How to install and remove a drop-in core / Eco electronics

The following are Video and written guides for installing and removing drop-in cores.

These guides illustrate how to remove a core from a standard elite or apprentice saber with drop-in electronics. We have included notes below for Staff sabers with drop-in cores and other related topics.

Before beginning this tutorial please read our warranty information so as to not void your warranty

How to install a drop-in core

How to remove a drop-in core

Drop-in core removal written guide

1: Locate the core retention screw on your saber. You should find it on the back of the saber somewhere near the center of the body.
2: Using the included hex key, unscrew and remove the retention screw. This will release the core from the body. Set the screw aside.
3: Remove the pommel from your saber by rotating it counter clockwise. This will reveal the bottom of your core.
4: Carefully slide the core out from the saber. If your core will not release or is providing significant resistance, read the following section.; If your core will not release, it may be due to the switch and recharge port blocking the core. Simply press down on the switch and core then try to slide the core out again.
5: Now that the core has been removed from the saber, remove the battery from the back of the saber.
6: After removing the battery, remove the SD card. This is the final step in the disassembly. Eco RGB sabers will not have an SD card and this part can be skipped
7: At this point you have removed every necessary component and should have something similar to the image below. To reinstall the Eco electronics, simply follow the previous steps in reverse order, starting with the SD card.

If you are performing a Xenopixel firmware update, follow the guide in the article here

Considerations for Staff Sabers with Drop-in Cores

Typical builds for sabers are as follows:

Standard Elite sabers: [ Emitter + switch section + body + pommel ]

Apprentice sabers: [ Emitter + one piece switch and body section + pommel ]

Staff Sabers: [ Emitter + one piece switch and body section + Emitter ]

We bring attention to this because Staff sabers do not have a pommel to remove, and the body does not twist off unless the staff is one that was ordered "modular". When removing a core, the overall goal is to create a clear path for the all-in-one chassis that the electronics are housed in to slide out. For staff sabers, there are two emitters, or open ends, and no need to remove a pommel or body section to gain access to the core.

Did you remove the screws and the pommel, but find you cannot remove the core?

While some sabers and parts have a snug tolerance, the source of this issue is usually caused by the button and recharge port of the electronics still being in position within the switch section holes of a saber. With all retention screws removed, press the button of the electronics down so that they drop into the saber (or into the chassis within the saber). From there, using the blade for your saber, you can push the core out of the saber.

*When reinstalling your core, be sure the electronics align with the hole pattern before tightening the retention screw. Should you feel resistance, stop and check alignment.