8X Bluray problem with a pulsing diode

I have just finished my first 8x bluray build using jayrobs C3 Stainless Steel host and microboost driver running at 305mA. I am using a 405-G-1 lens and a 14500 battery that goes with the host. The only problem is I am getting skewed results with the laserbee 1 meter I am using. I have checked the meter against other lasers with known power outputs and the meter is operating within normal parameters.

So, looking at the 8x spreadsheet of others running their 8x's around 300mA, I should be getting around a 400-450mW output from my setup. But, instead over many tests I have been getting a power output around 570-580mW. And it only stays this way for about 5-15 seconds then the diode starts to pulse around 3-4 hertz.

I definately think something is wrong and after searching the forum I really havent found anyone that has had a problem like this. I don't want my diode to burn out and have so much money go down the drain. So, I am asking anyone for help on this situation to point me in the right direction and hopefully I can find a solution to this problem.

Thanks so much to everyone in advance for looking!

Here are some pictures of my laserbee 1 showing the power output of the 8x in question.







100th POST!!!!! I hope this brings me some good luck...

Quite a few people recently has had lasers that have been pulsing, all on the new microboost. this is because of one of the components on the driver heating up, it pulses because of the safety feature to automatically do that if the driver is getting hot, well thats what i think anyway.

EDIT: mine pulses occasionally, but only on drained batts

stuart

Try a freshly charge battery or try another one. I had a similar problem.

(Congratulations on your 100th post... hope to congratulate you on your 1000th in the near future!)

Firstly, I would stop using your laser until you get this nailed. You are probably sensible enough to know this anyway but it should be said.

Secondly, I would speak to Jayrob if he set the driver. Maybe he can tell you if there were any quirks he noticed but normally the setting will be spot on.

Thirdly, what's the battery situation? Is it a single 3.7V Li-ion?

If you get no replies with help then drop Dr.Lava a PM. He's sometimes a little elusive but he won't ignore the message.

Funny though. Most people would be pleased with this output from a 8x running ~300mA and all you can do is complain! Huh, some people. They don't know they're born! (teasing!)

I hope you get this sorted soon. Nice host BTW.

M

Thanks guys for your responses so far, I am slowly getting ideas on what might be the problem.

jmgallego said:

Try a freshly charge battery or try another one. I had a similar problem.

(Congratulations on your 100th post... hope to congratulate you on your 1000th in the near future!)

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The battery I was using was a freshly charged 3.7 Li-ion 14500. But, I had a spare charged, so I put that in and the same results occured.

Also, thanks jmgallego for the congratulations on my 100th post, I also hope to eventually get to 1000!

Morgan said:

Firstly, I would stop using your laser until you get this nailed. You are probably sensible enough to know this anyway but it should be said.

Secondly, I would speak to Jayrob if he set the driver. Maybe he can tell you if there were any quirks he noticed but normally the setting will be spot on.

Thirdly, what's the battery situation? Is it a single 3.7V Li-ion?

If you get no replies with help then drop Dr.Lava a PM. He's sometimes a little elusive but he won't ignore the message.

Funny though. Most people would be pleased with this output from a 8x running ~300mA and all you can do is complain! Huh, some people. They don't know they're born! (teasing!)

I hope you get this sorted soon. Nice host BTW.

M

Click to expand...

I like to try and answer most peoples helping statements, so here goes...

I did stop using it. Thanks for telling me anyway. It is always a good reminder.
Jay didn't set my driver, Dr. Lava set it. And when I recieved it, I checked the mA with my DMM and it was definately set at 305mA (which I have heard is a good place to have it at for long duty cycles of an 8x).
And I am for sure using a single 3.7 Li-ion Battery.

I will definately PM Dr. Lava to get the scoop on the microboost drivers and if they do pulse when overheated.

And don't get me wrong, I am so happy that it is outputting 580mW. I just don't want to burn out the diode at that power. I'd rather lower the mA or fix the problem (whatever it is) and have a long running 8x.

Thanks everybody for your help so far!!! :yh:

If you are SURE that the batteries are giving you full voltage and current, re-check ALL of the electical connections in the laser. Check the cleanliness of the threaded sections. Check all your solder joints. Check the battery contact points. Check the heat sink to body joint. Is there a "hidden" resistor in the host anywhere? Did Jayrob do his "hot option" or did you install the driver? If you installed it, did you remove the elctronic components of the original driver? Check the negative connection from the heat sink to the contact ring in the module.

Did you double check the driver output using the battery as the power source?

Have you tried running the laser using a bench PSU rather than the battery?

Peace,
dave

Sorry this took me a while to post back, I have only been having a few spare minutes here and there...

I have done all that Dave has suggested to do, like checking and rechecking all of the electrical connections in the laser and I even resoldered every connection to make sure I did a really good job of it. I also triple checked the driver output using the battery as power source and every time it came out to be 305mA.

I do not have a PSU to use on it, but the two 14500 batteries I have been using with this setup have been putting out around 4.0V - 4.2V with a full or nearly full charge.

After I resoldered everything and put it back together for a second time, I turned it on to see if there was a difference, and there wasn't at first. Same output and then the flashing of the diode. THEN, when I turned it off and on a second time all I got was a dim glow from the diode and the driver smoked a little bit. I think it popped, but I have heard diodes pop before and I definately didn't hear it pop. When I turned it on that second time it was already a barely visible amount of light. After that the driver didn't smoke anymore and it was always putting out a small amount of 405nm light.

