VV 'Ocassus' inspired MHS Saber Updated: 2013-04-27

[LUMINARA UNDULI]

1. CF auto senses voltage for the LED.  Needs at least 3.3V without load to boot up the board.

2. No, when wiring two dice in series you add the voltage together.  Again, the CF will calculate the voltage needed for the series pair and properly drive them.  (If you are asking for purposes of testing with your power supply, you want to pick the lowest value of each die in its vf range and add those two numbers together.  Also, start your current on the PSU at like 100ma and slowly go up).

3. If you wire in series, there is no potentiometer.  You get the default mix.  If you want to color mix by dialing in your specific shade, you need to wire in parallel, which is a different conversation ;).

[shef]

1. CF auto senses voltage for the LED.

 :o

2. No, when wiring two dice in series you add the voltage together.  Again, the CF will calculate the voltage needed for the series pair and properly drive them.  (If you are asking for purposes of testing with your power supply, you want to pick the lowest value of each die in its vf range and add those two numbers together.  Also, start your current on the PSU at like 100ma and slowly go up).

I don't know why I started second guessing myself about that.  Thank you for clarifying.  As far as my PSU, it appears I am only able to control voltage, not amperage.  It is a fixed 2A unit.  Is this problematic in this application?  I returned this model, and had it replaced with one with variable amperage and voltage.

3. If you wire in series, there is no potentiometer.  You get the default mix.  If you want to color mix by dialing in your specific shade, you need to wire in parallel, which is a different conversation ;).

Right.  These are wired in series, not parallel, so I'll set the pots aside for another project.

[LUMINARA UNDULI]

As far as my PSU, it appears I am only able to control voltage, not amperage.  It is a fixed 2A unit.  Is this problematic in this application?

Very.  You'd be better off using some AAAs for testing.

[Snake-Eyes]

First of all, thanks for posting this thread, shef.  I've got similar grandiose plans with a CF and 10W RGBA, so I'm following with interest.  However, my electronics speak is not so good yet, so... still trying to keep up.   :-[    :D

However, I "am" good at math, and I noticed an error in one of your posts.  Not sure if it's even an issue, based on what you and Luminara are discussing (still trying to keep up), but...

Either this is correct:

R,G,B,A dice are 2.4 V, 3.9 V, 3.5 V, 2.5 V respectively.

And this is a a typo:

(R+A = 2.4+3.5=5.9V  G+B = 3.9+2.5= 6.4V)

Or vice versa.

 [If A = 2.5V vs 3.5V, and B = 3.5V vs 2.5V...   Then, RA = 4.9V, and GB = 7.4V]   ???


Still tuned in for progress and learning-by-proxy, so thanks again for sharing.   ;D

[shef]

You're right SE.  I have corrected the post, and have changed the Vf values to reflect MINIMUM operation ratings, for safe testing purposes.


My 18650 batteries & JST connectors from Deal Xtreme arrived today. :)  I expect another package (or two) of goodies to be arriving tomorrow, and I will start building a protected battery pack.

Thanks for reading!  And many thanks, for keeping me on track :)

[shef]

18650s lithium ion battery pack:
  I just finished putting together this pack (my first).  I started off taking photos as I went along, but I soon found myself a couple hands short, and could not work the camera. 



I set up my little work station with everything I needed to build my pack.  Starting bottom right corner, and moving clockwise:
solder station (& solder), hilt (not needed for the task, but pictured for size references), 18650 cells (I bought 4, but will only be using 2 for this battery pack.  The other 2 are set aside for another project), PCB, JST connectors, trimmers, 20g wire, small pliers, shrink tubing, helping hands.  Not pictured is my pocket multi-tool.

 

First, I used the file on my multi-tool to scratch the (+) and (-) contacts of the cells, to give something for the solder to grab onto.  Note:  at this point photo documentation gets put on the back burner.  Besides, the whole battery pack tutorial has been done before, and far better than I could ever do.  Slothfurnace just showed how he made his 4AAA pack.  The difference is, he is using individually protected cells, and I am using unprotected cells, and a common PCB.  90% of the process is the same.

  1.  Scuff the contacts of the Li-ion cells
  2.  Briefly heat, then pre-tin the contacts with a button of solder
  3.  Using a scrap of wire, connect the (+) of the first cell to the (-) of the second



This is where it is a little different.  A second scrap of wire is needed to run from the (+) of the first cell to the "Bu" pad of the PCB. 
  4.  Briefly heat, then pre-tin all the solder pads of the PCB with a button of solder
  5.  Using a scrap of wire, connect the (+) of the first cell to the 'Bu' pad of the PCB

Once this scrap of wire is soldered in place, straighten out the pack to 'stick' formation, rather than side by side.  18650 cells are too wide to fit side by side in a MHS part (without extreme modification of the MHS part).

