Saber Forum

Updated 3/24/2012

Li-Ion setup comes standard with a Universal Charger and two Li-Ion batteries, like the kind found here: http://www.ultrasabers.com/product-p/z-electronics-battcharcombo.htm  (http://www.ultrasabers.com/product-p/z-electronics-battcharcombo.htm)

Sabers equipped with the Li-Ion setup with not function properly with regular AA Alkaline or NiMh batteries.  You must use the 3.7V Li-Ion batteries that are provided with the saber.  They are rechargeble so you do not have to buy new batteries when they are drained, just pop them in the charger.

If you are ordering a saber we HIGHLY (cannot stress highly enough and Li-Ion Setup is mandatory in order for us to install sound in a saber, please check each saber listing for details) recommend everyone get the Li-Ion setup.

Ultrasabers now offers two versions of the Li-Ion setup.  With BuckPuck and with Resistor.  Li-Ion Battery Setup with BuckPuck will be made with a BuckPuck being used to control the current to the LED.  Li-Ion Battery Setup with Resistor will be made with a Resistor regulating the current to the LED.

Here are the benefits of both Li-Ion setups:

• First of all the price is GREAT.  Considering what all it comes with and the amount you will save on replacing regular batteries, this is a STEAL!  Here is what you get with the Li-Ion Battery Setup with BuckPuck: 2x Protected Li-Ion 14500 batteries, 1x 14500 Charger, and 1x BuckPuck.  You could not possibly buy these pieces separately for near the price we offer them, not to mention we do all the installation and warranty everything!
• The Li-Ion gives you GUARANTEED access to the USB port on your installed soundboard.  Space is tight in some of these sabers and with the way we mount the soundboard for the Li-Ion setup, you are guaranteed to have access to the port regardless of the saber.  The same cannot be guaranteed for Standard 4 AAA setup.  Those battery packs are big and take up a lot of space and we might have to use some serious cram-fu to get everything to fit, which means access to the USB port is not guaranteed with the Standard setup.  ***Sabers with Sound are no longer offered with Standard Setup***

For the Li-Ion Battery Setup with Resistor.  You get the above benefits.  The cons are that the extra power is burned off as heat and thus wasted and you do not get the full potential battery life from each charge of your batteries.  Also when dealing with color mixes (like Violet Amethyst, Arctic Blue, SRD, Sentinel Yellow, Bane's Heart, etc) it is best to use a driver like a BuckPuck to assure that these mix to the best possible potential.  Also with many Flash on Clash combinations (especially like Red flash Silver) it is best to use a driver like a Buck Puck to assure that both these color show well and the current for both colors are is properly.


For the Li-Ion Battery Setup with BuckPuck.  You get all of the above benefits of the Li-Ion Setup and none of the above downfalls.  This is the tried and true standard for LED current regulation and we can finally bring it to you guys at a great price.  

These are some serious benefits at a great price.  Again, we highly encourage everyone to get the Li-Ion setup with your Obsidian USB install.  You will thank us later.
 

If you have any questions, post them here or email me at shipping@ultrasabers.com

Thanks Deep for the awesome info! I will modify my order right now!

I just modified my order. I suppose I will need to buy some lithium ion batteries? What size should I get?
Thanks Deep!

If you order the Li-Ion Setup option with your saber, it comes standard with 2 14500 Protected Trustfire Lithium Ion batteries and a Universal Trustfire Lithium Ion Charger.

If you are doing this DIY them it will totally depend on your own use and setup.

Awesome.  Thanks for the info and it's good to see you back on the forums!

^^^This! Definitely getting this on my Bane! ;D

Deep,

I made a bad decision with my recent order. I was going to opt with the Li-ion for my consular-obsidian, assuming it was an in-hilt recharge system. I opted with the standard 4-AAA setup upon finding out that they were just removeable cells., so I though I would save the extra $30. I did not realize that the Li-ions were pcb protected and that the LED would be driven by a constant current source (buck driver???).

My order shipped today (got the UPS shipping tracking #) so too late for me to change my mind. When I get the saber, will it be a problem for me to send it back for the Li-ion upgrade?

Not an issue at all.  The price will be bit different that the one quoted on the website due to uninstall and reinstall.  Email me at shipping@ultrasabers.com when you are ready to get it done.

Well I guess once I get it I'll have to send it back so this can be come.

So your li-ion batteries are in hilt re-charge then? Nice. Can't wait to get a saber with the new soundboard which should be next week or if not then the week after. Either way I'm getting an Obsidian saber. I'm getting a Shock this time.

The Li-ion option is NOT an in hilt recharge option. They are removeable cells. Remove them and put them in the charger provided. Initially I thought the option was an in hilt system too. Later found out it was not so I changed my order to the standard set up. According to what Deep posted, the Li-ion option incorporates a constant current driver and the batteries themselves are pcb protected (protection from unbalanced charging/discharging).

That there should be a deal maker but I did not know those perks were included so I made a poor choice going with the standard set up.  I will be sending the saber back to upgrade to Li-ion option.

I have no issue having to pay a little bit more to get this done. That will be the price paid for my lesson learned - be patient and do your research. Ask questions if not sure.

Also, I don't mind paying extra this time as it won't put me too much under. I just sold two empty iPhone 4 boxes on craigslist for $40! ;D

@Turel. Nice. I just wasn't for sure if these batts were for in hilt or out hilt. I know there are 2 different types of 14500's so yeah. I was hoping they picked the in hilt though. Oh well. I just hope the soundboard isn't like near the batts so you don't have to worry about the wires popping off. Or did they do the soldering points different?

Deep: I just ordered the new Consular saber yesterday morning - but I forgot to click the tab to pay for the Li-Ion Battery Setup.  I sent an email to amend my order, I don't know how to amend order on website.  I really want to make sure I have the Li-Ion Battery Setup on the Consular.

I decided that instead of just shipping it off to get a second one with that li-on set up.  Yeah I know not wallet safe but ya know what my friends b-day is coming so yeah there's a perfect gift!

Not sure how the wiring will look. I'm sure that it's fine with the Li set up. It's the standard set up I'm worried about. I get the impression that it takes up alot of space in the hilt. Not sure how that will affect accessing the USB for the saber config.

I'm hoping that when Custom Saber Division opens up that they can do an in hilt 2.1mm canon recharge port.

Deep, I ordered a Consular with the Li-Ion setup and the charger. I was looking through the options for sound sabers and noticed that there isn't an option for the setup without the charger. Is there a way to just chose the setup in future orders w/out the charger since I have one?

I was wondering, what are the specs of the charger ? Because for the international customers, and we are a few in that case, we don't have the same plugs that in USA (I'm speaking at least for France).

And yeah, the idea of having a possibility to have or not the charger is interesting : two or three being the maximum I could think to be useful IMHO.

Just have a fast question regarding the Li-Ion batteries and shipping. I don't know much about Li-Ion cells but I read somewhere that they can be easily damaged when shipping by plane. Is this correct? Not throwing any stones here, just trying to learn something :)

Thanks!

The charger will accept both 100 to 240 volts, so all you'd need is a plug adapter if you don't have an American outlet in your home.


How did your phone get to you from Japan?  Not by boat.  Don't believe everything you read.

Quick question - How long can two fully charged Li-Ion batteries be anticipated to run a single color saber with sound before needing to recharge?

I just got my consular with he obsidian li-ion setup and i just cant belive how bright the colour is ! (guardian blue) It puts my Anakin FX to such shame lol. Anyway, ill let you know about lifetime. Im going to Metalcamp festival for a week and i figure ill be doing some sparing every night. Lol i can allready feel the nerds going "omg where DA F**K did u get that?!" "Ultrasabers baby. Ultrasabers..." :D

Anyway the recharger for Europe users is only a matter of replacing the cable for the recharger. Or get a US->euro converter to plug in the wall. Since the cable is removable from the recharger and the recharger socket is a standard 8 shape like socket (good bet is you have on connected to your laptop power cable), it is no biggie if you have a spare. Just replace it. Got my li-ion setup and it works like a charm (Europe-Slovenia).

Again, i cant belive the brightnes the Li-ion puts out, both on guardian blue and blazing red !

Question:
Can the 14500 Protected Lithium Ion Cell be used to power a "normal" Blazing red LED unit in my Aeon without the transistor and if so, would that be overdriving the led ? Sorry, i couldnt find this answer on the forum, but since the blazing red uses 2x aaa (2x 1.5v) that do not pump "juice" to the LED for all-round max performance, i would like to redo my battery system to Li-ion setup so i dont have to worry if the blade looks bright enough, and that the LED will allways be the same brightness (max).

Thanks

I'll probably place a post about doing some general calculations about runtimes, which are basically calculated from the estimated battery runtime the manufacturer provides ("mAh") vs. the actual amp draw the LED needs/wants during runtime.  Most LEDs though--draw around 1A (1000mA) to 1.5A (1500mA).  Of course, it varies, depending on if it's an RGB, a "single color" LED, or a Seoul P4 vs. a Luxeon III or Rebel, etc. etc.

@Maslac... your question is about voltage & current.  In general, most (high output) red-type LEDs are on the lower side of voltage needs--around 3v / 3.3v.  Therefore, using a single Li-Ion cell, which is ~3.7v average (~4.2v peak, ~3.5v min.)... you would want to resist somewhere in the range of 0.5ohms to 1ohm.  So... in general... no, you couldn't simply replace the battery pack without first being certain of what's going on inside.  Although it wouldn't hurt a thing to replace the pack and add the resistor no matter what... and see how it looks.  That shouldn't hurt anything.  But WITHOUT the resistor... you'd be taking a chance.

@Artano... "How long can two fully charged Li-Ion batteries be anticipated to run a single color saber with sound before needing to recharge?"

It depends, it depends, it depends.

If the cells are wired for the voltage (in other words, ~7.4v instead of ~3.7v)... they maintain the mAh rating the individual cells have.
If the cells are wired for the amperage (in other words, ~3.7v instead of ~7.4v)... they DOUBLE the mAh rating the individual cells have.

When using different cell types... they (of course) have differing estimated runtimes.  "mAh" is a measurement over TIME, based on a 1amp draw.  In other words:

* Seoul P4, let's say it's drawing ~1000mA
* 18650 Li-Ion cell, let's say the rating is "2600mAh"
* You should get ~2.6 hours of runtime off a full charge.  Your mileage may vary, since soundboards draw a little current, extra LEDs draw a little current, extra drivers draw current, speakers, etc. etc.

A general rule of thumb is to just ASSUME that your LED is sucking down ~1000mA.  Then, simply divide that by the "mAh" rating of your cell type--which does mean that you need to know that ahead of time.  It's usually on the battery cell label, but you may also need to request that Emory note the battery cell's "mAh" rating ahead of time.

So again, you have 2600 / 1000 = 2.6 (hours runtime)... APPROXIMATELY.

I usually just automatically shave off 0.5 hours runtime when I calculate, just to be pig-headed about it & safe (since you're not ALWAYS at full charge, lol).

Now... let's back up a bit.  If you have TWO CELLS... and they are (as I said above) wired for the amperage (so still at ~3.7v)... you'll DOUBLE runtime.  So... in other words, "2600mAh" will become more like 5200mAh.  ~5 hours runtime.

Larger cells will yield even better runtimes, although they become more and more difficult to fit into a saber (duh).

14500 cells are not known for having anything better than ~900mAh to ~1000mAh for runtime.

I hope that helps lots of people--since this question will likely come up a lot.

I just put some of the batteries in for charging, and the red lights appeared (to indicate charging I guess).  When the batteries are fully charged, will the lights on the charger go off, change to another color, start flashing????

