First Steps with a lightsaber: FAQ & Troubleshoot

Even after you've followed all the setup steps, a new lightsaber can occasionally do something unexpected. It might refuse to charge, fail to connect to the Xeno3 app, suddenly stop lighting the blade, or appear to be completely frozen. Fortunately, many of the most common problems have fairly simple explanations.

Before assuming something is broken, it's worth going through a few basic checks. Here are some of the questions we hear most often.

This article is derived from a video tutorial series and all information is properly illustrated in the following video:

My saber doesn't charge or start

One of the most common issues concerns the power switch found on some older slide-out cores.

If your core has a physical power switch, the switch may need to be turned on for the saber to charge. This can be confusing because you might reasonably think that turning the saber off and then plugging it in is the correct way to charge it. On some cores, however, the switch completely disconnects the battery from the electronics, so the charging circuit can't operate when it's switched off.

The same applies when you want to use the saber: the power switch needs to be in the correct position before the saber can start.

If your saber isn't charging or turning on, check for a physical power switch before doing anything more complicated.

How long should the battery last?

Lightsaber batteries aren't designed to provide many hours of continuous operation. A lightsaber is a relatively high-power device, particularly when you're using a Neopixel blade with bright effects, pulsing colors, pre-ons and other animations.

Depending on how you use the saber, you might see anything from roughly 30 minutes to around two hours of continuous runtime, with about an hour being a reasonable expectation for many users.

Your actual runtime can vary considerably. A bright Neopixel blade running demanding effects will consume more power than a relatively simple baselit configuration. Heavy dueling, maximum brightness and elaborate blade effects will all reduce runtime.

If your battery seems to be going from 100% to empty unusually quickly, however, that's different. Keep track of the behavior and, if possible, take screenshots or other evidence showing the battery level and runtime. Then contact support. There could be an issue with the battery or unexpected battery drain that needs to be investigated.

My battery has completely drained

This is particularly relevant if you have a saber without a proper power-disconnecting switch and you leave it unused for a long period.

Even when you're not actively using the saber, the electronics can consume a small amount of power. If the saber sits on a shelf for weeks or months, the battery can eventually become completely depleted.

A deeply discharged lithium-ion cell can sometimes be difficult for the saber's internal charging circuit to wake up. If your battery has been left completely drained and no longer seems to charge normally, don't keep experimenting with it if you're unsure of its condition. Follow the battery and charger manufacturer's guidance, and contact support if necessary. If the battery is removable, using an appropriate external charger designed for that specific cell may be the better solution.

For long-term storage, the safest approach is to follow the battery manufacturer's recommended storage procedure rather than leaving a saber sitting indefinitely with a depleted cell.

If your slide-out core has a physical power switch that properly disconnects the battery, switching the saber off can prevent the electronics from continuing to drain it.

My Xeno3 app won't stay connected

If you're having trouble connecting your Xeno3 saber to your phone, start by getting the phone very close to the saber.

The metal hilt can interfere with Bluetooth connectivity, particularly on replicas and custom designs where the electronics are enclosed inside a substantial amount of aluminum. If necessary, remove the pommel or take the electronics core out of the hilt temporarily and try connecting again.

For Android users, remember that location services also need to be enabled for the Xeno3 app to discover the saber.

If the app repeatedly connects and disconnects, go into your phone's Bluetooth settings, find the saber and choose Forget This Device or the equivalent option on your phone. Then reconnect through the Xeno3 app. This creates a fresh Bluetooth pairing and can resolve persistent connection problems.

My blade suddenly stopped working

If you have a Xeno3 saber and the blade suddenly refuses to light, check the firmware/configuration mode in the Xeno3 app.

Xeno3 electronics can be used in both baselit and Neopixel configurations, and the app contains settings that tell the board which type of saber it is controlling. If that configuration has accidentally been changed, the electronics may be expecting a different type of blade.

For example, if you have a Neopixel saber but the firmware is configured for baselit operation, the board won't behave correctly with your Neopixel blade.

Open the relevant firmware settings in the app and check that the correct configuration is selected for your saber. If you aren't certain which option you need, don't guess—send a screenshot of your settings to support so the correct configuration can be identified.

I can't find the charging port

This is particularly common with replica and screen-accurate sabers because the charging port is often deliberately hidden.

On a typical dueling saber, the charging port is usually easy to find. On replicas, you may need to remove the pommel, pommel cap or part of the grip to access it.

If your saber uses a slide-out electronics core, the USB charging port is very often located at the bottom of the core. Remove the core from the hilt and inspect both ends.

If you're still unsure, go back to the charging section of this First Steps series and check the instructions for locating the port on your particular type of saber. 

My lightsaber has crashed

Remember that your lightsaber is essentially a small computer. Just like a computer, phone or other electronic device, its software can occasionally crash.

A crashed saber might remain powered on with an effect stuck in place, such as a permanent flash or clash effect. The controls may stop responding completely.

If you have a slide-out core with a physical power switch, remove the core and switch the power off. This completely shuts down the electronics. Wait a moment, reinstall or switch the core back on, and restart the saber.

If there is no physical kill switch, you may need to disconnect the battery to force a complete shutdown. Depending on the saber, accessing the battery can require some disassembly.

Don't start removing random screws if you're not sure what they do. Check the appropriate disassembly instructions or contact support first. Many sabers are quite straightforward to access, but the exact procedure varies between models.

Still can't figure it out?

These troubleshooting steps cover some of the questions we hear most often, but they obviously can't cover every possible saber configuration or problem.

If something isn't behaving as expected, don't hesitate to contact support. Include as much useful information as possible—your saber model, electronics configuration, what you've already tried and, when relevant, screenshots from the Xeno3 app.

If you're contacting support outside working hours, leave your email address so a reply can be sent to you. And if you don't see the response after a few days, check your spam folder.

Most importantly, don't assume that a strange behavior means your saber is defective. A power switch in the wrong position, a deeply discharged battery, a Bluetooth pairing problem or an incorrect Xeno3 configuration can all make a perfectly functional saber appear broken.

Work through the basics first, and if you're still stuck, ask for help. That's what support is there for.