First Steps with a lightsaber: How to charge your lightsaber

So, your lightsaber has arrived.

You've opened the box, admired the hilt, probably pressed a few buttons already — and now you just want to put a blade in it and start playing. Fair enough. But before you do that, there is one very important first step: charge your saber properly.

Modern lightsabers are surprisingly sophisticated electronic devices. Behind that beautiful hilt you'll usually find a lithium-ion battery, soundboard, LEDs, a speaker and sometimes a surprisingly complex electronics core. Treating it a little more like a piece of electronics than a simple prop will go a long way toward keeping it reliable.

This guide is the first step in getting your new saber ready for use, and covers the different ways to access the charging port, how to charge it safely, and a few important things to know about storing your saber between uses.

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

First: find the charging port

The exact location of the charging port depends heavily on the type of lightsaber you've purchased.

With a straightforward dueling hilt, things are usually easy. Many of these sabers have a visible USB charging port somewhere on the hilt, often next to the activation button. Some older or less common models may instead use a small DC charging connector with a dedicated cable.

If you can see the charging port, you're already halfway there.

Replica and screen-inspired sabers are often a little more complicated. Because their designs are intended to look as accurate as possible, manufacturers generally don't want a large modern USB port sitting visibly on the outside of the hilt. Instead, the electronics and charging port are often hidden inside the saber.

Slide-out cores: the easy way to access your electronics

A large number of modern replica sabers use what is commonly called a slide-out core.

The idea is quite simple. The outer hilt is designed around an internal electronics module that can be removed from the saber. Depending on the design, you may need to unscrew the pommel or part of the grip before the core can slide out.

Once removed, you'll generally find the charging port directly on the electronics core.

On many newer designs, the USB port will be found toward one end of the core. The exact position can vary depending on the electronics package and the construction of the saber, so don't force anything if you're not immediately sure how it comes apart.

Not every saber uses a completely removable core, however. Some more complex replica designs have electronics that remain partially integrated into the hilt. In those cases, accessing the USB port can involve removing a pommel, loosening a screw or sliding a section of the hilt aside.

This is particularly common with unusual or highly detailed replica designs. The good news is that these constructions are the exception rather than the rule.

Some sabers hide the port particularly well

A few designs take this even further.

On certain hilts, you may need to remove one or more small screws before you can access the electronics. Others hide the USB port underneath the pommel or behind a removable section of the hilt.

The important thing here is not to start unscrewing everything you can see.

A screw that looks decorative may actually secure an important section of the saber, and forcing the wrong part can turn a simple charging operation into an unnecessary repair job.

Once you've found the port, however, charging is generally very straightforward once you know the basic things about lithium battery care.

Lithium batteries need a little attention

Most modern lightsabers use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, commonly 18650 cells.

These batteries are used in countless everyday electronic devices because they offer a very good combination of energy density, size and performance. A lightsaber needs a surprisingly capable battery because it is powering not only its LEDs, but also its sound system and electronics.

There is one important consequence for lightsaber owners: don't simply charge your saber once and then forget about it for months or years.

If you're someone who keeps a saber on display and only takes it down occasionally, make a habit of checking and maintaining the battery periodically. As a general rule, recharging every couple of months is a sensible approach, while some higher-quality cells can tolerate somewhat longer intervals.

If you know that a saber is going to be stored for a very long period, follow the battery and storage instructions provided with that particular saber rather than leaving a fully charged lithium battery sitting indefinitely.

And, as with any lithium-ion battery, don't use a cell that appears damaged, swollen or otherwise abnormal.

Use the correct charger

This is probably the most important part of the whole process.

Always follow the charging specifications supplied with your saber and its electronics.

Different soundboards and electronics packages can have different charging requirements. Don't assume that because a cable fits into the port, every possible USB power source is appropriate.

For the electronics commonly supplied with our sabers, we recommend using an appropriate 5V power adapter and, where specified, a low-current 5V/1A adapter. This is particularly important with certain electronics boards where using an unsuitable power source can damage the electronics. Proffie boards, but also older Xeno2 or Xeno3 with a DC connector.

Newer USB-C Xeno3 equipped boards can handle charging with less constraints, as long as it's 5V it's fine. But always use the included cable or a Power-Delivery rated cable as it is one of the elements that negotiate the power delivery level.

In other words: don't guess. Check the manual, your vendor's product and safety pages, or the manufacturer's charging instructions.

Avoid improvising with chargers, adapters or power sources simply because they happen to have the right connector. A cheap mistake at the charging stage can be considerably more expensive than buying the correct power adapter in the first place.

Don't leave your saber charging unattended

Lithium-ion batteries are safe when properly designed, maintained and charged within their specifications. But they still deserve the same basic caution you would give any rechargeable lithium battery.

Whenever practical, charge your lightsaber while you're around and able to notice if something unusual happens.

This is especially important if the battery is removed from the saber or otherwise exposed rather than safely contained within its normal housing.

You don't need to stand over your saber staring at the charging light for five hours. The point is simply not to treat it as something that should routinely be plugged in and forgotten while you're away from home.

How do you know when it's charged?

Once you've connected the appropriate USB cable and power adapter, your saber may give you a few indications that charging has started.

Depending on the electronics, you might hear a charging sound, see an indicator LED blinking, or see another visual indication on the electronics core.

Most electronics can even provide spoken or audio feedback confirming that charging has started.

When the indicator shows that charging is complete, you can unplug the saber and get on with the fun part.

A typical charging cycle can take roughly one to five hours, depending on the battery's state of charge, the electronics and the charging setup.

Leaving the saber connected after it reaches full charge isn't something you should make a habit of. Once it's charged, unplug it when practical rather than keeping the battery sitting at 100% indefinitely.

What about older cores with a power switch?

If you've purchased an older saber, you may encounter an electronics core with a small physical power switch.

These are slightly different.

For these older constructions, the switch generally needs to be in the ON position for the saber to charge and operate normally. The OFF position was primarily intended to reduce battery drain while the saber was not being used.

This design has become much less common as newer electronics have improved their battery management. If your saber has one, however, don't assume that plugging in the USB cable will automatically charge it with the switch turned off.

And that's it — you're ready for the next step

Once you've located the charging port, connected the correct power source and confirmed that charging has started, there isn't much more to do.

Give the saber enough time to reach a full charge, unplug it when you're done, and you're ready to move on to the fun part.

Don't worry if your first lightsaber feels slightly more complicated than expected. There are a lot of different hilt designs and electronics systems on the market, and manufacturers have become increasingly creative about hiding modern electronics inside increasingly accurate replica designs.

The important thing is to take a few minutes to understand your saber before you start taking it apart or experimenting with it.

And once the battery is charged, we're ready for the next steps: installing the blade, turning the saber on, learning the basic controls and understanding what all those buttons and gestures actually do. Other articles will come, to continue this tutorial series.

May the Force be with you.