Just want to know cause there were no instructions that came with the chargers.  I know the instructions that came with my cell phone states not to over charge the battery.

They change to green.  ;)

Thanks, just like my camera battery charger.  Going off topic now, is there a specific usb connector I need to download fonts into the obsidian board?   

Found the info

Thanks Nova for the excellent write up on battery run times.  Any info on battery storage times?

I assume the obsidian goes into a deep sleep when turned off and continues to drain a very small current from the batteries.  How long can the saber last at 100% or 50% charge in storage before you recommend removing the batteries?

@ thatdecade ... It's a little off-topic now, but I can answer your questions, heheh.  :)

The original Obsidian board draws VERY little current (something like 1mA if that?) when it's in the sleep mode... which I'm not sure how long it takes to get there, but... you know... once you've left it sitting there for a bit.  Let's say 1 minute.

In that case, honestly... you won't "notice" a big difference in:

* Leaving it with the batteries in for 2 weeks... vs.
* Leaving it with batteries out for 2 weeks

Your batteries will discharge on their own about the same as they would with the board still "running in deep sleep".

You could conceivably leave Li-Ion cells for MONTHS and they will hold a decent charge.  Even the protection circuit must draw a little current, so... even when you disconnect Li-Ion cells from a load/circuit... they STILL are being drawn from (a bit).

If you're DEAD SET on making sure you NEVER draw ~any~ power from the Li-Ions (that you can prevent drawing)... use a "kill key" in a charge port, or simply use a quick-disconnect for your batteries.  Easy.

Thanks Novastar!

I hope people find this. All the good stuff gets answered on 7th page of threads that are not nesesarely on topic  ;D

This is exactly what I did. Now, has anyone else noticed a kind of whistling or hissing sound from the charger whilst charging the batteries? Should I be worried? :P

I have actually heard this very light, low-volume "whistling" from a charger I bought that is a multi-charger (not from Ultrasabers)... which I use to charge all sorts of sabers, none of which are set up with Obsidians.

My guess is... you needn't worry about it... although I'm not sure why THIS charger that I have (newer than my old ones, which I bought altogether) sometimes makes the strange noise.

It IS odd, isn't it?  :)  But... I've used it quite a bit, and it's never caused any issues.

I'm not saying what is happening to me is the same as what is happening to you, but... it's just to let you know--I've had a similar experience with no "bad" repercussions.  :)

Hehe alright. Never mind, the indicator LEDs turned green shortly after I posted, and safe to say - they worked beautifully! Coudn't believe the difference between the saber out of the box and then with fully charged batteries. It is incredibly bright and I'll never order a saber with standard setup again! (except if I want one with which the Li-ion setup isn't offered).

Alright, this thing is NOT low-volume anymore. It's giving off high-frequency whistling sounds that are soon gonna be unbearable!
Could this be because of the 230V outlets and me just using another figure 8 cable I found lying around? Should I go buy an adapter? O.o
This is starting to freak me out, cause the charger is whistling like hell and it's giving off a lot of heat..

EDIT: Just to clarify, the power cord I'm using says the same thing on the connector as the one that came with the charger (2.5A 250V~)

Be more specific??

* Are you in Europe?  Sounds like it, you said 220v vs. 110v....
* This is when you are charging a saber, yes?  Only when it charges?  Is the charger from Ultrasabers, or is it from Ebay, etc.?
* Do you have more than one Li-Ion saber?
* So you are saying you are using a converter to change from 110v to 220v??  Or something else?

Also... maybe a video would help...

Lastly... hmm... tons of heat does NOT sound normal... and if the whistling sound is SUPER AUDIBLE + unbearable... that is not right at all (from what I've experienced).  Still... more details, please?

Yes, I'm in Europe (Sweden). Using 230V outlets.
This is when I'm charging the TrustFire 3.7v 900mAh Li-Ion batteries from my saber with the included TrustFire charger from UltraSabers.
No, I do not have more than one Li-Ion saber (yet. I'll have another one on Friday the coming week).
No, I'm not using a converter. I simply found a power cord of mine which has the same figure 8 connector and the same current and voltage rating (2.5A and 250V) as the one supplied by TrustFire.
On the charger it says it's supposed to take up to 240V, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it works the same when it's getting that higher voltage (I guess).
The whistling was enough to give me a headache, and to piss my girlfriend and her dog off like hell.
But since I haven't tried the supplied power cord, I think I'm gonna try getting an adapter which probably chokes the voltage down to 110V.

I may have been exaggerating regarding the heat since I was so stressed out about everything else. It didn't give off much more heat than my regular NiMH chargers.

I got the Li-Ion set-up in my new Dark Shock. I believe that the recharger is good for various sizes of batteries, not just the AAs that go in my saber. On another section of the forum folks confirmed for me that,  if I want to go rechargeable for my son's Dark Initiate LE, that I need NiMH AAA rechargeables not Li-Ion AAA rechargables (which would be too strong).

Quick question: Will the TrustFire recharger that came with my Li-Ion-using Shock also be fine for recharging NiMH batteries? I don't want to buy another recharger if the one I have will do the trick, nor do I want to be pushing too much juice into the wrong kind of battery. Something tells me that might be a bad thing. 

Hey guys  :)

I've read about your questions regarding the charger not being able to fit in european sockets. Check out the picture below

(http://i55.tinypic.com/vjmuq.jpg)

That is a simple adaptor plug which should allow your US charger to fit in EU power outlets. I got mine from China, but I'm sure that any decent electronics hardware store should have these types of adaptor plugs  ;D

The plug itself has the following info on it: 6A 125V/250V

Hey guys. I think I read somewhere that the Obsidian supposedly draws almost no current at all when in "sleep" mode?
The thing is, I left my saber sitting for about a week (oh, what horror!) with I think half the charge left.
And when I picked it up yesterday it was 100% dead. No light, no sound, no nothing.

I'm just wondering, is this normal? In just a week I'd figured there'd be no change whatsoever, but apparently I was wrong.

Oh, and Nova, here's a video of my whistling charger. Shortly after filming it, the charger went quiet for about 15mins (and then kept whistling again).
As you can hear, it increases in pitch. It does that every now and then until the batteries are almost fully charged.
At that point I guess it reaches such a high frequency that I can no longer hear it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zErQlubmSYw#ws (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zErQlubmSYw#ws)

The battery drain you descriibed seems about right.  Even though sleep mode draws very little charge it does draw it continuously.  So a week sounds about right to me.  As for the whistling . . . I'll leave it to the experts.

All you have to find is a leader that you use for small stuff like radio or printer maybe a cd-player or mixer which has the same outgoing that fits perfectly to the battery-charger I `m from Norway so i had to use my son`s old cd-player leader to connect to 230v. And CHARGE... ;)

Whoa, that charger "whining" IS trippy... I can't say even the wacky one *I* have does that.  Methinks it is indeed having to do with the 110v to 220v conversion if I had to take a GUESS (and that's all it is at this point--a guess--sorry!)

As to the Obsidian current draw... well, I don't know the specs on the exact mA (for either v1 or v1.1), but... let's see:

@ 1mA draw (over an hour) ... and yes, I'm just "assuming" this is a fairly high "minimal draw" for Obs... on either version...
24 hours in a day...
168 hours in a week...

168 x 1mA = 168mA...

This simple calculation leads us to believe that even if the idle draw was 5mA (thus, ~840mA)... certain cells would not fully be drained.

The cells *I* use are 18650s, mostly all ~2200mAh to ~2600mAh... so... even a 5mA draw over a week wouldn't "touch" a full charge.

THAT BEING SAID...

~ if you had a partial charge...
~ if your cells are 900mAh capacity (I think they are???)

...you could have drained ~400mA after around 2 weeks.  Maybe.  MAYBE!

STILL.  I don't think Obsidian "idle draws" anywhere NEAR 1mA.  If my memory was better, I'd know what Alex told me, but... I don't recall.  He said something that was less than 1mA though, I think.  Again--both versions.

V1 actually draws less idle juice than v1.1 because... you have to hold the button down to power it on.  But they are still drawing VERY LITTLE overall.

Keep in mind, Li-Ions never drain fully due to the protection PCB, so you can't get the full mah out of them.

Obsidian has less than 1ma idle current consumption.  Don't worry, plenty of people have tested this to see if I'm lying.  Anyone with a multimeter can verify this for themselves.

You might want to do a more scientific test than leaving a saber sit for "about" a week with "I think" half the charge left.

I have Obsidian sabers sitting around with blinking AV switches that haven't hit the charger in a month and still fire up every time.

Blinking AV switches? Yuummmm, Slurp!  :-*  ;D

  ::) Prayer: "COS, please, we need your aid!"  ;D

As did Nyte, I found that after a couple weeks without use, my saber was dead when I wanted to take it to an event.  Lesson learned:  charge it up the night before!  Thus, as with my camera, I thought to order a second set of batteries.  However, looks like I'll be charged $11 shipping for a $6 item???   That doesn't make any sense.  I'm glad you offer the extra batteries here but I don't really want to pay almost double their cost in shipping.

Why do people say things like this?  Shipping rates have nothing to do with the cost of the item.

Go to the UPS website and calculate the shipping from San Jose, CA.  It might make sense, then.

If you want Emory to ship a different method that might cost less, email shipping@ultrasabers.com and ask if he'll do it.  Nicely.

I think most people who never shipped items professionally really have no clue. I eventually just rolled the cost of shipping into retail and said, "Free Shipping". Ha, obviously works better on a $7000 item than a $6 battery. But really, the services UPS provide to companies with volume just aren't understood by people of the eBay era who think, "Why don't you just take the time to drop it in a padded envelope and drive it down to the USPS for me?" Sure bud, and I'll do that every time someone asks fifteen times a week and go broke and insane. No biggie. Who needs margins anyway?

Question on li-ion, and im not sure where to put it so I may as well post it here lol

Anyways, does li-ion = in-hilt recharge? Or are they just rechargeable batteries?

Thanks :)

li-ion = lithium ion  rechargeable batteries. 

On this very thread, one page back, Nyte has a video of the very charger for the very batteries about which you ask.

Thanks both, ill check out that video now :)

I have a small business and ship all the time.  No, it's not cost of the item, it's weight.  This is 1.9 ounces.  UPS has a limit of 1 pound which I do see ships for a minimum of $11.   Ridiculous!   Post Office could send it PRIORITY in a box for $5 or First Class for $1.71!   I ordered the batteries from another supplier that shipped it free, which I certainly don't expect.  But $11 for item that could go for under $2.  You don't even have to go to the post office.   I won't bother to detail shipping options further. 

Hi, you must be new to this forum.  So I will resist the urge to answer this like I yearn to.

But if shipping rates seem a bit high to you and you want to explore other shipping options, you can always email us at shipping@ultrasabers.com to see what we can do instead if ranting about it on the forums.  The UPS rates are generated automatically. 

So email us, we double check rates and ship items via regular mail (small items only like batteries, not whole sabers) all the time.

Updated with dummy cell info more info here as well: http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=3821.0 (http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=3821.0)

'Bought one on the 27th at like 4am. Needless to say, i can't wait to receive it. I got the dark initiate but will heavily modify it. I have always love ultrasabers and merry belated xmas to them :o :o :o :o :o :o :o ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
\

can you use a different Li-ion battery besides trustfire? has always been my question

New feature..Buckpuck...I have an idea of what it does, but what effect on the saber will if have ?  I'm guessing it extends the batteries life to a point, and cuts back on heating issues. but does it make the color brighter, dimmer ?   



P.S Sorry for the nub question. but I've never attempted a build from scratch and haven't a clue.

I think the buck puck will also keep your LED safe should you accidentally put a little too much voltage into the battery.

