Arduino Lightsaber

[billpealer]

On another note, I printed the hilt pieces again, but oriented the print for them to be on their side and they warped on the bottom (grr)...

pics.  attach pics.  warping could have nothing to do with your fill density. pm me. 3d printing technique is off topic.  there is no garbage when in test phase.  this is a pretty good think tank. don't be embarrassed or afraid to post your strike outs.  you dig?

[JakeSoft]

PCB over CR123A cell in a 1.25" ID tube:

Hmm... I was worried about that. Those pin headers are eating up a lot of space. Were going to have to in-line it with the battery at this rate. I wonder if there would be a way to remove those plastic spacers on the headers so that the component on top lied flatter on the larger PCB. It's that clearance that's killing us.

[billpealer]

Hmm... I was worried about that. Those pin headers are eating up a lot of space. Were going to have to in-line it with the battery at this rate. I wonder if there would be a way to remove those plastic spacers on the headers so that the component on top lied flatter on the larger PCB. It's that clearance that's killing us.

this is the #1 reason i go headerless on the Nanos. and go wire IN from the top of the thing and solder there.  when i made the nano/WT stack in my Saber 1.0, i lost maybe 1 full cm to headers, and plastic stand offs. I have been asking every vendor who sells WTs if i can get them with out headers.  all have said no.
maybe put all non MCU bits on the back of a/the batt holder.
fets, regulators, 5v step up. clash sensor, and i can ( or anyone- it's not rocket science) make fins with slits to epoxy onto the sides of the Canobi's PCB. 

there has to be something i am missing to make it fit neat. can the pro mini sit IN the hilt? like cross section-wise?. horizontal?  if it wasn't for the 3 color fading and the adxl.  you could use a ATTINY85 micro-usb version unit,.. and put it IN the hilt horizontal.  2cm x 17mm.  THAT would fit TCSS main parts. it is 5v and 6 pin. 3 of which are PWM and no analogs. and if you abandon the busy pin on the WT,..  could run 2 SW-200s for 2 axis old school swings. i actually use 2 SW in a cross and going to one pin in parallel. works. this is all for 1.25" ID too.  forget pvc,. nothing fits in there.   WTF do you PVC people use for LED heat sync's anyway?    those 3 color LEDs are pricey too.  who uses's 10$ PVC hilts with $25 of LEDs?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5X-PCS-Digispark-Kickstarter-Attiny85-USB-Development-Board-for-arduino-/221898923514?hash=item33aa34ddfa:g:W-0AAOSwo6lWJaDh

[billpealer]

Lipos may be the solution. Lipos on the back of the PCB Canobi thing. not cylinder batts.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-7V-1000mAh-452777-Rechargeable-LiPo-ion-Battery-For-mobile-phone-Tablet-PC-GPS-/111861260537?hash=item1a0b7360f9:g:BxkAAOSwhkRWgk5F

might fit. 1 amp ain't too bad, for 1 LED. 

or a single 14500..  it would fit in a standard single AA batt holder?  right?


http://www.ebay.com/itm/AKKU-for-Led-Flashlight-3-7v-1500mAh-14500-Rechargeable-LI-ION-battery-CC-/161845361269?hash=item25aebc3a75:g:NFMAAOSw42JWDj15

[Canobi]

Jake, you mentioned putting the battery inline, thats very close to something I've been contemplating as clearance in 25mm ID is nonexistent.

I made this quick sketch to show what I have in mind:



Tha cell fits in between the two outside extentions but has its own PCB with the holder mounted on it that sits lower down and connects to the main board via headers.

[JakeSoft]

 

or a single 14500..  it would fit in a standard single AA batt holder?  right?


http://www.ebay.com/itm/AKKU-for-Led-Flashlight-3-7v-1500mAh-14500-Rechargeable-LI-ION-battery-CC-/161845361269?hash=item25aebc3a75:g:NFMAAOSw42JWDj15

That might work. I've experimented and my Mk. IV board and determined it would fit inside 1.25" on top of a 7.4V side-by-side 14500 pack (Example Link) but not for the fact that I mounted the ADXL335 on top of the Pro Mini. That's two layers of headers that eat up the clearance and it just baaarely won't fit. However, Canobi's board is flatter because he doesn't piggy-back the ADXL335, so it's one layer thinner than my Mk. IV prototype.

It would be ideal if we could find a side-by-side 3.7v 14500 (or even better, a 14650 pack) with a load-balancing PCB that would output 3+ amps. That way you'd get excellent battery life and still be able to support full three-channel color change. That's pretty specific, though. Might be hard to find.
Edit: Found one. Never heard of this supplier before, but at least I know they do exist. (Link)

The problem with using an AA battery holder for the cells is that the battery holder itself also takes up space. It might still fit, though. It's worth looking into.  

