SaberMaster Needed

[Jeffrek]

I think you are missing a zero in there A standard brightness led will generally only want around 15-20ma (0.02A), your assumption is that it will use 150ma, is way way too much.

Assuming the above then you wire it as shown but each led also needs a resistor to regulate the current they draw too. A value of around 50 ohms for each led will be about right.

At that current draw (20ma per led x2) then a 1500mah 2x nimh pack will last 30+ hours.

A motor, any motor uses alot more current than an led. The pager motors on Corbins site are ideal in that they already have an offset weight, are small and are encapsulated so relatively easy to mount.
They are also suitable at the voltage used for the leds too. The only specification missing is thier current consumption. Without that its hard to work out how long the batteries would last with the addition of the motor.

You also dont need a DPDT switch , a normal SPST will work fine as your only isolating the ground, which is common to both leds and motor so seperate switching isnt neccessary.

marsupial said:

Tenric: the leds you want to power are ment for decoration on the hilt, not for lighting a blade, right?

With this assumption, we can think you will have a pair of leds that are rated 3V 0.15A
With a typical ni-MH rechargeable battery of 1500 mAh, you could run them non-stop for 5 hours... I wouldn't think the led would drain ennough to cause dimming on an engin.

Light bulb are prone to dimming.

the "force resonator" on Corbin's site are selected specifically for lightsaber building... I suggest you try and send him an email. I know he had computer problems recently, but he usually answer emails quickly.

If you use 2 AAs, you should be able to put a pot to the resonator sold on corbin's site. You can also use a DPDT (dual pull, dual throw) momentary switch, its like a 2 channel switch.

see drawing bellow.

[Jeffrek]

Actually with your assumed battery supply of 2xAA nimh having a voltage of 2.4v nominal and using a normal brightness led common forward voltage of vf1.4v then a 50 ohm resistor for each led will supply 20ma, which is within range for just about any common led.
So they will hardly burn. At this sort of voltage level the vf is an important aspect and we really need to know this to give accurate advice.

You have them wired in parallel in your diagram so each led needs its own resistor. If you dont put an external resistor in then all youve got protecting the led its its own circuit resistance and you could get as much as 0.5 amps through them depending on the vf. While this will make them bright it certainly wont do them any good and their lifespan will be shortened.

Of course if you change the voltage of the batteries or want to run hyperbrights instead of normal leds then you will of course have to change the resistor values.

At 9v the same resistors would have to be approx 380 ohms but you were the one that mentioned running it from 2xAA rechargeables

As you say, you would need the proper specifications for the leds to be used to do a proper job of it but those values will suffice in a pinch.

[Starkindler (The Naked Jedi)]

any chance of getting the last 4 posts translated into English? ;D

I don't follow most of it at first glance, but I will later.
the LEds are for decoration....I'll post the specs when I have access to them later.

If we assume the Force Resonator and two LEDs plus a momentary switch and the Potentimeter along with a 2AA power source you'll pretty much have what I plan to use.

I will post specs on what I have so far as soon as I can (likely after 1am EST tonight)

[mojojedi]

Leda Em-Borr,

I just bought a sound module with it's own power source, but it's kinda big. I think the basic idea should work, I just need to modify it. I have a post if you want the link.

apfoister.proboards9.com/index.cgi?board=Hilts&action=display&n=1&thread=3606

or "I just bought a a Lightech sound module" under lightsaber hilts.

Good info above though. It helped me with my purchase.

[Leda EmBorr]

starkindler said:

"Once you start down the Dark path, forever will it control your destiny."
RU sure that "few shades darker" was a battery issue....

LOL!!!

starkindler said:

any chance of getting the last 4 posts translated into English? ;D

I don't follow most of it at first glance, but I will later.
the LEds are for decoration....I'll post the specs when I have access to them later.

If we assume the Force Resonator and two LEDs plus a momentary switch and the Potentimeter along with a 2AA power source you'll pretty much have what I plan to use.

I will post specs on what I have so far as soon as I can (likely after 1am EST tonight)

Why do you want a momentary switch? When I turn on my lightsaber I want it to stay on!

What's a potentimeter?

What would happen if you just wired the led's and the motor in series? placing the motor first? Would that be better for the led's?

[Starkindler (The Naked Jedi)]

ledaemborr said:

Why do you want a momentary switch? When I turn on my lightsaber I want it to stay on!

it seems to me that in the movies when A Jedi looses his saber it shuts down. That means there is an activation switch that is held in place when the saber is in use. There also seems to be a lock-on switch on some sabers.

Plus, the BYB saber I am using as the main pattern calls for one.... ;D
I like the look of the switch too.......

[Leda EmBorr]

Ah ok... it's just that I had one on a saber once and it was such a pain. With all the spinning and twirling of the saber that I do, it just wasn't practical.

And thanks, Mars, for that definition!

[Starkindler (The Naked Jedi)]

Yes.
Found the same switch (size/style wise) to fit in the same area......but it's got a red buttonand I was rather fond of the black one....oh well...perhaps some carefully applied paint .

[Leda EmBorr]

Ah, I had the same problem... the switch I needed was big and red, but I likd the little black one. So I popped off the red button and made my own button out of sculptee.

[Starkindler (The Naked Jedi)]

Here are the specs of the parts I have so far:

Blinking LED T-1 3/4 with MOS integrated circuit driver (no external current limiting resistor needed)
Max: 5.0 VDC 80mA reverse Voltage 0.4vdc
2.5~5.0vdc (3v typ.) 55mA at 3v
Static LED 5mm size 5.0 (6.0max) volt 30mA 300mcd
Power Source 2AA battery holder with leads (red/black) batteries side by side facing opposite directions (Parallel or in series? Dunno teach me!)
Momentary Switch contacts (N.O.) rated 3A at 125VAC/1.5A at 250VAC


The ones I need to/plan to get

Force Resonator
POT
SPST switch
(like the Momentary one in size and shape)

[Starkindler (The Naked Jedi)]

bump

[Corbin_Das]

Greetings.
Corbin Das here. The resonators operate between 1.5 and 3V DC. It draws about 150mA and will spin up to about 400 RPM.
I like your idea for incorporating a reostat (potentiometer) to vary the resonator output. If you put the LEDs and the resonator in series (in-line), the potentiometer will also reduce the power to the LED. I'd suggest wiring them up in parallel, like this:



Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Corbin

[e-mail]

[Starkindler (The Naked Jedi)]

thanks for stopping by Corbin.
Did you ever get my reply to your e-mail?
There was some trouble with my server at the job...
Parallel was my intention, so the POT would affect the Resonator only.
Still need to find an on/off switch the same size as the momentary I have...the one I saw at RS turned out to be just another momentary one.
Need some more cash to make another excursion.....

[Starkindler (The Naked Jedi)]

**bump**
So I can find this when I need it.

ALSO:
what would the battery requirements be with the resonator and three LEDs.?
Would I need more battery power?
are resistors trelly needed for a low power project like this?
I know little or nothing about electronics so pardon the dumb questions....