If I do select this option with the BuckPuck for my battery configuration along with obsidian sound, it will come pre-installed and I do not need to do anything except power on and and duel, right?

You'll need to charge the batteries first.

I couldn't seem to find anything about what I'm about to ask, but with the buckpuck and the charger I see that the lights turn green when it is done charging, but if forget to unplug it does it actually shut it self off automatically like some chargers? I don't want to overcharge the batteries. And also how long does it actually take to charge the batteries when there completely dead? My Guardian with sound will be arriving tomorrow so I just want to be prepared and not screw anything up.

From what I've read, they won't overcharge but the charger itself could have troubles if you keep it plugged in all the time. I can't give you an exact charge time, but it'll be a couple of hours at least.

Ok, cool. Thanks Benpass, I will definitely keep a very close eye on the charger when I'm charging it tomorrow and I also won't leave it plugged in once I'm not using it.  :)

Not a problem! Enjoy!!

so if we get the li ion set up with buck puck can we buy stronger batteries to get longer run time? this set up comes with trustfire batteries with a 14500 something rating, are there better batteries? I just saw in another thread that the batteries with higher ratings like 18600 are actually bigger batteries so i guess that answers my question to an extent.

Not sure if this is still true, but on my saber the sound module was adhered to the back of a 2xAA battery holder loaded with lithium trustfire batteries. Cheap for them, but doesn't allow for larger battery packs.

in all honesty, theres no need to go to larger batteries, the trustfires the size of AA batteries work fine, and with sound usually get 2 hours or so of runtime, up to 6 in my experience with stunt sabers

if you go to larger batteries on a custom build, in all honesty its going to take up a lot more space in the hilt, meaning u will either need a longer hilt, or need to rethink your design considerably

is it safe to recharge the batteries  after each use or do they need to be completely drained before charging?

It's safe, although allowing them to drain will give the cells a better overall lifespan.  You should be fine though.

When the batteries are charging is the charger supposed to be flashing red lights? I know the color will be green when they are charged but is it a flashing green or solid green? Does the flash indicate a problem?

That's something I've never seen, personally.  Typically when the cells lose contact with the leads the lights turn green, since they're that way by default (when the cells aren't in).  Is it flashing on and off, or just from green to red?

Never mind. I tried just plugging in the charger without batteries and it flashed the same way. So instead of sticking in both batteries and then plugging it into the outlet, I put one battery in and plugged it in and the flashing went away. I was able to stick the second battery in then. The charger just seems to be a little temperamental.

Yeah it can be that way.  Sometimes you gotta make sure the batteries are getting good contact or it will flicker, or even just remain green.

Many times these flashing lights when it should just be solid red (for not fully charged) can indicate that the battery is fully dead and the PCB has been damaged or has failed and the battery needs to be replaced.

Thanks for the information. This time with my flashing experience it was just an issue with a poor connection. We are fully charged now.

Since sabers without sound need a buckpuck, does that mean the Obsidian soundboard internally regulates the LED current to 700-1000mA? What would happen if you ran a voltage of 7.4v to an Obsidian soundboard?

The soundboard actually runs on 7.4V, which is provided by the two trustfire Li-ion cells.  However, it does not have its own driver (to my knowledge), which is why the buckpuck or resistor is required.

hello Guys and Gals! i need help about change my battery pack for my "Standard battle issue fire orange", i have bought the normal battery setup pack and it's 2xAAA Alkalyne (2x1,5Volt=3 V) , now i think the LED is a Cree Luxeon 3,7 Volt , i haven't a Li-Ion Battery but i think to use 3xAAA Ni-Mh (3x1,2Volt=3,6 V) to make the blade more bright, is a right way or is wrong? and if a exchange only with 1x3,7V Li-Ion without buckpuck what's happen?

I think you'll need a buckpuck or a resistor setup to make it compatible. I've read that it is unwise to simply swap one type for the other without the proper setup.

The Ni-MH *should be swappable, but I'd ask someone with more experience using them to chime in here.

Oh, and you should read this thread and post first, Toki! http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=117.0 (http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=117.0)

Welcome to the boards!

is it possible to get your standard set up replaced with this?

I believe it is, but requires an email to Emory. shipping@ultrasabers.com

do i have 2 get 1 with a charger if i am getting the new charger plug on the outside?i am just trying 2 save a little bit of money because the overlord with sound cost 360.please help.with battery should i get

Save money! Don't pay for the recharge port. Would be cheaper just to buy a few extra Trustfires? And alot less time replacing then waiting for your saber to recharge? Lol

Hi,

Does anyone know what effect the UK electric current would have on the recharger that come with the Li-Ion battery pack?  I know you can get converters, but would it damage the batteries etc?  As you can tell I've not got clue, so would appreciate any help.

thanks

Scram

I read from many others here that the converters make everything run as intended, and that the Li-On setups are good for those on 110 and 220V grids.

Ok, cheers mate - I appreciate the quick reply.  I keep changing what I have in my shopping cart on the ultrasabers site.  I've still not plucked up the courage to press the buy option just yet!!

You're very welcome! You won't regret it if you do. I'm 35 and the first thing I grab when my wife and kid hit the sack is my Bellicose. I've done it every night in the last month and a half that I've owned my saber, and I look forward to doing it again tonight! hehe.

When you do decide on something, sit on it for a day or two, and if the urge to click buy is still strong, it would seem that your saber has found you! :)

ooh - sounds like a convincing arguement to me.  Can I ask your opinion though?  I've always admired the Graflex but it's been out of my price range until this recent price drop, however if I went for it I would need to go without the Li-Ion battery pack to keep costs down.  In your opinion would it be worth it?  My other choice is the Bellicose with the battery pack which is an equivilent price or a Prophecy with the battery pack which is a bit cheaper.  I just can't decide!

I went with the Bellicose because I did fit my price range with the options I wanted. The Graflex is gorgeous, it is true, but I would suggest getting all of what you want rather than only some of what you want. If you're in the market for sound/flash on clash, etc., then it might be a better idea to find a hilt that you like and can load up with the goodies. I like the Graflex too though, and even the forum's resident masters agree that it's a great hilt for duelling/using as a non-display saber. I find that my budget and my wishes never agree when it comes to these sabers!

It's funny you should mention the Prophecy as that will be my next purchase from Ultrasabers. Just saving me tin for that! I hope that helps, but ask any questions you have!

Thanks Eerockk, your help is much appreciated.

As fowhat you said - it rings very true.  I really do want a Graflex with sound, FoC, illuminated AV switch etc etc, however my modest budget doesn't allow me to go for sound, and therefore FoC etc.  Like I said - it's a toss up between those 3, and although the Glafles is my fav, I don;t want to cheapen it by not getting the right specs. especially as a first saber.  I think I may opt for the Prophecy as a first then can see if it's worth spending more money in something like the Graflex.

Thanks

You're very welcome, Scram! I've heard great things about the Prophecy, so I think if you go full-bore on that one, the Graflex might be something considerable for the future. I know my son's Prophecy won't be the last saber I buy here... :)

Folks, does the BuckPuck setup improve brightness or efficient energy usage relates only to battery life?

It's not gonna affect brightness really, it just gives you less wasted energy.

how long do they last, mine r only lasting about a hour before i have 2 recharge them

How long does it take to recharge a pair of  Li-ions?

it is not a really bad time but it seems very long because u want 2 play with it again. it takes around 3 hours fully dead. i dont know 4 sure i have never timed it

Well that's better than the 13 hrs that my store bought rechargables say I have to take.

Is it possible to buy a saber with Li-Ion setup without sound and then mail it in later when I have more money to get a soundboard? I ask because Phx comic-con is coming up and I want a saber but can't afford a saber with sound AND going to comic-con, so I plan on buying a saber and mailing it in later to get sound. That's all I'm asking... for now...

You can

Yes you can I have an Overlord with Li-ion set up without sound and plan on sending it in for sound soon.

I bought a Dominix v3 last July.  I have the Li-Ion battery set-up from Ultrasabers for my saber with flash-on-clash, sound and Sunrider's Destiny LED.  I picked up my saber after I came home from a two-week vacation and it wouldn't turn on.  I charged the batteries, and still the saber won't turn on.  My buddy tested the batteries and he said they won't hold a charge, so I guess I need to get new batteries.

Do I need to get 14500 600mAH 3.7V Protected Rechargeable Li-Ion Batteries for the saber?  Or can I get Li-Ion batteries with different MAH ratings, such as the 2 TrustFire 18650 2400mAh 3.7V Protected Li-ion Battery?

You'll need to keep the batteries at the 14500 size, but you can get the higher-rated 2400 mAh versions for longer life. The 18650s are too long for the battery holders.

Thank you so much for your helpful reply!  LS points given in appreciation!

is it ok to charge the batts if they are not fully dead?

I've never had a problem with doing this, and I've done this often!

There should be no problems topping off Lithium-ion or Ni-MH batteries.  That was a problem with Ni-CADs.

Can I use the li-on batts for a grab bag saber,or will I need to run it on ni-mh cells,I take it grab bags don't use the buck pucks ?  :-\
Also if I get a recharge plug in my next saber ,can I still remove the batts to charge in the standard charger,?

If your saber does not come initially with Li-Ion Batteries, you cannot use them unless you change the resistance setup.  Most Grab Bag sabers come with Alkaline batteries and you can replace those with NIMH batteries to save money long term. 

To my knowledge, you can remove the batteries and charge them in a Trustfire charger even if you have a Recharge port installed.  I am not really sure why you would want to do this but I believe it is possible.

Blue

Grab bags only run on standard setups, so the NiMH are needed there. Only use LiON batteries with LiON setups! The voltages are very different and you will damage a standard setup with LiONs. Also, buck pucks are only used in LiON setups so you won't see them in a grab bag. (Unless it's a rare grab bag with a LiON setup - they are rare but have happened before).

The batteries are still able to be removed as usual even if there is a charge port. (You'd still have to take the pommel off to access the Obsidian's USB if equipped).

Edit: Blue just beat me to it! :)

I'm awaiting arrival of my Aeon LE, which I presume uses the alkaline batteries. I'm sure that I saw a post on here recommending a specific set of batteries for non-Li-ion setups, but can't find it anywhere.

Is there a consensus on which are the best rechargables to use? I'm in Britain so may have different brands then folks in the States, but any guidance is welcome.

When I purchase sabers with alkaline setups and want to use them long term, I opt to purchase NIMH batteries for replacements.  The voltage is slightly lower than a standard alkaline but I can certainly charge them for cheaper than I can continue to purchase replacement disposables. 

Everyone has their likes and dislikes about brands so I won't endorse a single brand. 

I think I may have zorched my batteries already.  Got the e-mail this week about not keeping the Lithium batteries in the saber.  Well, took them out and one of them was down, the other had "full" charge.  Gave them a long sit in the charger overnight.  Well, the sound now works, but no light.  I'm thinking that one of the batteries lost enough that it doesn't provide enough to power the LED.  I'll own that, but before I go laying out for new batteries, I'd like to be more certain that's likely the cause.

I would say that is certainly what has happened. 

Yeah, that's what I figured.  Wife has a basic setup for her's, and she left batteries in for a while.  The purple turned into red when the batteries were low.  so, I figured something similar if my own batteries were bad.  I'll get myself some replacements.  Amazon.com has some good prices, even when buying from a US company.  I want to get some good shots with my Ultrasaber and my new costume soon.  Thanks.

No problem.  Have a great day and happy sabering.  Also looking forward to those pics.