  6.  Connect the (-) of the first cell to the "B-" pad of the PCB. 
  7.  Connect the (+) of the second cell to the "B+" pad of the PCB.
  8.  Trim the wires of the female end of a JST connector to the desired length, then connect the (-) black wire to the "P-" pad of the PCB, and the (+) red wire to the "P+" pad of the PCB.
  9.  Using a small piece of clear heat shrink tubing, cover both ends of the assembled battery pack, and secure with electrical tape.  Using a lighter, heat gun, or hair dryer, shrink the clear tubing to insulate both ends of the pack.



 10.  Insert the entire assembled pack into the large shrink tube, leaving the JST connector hanging out one end.  Write all the pertinent information about the newly assembled pack on the outside of the heat shrink tubing before shrinking.  Using a lighter, heat gun, or hair dryer, shrink the tubing around the assembled pack to secure everything in place.

I then plugged the male end of the JST connector into the battery pack, and connected it to my Li-ion smart charger, set at 7.4V, and am letting it fully charge.

[LUMINARA UNDULI]

Very nice Shef!  Great job :).

[Caine]

I second that....you're doing great, man.  :)

[Ronan]

Very close to what i want to do, i'm keeping a close eye on this thread.

Thanks :)

[shef]

It's almost been 2 months since my last update.  TCSS brought some more MHS sleeve material back in stock, so I placed another order this evening. :)

[ANAKIN SKYWALKER]

hey, shef...just found this thread... will be following closely as I have very similar plans... my thread is  somewhere, but I don't have any build progress posted and probably won't until after the new year (out of stock parts + Powder coating)

[shef]

2010-12-27:  My latest package from TCSS arrived, delivering:  MHS Sleeve Material, thermal star pad, 10 degree lens, and a couple other things....  I return to work on the 3rd, so I look forward to having at least a day or two to do some work, and post an update.  One thing I did while I was waiting, I took my dremel to the covertec wheel, and modified it to fasten in place of one of the ornamental screws in the MJ grip.




2010-12-29:  I just finished assembling the 10W LEDENgin module:  copper heatsink, thermal pad, LEDEngin, nylon screws, lens holder, 10 degree lens, JST connectors (2), a little solder, and some hot glue.

[

  In order for the JST connectors to pass through the heatsink, I had to bore out the existing holes a little bit.  For this, I used one of my tap bits, and the dremel.  Nice tidy wiring in a very small space.




  To keep straight which connector is which, I wrote 'orange' and 'cyan' on a couple pieces of heatshrink tubing, and shrunk them on.  Time to test the LED.



  Once I was satisfied that the LED was wired correctly, it was time to attach the lens holder and lens.  I had to do a bit of modification to the lens holder in order for the wires to pass underneath.  Just a little bit of dremel work, and my side snips.  Then, I took a couple shots of the LED module lit up. 

Edit:  2011-04-24  Due to the space constraints in this hilt, I also had to remove the 'button' from the bottom of the copper heat sink (using the dremel, and a reinforced cutting wheel).

[shef]

2010-12-30:  Starting on the shroud.  This is yet another completely new element to saber building for me.  In the process of shaping this piece, I burnt through 1 1/2 reinforced cutting wheels, and probably ruined a couple grinding stones, before going to Lowe's and buying a sanding flap wheel.

I'm still not completely satisfied that the curves are symmetrical, and there are a couple skids & hesitation marks that I am going to need to figure out how to buff out.  But, for my first go, I'm pretty pleased with myself.  I still have more than half of the original piece of shroud material left, so if I do manage to botch this one, I can start over.



Time for dinner.

This shroud was abandoned, and a new one was made the following day.  You can jump to that post here.

[LUMINARA UNDULI]

Lookin' good Shef :D.  Like that shroud ;).

[shef]

Lookin' good Shef :D.  Like that shroud ;).

Thank you very much.  I admit, this part is 99% 'emulate', and only 1% 'innovate' (if that).  I don't like the way the underside band of the shroud doesn't drop down any into the ribbed section, where I plan to place the aux button.  So, I have the other half of the sleeve material wrapped in a new template, and I'll start cutting away on that tomorrow afternoon.  I'd offer to try to video some of the process, but this is a family friendly site.   I'll just leave it at that.