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Author Topic: Cf6.5, pc1.5, and Tri Cree questions  (Read 1451 times)

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Offline Darth Solace

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Cf6.5, pc1.5, and Tri Cree questions
« on: September 13, 2014, 06:49:03 AM »
Hi everyone.
Quick backstory. I purchased a saber with a cf6.5 and a tri Cree r/g/b. about a month after buying, the green burned out on it. So I took the led out, tested it to be sure, then ordered another from justinmars. No problems there.
I also have a hilt, and a pc1.5 for a saber for my daughter, she's 6, who wants a purple blade. My question is, how can I wire the b/r to be purple and work with the PC. I will be using a 7.4v battery, so with the PC, will I need to use resistors on both, or can the parameters be adjusted in the config? I don't want to have to buy a bunch of resistors to experiment with, so does anyone have an idea of what size resistors might be good to start with?
Mr. J
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Offline LUMINARA UNDULI

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Re: Cf6.5, pc1.5, and Tri Cree questions
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2014, 07:53:35 AM »
It depends how you are planning to do this.  If you are wiring in series and willing to accept whatever color you get (likely a magenta) then you would not need a resistor.  If you are going for a real purple, then you would wire in parallel and resist the red.  Sadly I can't tell you exactly what resistor to use as it has been a while since we have done that set up.  If you are going to be building even sporadically, it is a good idea to pick up a bunch of 1W resistors of different values in the range of around 1-7 ohms.  These are pennies.  Another way to get your perfect mix is to order a potentiometer that measures the low end.  Put it on your red and adjust up until you get the mix you want.  Then measure the value with your multimeter and replace the potentiometer with a permanent resistor of that value.



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Offline QUI-GON JINN

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Re: Cf6.5, pc1.5, and Tri Cree questions
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2014, 08:39:11 AM »
If memory serves,  I used to use a 10ohm, 1 watt resistor on the red for that type of set up, but I also was using a 3.7 power source with the pc 1.5.  you'd likely need something with a higher wattage rating.


Offline Darth Solace

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Re: Cf6.5, pc1.5, and Tri Cree questions
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2014, 09:01:35 AM »
Thank you both very much for your help.
Qui gon, does that mean that the board cannot adjust the voltage going to the led? Meaning, 7.4v power source, but adjust that with the config file and tell it to supply 3.7v? Is it the crystal focus that can do this, or am I just really confused?
I believe my daughter will be happy with a magenta, so I will start there. I do feel that it is important, however, to know how to get a true purple for future projects.
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Offline Merik

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Re: Cf6.5, pc1.5, and Tri Cree questions
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2014, 06:34:55 PM »

Qui gon, does that mean that the board cannot adjust the voltage going to the led? Meaning, 7.4v power source, but adjust that with the config file and tell it to supply 3.7v? Is it the crystal focus that can do this, or am I just really confused?

Your config file allows you to set the current (amperage) but not the voltage being supplied.  The main channel on CF/PC has an automatically sensing driver that supplies necessary voltage based on whatever current you set.

Perhaps to rephrase the question:  Using a 7.4V setup on an unmodified CF/PC, how does it work with two LED's with significantly different forward voltages in parallel?  Does the board supply the higher of the two voltages automatically?  If so, would I just resist the red (about 2.3V for Cree CP-E red) die based on the blue die's forward voltage (about 3.5V for Cree XP-E blue), maybe with a slightly larger resistor for safety? 
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Offline QUI-GON JINN

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Re: Cf6.5, pc1.5, and Tri Cree questions
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2014, 08:15:35 PM »
No,  I meant that the PC 1.x's could be run on a single Li-Ion cell just fine,  so long as each of the main led's vf was close to the 3.7v supply from the battery.  There was little to no sound volume loss as those boards used a 3.3v amp on the speaker circuit. By adding a resistor to the red only,  you are reducing the current to that led only,  reducing it's brightness and controlling the color mixture.  You would still set the drive current in the config to match the maximum of the blue led. To color mix on these boards,  you have to have the led's in a parallel set up, it is the only way to control the brightness of one or the other main led's.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2014, 08:20:02 PM by QUI-GON JINN »


Offline Darth Solace

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Re: Cf6.5, pc1.5, and Tri Cree questions
« Reply #6 on: September 14, 2014, 06:48:25 AM »
Thank you all for your replies. You've been most helpful. And you've helped make my daughter very happy.

It's a modified gungi hilt. I got it in trade, and my daughter loved it. Just have to figure out why the speaker is rattling. Other than that it's about ready to go.
In wildness is the preservation of the world, so seek the wolf in thyself.

Offline Darth Solace

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Re: Cf6.5, pc1.5, and Tri Cree questions
« Reply #7 on: September 14, 2014, 06:50:02 AM »
Thank you all for your replies. You've been most helpful. And you've helped make my daughter very happy.

It's a modified gungi hilt. I got it in trade, and my daughter loved it. Just have to figure out why the speaker is rattling. Other than that it's about ready to go. And she was very happy with the color being more pink than purple.
In wildness is the preservation of the world, so seek the wolf in thyself.

 

retrousse