TOPIC: Properly seating LED module?

I just bought an Arbiter off of eBay, 6w Green Warrior with quick connects. Opened the box, pulled it out, heard a rattle, and saw the LED module was up near the emitter windows... rather than down where the LED retention set screw is.

I assume that the frustration of stuffing the LED back where it's supposed to go is what prompted the previous owner to sell, because I'm about ready to start pulling my hair out. It seems that the wires and quick connects get caught that this small lip that I believe is present is all of the Apprentice hilts, since I have the same in my Consular (though it's not quick connects).

Have any of you had success at putting the LED back where it needs to go? Or is it "good enough" where it is? It's basically like an Ultrasaber at this point... just wedged between the blade/plug and the wires behind it. I guess I could drill and tap a new hole for retention. If all else fails I'll just gut this and use it as a "project" hilt, or send it out for sound install & weathering.

Picture for reference: Red = where LED is supposed to sit, Green = furthest it goes



EDIT: Just swapped the Green LED for Frost, which has no resistors. Now it sits about halfway between those two marks. Still not far enough for the retention screw to do anything.

You seem to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. I'll ask the obvious/dumb questions first. Did you back the retention screw all the way out before pushing in the module? Are you sure it's not hitting that screw? Can you put the module in backwards (without connecting it) to see if it goes down further without binding? Just make sure you can retrieve the internal wires with a long pick if you try it. If it does seat better that way, you may have to become a Tetris level master of cram-fu (carefully, obviously) with the connected wires. Just a thought.
Ryan

Take a looksey from the backend behind the pommel. With the sandwiching method used (for the battery and bits) before the switches and the wire length with QCs as a 1size4all, what happens a lot is an internal shift of the batteryNbits against the switch leaving lesser room for the extra wiring. If the C-clip holding the speaker has had a shuffled-on effect, poking from the emitter with a wooden skewer (like a chimp drilling for ants) can ensure correct final seating of the module after you've navigated the QC bulge into the neck. Good luck.

EDIT:

OvrcAHst brings up a good point about the internals may have shifted upwards. Although it has no speaker because it's a Warrior, the battery back may be pushing the upper limits. Try pulling it down/out and see if room improves.

Thanks for the ideas guys! Definitely seems like I'm going to have to become a Cram-Fu Master.

Yes I did make sure the retention screw wasn't in the way.

The problem is that as I squish the LED down the 3.5" emitter socket, the wires and quick connects don't nicely go down the hole into the neck part before the switches. They just mash up against where the LED is supposed to sit. Part of it is because they've apparently been like that for a while, so the wires have a bit of memory of being in that position. I tried poking a 5/64" allen wrench down the emitter windows but it hasn't helped much since I can't see what I'm doing with it.

Using something to pull the he wires down might be the best option. Try something with a hook to catch the led wires. Obviously don't pull too hard.

I think I'm just gonna leave it as it is for now. I can't find anything long enough to reach up through the body and past the long-style latching switch. It should be fine since I'm not going to duel with it... I have my Consular and Gladius for that.

Hi KelbornX,

If you have some fishing line you could form an elongated loop but don't tie the ends together, then thread the bent hoop down the hilt past the switch. Then you can connect your LED, but thread the wire through the loop of fishing line. Slide the LED into place as best you can and gently pull the fishing line to snug down the wires behind the module. When the module is in position, secure it. Then the clever part, because you didn't tie the loop, release ONE STRAND and pull the other strand and the line should unloop from the LED wire and can be pulled back out through the hilt!

Kind regards

For Tyeth

Or just go the coat hanger route. Just bend it to where it's fairly thin

Or just pull the LED module taught, spin it to twist the wires, remove the pommel, and pull out the battery holder to get the wires down the neck and the emitter seated in place.

Well... those were some good idea, but nothing really helped. I'm just gonna leave it for now.

I bought a DIY tri-cree Blue Arbiter a while back, and I did notice there were more problems with this than in my other hilts because of the thin section south of the LED module.

With that one specifically it was easier to do because there were no resistors or QC's to get in the way. My usual method was pretty much described by Kouri, except I think the smith who made the kit used a larger gauge for the wire so it was easier to control where they went without too much twisting.

My two cents would to be to use the side windows to your advantage here and use two thin sticks (maybe the alan wrench and one other thing?) to guide/push the wires into the neck as you lower the module into the emitter, applying additional tension by tugging the battery pack as needed. With luck (depending on the lengths of the wires) you may be able to get the QC's, resistors and much of the wiring through and adjacent to your switch before you need to remove your guides.