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TOPIC: Dummy kill keys

Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43626

  • Jaden Korr
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=Ottomatix= wrote:
Can't say, unsure of how deep it is. If you leave a modified kill key in, what would you do to keep it from rotating while wielding it. It would be in the way and subjected to contact.

^This is the biggest obstacle with this idea. While I have seen kill keys that do work by twisting them (like in Darth Ryo's 3D printed chassis on Shapeways), they have been meant to be housed with the recharge port completely inside the saber where they can't be knocked into.
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Last Edit: 1 year 2 weeks ago by Jaden Korr.
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43629

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Thanks again everyone. The saber I have on order is hero tier, so it does have some editable options, which are apparently stored on the SD card. I've never tried to edit one of those, just used 'em as storage. I guess I'll burn that bridge when I get to it.
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43630

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Sounds like to do what I want I may have to order an extra kill key or two, and file one down enough so that it doesn't engage the switch, or maybe this is just a bad idea on my part.
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43651

  • For Tyeth
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Hi all,

I have done a bit of searching for you and found these 2.1mm jack sockets with dust covers.





I imagine the dust cap can be inserted without affecting the operation of the socket.
My idea was to cut the dust cap section off the socket and glue a fake button to the top of the dust cap. You would then have a spare 2.1 mm socket for any DIY project and a dust cap/Fake Switch to use on you Saber.

Just do a Google search for "2.1mm dc jack dust cover" and there should be suppliers listed.

Kind regards,

For Tyeth
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43671

  • Kouri
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Found the rotating 2.1mm keys I remembered:

http://www.shapeways.com/product/HWCJM2QTM/

I'd personally attempt to notch my own key first, but these exist if you want to give them a try.
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43673

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Recharge port on saberforge is offset, will these work?
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43719

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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43792

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Darth Vexing wrote:
Has anyone made or know where I could get a dummy kill key for the 2015 version of the Gladius?
I think it would look better if you could have the saber on while maintaining the two button appearance.

Buy a spare SF kill key available in the accessories section of their main site. Separate the plastic "plug" piece that inserts into the recharge port from the knurled aluminum cap. Drill out the center of the plastic plug so that it doesn't contact the charge port pin. Rejoin the plug and cap back into one piece. You should theoretically be able to use it in place like the kill key but without cutting power. Then you have your spare as the real plug for when you want it to cut power.
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43824

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Yeah, my current plan is to buy a pair of the kill keys from the main site and file one of them down enough that it no longer makes contact with the micro switch. (Hopefully this won't require shortening it too much.) I don't currently have the tools needed to drill it out as you suggested, a drawback of apartment dwelling I'm afraid.

Thank you for your suggestion.
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43830

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The issue you may come across with shaving it down to just a nub is that it won't have the depth required for it to stay in place. You'll maybe have only 1/8" or less material into the charge port. This will keep it properly aligned and it shouldnt contact the charge port pin, however I foresee it falling out quite easily. Where if you bored out the center and kept the original length. You'd still have the full plug length into the charge port and touching the sides of the housing to secure it in place but the larger diameter bore won't contact the pin.
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43831

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NeBosa wrote:
The issue you may come across with shaving it down to just a nub is that it won't have the depth required for it to stay in place. You'll maybe have only 1/8" or less material into the charge port. This will keep it properly aligned and it shouldnt contact the charge port pin, however I foresee it falling out quite easily. Where if you bored out the center and kept the original length. You'd still have the full plug length into the charge port and touching the sides of the housing to secure it in place but the larger diameter bore won't contact the pin.

Does the switch pop up that much? In my head I was picturing an eeny weeny little nub of a switch that only popped up a tiny bit. As I said, I can't bore it out as I don't have the tools to do so.

I presume that I'd need a drill press to accomplish this, and I would also need to know what size bit to use.

Your suggestion is good I just don't know how I could get it done.
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Last Edit: 1 year 2 weeks ago by Darth Vexing.
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43834

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What switch are you talking about now?
Weren't we talking kill keys?
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43837

  • Snakeeyz99
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*Speculation based on my current understanding of in-hilt recharge*

The switching mechanism is part of the jack the kill key is put in. Think of it as a 2-way throw where when the kill key is out the switch bridges the positive of the battery to the positive rail on the soundboard, but when the something is inserted it bridges the positive and negative terminals of the battery. When this happens either the battery will charge (if the battery is below 100% and the device is "killed" by the charger plug) or it will effectively cut power to the board. In this case, I think the battery PCB essentially controls the power flow through the battery and prevents a short (which is why you need to use PCB protected batteries).

As for how the switching actually occurs in the plug, I found this post from 2008 on the TCSS forums:
There is a small metal tab that gets pushed away from another contact plate when the plug has something inserted into it (a kill plug, or battery charge plug).



The problem there is that if you look in the port the plate extends from the top to the bottom, so there's no real way to tell how far down something can go before it switches without trial and error.
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43848

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I am, as I understand it, the kill key is actually pushing a switch of some sort to kill the power.
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43851

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Snakeeyz99 wrote:
*Speculation based on my current understanding of in-hilt recharge*

The switching mechanism is part of the jack the kill key is put in. Think of it as a 2-way throw where when the kill key is out the switch bridges the positive of the battery to the positive rail on the soundboard, but when the something is inserted it bridges the positive and negative terminals of the battery. When this happens either the battery will charge (if the battery is below 100% and the device is "killed" by the charger plug) or it will effectively cut power to the board. In this case, I think the battery PCB essentially controls the power flow through the battery and prevents a short (which is why you need to use PCB protected batteries).

As for how the switching actually occurs in the plug, I found this post from 2008 on the TCSS forums:
There is a small metal tab that gets pushed away from another contact plate when the plug has something inserted into it (a kill plug, or battery charge plug).



The problem there is that if you look in the port the plate extends from the top to the bottom, so there's no real way to tell how far down something can go before it switches without trial and error.

Thank you for the close up picture of the port. It now appears that my idea is more trouble than it's worth. I just find hard to believe that stuff like dirt, dust, and or moisture doesn't get into that port while it's uncovered and cause problems.
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Last Edit: 1 year 2 weeks ago by Darth Vexing. Reason: Typo
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43855

  • Kouri
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I ordered a batch of those ports from eBay. When they come in next month, I'll report back on notching a standard kill key for rotational circuit breaks.
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 2 weeks ago #43865

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Thanks Kouri, I'd appreciate that.
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 3 days ago #47092

  • Kouri
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Recharge ports just came in. I've got a clear view of the internal switch, so once I wire up a demo port, I'll start tinkering with plug notching to see if a rotational key is possible. I'm thinking an angled notch should work nicely.

Side note that notching a Saber Forge key isn't really an option, since they're flush-mounted with no room for the offset head to rotate. I've got a headless TCSS key that I'll be playing around with.
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 3 days ago #47115

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Thanks for the update Kouri, I will keep my eyes peeled for more.
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Dummy kill keys 1 year 3 days ago #47346

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Long story short - this is showing promise, but I need to do more testing.

First off, here's the notched key:


Key to the left, kills the circuit:


Key turned up, LET THERE BE LIGHT:


Key to the right, killing again:


The problem is, since I cut so much off of the key, the key only stays in when turned to a kill-position because the resistance of the internal switch holds it in place. When rotated out of the way of the switch, the key becomes loose and can fall right out.

So here's a photoshop mockup of my next revision:


The idea being that that ring at the bottom could get caught under the switch without tripping it, thus keeping the key inside the recharge port at all times.

Downside is I can't *find* my other kill key, so progress is at a halt until I order some more keys to experiment with.
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