Ultrasaber no longer turns all the way on

[kilakoala]

Hi Everyone,

I went to turn my saber on today and it just blinks and says "Obsidian".  Does that mean my batteries are low, or the memory got wiped?  Appreciate any help.  Thanks!

[kilakoala]

---UPDATE---

So I swapped the four AAA batteries for new and the saber now turns on as it did before but the color of the blade is different...  Any ideas?  It was Red before, and now it's an Orange.  Thanks.

[Drifter]

Hopefully someone that knows a lot about sabers will provide a solution for you

[scifidude79]

What color was the saber supposed to be when you ordered it? The only reason it would go from red to orange is if you have a mixed color that uses red and green LEDs, which can be combined at different levels to make different shades of yellow and orange. Blazing red uses only red LEDs and Fire Orange uses only orange LEDs, so those can't be it. However, Pyrestone Orange is a mixed reddish-orange. Sentinel Yellow also mixes red and green LEDs to make the yellow. Green LEDs run at a higher voltage than red LEDs, so when your batteries were getting low the green LED would get fainter and fainter and then finally stop working altogether but the red would keep going due to requiring less power. I've had Sentinel Yellow sabers go full red when the batteries were almost dead. So, if your color is supposed to be Pyrestone Orange or Sentinel Yellow, that's why the color got altered with fresh batteries.

The other possible explanation is that it is Blazing Red, which isn't a true red, but is tinted slightly to the orange side. That is due to the fact that red is the least bright of all the colors in the spectrum and having it a true red would result in a less bright blade, so the red LEDs aren't a true red for brightness. Again, the nearly dead batteries may have made the saber appear darker and, thus, more red, whereas the fresh batteries have that blazing red LED shining bright and appearing slightly orange.

[the Sith Order]

As you know, it’s cause you’re shot. Give yourself some time off and control your reflexes.

[kilakoala]

I bought a mystery saber so I don't have the exact specs.  Below is a side by side image of the saber.  The red saber is brand new, batteries should have been good.  The orange is after I swapped the four AAA batteries for new.  Thanks!

https://i.imgur.com/sio7ByX.jpg

[scifidude79]

Yeah, it looks like Pyrestone Orange to me. Blazing Red shouldn't turn that orange with new batteries. And, it's hard to say how new the batteries are. Based on the information Emory gave when they were first rolled out, Mystery Box sabers are packaged in batches and sit waiting for someone to order them. (that's how they're a mystery) So, it's possible it sat for a while, thus draining the batteries.

[nunya]

i concur with scifidude.  plus, i think it looks much better in orange (or as the french say "orange") 

you may consider rooting for Oregon State so it will match your other decor 

[janx]

---UPDATE---

So I swapped the four AAA batteries for new and the saber now turns on as it did before but the color of the blade is different...  Any ideas?  It was Red before, and now it's an Orange.  Thanks.

What kind of Obsidian board do you have? v3? 
Are you using GOOD batteries, not radioshack cheapies?

As noted by others, misbehaviors like that are usually low-voltage batteries.

[janx]

I thought something was weird when you said the saber said "Obsidian" and didn't light up.

How old is that saber?

US doesn't do sabers with sound and 4 AAA battery setups anymore (since like 2012 according to this link)

http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=1581.0

All their sound sabers are Li-Ion powered.  Which is higher power than classic AA or AAA batteries.

[kilakoala]

Haha, I'll stick with the Buckeyes for now.

I ordered it 4 months ago, so you think my Saber has been sitting for 9 years? Lol.  I don't know how to tell which board it is, I assume it's the Obsidian lite.

[scifidude79]

You said it uses AAA batteries, so it's Obsidian Lite. Both Obsidian V3 and V4 use two 14500 batteries, which are AA size. When the saber says "Obsidian" and doesn't light up, that just means the batteries are almost dead, I've had that behavior with both the V3 and V4 boards before. With those boards, charging the batteries solves the issue. With Lite, of course, fresh batteries are the answer. The saber definitely hasn't been sitting for 9 years, but it's hard to say how new the batteries were that they installed. Also, when idle, the saber will drain the batteries much faster than the batteries would drain when sitting in a package. 4 months with the same batteries is plenty of time to drain even fully charged batteries, even if you hardly used the saber in that time.

[janx]

You said it uses AAA batteries, so it's Obsidian Lite. Both Obsidian V3 and V4 use two 14500 batteries, which are AA size. When the saber says "Obsidian" and doesn't light up, that just means the batteries are almost dead, I've had that behavior with both the V3 and V4 boards before. With those boards, charging the batteries solves the issue. With Lite, of course, fresh batteries are the answer. The saber definitely hasn't been sitting for 9 years, but it's hard to say how new the batteries were that they installed. Also, when idle, the saber will drain the batteries much faster than the batteries would drain when sitting in a package. 4 months with the same batteries is plenty of time to drain even fully charged batteries, even if you hardly used the saber in that time.

Have a point.

I've always seen to remove the batteries when not in use for this reason.  So even my stunt sabers, I pull out one AAA so there's no circuit

[scifidude79]

I've always seen to remove the batteries when not in use for this reason.  So even my stunt sabers, I pull out one AAA so there's no circuit

That's a good idea for multiple reasons, not the least of which being that the batteries will eventually leak over time. Also, with rechargeable batteries, the less times you recharge them the longer they'll last.

[Tordeck]

This may sound dumb but are the batteries all in the correct way. Installing one upside down can effect color.