Blue

Follow up to before.  I got the new batteries.  TF14500, 3.7v 900mhz and gave them a full charge.  Nothing happens when they are in the saber.  I want to know if there is a difference between the TF and the TR14500 batteries.  They are both TrustFire, and everything else is pretty much the same.  The only difference I can see is the very top (+ side) of the battery is different but only slightly.  Is that causing a contact issue?  If that is the case, I'm having a very hard time finding the right replacement batteries, and it seems that the only way I can get replacements is to buy them with another charger from UltraSabers.

you dont have to buy batts with the charger at US,just buy the batts ,they are very cheap,go to build my own lightsaber ;D

Thank you to everyone for the info.  It was in fact the wrong battery style.  I now have the right ones, and everything is working beautifully.

this may have already been stated... but i cant find a tab for a fully built li-ion/buck/soundboard package on the sight... can i buy all these items and have you put them together for me for a small fee?.. i just dont have the tools to do the work here at home... thanks for checking

Howdy...I'm having the exact same issue that you had. I'm glad i checked this thread as i think i was just about to buy the TF14500 which you said would not work. Are these the batteries you bought that did not work?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360613094281?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360613094281?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649)

I also have the same question do i have to use TR14500 cause the only place i can find them is the ultra sabers store and shipping to the uk is ridiculous for just a couple of batteries.... I can find the silver trust fire 14500 3.7V like this

http://www.focalprice.com/EB138S/Trustfire_14500_37V_900mAh_PCB_Rechargeable_Battery_2Pack.html?Currency=GBP (http://www.focalprice.com/EB138S/Trustfire_14500_37V_900mAh_PCB_Rechargeable_Battery_2Pack.html?Currency=GBP)

Are they the same? :-\

P.s apologies if I'm being a bit dumb...

is it necessaryy to have recharge ports for this, and if so do i need the charger that comes with it, or can i just  take out the battery and use the normal universal charger

You don't need a recharge port at all - the batteries can be removed relatively easy (pop some tape on them the first time to make future removals easier).

I can't speak for any other charger, but the US one seems to work well to me - my first time charging my Bellicose' batteries was quicker than I expected.

A recharge port does mean that the 'sabre should never run down, of course, and will always be ready for the fight. If you're a heavy user, it may be worth it, though.

Thank you james, appreciate it, dont own a ultrasaber so i think ill order a pretty simple one for the first order just too see how they are :)

I just ordered crimson reaper with the Li-Ion setup batteries only (no charger). should I have opted for a charger as well? or is there another way to charge the batteries? I opted out of the recharge port as well.

EDIT: and I'm getting the sound board too. did I screw up by not getting the charger?

You need the Li-Ion charger...normal chargers will not work.

ok thanks.  :)

ok, one more thing...
so I should purchase the universal charger on this site and it will work with my Li-Ion batteries, correct?

Yes, if you buy the one from the site, it'll work with the Li-Ions from the site.

Sir,

     I was just curious as to why the default UltraSaber Li-Ion setup was using a lower capacity battery:
(2x Protected Li-Ion 3.7v 14500 - 900mAh)
when the higher capacaity ones are now readily available:
(2x Protected Li-Ion 3.7v 18650 - 3000mAh)

      I ask because it's what I'd prefer in my setup. Here's what I had in mind:
http://www.amazon.com/Ultrafire-18650-3000mah-Rechargeable-Battery/dp/B006QQ27BW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1376763291&sr=8-2&keywords=Li-Ion+3.6v+3.7v+3000mah (http://www.amazon.com/Ultrafire-18650-3000mah-Rechargeable-Battery/dp/B006QQ27BW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1376763291&sr=8-2&keywords=Li-Ion+3.6v+3.7v+3000mah)

Thanks for your response,
- Daniel

I believe it's a size consideration because of the inner diameter. To find out for sure, you'd have to email US directly at either:

shipping@ultrasabers.com

or

info@ultrasabers.com

They'd be able to say for sure, but that's my understanding is that they use the 14500s because of smaller size.

So if I understand correctly, the black plastic battery holder is where the size limitaion comes in? I'm just guestimating, but I think that might be an easy fix:
18650  Battery Holder: http://www.amazon.com/Gino-Pointed-Batteries-Battery-Holder/dp/B00CQKBECA/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_4 (http://www.amazon.com/Gino-Pointed-Batteries-Battery-Holder/dp/B00CQKBECA/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_4)

I believe modifying the saber once I got it would be trivial, but I'm curious if UltraSabers can offer it as an additional battery pack option. Longer Battery Life =  :)
No need to buy batteries + holder I'll just throw out/replace right?

So I wonder if the Outer Size of the 18650 battery holder is too large to fit the Inner Diameter of all the Hilts? That's the only limitation I can see, but as I don't own one yet it's hard to say for sure. Can anybody measure the inner-diameter of their hilt for me? Below is the size of the battery holder:

Body Size : 7.3 x 4 x 2cm/2.9" x 1.6" x 0.8"(L*W*H)

I drew out the square of .8in X 1.6in and it looks the we'd need a min. inner-diameter of 1.75in. Much appreciated!

I'm certainly no expert when it comes to all of the options out there, and like I said, it would be best for you to email US to be sure. For example, I'm simply guessing that size is why why don't use 18650s. I'm not an official spokesman or employee though, and can only guess at such things. All that said, the hilts that I've had from US tend to have an inner diameter (ID) of (approximately) 1.4"-1.5" at the widest point. Some sabers like the Liberator V3 and the Prophecy V3 have choke points that make that part of the ID smaller than even that.

Now, I have worked with and built sabers that run off of a single 18650 Li-Ion and that DOES cut down on size, but as things are at the moment, Obsidian won't work with just the single cell (to my understanding).

Thanks. Looks like if anything would work for a larger capacity (mAh) setup it would have to be two of these, end on end:
2 Pcs Black 18650 Flat Tip Batteries Battery Holder Case w Wire Leads
http://www.amazon.com/Gino-Black-Batteries-Battery-Holder/dp/B00CQKBQBE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376773214&sr=8-1&keywords=18650+Battery+Holder (http://www.amazon.com/Gino-Black-Batteries-Battery-Holder/dp/B00CQKBQBE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376773214&sr=8-1&keywords=18650+Battery+Holder)

The only question now would be room inside the hilt length-wise, which varies greatly from hilt to hilt. Just seems like their may be better options than the standard 900mAh currently shipping w/ these sabers. I plan to keep mine going for at least 3.5 hours come Halloween this year.

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but here I go. My charge pack has two settings 3v and 3.6v; which do I use to charge my TrustFire batteries?

3.6

I've noticed people say its possible to remove batteries from a saber with a recharge port.

Is anyone capable of explaining how to remove the batteries? I have a Dark arbiter and a Reaper, both with sound, and can't figure out how to access the batteries.

Unscrew the pommel, bump the bottom with the palm of your hand and the speaker battery assembly should fall right out. 

Watch Ultrasabers' video here: youtube.com/watch?v=jaNOtVX5rOU

That is actually incredibly easy. Thanks for the video. I don't know why I couldn't find it. 

If I were to order sabers with Li Ion in October, do you think the batteries would be in good shape if they weren't used till Christmas?


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I would leave them charging in some form or fashion. Maybe every so often.

Sorry if this has been asked and answered earlier in the thread, I did quickly read through it.
Aside from rechargeable batteries, is there any specific reason to get Li-Ion batteries in a Non-sound Saber?

I'm planning on getting a Initiate V3 in Adegan Silver to make into a Yari, but without sound. Would it matter if I got Li-Ion or just save some money on the purchase and get a regular alkaline A³ bat pack?

From what I have learned so far, there is no real advantage of Li-Ion batts in a non-sound saber. The AAA batteries should be enough for your saber - unless you plan to upgrade your saber with sound later on, then I would really take the Li-Ion now to avoid higher costs for the conversion.

How long does the battery life usually last on a saber with sound, illum A/V switch and FoC me and my friend just practiced for an hour today and our batteries were drained and they only just came off charge. Both my saber and one of my friends two sabers turned off suddenly, is this the average life span with use or are our batteries faulty?

Sounds like you have the later generation trust fires.  They have a cutoff point that instead of having a blade that will dim, once you reach a certain point, they'll just immediately cutoff.  I have done demos that have lasted for 4 hours and I usually have to replace my batteries twice during that time.  I have SRD LED with FO FOC and Blue AV switch.  I think 1.5 hours is about average for me with the set that I have.  Buck Pucks have been known to last longer but this saber is resistor setup that I am referring.  Also, make sure that you turn your batteries in your charger as I have had mine not make good contact and the light change quickly from Red to Green and I know the battery was not fully charged.  One good way to over come this is to get a recharge port installed as I have better luck with my batteries getting more fully charged that way. 

So is it possible to get a different type of the batteries i would like some sort of indication my batteries are about to run out instead of instant cut out

The ones that I have that allow the blade to dim rather than instant cut out are gray skinned and the ones that cut out instantly have a black skin on them.  Trustfire may have changed to where all of them cut out instantly.  The best advice I can give is to simply turn your saber on and time how long it takes to cut off.  Repeat this about 3 times.  This will give you the approximate length of time you will be able to use your saber.  I also have recommended that when people purchase sabers, they get a 2nd or 3rd set of batteries to have on hand to eliminate the charging time wait.  The only other way to get a better idea of what is going on it to see if you can find someone to install a power level indicator on it but this is a not a service offered by Ultrasabers at the time of my post. 

Sorry I cannot be much help past this.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TrustFire-Rechargeable-Lithium-Batteries-Battery/dp/B00ABE7VZ2/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1384083071&sr=1-2&keywords=TrustFire+14500 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/TrustFire-Rechargeable-Lithium-Batteries-Battery/dp/B00ABE7VZ2/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1384083071&sr=1-2&keywords=TrustFire+14500)

Are these the ones you own? If so I will buy a few packs.

Yes, those are the gray skinned ones of which I was speaking.

I was a little concerned that I would have to spend extra cash on new batteries, but using a charger instead is a neat idea.   

Can you use a higher mAh battery or do you have to use 14500 3.7V 900mAh?

For example; can you use TrustFire Protected 18650 3.7V True 2400mAh Rechargeable Lithium Batteries?

If you want to use them, then you have to change the battery pack. The 18650 are bigger than the 14500.

In this (http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=18176.msg279160#msg279160) thread says this:



I thought you must have an buck puck or resistors to correct current anyhow? I am planning to use Lithium Ion-batteries, buck puck, on/off switch, Obsidian sound board, a modular LED and 2 cell Ion-battery pack/speaker combo. I have been thinking about the possibility to use the red & green-version of Emerald MLED but do I need anything else to make the emerald MLED work?

The Emerald driver replaces the buck puck in Emerald setups. It's recommended with Obsidian only setups.

So you need the emerald drive in adition to the emerald LED, right? Haven't seen the emerald drive in the shop.  >:(

You can alway email Emory at info@ultrasabers.com and ask for the Driver. I'm sure he will help you.

I had a look through the site a couple of times, but I couldn't see any way to purchase an emerald board. I may be mistaken, but it looks like there are just different LED combinations for those that originally bought a 2-colour driver with their Emerald saber, and now want 2 different colours.

My experience is limited to playing with the various settings for 4-channel Emeralds with obsidian, and swapping emitters and pommels around. So I may be missing something.

That's right, you can't purchase it from the website. That's why I would ask Emory if he could help you (see my latest post) ;)

Did sent him an e-mail earlier today. ;)

He replied an said "We don't have the driver listed on the website as a standalone item.  It is currently only available for purchase in a saber due to the limited number we currently have in stock.  This may change in the future however". Just imagine the possibilities with a 4-channel emeraldr drive in your saber.  ;D

Hm, so I shouldn't wait too long with my Emerald saber order :D They might be sold out when I want one.

