

I must be doing something wrong, as the sound comes up as does the clash, but no light. I don't have a meter so I can't guess if the puck isn't passing electricity along, or if it's just not getting any. It would help if I understood electronics worth a lick, but my knowledge is all via experience and watching, not through comprehension. Le sigh.

EDIT: No need to post more: For anyone who was wondering the same thing, mostly Newer folk and electronics idiots like me, short answer:

This can't be done. Stop and don't bother. The Puck needs power in on the CTRL REF to be OFF, and no power to be ON. The opposite of what the LED leads from the board are trying to do, obviously. Scroll down if you NEED to use the Joe Jedi and use Arm On Fire's method; no ramp, but you'll have sound at least.

[Jedi-Loreen]

Trying to power a buck puck off a 616 board using a 3AAA battery pack us useless. If you look at the specs for the pucks in the store, they need a minimum of 5V to work, you are only giving it 4.5V the way you have it hooked up.

I don't know if the 616 board can handle 6V like the other MR boards can, but you will need to give the buck puck more voltage.

You also don't have any actual power going to the puck hooked up that way. You have to have the power inputs hooked up the positive and negative power wires. The CTL and REF wires are only for a switch or a dimmer controler.

That's also a series circuit, not a parallel one.

[Anavrin]

Trying to power a buck puck off a 616 board using a 3AAA battery pack us useless. If you look at the specs for the pucks in the store, they need a minimum of 5V to work, you are only giving it 4.5V the way you have it hooked up.

I don't know if the 616 board can handle 6V like the other MR boards can, but you will need to give the buck puck more voltage.

You also don't have any actual power going to the puck hooked up that way. You have to have the power inputs hooked up the positive and negative power wires. The CTL and REF wires are only for a switch or a dimmer controler.

That's also a series circuit, not a parallel one.

Good to know. I'll work out a way to wire an additional AAA into the circuit.

[Darth_DevilGuy]

Good to know. I'll work out a way to wire an additional AAA into the circuit.

don't, the 616's are kind of iffy, I burnt one with a 6v pack from the shop, the board still works but there's an amp for the speaker on it that has really shoddy parameters.

My suggestion is to get a 5v regulator from radioshack and use that between the board and the power source.

[Arm on Fire]

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...ead.php?t=4252

[Anavrin]

See? Now I'm confused. Arm On Fire is showing his running off 4AAA, but DevilGuy is saying that'll pop the circuit. I'm leaning towards trusting Arm On Fire since I can look at images of his saber running, but anyone else have more info?

Also, Thanks, guys, I'm going to hunt down a new speaker and quadAAA battery holder now, maybe a recharge port. Anyone know someone who sells that sort of thing? (kidding, kidding! )

[Anavrin]

Trying to power a buck puck off a 616 board using a 3AAA battery pack us useless. If you look at the specs for the pucks in the store, they need a minimum of 5V to work, you are only giving it 4.5V the way you have it hooked up.

I don't know if the 616 board can handle 6V like the other MR boards can, but you will need to give the buck puck more voltage.

You also don't have any actual power going to the puck hooked up that way. You have to have the power inputs hooked up the positive and negative power wires. The CTL and REF wires are only for a switch or a dimmer controler.

That's also a series circuit, not a parallel one.

No, I have it in parallel, I'm probably describing it poorly. Mea Culpa. The power inputs (VIN) are hooked to the power direct off the battery, again, my description is lacking and I apologize.

Now, I'm confused. People keep telling me I can and I can not use the LED leads from the board to work off the CTRL/REF on the Buck Puck. Understandably, when sources I trust tell me completely opposing things, I become confused. I'm now inclined to fall back on my faith and say that I won't believe it CAN be done until someone shows me a Buck Puck set up running like this that works with ramping. Anyone able to show me proof? Or am I rewiring?

Also, Thanks again, J-Lo; I don't know how I missed the 5v thing, but... *headdesk* This "weekend project" turned into a remarkable headache XD But I kinda half expected difficulties. Or fire.

