Quick Disconnect....... Sound Module

[JediXIX]

I've been putting illuminated av switches into many of my stunt sabers (using a momentary to latching convertor), because I just love those switches and no way could I afford all my sabers with sound...... When I did my first, I used the small red jst connectors so I could test everything worked before install and I just happened to colour code the three connectors..... Green for main blade LED, yellow for momentary switch, and blue for switch LED, and I just continued to use those colours for all my customizations..... After a couple it occurred to me that I could install those same connectors to an obsidian soundboard setup and FINALLY I've finished my first..... Yay  

Because I sometimes need a silent saber so I don't annoy others in our home, and as this is an obsidian v3 soundboard, I've also put a small toggle switch in so I can quickly turn the speaker on and off.... Basically I just put the switch in line to the + speaker wire from the soundboard, and glued the switch to the side of the BuckPuck....

So essentionally, I can now have sound in any of my sabers that I've installed an illuminated av switch .... just with a couple of quick connections.....

This pic is the 3 types of battery packs that I have in my various sabers now
top : "Li-Ion battery pack with BuckPuck and obsidian v3 sound"
middle : "Li-Ion battery pack with BuckPuck and m/l convertor"
bottom : "AAA battery pack with resistor and m/l convertor"


Here's the small toggle switch I used, and you can see it on my "sound pack"


And here are the 3 "packs" with one of my av switches, main blade LED wires and a Sentinel hilt....



Next up..... Planning to do another with FoC.....  

I'm having lots of fun tinkering with saber electronics and other mods..... Athough I did have some experience with soldering having been a musician and studio engineer, saving money making my own custom cables, I only started learning about LEDs and how to re-build these LED sabers about 6 months ago..... Maybe this will inspire someone else to give these kind of mods a go also..... Cheers  

[magik0012]

Impressive.. most impressive..

Point!

[Lord Canterbury]

That Sound On/Off Switch for Obsidian 3 . . .

You have officially passed Crocodile Dundee as the most important person from Australia of all-time.

+1

[Dauntless Seven]

Well done XIX.  Your talents and quest for more skills and knowledge never cease to amaze me.  But why do you have to live far away on another continent.  Location circumstances can be so unkind dear teacher... what I could learn under your guidance !  Well deserved point for you. 

[JediXIX]

Thank you Lords & Lady  


Did I need the switch on this?..... lol, obviously not, as I can just swap out the "pack" if I don't want sound...... But as I was working on it I remembered the switch I bought a long time ago and thought I'd give it a test...... It works great, so I'll be adding this switch to some of my other obsidian v3 hilts.....

It was actually quite simple..... I just located the + (red) wire that runs to the speaker behind where the batteries sit, and made sure it was the correct red wire connected to the yellow wire from the sound board (shown in green on the obsidian wiring diagram here http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=8667.msg127316#msg127316)..... snipped that wire and soldered both ends to the switch..... then attached it to the BuckPuck before putting new electrical tape around the wires.....  



WARNING : if anyone else wants to do this, check and triple check which red wire, don't cut the other red wire to the battery pack or you'll cut your power off.....

[hazard502]

This is just awesome.  All your hard work and research, the detail you impart and the fact you share your work and knowledge...there aren't enough points in a day.  How fun is this!  Thanks JediXIX

Well here's at least one appreciation point!

[Diphoz]

Hi, really want to try this mod, it looks really handy   just a quick question though, does this work with a v4 board?
thanks in advance!

Diphoz

[JediXIX]

Hi, really want to try this mod, it looks really handy   just a quick question though, does this work with a v4 board?
thanks in advance!

Diphoz

Yes..... I cut out a v4 board from another saber the other week, all same wiring, I haven't soldered the connectors on yet, but all are the same..... 

How are your soldering skills?

and, Welcome to the Forum

[Diphoz]

Hi, thanks for the welcome!
My soldering skills are not too bad but not brilliant so i was wondering, do you know of and video tutorials on it just so i make sure im snipping and soldering the right things 

Thanks in advance.

[Dauntless Seven]

Hi.  You could check out Bluespike 74 ( our forum Master Blue ) on YouTube or Madcow on the TCSS tutorials.   

[oldgamefreak]

Been looking to do this with a NBV2. Thanks for the added ideas!!!

[JediXIX]

Hi, thanks for the welcome!
My soldering skills are not too bad but not brilliant so i was wondering, do you know of and video tutorials on it just so i make sure im snipping and soldering the right things 

Thanks in advance.

Yea, D7 gave some great advice there, Master Bluespikes youtube channel is great for learning about this stuff, I have certainly watched a few of his vids over and over..... here's a link for you https://www.youtube.com/user/bluespike1974

There's no tutorial I've seen on what wires to cut, but I followed this diagram http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=8667.msg127316#msg127316....

I started with installing an illuminated momentary av switch in to a stunt saber, and that taught me a lot..... For an obsidian sound saber without FoC there will be 6 wires to cut, 2 for the switch, 2 (+/-) for the switch LED and 2 (+/-) for the main blade LED..... Those 6 wires are the same used for a m/l converter....... There's an extra wire if you have FoC that can't be used for the m/l converter......

Depending on how long the wires are or where you cut them, you may need to remove the switch and re-wire or extend the wires..... I just find it easier to remove all the wiring and start again, and I always put quick disconnects on the main LED just so I can change the LED colour if I want.....

Let me know if you want any more info, and I'll see if I can give you some more help...... cheers 

Been looking to do this with a NBV2. Thanks for the added ideas!!!

Cheers 

[James Casey]

Okay, this is just showing off now :p

Great work, XIX - You definitely seem to have the knack for this sort of thing.

[JediXIX]

Thanks James . . . appreciate that 


I'd encourage anyone to give it a go, if they have that urge to start and learn to do some of their own electronics mods or other mods . . . We have some fantastic helpful people here with lots of resources and info, and your tutorial on installing quick disconnects certainly helped me have the faith to make that first leap . . . It was a bit scary even cutting the wiring on my first stunt saber mod, and drilling out my first switch hole, let alone cutting the wires from a sound saber, but starting with a simple stunt first and working up to more complicated things is a good path to follow...... I'm still learning too, and I enjoy sharing and helping others if I can . . . I actually find I learn more when sharing 

And now I have some crazy dreams of future projects . . . including quick disconnect Emerald driver / Emerald LED between my sabers, using the same av switch, but using a different connector for the LED channels . . .