Both my sabers have buck puck li ion setup one with obsidian and one without and I get plenty of battery life I've had no issues with over heating the wires and they both have a very vibrant color that doesn't fade just simply turns off when there isn't enough power vs it trying to stay on and fade out . I'm very pleased with the li ion buck puck I also recommend it to everyone for stunt and sound sabers


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Wait.... a saber with a li-ion setup is supposed to come with a charger?.....  We're sure about this?

When you order a saber with a Li-Ion setup, you choose whether to include a charger or not. So, for your first saber at least, you should include one. On the other hand, if you have a recharge port installed, then you should order a charger for that instead - at least for the first one.

Having multiple chargers makes it easier to charge your sabers/batteries, but you don't need to order a charger every time. That's why they are optional.

How do you cnnect the recharge port to the rest of the electronics?

I would rather ask Emory if you can have your saber upgraded with a Recharge Port than doing it yourself if you don't know how to wire it. Actually, I don't know if there's already a wiring diagram in the forum that includes a Recharge Port, so better ask him if he can do that for you.

I just finished my first build and did all the electronics myself so asked out of curiosity.  ;)

question to anyone who knows. i just bought my first US, it was a grab bag single lightsaber. it comes with these battery's? and not the charger? or both or neither?

99% of the grab bags ordered from the site come in the standard set up which would be 4 triple A batteries or 2 double As in some cases. 

The best bet imo is to invest in a good set of NIMh rechargeable batteries like the Sanyo Eneloop and a charger. 

hmmm ok, just curious why the NIMh ones over the ones on the website? http://www.ultrasabers.com/product-p/z-electronics-battcharcombo.htm (http://www.ultrasabers.com/product-p/z-electronics-battcharcombo.htm)

Those are Li Ion, you would buy those if you had a saber with an Li ion set up.  It is not recommended to put Li Ion batteries into a standard set up saber.

There are essentially two battery options from Ultrasabers

Li Ion
Standard Battery

The Li Ion rarely if ever shows up in Grab Bag Sabers

Grab Bags are usually Standard Set up which are regular alkaline or Nimh rechargeables. 

NIMh and Li-ion batteries use different voltages so no it is not advised to use batteries not designed for it's intended purpose. For standard Setups Rechargable NIMh batteries work best for them for something to recharge. You usually need to buy the charger only once though stick with same brand batteries. Mixing batteries and chargers is not advised.

Sabers with sound and Emerald have higher power needs so they would be found in a Li-ion setup

hmm cool. thanks for the info. so when my grab bag comes, i need which charger exactly? since you said "Mixing batteries and chargers is not advised." but they only sell one charger on the US website. does it matter which charger i really get? i cant go to like best buy or radioshack and get a Universal Battery Charger??

The Chargers UltraSabers Sell is for the Li-Ion Batteries so unless your saber has that setup then don't worry about that. Standard Setups use 4 AAA batteries or in some cases 2 AA. These are the same type of batteries you would regularly find in a TV Remote, Flashlight etc

So you would go to any electronics stores they should carry rechargeable NIMh batteries and a charger they arn't hard to find in most stores in pharmacy stores and even connivance stores may also carry them. They arn't too expensive either though because they are rechargable are higher in price then the non-rechargable batteries you could get for your saber

awesome! thanks for the info! totally helped me out, ill know what to do for my grab bag on friday when it gets here :)

I'm currently attempting to build a lightsaber and would like to know if i can charge the batteries that the ultra sabers website offers within the hilt or where i could get something i could set up this way, also i would like to purchase a recharge port to install if ultrasabers offer one i'd like to know, or where i could get one and also can i use the battery/speaker setup ultrasabers offer and recharge the batteries or where i could get something that works similarly.


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Easiest way is just getting the recharge port setup if you want an in-hilt charge possibility.
You can ask at info@ultrasabers.com if they can prepare your hilt for the recharge port and send you the port for your DIY project. I'm quite sure they will agree to do that for you.

Hey guys! Sorry if this question has been answered already but how long should I let the batteries charge? Last time I took them out once the light turned green but the saber didn't last long after that.

The charger is designed to stop charging once they are fully charged, so you won't get any more juice out of them by leaving them longer. It is typical for them to last 2-4 hrs. on average, but if they are going out very quickly then there might be a problem with them.

So there are four options of battery configuration when selecting a saber with sound:  buckpuck with batteries and charger, buckpuck with just batteries, resistor with batteries and charger, or just resistor with batteries.

What's the best option if you factor in cost efficiency?
And what is the universal charger?  What's the difference between getting batteries and charger or just batteries?

Best options are definitely the BuckPuck configurations. They work more precisely than the resistors, you have much less heat development and a more constant current to the LED (both extend your LED's lifetime), leading to more energy efficiency and thus, cost efficiency (in regards of charging - you need less charging cycles because the batteries last longer in a BuckPuck config).

The Universal Charger from US is a two-battery Li-Ion battery charging cradle, either for charging spare Li-Ion batteries or the batteries that have been removed from the hilt. The other charging option is the Recharge Port setup which allows you to charge the Li-Ions while they're in the hilt.

The difference is just that you either get the Universal Charger with your saber or not ;) You can always order it separately from Ultrasabers, but it's cheaper to get it directly with your saber. So better stick to the 'BuckPuck with batteries and charger' option!

I always recommend taking a Universal charger (for charging spare Li-Ions) and, if money allows it, also the Recharge Port with the 1.2A Fast Charger.

I recently ordered a saber with the standard setup. This may be a silly question but what are the downsides of this compared to the Li-Ion setup? This saber won't have sound so I'm just curious if the LED won't be as bright or if the Li-Ion batteries would last longer. Basically, are there any performance differences? Thanks!

I don't notice that much difference in brightness and the standard AAA setup has a much better shelf life than the Li-Ions.  I got some stunt sabers last year that I still have the original batteries in and they are still going strong with only occasional use.  I don't know what color you chose but I think the Li-Ion and buckpuck setup works better when it comes to mixed colors like VA, SRD, AB, and the forum colors.  Overall I think you should be fine in going with the standard setup.

That works for me. Thanks for the info! ;D

I have recently experimented with finding answers to several of these questions and I started a thread in the Technical section to discuss my findings using NiMh rechargeable batteries.  Apparently, not many people do this, or at least they didnt comment on it.  Here are a few things that I have learned in the past month, other than what people have already mentioned here.

1.  NiMh rechargeable batteries are a great option for your stunt, AAA battery setup.  If you don't use these and you DO use your saber much, you'll spend a lot of money on batteries.  Using regular Alkaline AAA batteries you'll get around 1-2 hours of blade runtime, more with better quality Alkaline batteries.
2.  When buying NiMh batteries, most take 4-8 hours to charge, regardless of the "green light" on the charger.  There is a distinct difference in pulling the batteries off of the charger and putting them in the saber after 1 hour of charging, than there is after 4 hours of charging, using 2 different chargers that I've tried with Ni-Mh batteries.  This is not to say that this holds true for the Li-Ion batteries and chargers sold by US.  I've been leaving 8 NiMh AAA size batteries on my charger overnight to get maximum charge and they run longer when I do.  Oh, and my charger is a "smart charger."
3.  When buying NiMh rechargeables, DO NOT BUY THE NO NAME BRAND EBAY CHINESE BATTERIES!!!  They lure you in with cheap prices and grandiose claims such as 1500-2000mah power and only $10.00 for 24 batteries, shipped!  These are garbage; I know, I tried 48 of them in different colors and from different sellers on ebay...all garbage, they get you 30 minutes of blade runtime before they are done.
4.  BUY GOOD QUALITY NiMh rechargeables!  They don't cost that much more and they give better runtime, despite what the mah rating is.  The Energizer, Sanyo Eneloop and Tenergy (Premium or Centura) batteries all have lower reported mah rating than the cheapo ebay batteries, and they all last longer, because the cheapo batteries misrepresent their capabilities.  Go with name brand.
5.  Regarding LEDs, US uses multiple different kinds of LEDs.  It was explained to me that the standard LED modules used are either 5 or 6 watt LEDs.  These are the ones that you find in the stunt sabers.  In the sabers with sound and flash on clash, they use 10 watt LEDs which are...(wait for it)...twice as bright!  I own 4 sabers now, 1 with sound and 4 stunt with AAA batteries.  There is no comparison between them in brightness.  10 watt LED with sound and FoC is so bright it hurts your eyes in total darkness.  The stunt setups are still nice, but won't "WOW" you with their brightness, regardless of what brand battery you use in them.

Very good to know. Thank you!

Currently LIthium ion is out of my budget. Will see how My Dominix V3 LE holds up with the standard setup (When it arrives.) But may eventually get it upgraded to the lith ion with buck puck.

I was looking at the charger/battery section and I saw these two options:

Li-ion Setup with BuckPuck (Batteries & Trustfire Charger included)
and
Li-ion Setup with BuckPuck (Batteries and VP) Charger Included [Add $7.50]

I didn't see any documentation or forum posts on the VP BuckPuck charger, although I read through the VP charger information under the Build your own lightsaber Parts section.  For us newbies, hopefully someone can answer (and maybe update the main post) some basic questions about them:
What's the difference between the Trustfire and the VP?
What is the benefit of using a VP charger over the Trustfire?

Thanks! :)

The VP charger is a new option.  There is a video provided by US regarding battery setups and this explains the VP1 charger.  It can be found on the section where you order your battery configuration.

Take a look and it should answer your questions.

Oh, and on a side note, if you order those VP1 chargers from virtually any online retailer separately, they run you anywhere from $34.99 to $49.99, just for the charger.  Sounds like a very good price point from UltraSabers to upgrade your charging capabilities for less than $10.00!

Thanks for the info Ziran Le.  I'd watched the video a while ago, but I didn't remember seeing anything on the VP chargers, so it must be something they added with the updated video.  I do think it would be helpful if they updated the main post with the VP information, especially since when I was doing research earlier I was looking at it on my phone and it doesn't do video.  Yay for non-smart, smart-phones ;D Also, since I'd watched the video a while ago, it never occured to me that it was a new one either, mea culpa.

The VP charger does sound like a good deal.  It definitely seemed more user friendly than the Trustfire and more versatile, although the Trustfire is more "idiot proof" in that you will have a harder time screwing it up, unlike the VP which you can set to the higher charge setting and could damage your batteries if left on it for too long.

Hi
have an ultrasabers lightsaber and love it after having a master replicas one but light stopped working.  When checking the batteries realized one doesn't take power any longer.  I was gifted this from my cousin and don't have the original charger just the saber and the original batteries.  I tried using a regular battery along with truefire one and light works!  Can I use other batteries ie nimh ones or do I have to reorder Truefire ones?  will any batteries do?  can I also use regular charger I have now?  thanks

You can't use other batteries than the TrustFire Li-Ion batteries when the saber came with the Li-Ion setup!! Only these provide enough power to both the sound board and the LED. And you also need a Li-Ion battery specific charger, never use regular chargers for Li-Ion batteries!

If you have a dead battery, order a new set - or better a set together with US's new VP1 charger, these are capable of reviving dead cells in most cases. The normal TrustFire charger also offered by US can't do that.

Even for single color stunt sabers there's a noticeable difference between a buckpuck/Li-ion combo and normal AAA's. (I actually use something that's not a buckpuck but I had on hand (does the same thing, not as rugged), and a quick disconnect so I can move the 'unit' to whichever saber I prefer to have it in at the time).

BTW throw the extra money at the charger port. You'll thank yourself. (Idea for custom builders or US guys, the charger port looks almost the right size... charger port mounted through the covertec wheel anyone? eh? eh?)

And how would you secure the Covertec Wheel? Using a threadened port wouldn't work very well, I think, and you can't use a screw because its place would already be taken by the port ;)

The practical person in me says, "You're right, impossible."