I am at a loss of what to do....any suggestions from here would be helpful. I am almost thinking of asking Dave to take a look at it. Or better yet, since I am pretty sure the diode is a goner, maybe I might ask dave if he could finish this build for me with his superior laser skills!!!

I am just sad that my freak diode didn't stay good at around 580mW...:cryyy:

(and dave if you read this I am serious about my request to send you the host, lens, driver (and extra driver in case this one is bad, even though I checked it a lot), batteries, and probably dead diode for you to take a look at it, or maybe build it for me. I would pay for shipping both ways and definately include something for your trouble if you have the time to do this.)

viperx1101 said:

the two 14500 batteries I have been using with this setup have been putting out around 3.5V - 3.7V with a full or nearly full charge.

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14500s, among other lithium batteries, should be running at 4.2V fully charged. Perhaps there's a problem with your batteries, or maybe your charger? Try buying a new 14500 and see if it works.

viperx1101 said:

(and dave if you read this I am serious about my request to send you the host, lens, driver (and extra driver in case this one is bad, even though I checked it a lot), batteries, and probably dead diode for you to take a look at it, or maybe build it for me. I would pay for shipping both ways and definately include something for your trouble if you have the time to do this.)

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I would be happy to look at it for you.
There is no charge for looking at it

Pop me a PM if/when you decide to go this way.

But, yeah. If your batteries were only putting out 3.5-3.7V at full charge, either the batteries or the charger were bad.
That doesn't mean that something didn't subsequently go wrong during the testing and re-soldering, though

You should also send the batteries along so I can see if it is the batteries or the charger that is bad

Peace,
dave

I am sorry, I miswrote what my batteries were actually putting out. The two 14500's are acutally putting out around 4.0V - 4.2V. I edited my previous post to show that.

I really don't know where I pulled 3.5V - 3.7V out of. Maybe my butt... :thinking:
But really, I am sorry I didn't write down the correct voltage of the batts, I believe I was just tired.

And Dave, I will probably send you a PM in the next couple of days to get something worked out with you. :yh: The reason is that I am helping get ready for a wedding that is happening at my girlfriends Parents house this saturday. And there is a lot to get ready. So hopefully I'll be in contact with you soon!

Thanks for all the help again Dave, and thanks Jimmymcjimthejim for finding my error.

When we refer to diodes "popping", its more of a term for "SUDDEN DEATH" if you know what I mean. If your diode is actually making a popping sound, you've got one bad laser!

It is was not recommended by Jayrob but I manually adjusted my pot to a desired output using my LPM to tell me when had achieved 1004mW with one of my MXDL units. I would turn the pot slightly, turn the unit on and test with the LPM and turn if off again and adjust the way I wanted to go. Trial and error. I was turning the driver down from Max for the flexdriver. The only bad part of that for you is that any range that was available on my pot did not have a chance of blowing up my diode. I think:thinking:

If your still having problems...look here http://laserpointerforums.com/f65/m...-flex-boost-driver-read-54959.html#post774452

Just to update anyone that was following this, I finally came to a conclusion on what I was doing wrong. And it definately WAS my fault!!!

Everything was set up how I thought it was supposed to be setup with a Microflex drive (the mistake). The only problem was that I was using a Microboost Driver, and I didn't know that these drivers were wired differently. I had my 8x with driver, batt and host set up like this:

(Also, I know these pictures have text stating it is a CR2 host with 445nm diode, but I also did that 445 build incorrectly with the MicroBoost Drive and that is how I figured out my problem.)



Anyone that is informed about the differences between the MicroFlex Drive and the MicroBoost Drive will imediately see the problem here. I incorrectly soldered the case pin and the negative pit together, and then soldered both of these to the diode negative on the MicroBoost drive.

I figured out from Jayrob that I was actually supposed to keep the Case and negative pin on the diode seperate. Then I would solder the negative pin to the Diode negative and the case pin to the Battery negative input. Here is the corrected Picture:



Once I figured this out, I was able to correct the problem, but sadly I already L.E.D.ed my 8x and a 6x diode. I guess that was why I was getting such high readouts from my Laserbee 1, because, IIRC, doing what I did basically bypasses the driver and gives direct current from the Battery to the diode. And that is a lot of current!!!

I also did this same incorrect soldering with a A140 Casio 445nm diode, but luckily those diodes are monsters. And after I corrected the mistake on that build, the diode worked just fine.

This was definately a experience that I will learn from and the knowledge that I gained will no doubt help me out in many of my future builds.

Thanks again for everyones ideas and for spending the time to try and help me out.

Sorry for your loss (diodes)

But MAN i bet they looked scweet for a few seconds

Thanks for taking time to update, doing a 12x 405nm build soon with a microboost, so i'll take your lessons and learn from them

ped said:

Sorry for your loss (diodes)

But MAN i bet they looked scweet for a few seconds

Thanks for taking time to update, doing a 12x 405nm build soon with a microboost, so i'll take your lessons and learn from them

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I am sorry as well...but yeah, they did look GREAT for the minute they lasted!!!

If anything comes of this, I am glad at least one other person can learn from my mistake. :yh:

Good luck with your 12x build!!!