Halo Energy Sword by Mattel NeoPixel Upgrade

Secure Flex PCB

It's a good idea to secure the Flex PCB to the surface on the handle. That way it doesn't accidentally cause a short when we reassemble the handle. I stuck a piece of mounting underneath the flex PCB and stuck it to the mounting plate of the speaker.

Secure Tilt Switch

Now is a good time to secure the tilt switch back into the end bracket on the blade which had it before. Only one of the blade has the standoffs, so locate it and install it back onto the standoffs. I also used some mounting tack here to secure it in place.

Install 2nd Blade to Handle

Now we can reassemble the second blade and fit that back onto the handle.

Wire Harness

It's a good idea to fit the wires from the NeoPixel strips through the wire harness built into the handle.

Secure Wiring

Before we close the handle up, we should secure our wires together. Bundle them up and use a piece of packaging tape to hold them in place. This will ensure any of the wires kink when we close up the handle.

Close Handle

With our wires neatly bundled and contained, we should be able to install the second piece of the handle and close them together. Again, make sure none of the wired connections are kinked.

Mount Blade Brackets to Handle

Install the top brackets which attach the blade to the handle back onto both of the blade. They should "click" together and fit correctly when joined together.

Reinstall Machine Screws

Now flip the whole sword over so the screw holes are facing up. Then insert and fasten the machine screws back into all of the holes. Hold the halves together while fastening to ensure they are flush and fully tightened.

Final Test

Now it's time for a final test! Turn the mode switch on and squeeze the trigger. We should see the NeoPixel LED strips power on. woohoo!! Pick it up and see how well the LED strips stay mounted inside the blade when swung around. Adjust them if necessary.

Maintenance and Reprogramming

If any of the connections short, come loose, or you want to reprogram the microcontroller, you'll need to take it apart and gain access to the microUSB port.