The trained mechanical engineer in me says, "How could this work?"

So here are my thoughts. Most ports have threads on them. Not all, some are for flush mounts. I don't know what the saber builders tend to use.

You need a new design for the covertec wheel, in two parts:
The saber bit that fits onto the saber's curve. It would have the curved part, with a counter sunk hole, just wide enough to fit the jack all the way through, and wider (covertec wide) 'above' that.
The wheel itself would be threaded to fit over the charging port.

Mechanically, it wouldn't be quite as strong as a normal covertec but I bet it would work, depending on the size of the recharge port. Again I don't have one (which is why I recommend them).

I think US uses a port design that sits flush with the hilt. All ports (the old 2.5mm and new 2.1mm) on my sabers sit flush and don't protrude from it.

Your system sounds quite good. If you manage to make it as rigid as the setup US uses right now, then it might work :D I suggest posting that in the Suggestions thread as well ;)

I lack the tools and the skills to manufacture such a thing. If I had access to a CNC machine I might could program it to do the job...

Probably wouldn't work anyway, was just a weird idea.

A quick lesson in batteries from a physicist (me).

First, battery sizes: 14500 are NOT true AA size, they are slightly smaller 14.0 mm circumference x 50.0 mm length. (AA are 14.5 x 50.5). There are larger batteries with much better mAh ratings, but they are physically larger as well. an 18650 battery is 1.2 cm (12 mm) longer than 14500s. To use them would require a different receptacle and more room in your hilt. Bottom line, stick to 14500s.

Second, Voltage is VERY important! STICK to what is recommended here! 3.7v per cell (battery). Voltage will determine how your saber will act. Higher voltages (NOT Recommended!) will create a brighter LED output, but will cause extra heat, and burn out your LEDs much more quickly. It's also not good for your expensive sound boards! 3.6v batteries are out there and will work, likely with minimal change. From a physics standpoint, you might have an ever so slightly dimmer LED output, but no real harm to the mechanics of your saber.

Third, about mAh ratings... the more, the better. BUT make sure the cells you use have a protected circuit board (PCB) built in. I've discovered that batteries without this feature can be "overrun" and you'll never get a proper charge into them ever again. Ultra Sabers provides you with very good batteries (TrustFire 14500 with PCB at 3.7v and 900mAh rating). For your reference, I have found and use UltraFire 14500s (2) with PCB at 3.7v and 1200mAh rating).  The higher rating means your battery charge lasts longer on a single charge. My batteries last about 35-40% longer than the stock ones.  ;D

I hope this helps you all!

Hey guys,
I just ordered my saber with the lipo and buck puck setup, no charger for me as I already run 14500 in alot of flashlights and have a really nice nitecore charger. Can anyone tell me an estimated run time? It is only a stunt saber(no flash, no sound). I have one saber in a standard setup and I still haven't had to replace the batteries in it from original purchase.
Thanks,
Spiz
P.s. tried to use search function but it kinda sucks in taptalk app so sorry if this has already been touched on.

I get slightly more than THREE hours straight run time with my "stock" 900 mAh batteries and get about FOUR and a HALF plus out of my 1200 mAh ones. For your reference, I have a Dark Arbiter in blazing Red with v3 obsidian sound... Without the sound board, I imagine you should get a significant amount more time! Have fun! Enjoy!!

Is it safe to leave the Li-ion batteries charged via the recharge port using the 1.2A Fast Charger without switching on the saber indefinitely? (My 1.2A Fast Charger charges a flat battery in about an hour without switching on the saber).

Yes, should be no problem. Turn the saber on for some minutes from time to time, though, it's not good when you leave the batteries at full charge for a long time. Use it, let them discharge, then plug the charger in again.

Let me quote the Ultrasabers note in full. I think it says it very clearly, as follows:

Tips for Li-Ion Battery Care
If you own an Ultrasaber that uses Li-Ion batteries then you have probably wondered what the best way is to take care of the batteries is to prolong them.  One gigantic piece of misinformation is that you shouldn't keep the batteries on the charger (or if you have a recharge port, you shouldn't keep your saber plugged in).  When that is exactly where you should keep them.  Our chargers begin to "trickle charge" once the batteries are fully charged.  Which means that it will keep the batteries topped off but will not overcharge or damage the batteries.
 
The best way to risk damaging your Li-Ion batteries is to leave them in your saber for an extended period without using the saber or charging the batteries.  Over a very long period of time your saber will eventually fully drain the batteries and if your batteries stay idle for an extended period after being completely depleted they will eventually forget how to charge and become "fully dead" battery cells and won't recharge again.  So if your saber is going to be sitting idle for an extended period of time, please remove the batteries and store them in the charger or if you have a recharge port just keep your saber plugged in until the next time you plan to use it.  This will help to preserve your Li-Ion batteries.

I know that note, and I also stick to it ;) However, I've also read a few times that Li-Ions shouldn't be left at full charge for too long. They should be used from time to time, even if it's only for a minute...but it could be that this doesn't apply to US's Li-Ion batteries...

Just wondering, I'm new here and I've tried hunting around the forums but couldn't find any concrete answers for my questions.

It's in relation to battery life with Tri-Cree LED setups.

I have 2 UltraSabers (technically three ;)) which I got recently and I think they are absolutely fantastic - 1x Bellicose TRI-Blazing Red with V3 sound (Li-on with buck-puck) and 1x Sentinal V4 Staff TRI-Fire Orange no sound, also Li-on buck-puck.

Now I've read a few people saying batteries on full charge should last anywhere from 2-4 hours depending on LED colour and if you have sound or not. I'm assuming this must be with a single LED set-up as even with fully charged batteries fresh from the charger my Bellicose is barely managing 60-90 minutes of runtime - that's with the saber just sitting on a table so only making the Idle noise, if it was to be swung around I can only assume it would be even less time.

The Sentinal staff is getting about 1 hour 45 mins in each hilt for a pair of batteries, sometimes 2 hours but no more than that. I'm not too bothered by it as I have 12x 14500 size rechargeable Li-on Batteries, 6 of them being Xtar that came with the sabers and 6 being Panasonic cells i bought a few weeks ago (so some of the best Li-on cells on the market).

They can pretty much last a full day of trooping at events - only the Sentinal struggles as its 4 batteries at a time, so max 6 hours constant use - the bellicose can go for about 6-8 hours with the 12 batteries I have.

I guess what I'm asking is: is this normal? or is the battery life abnormally low?

I know there is only a 2w difference between TRI-Cree and Single LED so wasn't expecting such a big hit on battery life - as I say the sabers are amazing and I love them but just wanted to make sure battery life is within the realms of normality. To cut down on battery swaps - especially with the Sentinal Staff as its a bit more awkward to swap quickly I'm converting the Sentinals to 18650 size batteries as I can get them in 3400mAh size which should if my maths is correct give me a little over double the battery life between swaps - so around 4 hours or so. With the Bellicose I dont really want to fanny around trying to jam an 18650 size cell in with the sound card and speaker so just gonna leave that on the 14500 size.

Hi guys,

not sure if this have been addressed but I have a few questions regarding batteries.

I'm living in Australia where the Voltage is 240 and 50hz.

I'm aware America is v110 and 60hz.

I've read people talking about buying a convertor for the plug to fit into  the wall socket, however my understanding is that I would actually need a transformer to convert the v240 to v110.

Does the difference in hz effect the batteries or internal wiring?

I've read some horror stories where charging has led to frying the internal wiring and batteries and as shipping to Australia costs over $100 Australian one way I don't exactly want to have to ship a saber back due to a problem charging

Do UltraSabers offer the option to ship with an Australian charger for a fee?

I'm looking at spending over $700 on a Saber with shipping so obviously want to make sure everything will work as it should and won't get damaged over time due to a conversion issue.

Isn't that the whole point of buying a "Smart Charger" that regulates the charge? US have international customers around the globe and I haven't read nor experienced the "horror stories" to that extent.

Great, I'm just making sure.

The stories I'm referring to are more from sources not on here as you might expect like youtube and other forums.

I think a lot of those cases are folks not following instructions.

All of my US have the Lithium-Ion with recharge port and the 1.2A charger as per Emory's youtube recommendation. Yes, it costs more as an option but I never had any troubles with it, just follow the instructions. I'm not a fan of the disposable batteries because I think it costs more in the long run and these have corrosion issues if left unused, whereas you can simply plug the Li-Ion via the recharge port (i.e. battery inside hilt) to condition the battery if left unused (e.g. away on vacation). All of my sabers have loud sound and FoC etc. which use power. It's generally more convenient to have the Li-Ion + recharge port setup. And if you have several of these sabers with this setup, there is no need to buy multiple smart chargers, just a couple will do, which you can save some monies there. You will need an adapter converter because the charger has USA heads, this is cheap to buy.

All chargers and power supplies have a working range from 100V to 240V and from 50Hz to 60Hz to match almost any country's power standards. I'm using them in Germany (220/230V, 50Hz) and they're working perfectly. The only thing you will need is a plug adapter for your wall sockets.

Superb thanks :)

Hey all,

Is there a procedure for these batteries when unboxing them for the first time? I have one set up with a charge port and the other with the VP-1.

Im thinking of removing the batteries right away and charging them. Then with my charge port, run my saber like a lamp. Am I able to access the usb port if i do this?

Thank you.

What Recharge Port charger did you get? If it's the 1.2A Fast Charger, you don't even need to remove the batteries. Just plug the charger into your saber. The charger even charges your saber while it's on (the 0.2A charger wouldn't be able to do that).

And yes, you can access the USB port even when it's on.

The one with the recharge port has the fast charger (1.2A) and i'm just a little nervous about leaving the batteries in while the saber is being used as a display. (it'll never go a day like that I bet)

I think the ability to run the saber from the fast charger with out batteries is awesome. Betcha it won't take long til I drive the wife nuts. I bet she's gonna say "OMG are you serious!?".

Im just gonna act like its a normal light and ignore the fact its humming.

Normally you shouldn't have any problems with the batteries. You can leave them in the saber :)

Hi there!
My brand two-day new sabers just presented a little problem...
When swinging them around or clashing them, they suddenly turn off and reboot, making the sound like if i just put the batteries on 'obsidian'
And i don't know if it's the wires or the batteries (standard battery set up) run off too fast
I checked the battery plugs, and it seems they don't have a problem.
And now, the sabers only last a few seconds turned on before they reboot again! Even when i don't clash, swing or move them!
Did i clashed them too hard? If it's the wires... How do i get it fixed?

Does anybody know what the voltage coming off of the Li-ion setup?

EDIT: ok, I see its 3.7 but I guess my question is, does voltage add since its two batteries?

Yep . . . 7.4v from US Li-Ion setup . . . :)

You miss are awesome. Thank you.

hehe . . . "miss"  ? ? ?   :-\

perhaps I shud change my profile pic ?  :P

(http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah119/JediXIX/9E6ED876-5B7A-48ED-9B6D-26D68EA3B38A.png_zpsuixbdrn1.jpeg) (http://s1378.photobucket.com/user/JediXIX/media/9E6ED876-5B7A-48ED-9B6D-26D68EA3B38A.png_zpsuixbdrn1.jpeg.html)

lol whoopse sorry dude got you confused with someone else sorry

I'm half tempted to make that your profile picture.

I apologize now ( Im sure this has been adressed but cant find it) can the LI-ON setup be used for the Obsidian Lite? I was under the impression that it was only for the Premium and Emerald Sabers.......... Happy Sabering and may the force be with you always

Li-ion setup is currently not an option for sabers with the Obsidian Lite soundboard. I'm not quite sure why that is, but I would assume it has something to do with the board setup and the voltage applied.