[billpealer]

The problem with using an AA battery holder for the cells is that the battery holder itself also takes up space. It might still fit, though. It's worth looking into. 

i like the 1500mah. bonus. twice as mush as TCSS
Batt holder-
right.  but with one...  maybe 3mm of girth added, and the plus side is the back is capable of gluing crap too. now you can use removable batts. just saying.  as a 3.7v option for the Canobi Express it maybe the best option. other than a Lipo.

i bought this. it is an 14650 and took the outer wrapper off so i could shoot the cable straight out the top. the 90 degree protruding cable was chafing on the hilt threads.  it is 1.5cm longer than 14500.  but 2 for $15... spoke my language.  but i can't find a twin 18650 over 850mah.  makes no sense.  the single are 2200+

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2PCS-14650-7-4V-850mAH-Rechargeable-Li-ion-Battery-15C-SM-Plug-For-RC-Helicopter-/301730366706?hash=item46408804f2:g:ZKgAAOSw3ydV5rc0

[billpealer]

i think this would work. it would be 2cmx1.2cmx12cm  that would run the whole length of the hilt. what is 12cm 5 inches?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RC-Turnigy-nano-tech-1200mAh-2S-15-30C-Lipo-AIRSOFT-Pack-T-Connector-/262150710667?hash=item3d0966658b:g:3gYAAOSwiwVWTaCY

swapping it will be,..  inventive.

[JakeSoft]

i think this would work. it would be 2cmx1.2cmx12cm  that would run the whole length of the hilt. what is 12cm 5 inches?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RC-Turnigy-nano-tech-1200mAh-2S-15-30C-Lipo-AIRSOFT-Pack-T-Connector-/262150710667?hash=item3d0966658b:g:3gYAAOSwiwVWTaCY

swapping it will be,..  inventive.

I used to play a lot of airsoft. These things scare the hell out of me. lol

[jshaw]

I've been testing with a 3.7v 1200mah lipo battery ( https://www.creatroninc.com/product/lithium-ion-battery-1200mah/ ) that fits in my hilt. There's no room for a sled on the sides of it, but I've been thinking of grabbing another, but have no idea how to run them together, if that's even possible.

[Canobi]

I've been testing with a 3.7v 1200mah lipo battery ( https://www.creatroninc.com/product/lithium-ion-battery-1200mah/ ) that fits in my hilt. There's no room for a sled on the sides of it, but I've been thinking of grabbing another, but have no idea how to run them together, if that's even possible.

It's definitely possible. You looking to double your voltage or capacity?

[jshaw]

It's definitely possible. You looking to double your voltage or capacity?

Capacity.  Running a tri-rebel w/ 3x700mA LEDs is a bit much for a single 1200mAh battery to handle, unless I completely don't understand capacity (which is entirely possible as this is my first real electronics project). 

I'm mostly concerned w/ how they'd be wired together and how I'd then charge them; as a single unit or each individually.  The latter would be exceptionally annoying. 

[JakeSoft]

I'm mostly concerned w/ how they'd be wired together and how I'd then charge them; as a single unit or each individually.  The latter would be exceptionally annoying. 

I have kind of been wondering that myself. I prefer in-hilt recharge systems and I can find 3.7V PCB-protected cells that are small enough pretty easily, but I'd like to put two of them in parallel for greater capacity. I'm not sure how well that would work out, though.

[stinky1]

Capacity.  Running a tri-rebel w/ 3x700mA LEDs is a bit much for a single 1200mAh battery to handle, unless I completely don't understand capacity (which is entirely possible as this is my first real electronics project). 

I'm mostly concerned w/ how they'd be wired together and how I'd then charge them; as a single unit or each individually.  The latter would be exceptionally annoying. 

Please refer to post 449,  page 30 as I think these are what you will need.  I have unregulated cells(no pcb board in top) so I need some sort of protection circuit, so why not make it a charger pack with one of these?  At least that's what I think these do. 


http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=PCB+for+7.4V++18650&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XPCB++7.4V++18650.TRS0&_nkw=PCB++7.4V++18650&_sacat=0

[Canobi]

I took a quick look on the RS website and found the female JST- PH connectors for the those flat cell batteries going for pennies so I took a few minutes to whip together a couple of "in hilt" battery mixer boards, one doubles the voltage the other doubles the capacity.





On the whole it's not recommended to charge multiple Li-Po cells at the same time without proper monitoring and cell balancing circuitry. The short explanation is the cells don't all drain and charge at exactly the same rate and if one cell fills up first, it can cause it to start draining into the emptier one which is a situation to be avoided at all costs.