[vargose]

You can use the ref/ctrl leads, but not the way you are using them now. You'll have to read up on the specs of the buck puck. Its not as simple as just wiring it to the LED outputs.

http://www.leddynamics.com/LuxDrive/...1-BuckPuck.pdf

I think Figure 14 (and the text associated with it above) might do the trick, or at least it will help you understand whats going on.

The problem is that the signal will need to be flipped. Just think about it. When the ref and ctrl have nothing hooked up to them the puck it is at full power. Thats because 0v on Ctrl is ON and 5v is OFF. Here is a great explanation http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...9&postcount=21

You'll have to read arround the forums on how to make this work. Search by "ctrl"
See
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...5&postcount=63
Granted his relay idea isn't quite right

See a possible diagram here
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...8&postcount=50
and its description
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...0&postcount=56

[Anavrin]

You can use the ref/ctrl leads, but not the way you are using them now. You'll have to read up on the specs of the buck puck. Its not as simple as just wiring it to the LED outputs.

http://www.leddynamics.com/LuxDrive/...1-BuckPuck.pdf

You'll have to read arround the forums on how to make this work.

Yes, I have the PDF file you linked. I think it was linked earlier /in this thread/. The issue is I do not speak electronicsese. So, really, all those helpful diagrams? Not so helpful. I can't read them any more than I can read Cantonese. In fact, I might have better luck with the latter.

And "read around"? Good saints man, I've been doing that. I read this forum /every day/ and search for anything on the Joe a few times a week. If you can point to a thread that explains what I'm doing wrong and how to do it right in simple layman's terms, I'd be thrilled, otherwise believe that I've been over this forum a dozen times plus another dozen, I've clicked a billion links, and I've asked a LOT of questions. You know what half the answers have been? "Lurk Moar." Forgive me if that's become grating.

The problem is that I don't get electronics–I'm an artist and leather worker–so pointing me at technical jargon? Getting me nowhere. I need basic step-by steps, or something similar enough I can apply it to what I'm doing. Heck, if someone hadn't explicitly said the LED from the board could control the CTRL REF, I'd have never even tried.

In other words: If you've nothing to add, please don't.

EDIT: Yes, I see Figure 14. No, I still don't get it. And yes, i've seen Arm On Fire's post. I've seen his diagram. He's good, and I respect that. BUT I have been told explicitly that it will work. However, minus proof at this point, I'm going to switch setups.

EDIT 2: Okay, More helpful–thank you, but I'm still trying to learn what all these terms /mean/. So, I'm still lost but learning, yet. My earlier request still stands–If no one can show me video or photos of what I've been told can be done, then I'm changing tack.

EDIT 3: Okay, that second to last link told me one important thing: Here I was thinking the Puck needed MORE voltage on the CTRL REF to be brighter, hence going from no signal to all signal to ramp up. But it's the other way around–you have to bring it from a metered 5v to 0v to ramp up. Unless you do some electronics genius work, You CAN'T use the CTRL REF leads, as Arm On Fire said (Somehow, I knew he'd be right), and EVERYONE who said otherwise was just completely wrong (Minus absurd wiring magic as shown above). That's what I needed to know, thanks!

Good sweet googa mooga; I wonder how many people have futzed with their wiring thus far trying to do this because someone told them they could do what I've tried?

Thanks for all the responses, even ones that were initially aggravating. I now know something that is not possible, and can correct that mistake in others for the future. Now I have a useless 1000mA Puck, though. Joy XD

EDIT 4. Thank you, Vargose. I get it now, though you'd merely needed to tell me why this wouldn't work at the beginning. You may now ignore my snark

[Darth_DevilGuy]

See? Now I'm confused. Arm On Fire is showing his running off 4AAA, but DevilGuy is saying that'll pop the circuit. I'm leaning towards trusting Arm On Fire since I can look at images of his saber running, but anyone else have more info?

Also, Thanks, guys, I'm going to hunt down a new speaker and quadAAA battery holder now, maybe a recharge port. Anyone know someone who sells that sort of thing? (kidding, kidding! )

I didn't say it would i said it can, I've seen plenty of people do it just fine, but the one I did burned out, so I put the warning out to be careful, pushing the parameters often leads to broken things.