Ok thanks for the reply that's what I thought....😕
May the Force Be With You Always

Hello everyone, I wanted to ask a quick question regarding batteries. I just recently purchased my first saber from Ultrasabers, and I have to say I'm very satisfied. I got the archon v2.1 with the emerald driver and sound and its amazing. My question is related to the different milliamp outputs on batteries. I recently purchased some extra X2 Power 14500 batteries for my saber from my local batteries plus store and they are 14500 3.7V 850 milliamp batteries. I noticed that the ones that came with my saber are trustfire 14500 3.7V 800 milliamp batteries. Then I noticed that the Ultrasabers website is selling Trustfire 14500 3.7V 900 milliamp batteries. Does the Milliamp output make a difference at all? Can it overload my saber with the more milliamps I have?

Hey Deep, I've just ordered a Dark Iniate V4.  I'd prefer a lithium-ion battery set-up, but one wasn't offered. (?)

Can that be amended?

Shoot him an e-mail at info@ultrasabers.com, I don't think he will notice that on the forum.

The mAh rating just tells you how long the batteries will last until they're empty, I think. So if you got a battery with a lower rating, your battery will last shorter than one with a higher rating. Overloading should not happen - however, if the voltage and current is too high for a specific device, this might cause damage on that device.

I'm a total noob in these things, so please correct me if I'm wrong ;)

Alright! I didn't think it was a big deal. As long as the battery type and voltage were the same. I have a mod that I vape with and I have 2 sets of 18650's for it and the ones with the higher milliamp rating produce a faster and hotter vape. My basic set is only 1500 milliamps. My hotter batteries are in the 3000 milliamp rating. So It had me curious as to what difference it would make with the saber's 14500 milliamp rating. Thanks for your reply! ^_^

Did you order it with an Obsidian LITE (Basic sound option)?  One cannot choose the Li-Ion setup with Basic Sound.  All other options seem to be able to have or require Li-Ion setup, but Basic Sound requires AAA Standard Setup, likely due to a voltage issue with the LITE sound boards.  (or as an incentive to get a better board and battery setup, because sometimes it is marketing).

Ya, I realized that afterwards, and dropped it.  My first saber is an Emerald with V3 sound.  This time I had to cut it down...raffle...lol

It's okay.  My GF just ordered a lite set-up as well.  I'll just get rechargeable NiMHs.

QUESTION:

I have a standard AAA battery set up for my saber.

Can it be upgraded to Li-Ion?

Yes, it can be upgraded, but only when you don't have the Obsidian Lite sound board. This isn't compatible with the Li-Ion setup.

Also, be so kind and take a look at the forum rules (http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=117.0). When you've read through them, post an acknowledgement before making other posts :)

Why are they still offering resistors if the buckpuck is superior?

If youre using less power than the buckpuck actually requires to work, resistors are the only option for protecting LEDs from drawing too much power and fit in tighter spaces where a buckpuck will not. If you get the emerald driver; the board takes care of just about all of that. Learning the ways of the sabersmith so please correct me if im mistaken.

This and it's just cheaper than the BuckPuck setup - less wires needed, and a resistor is a lot cheaper than a BuckPuck (or any other LED Driver).

li-ion battery setup make the colors of the blade brighter

This is kind of true; but as with all these things they are rarely all cut and dried and there are a few variables at play such as internal resistance and the technology within the battery itself. 14500 or 18650 is more of a physical design parameter than a chemical construct specification, so there are a number of different Li-Ion battery variants around that all conform to the '14500' or '18650' size but have different internal characteristics. Your 'hotter' batteries may have either a different internal chemistry or different internal resistance than your 'cooler' ones. LiFe are a lithium battery that has a lower operating capacity and operating voltage range, but are currently the 'safest' lithium based cell out there in terms of thermal runaway during charging - and 1500mAH seems low for a cell of 18650 specs - so it may well be that the chemistry in your cells is different and the performance difference is down to the operating voltage of the cell.

There are in fact different types of Li-Ion batteries; what most people see as a 'Li-Ion' battery is a Lithium-Cobalt matrix. This is relatively sensitive to over-charging and over-discharging, and therefore is often equipped with an in built circuit to protect it from both conditions.

Other common types of li-ion cells are the types made with Manganese or with Iron which demonstrate slightly different properties.

For example the Manganese compound will cope with higher discharge rates than the ones we mostly use, and have a less dense power storage matrix (so you are trading increased load bearing and safety margins for longevity). As they are more robust (less likely to go into thermal runaway) they often lack the protection the regular cells most often have and it is still worth saying that they are not explosion proof and need the same caution when charging as regular Lithium Cobalt cells.

A hybrid Manganese Cobalt cell offers the best of both worlds described above but it is not mainstream at this time due to expense, but as it is more broadly adopted, it will probably supercede them unless something far better comes along first and steals the market share... Watch this space!

The Lithium-Iron based cells hold less charge capacity, and operate at a slightly lower voltage but are far safer in terms of overcharging. So be careful with compatibility as all things in Lithium batteries are most certainly not equal!

There are more types out there, but those are the most common ones currently 'in play' today.

One Note to finish with: If you are looking to get spare Lithium Ion batteries for your sabre BEWARE. Get reputable batteries from a reputable source. The maximum energy density for the common Li-Ion batteries does not allow for the mAH numbers quoted on most of the 14500 cells advertised for sale on eBay and you will be lucky to get 1/4 of the quoted amount of power storage than the "2500 mAH" or suchlike cells advertised on many of eBay's offerings. What they are suggesting is impossible to fit in the size of cell with the materials technology, so treat them with a bucket of salt; and in my opinion false advertising is an indication of dishonesty - what else are they not being honest with? They are advertised with a protection circuit? They lied about one thing, what about the other? Can you trust them not to set your house on fire?

On a far better note.... the XTAR cells that arrived in my Manticore cycle at just over 850mAH in a cell quoted as 800mAH - which is a believable amount of power where the reality exceeds the advertising.

I have two different brands of 14500 that came in my Ultrasabers: one is XStar and the other is Trustfire. Can we use either brands interchangeably for any Ultrasaber running on Lithium-ion? Just wanted to know as I am thinking of getting spares.

Generally for equipment that uses batteries in pairs  I keep the same pair of cells together - use them together, charge them together, etc etc. because they DO degrade over time and with use, so at the end of their useful life they are disposed of together!

Ultrasabers used to use trustfires, but it looks as though they have switched to the xtar brand (which given that they sell xtar chargers is probably a good thing). I read a fair number of reviews that were less than complimentary about the consistency and reliability of trustfire cells, so that may have been the nudge that moved Ultrasabers to a more reliable battery provider. What I would tend to shy away from is using mismatched pairs (say 1 trustfire and 1 xtar in a saber). Although it is possible for the cells to be matched it is unlikely, and it is generally good working practice to never mix battery types or even ages! So use the trustfires or Xtars - they are both protected LiCo cells - but avoid using one of each in a saber!

Thanks, it was always my intention to use the same brand in pairs. I think my Trustfire pair in my Mantis need to be replaced. I erroneously assumed something was wrong with its illuminated AV switch but am now certain its the Lithium-ion pair that needs replacement.

If you have a good charger you can do a deep discharge cycle on your trustfire cells (go slow and don't leave it discharged for long), and then a full charge. Do this twice and on the second charge cycle make a note of how many mAh the cells take to reach full charge - that will give you a good indication of the 'health' of the cells.

Hi, sorry if this has been covered elsewhere, but is it possible to send in a newly received grab bag lightsaber for the li battery assembly upgrade? I received the Liberator V3 and now am thinking about modifying it to add sound in the future, but from what I've heard I'll have to upgrade the battery assembly for that, and that's something I don't know that I can do by myself.

Hi.  Yes you can send a stunt saber back to US to have the batteries upgraded to Li-Ion with buck puck and at the same time a battery casing that includes a speaker.  You also would need to purchase a sound board and a vented pommel.  However for a lower end saber such as the Libby, it might be more cost effective just to leave that one as a stunt saber.  Especially if you haven't tinkered with saber electronics before.  It's more challenging when an emitter is permanent and not removable.  Also there is limited space to work within this saber.  And it's a really nice saber to use as a needed stunt and easily customizable on the outside.  :)

Thank you for the recommendation! I think I'll take your advice. This is my first saber and I do intend to learn to duel with it, and as it's my first and I'll be making the most mistakes with it, it's probably better that it remains a low-cost saber.
Again, thank you very much.

Glad that I could be of some assistance.  :)

I just got my saberstaff with the Li-Ion batteries, but I have realized that I have no idea how to remove them for recharging when they die. How exactly am I supposed to go about that?

Unscrew the pommels, gently tap the saber onto your palm until the pack slides out. Use a guitar pick or similar (it must be quite thin) to pry it out - again, be gentle so that you don't damage the battery pack!

Before re-inserting the batteries, I suggest wrapping some tape around them so that you have a handle for removing them more easily and without damaging the battery pack.

Thanks for the advice! I'll have to see about getting my hands on a pick(or similar) and some tape!

Wow Dauntless, that is a sexi avatar...+1 point.

Thanks... but... it's now October so yet another new Jaina avatar.  Hope you still enjoy.  ;D

Agreed. 

Loving your avatar pic Dauntless. :)

+1

Aw shucks L J and L R .  :D   Respective points to each of you and back to battery talk.   ;)

A while ago a forum member whose advice I value greatly recommended the Nitecore Itellicharger i4.

I ordered two of them:
(http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w405/seanhewer/20161014_205224_zpswhzwzmqh.jpg)

If I order Li-ion setup with a charging port, but without a charger, does that mean I receive no cable as well?

I don't want to remove Li-Ions for charging. Can I use standard iPad charger and if yes, what type of cable do I need to connect it to US lightsaber?

You don't get a charger with that option - only recommended if you already have a charger. And it's a charger specifically designed for the Recharge Port system, so other chargers won't work properly!

I know, the charger is quite expensive, but if you want an in-hilt charging option, this is the only way if you don't have such a charger yet!

And what is so specific about this charger? A proprietary plug? Unique voltage amount? Insanely large Amper requirement?

1. Not propietary, I think, but the Recharge Port and the charger plug are geared to each other - especially in size. Finding a different charger with the right plug without knowing the model and size of the Port may become very difficult.

2. Voltage range is 100-240V, so nothing special here. It's established for many contemporary electronic and electric devices.

3. No, but its output is either 0.2 A (slow charger) or 1.2 A (fast charger). The slow charger can't charge a saber that is turned on - its output is lower than the amount the saber needs when turned on. Only the fast charger will charge a saber that is turned on.

4. The most important feature of both chargers is that they can "trickle-charge", hence the name "Smart Charger". That means once the batteries are full, the charger turns off. Once the voltage drops below a certain limit (due to normal battery draining in sabers without kill keys), the charger begins charging again. This is not implemented in many chargers, but quite important to maintain the functionality of the Li-Ion batteries.

I got lucky twice. My mystery box came with rechargeable, but no charger. Lucky for me I had a nice one for my flashlight batteries. Nitecore digicharger D2. Does Li Ion Ni MH and Ni Cad.

Does the LI charger come with the input and output cables? Mine came with just the docking station and no cables?

The Smart Chargers for the Recharge Ports come fully assembled. The cradle chargers for spare batteries only come with the power supply unit, obviously.

This is good info still. I didnt know at first that i had to use 3.7 v batteries specifically so i once replaced the batteries with basic  duracell batteries ..and when i did that...the sound was quieter and there was no light at all. U defnally can only use the 3.7v batteries.

