RGB hilt wiring

[Novastar]

I agree with the burninator. I live in San Jose CA and radio shack has a PALTRY supply of resistors.

Granted, when you're trying to "dial it in" the way that we are with an LED (squeezing out every last lumen are we???)... I am neither surprised nor upset.

If you want to "dial it in"...

1. digikey
2. screw resistors, try a CURRENT-REG driver (Corbin, Erv, a buck/puck whatever, etc.)
3. change your battery setup??

[pthomas625]

ok, novastar, i'm not completely sure what your talking about, "dial it in"?

and, i've finally ordered everything i need from TCSS! (i think)

one last thing, the pots i was gonna order are sold out. i found some others that someone else posted. would these work?

http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/Pro...=309N%2DPC+250

what exactly do the ohms do?

[Jedi-Loreen]

Ohms are the units of electrical resistance. The higher the ohms, the less voltage that flows through the circuit.

[pthomas625]

mmkay, that makes sense. would pots with 250 ohms resistance be powerful enough to completely turn off each led?

[xwingband]

No... but they'll be dim enough that they won't light up the blade. It's actually enough that you can look at the LED.

[pthomas625]

well...shoot, maybe that's not what i want then. what would be enough to completely turn each led off? 'cause that's the only thing that i can't find now, are the pots. i guess if it comes down to it, i'll go with these.

[xwingband]

There is nothing to make it not light other than a switch. The resistor limits current and even at 0mA an LED is lit.

Not sure why it matters. It's terribly dim and unless you used a reflector the light is really hard to see below the optics.

[Novastar]

You do not (really) want to have the LED drawing a decent amount of current from the batteries when it is supposed to be "off".

What I meant by "dial it in" has to do with how perfectly you want to drive each LED. Every LED has its own "sweetspot" which is basically the "best" amount of current and voltage you run it at to make it be the brightest. Which isn't all that necessary, considering if you get close--you'll be fine.

If you're using "pots" you can easily find what is best for each LED... which will be different settings.

[pthomas625]

ok, thanks xwingband and novastar. i went ahead and ordered those pots i posted earlier. now i just have to wait for all these orders to come in. lol. oh, and buy the tools i guess.

[pthomas625]

well, i'm just waiting on the led now. lol, it's coming from hong kong i guess. i had a different question, but i forget now. but here's another one, how do you secure everything inside the hilt? my main concern is the battery sliding around and knocking into stuff.

oh, i remembered: with a prolight rgb led, what lens holder do i use?