Hey I'm not sure if you will be able to answer my question so I'll leave it open but since I noticed you mentioned the kill key... I was wondering if the external charger option with li-ion bats comes with the kill key installed in the port or are kill keys a totally desperate accesorry you need to order with your light saber if you get the adapter charge option with the external charge adapter with the 2 xfire bats

I don't know if Ultrasabers still sell sabers with Kill Keys. When they did, there was an option with Kill Key setup and Recharge Port charger, which means once you plug the charger in the saber, the saber is virtually dead and only the batteries are charged. I think it included a Kill Key as well, but I'm not sure.

Awesome thanks for the reply And yeah I was getting both the interior charge port and the external... so I could charge more batteries at a time with just the  1 external charger with USBcable for 2 bats and then charge the others through my saber.

That's the reason why I always recommend a separate charger. For spare batteries, which I also recommend buying for the case that batteries just die. So you always have a working set.

I've been researching Li-Ion batteries and wanted to know if anyone else has luck finding other brands of Li-Ion that works well other than Xtar batteries, I just don't know about them and I have quite a bit of Nitecores laying around but the 14500 are 50 Mah short of the Xtar which is a capacity thing versus capability so it's not a huge deal for me.  Again, I don't mind buying the Xtars, would like more info and experience in dealing with them or other brand (excuse me if I'm out of line for mentioning other brands of batteries).

We get our batteries from multiple sources and brand names... and members have their favorites.  Purchasing from US guarantees that you will get the correct ones.  What's most important is getting a match for the 14500 battery size/dimensions to fit the current battery pack and 3.7 voltage that is a match to the Xtar Li-Ions.  In the past US used the TrustFire brand.  Be careful with knockoffs or purchasing a steal of a deal from for example... some Chinese distributors on Amazon and e-bay.  The loaded saber may not run all of it's setup and options with a weaker powered battery.  :)

Thank you once again, Dauntless for your knowledge and expertise.  It’s good to know that many questions that I have can easily be answered by great people like yourself.  US’ batteries it is. Have a point

You are welcome and a point returned for all the expert other advice you have given me.  :D

The pleasure's all mine

Hey just wondering does ultrasabers ever use a single 18650 cell lithium ion set up when a recharge port is used? What do the internals look like on a recharge port saber?

Thanks

Ultrasabers uses dual 14500s on their premium sound, Emerald and Diamond setups. (and a stunt if you pay an up charge) They never use 18650s. A single 18650 won't power their higher tier boards and two are just way too big for most hilts.

So I'm not sure what you mean by premium sound but I bought 5 Ultrasabers between 2015-2017 and I have changed them all over to single cell 18650 battery setups. They all have obsidian v2 and obsidian v3 with changeable sound fonts etc. however I know the fonts can't be changed  without plugging it in via USB which is was upgraded for the v4 to real time don't cycling correct?. Is it just the obsidian v4 that requires 7.4v?

No, all Obsidians (except Obsidian Lite), Emerald and Diamond require the 7.4v Li-Ion setup. Don't know how they can work with a single 18650, but 7.4 is definitely needed for flawless functionality of light and sound.

I was wondering if I could use a 2x700 battery sled instead of an 18650 sled? They typically have better Amp ratings and higher mahs.

Unless you’re somehow getting 7.4v out of your 2x700 cell, I wouldn’t recommend it.  And none that I know of will deliver that.  (Keep in mind I don’t know every cell on the market.)

Am awaiting me emerald sabre which will have a charger from US with it.

However....

I have a Electrum Wind with obsidian sound which arrived the other day and i imagine itll be a few weeks until my new saber and charger arrive.

So have no charger at the mo. Question is:-

Will the below charger in the link charge the li-on batteries in my saber? If so ill buy it and use it until the on from US arrives which will obviously work.

https://www.jaycar.com.au/lithium-ion-cr123a-battery-charger/p/MB3581 (https://www.jaycar.com.au/lithium-ion-cr123a-battery-charger/p/MB3581)

No, you'll need a charger that can take 14500-sized Li-Ion batteries. This one is for a different size.

Have a look at this: https://www.jaycar.com.au/dual-channel-li-ion-ni-mh-battery-charger/p/MB3635 (https://www.jaycar.com.au/dual-channel-li-ion-ni-mh-battery-charger/p/MB3635)
That's the right one.

Awesome, champion thanks

So coming from airsoft background - are you guys designing around "vaping" Ion cells for their durable casing over using much better capacity LiPos or?

When you say that the extra power is burned off as heat - do this mean that you will smell smoke coming from the saber?

No, there won't be smoke. But the resistor and all components will heat up - more than with the BuckPuck solution. And that additional heat dissipates over heatsinks and the hilt itself. You'll notice that when the saber is on for an extended period of time.

If it smells burned, then the components are damaged. Especially when it has a sound board, Emerald Driver or Diamond Controller, this indicates a board failure.

Interesting. I just received my order today and I turned on the saber for no longer than three minutes right out of the box and you could smell smoke.

Who do I contact about this?

That's a case for Marlena. Contact her at marlena@ultrasabers.com, and include your oder no., order date and of course the problem. It's a warranty case, so she'll probably handle that without any costs for you (except shipping). But wait for her definite answer on how to deal with this.

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere. I've ordered an Apprentice LE v5 with Lite Sound, so the Li option wasn't available. However, taking into account the recommendations, is it possible to use these rechargeable Li AAA batteries (Amazon link tinyurld due to size: https://tinyurl.com/ydhchqte) in the 4xAAA battery holder and does anyone have any experience as to whether this is noticeably superior to NiMH rechargeables?

Specs look good, I don't think that should be a problem. Let's see what others think, though, since I don't have experience with regular stunt or Obsidian Lite setups that have the 4xAAA power sources.

As long as the volts are the same you should be good.  However, the most recommended battery for AAA (or AA) here is the Eneloop Pro.  These will not only work but will last longer on a charge (higher mAh).
Eneloop Pro AAA batteries (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-Eneloop-Rechargeable-Battery-Batteries-Black/dp/B00JWTCK62/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2ZH8NLRWZ3NGX&dchild=1&keywords=eneloop+aaa+rechargeable+batteries&qid=1589930007&sprefix=enel%2Caps%2C265&sr=8-3)

Just as mentioned, if you're using rechargeable batteries, the Panasonic Eneloops are what I've been using for years.

Thanks everyone, I'll go with the Eneloop Pros.

Hello. Ive had the same issue. Opened my 200$ mystery box and saber had sound but no colour. Opened it up and the battery pack was smoke. I just tried using that email. But it said it wasn't working.

Nope, that email address won’t work any more.  The only one to use these days is info@UltraSabers.com.

Im curious how long does a li-ion charge last with a stunt saber vs the standard setup

The sabers I've ordered are the Li-Ion setup with charging port.  Once they've arrived and i test them out, they'll be stashed at my parents' house because they're going to be Christmas gifts.  Someone had told me it would be a good idea to charge them up a day or two before so that they're ready to go, but I'm assuming it would be a good idea to remove the batteries completely before I store them so that they won't leak in storage over the next several months.  What I'm worried about is if removing the batteries will mess with the charging port setup, and if so, what's the better option?

Removing the batteries doesn't affect the Recharge Port setup. If you want to mess with the wires as least as possible, I recommend leaving the batteries in there and charging them via the port. I haven't heard of a leaked Li-Ion battery yet, although there's always a risk.

Oh yeah, once i dole the sabers out, we'll be using the recharge port, but i've heard that there's a slow but gradual drain on the batteries when they're not in use, and that it was recommended to charge them up at least once a week because if Li-Ion batteries completely drain, they're useless at that point.   Removing them before storage will prevent the drain, but i didn't know if it would mess up the port setup.

Thank you very much for the help and have a point!   ;D

It also works just to plug them into the recharge port when they aren't in use and leave it. There's no need to take the batteries out once a week if they're plugged in all the time when not in use. That's what I do with mine, and my oldest with a recharge port is 5+ years old and I've had no issues at all with the batteries.

Right, and once Christmas comes by and I give them to my kids, we're going to leave the batteries in there for good and just use the chargers all the time; each of the kids is getting his own.  I just don't want to leave them plugged in at my parents' for the 5 months they'll be stowed away before then.  My dad won't be too happy if I hijack his electric bill, LOL.  So I'll just store the batteries separately for that time, put them back in a couple of days before Christmas and use the chargers to make sure they're ready.  Got it all planned out.   8)

Sounds good but may i suggest you test them in saber before wrapping

I'm not sure how I'll wrap them, but when they arrive I'm going to check all 9 of them out to make sure there are no issues; all the sound fonts work in the 5 main sabers, no manufacturer defects, no problems whatsoever.

remove the blades, with all the hectic events going on during present opening, people around close . might be safer at that point then dad can install and take them out side

Has anyone else has run into the same problem I've had with the 14500 Li-ion batteries supplied with the lightsabers? I've ordered enough sabers to now have about a dozen batteries and half of them didn't even make it to their second charge. That's a 50% fail rate. The other half recharge normally and still work great.
Given the high failure rate of the XTAR 14500's, I was wondering if anyone can recommend a different brand of 14500 battery that might be more reliable?

All of the 14500 cells I have ever recieved from US are still going strong. Both the Xtarrs and the Trustfires they used to ship still work in any of  my sound sabers. But I still use two of the Trustfire chargers they used to ship, the same one that a few other highly regarded saber companies still do ship. One of the chargers and several of the battery  cells are around 6 years old.

I have not had this problem; I’m using the original batteries on both my Diamond sabers (although one of those just arrived a couple weeks ago, so it’s not seen that much use).  I have a recharge port in both, and I make sure to keep both sabers topped off.  What I mean by this is that at least one of the sabers is typically plugged in all the time; Every couple days, I move the cord from one to the other. 

Lithium-ion batteries don’t like to be run down to “fully dead” like you used to need to do with Nickel-Cadmium batteries.  It’s not good for their long-term health, and every time you do that (or allow it to happen), you run the risk of the battery STAYING dead, forever.  From your brief description, I can’t tell if this might be your issue or not, but I thought I’d mention it, just in case.

I was able to use the "9 volt battery shock method" described in the first post to revive all but two of the batteries back to life. The two that are "dead" dead were in a lightsaber I just got recently and it was "dead on arrival". It was kind of a bummer because I was recording it on an unboxing video. The big moment came to turn on the saber and see what color the blade was, and.......nothing. Oh well.....

I AM glad I got the XTAR 8 port quick charger with separate LED readouts for each port. It's designed so you can leave the batteries in the charger and use a trickle charge to keep them "topped off".

Hi everyone :) I recently got my ultrasaber and I must now charge the batteries. I opened up the bottom and got the battery pack, I just cant seem to get the batteries out of the pack. Does anyone have any tips?

The batteries can be taxing to get out at times, but that's also a good thing as they won't easily pop out during combat. When I run into this issue, I usually just use the blade screw wrench to pop lever them out from the non-spring side.

It worked! thanks so much for this!

WOO! I'm 2 for 2 this week.

This usually will work but it is always better to use something non-metallic. Guitar picks, plastic flatware, or even Lego separator tools are better choices in the long run. And will get the same results.

It sounds as if you have managed to remove your batteries which is good news. I have a tip for you to help you out in future...
Before you re-insert your batteries get a 1.5 to 2inch strip of electical tape and fold it around the battery, lining up the two ends and pinch it flat around the cell to form a tab which you can grab to pull the battery free. You can also do this with a similar strip of ribbon and just glue the ends together to form the same sort of tab (this way you can slide the "pull tab" off a dead battery if you need to replace it and slide it onto a new battery).

It's an old musician's trick we use on guitar foot pedals, effects boxes and radio mics!

Great idea.