What's the highest mA you've set your BDR 209?

It's like I am being punished for trying to be careful and conservative, VERY aggravating

thanhtung said:

Dear, I have set 16x 209bdr at 850mA ~.~, and it die after 2 months!

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Shakenawake said:

Oh. My. GOD. Just blew my fourth one, set at the lowest current yet, .5A, and it goes LED in record time. Excuse me, I'm going to go blow my brains out

I have to be the unluckiest guy here, maybe I should cut my losses and leave the hobby

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Shakenawake said:

It's like I am being punished for trying to be careful and conservative, VERY aggravating

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I have often thought about buying one of these but I think maybe I should stick with just my S06J 12X 405, I have had one for almost two years that is driven at 500mA and is still working great. I think the S06J 12X are probably more reliable.

Alan

Shakenawake said:

It's like I am being punished for trying to be careful and conservative, VERY aggravating

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Hi Shake,
I don't know how you feel about the ESD protocols But i don't ever build with out it. ESD mats and wrist bands grounded for added safety ESD is all around us and in some areas in the home more or less. I built both the 12X and the 16X 405'5 and all the diodes are taken from the sleds i buy. I bought one 405 a long time ago from DTR still have it running and it's been switched from host to host a numerous amount of times. Hey since your Karma is nill with the 405 Try some ESD protection you never know. And throw away the 1W Holy Grail scenario 800 to 900 mW's is fine buddy. Hate to hear your having troubles with this diode.

Rich

I just purchased a 12x one from DTR and will likely build it into another laser 66 pen like the build I just posted in the 445nm section. It's weird how the 12x is 5.6mm and the 16x is 3.8mm. I've stated before that the 16x has been my nemesis also so I'm with you Shake Worst part is the cost and even though you can get a sled for $30 on ebay I can't stand harvesting one due to the way it is mounted plus having to remove the soldered ribbon cable. Anyways, the 16x is my most hated diode I love lol.
I've had a couple people tell me they have built a complete laser with the 16x and they output over 1W but I can never get them to tell me the driver they used. Either they are not telling me the truth or its some kind of stupid secret. I think we need Lazerer to weigh in here with a driver that he knows will take care of this issue. Mine have all blown when the build is complete using the hosts clicky. I have come to believe the clicking are not latching 100% when switching and give a glitch that the ddriver/diode can't handle and it gets spiked.
Actually, the thing that bothers me the most right now is how updating my note 4 to 5.1.1 has killed my screen mirroring as I used it every single day with my Microsoft wireless display adapter to one of my hdtvs. Sounds like pretty much everyone is in the same boat and really angry about it. I do have the hdmi adapter to wire direct but that not the point.

Shakenawake said:

Oh. My. GOD. Just blew my fourth one, set at the lowest current yet, .5A, and it goes LED in record time. Excuse me, I'm going to go blow my brains out

I have to be the unluckiest guy here, maybe I should cut my losses and leave the hobby

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Damn, you have been unlucky, I remember when these first came out, and you were setting yours lower than most everyone else, so they would last.:cryyy:

My first one was DOA, and when I replaced the diode, I used ESD protection for the first time, and so far so good.

I've got mine set at 625-630 ish, and it's a beast, it averages in the upper 900mW range, and peaks at over 1W.
It's still going strong, but I keep the run times short since I've got it in a smaller J/L Ti-B host.

@Pman, I just read your previous post; my first diode died about 5-10 seconds after I first attached it to a battery for tryout. It came on bright, and then dimmed, never to work again!

Well I know for a fact I've killed at least 3 all from pushing them although every single one of them worked fine completely built even testing with the batteries I was going to use as long as I didn't use an actual host switch. Once I put it together in a host it will work with lower power fine until I use full battery power (as in 2 batteries instead of one) and then game over.
If you look at Jordans testing and what he recommends setting too I have yet to even hit 900mW so it makes me wonder although I could make every one I've bought easily hit over 1W running off my variable DC power supply.

I have much less experience then most of you. I do have an ESD mat gounded with a wrist strap I use. $45 Amazon.
Photos I see of rows of workers assembling our phones and such, they all seem to be wearing a strap.

Pman said:

I've had a couple people tell me they have built a complete laser with the 16x and they output over 1W but I can never get them to tell me the driver they used. Either they are not telling me the truth or its some kind of stupid secret. I think we need Lazerer to weigh in here with a driver that he knows will take care of this issue.

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I just double checked my dead diode/driver that I received from DTR, and the driver provided was an Lazeerer X boost mini v7.

A bit off topic maybe but I meant to add in my last post that if anyone has any further answers that I'm looking for or things to add in this post please help:
http://laserpointerforums.com/f67/diode-driver-combination-wiring-96176.html
There are some long time members that could answer most of the blanks if they were willing.

Hi Bowtie.
But it may be that ESD is the ticket or not , but i use it on all my builds just added security.
To costly to play for such a non expensive tool. It's just my 2 Cents.it's been treating me ok so far.
@ Pman,
I'll be harvesting a 16X 405 sled i have going to run it at 660 to 670mA in a 66 chrome pen i'll let you know if i pass or fail Buddy. may the 405nm gods be with me ..

Rich

Rich

Lifetime, I agree completely, ESD should probably always be used.
I just hadn't used it previously, but after hearing how sensitive these 405's were, I didn't really want to lose a 2nd diode. I imagine that I'll be using it on all my builds from now on.

Hi Bowtie better be safe than sorry, hey it can't hurt to ESD the builds ever. Glad you agree some folks get away with it and they seem it's ok. but in reality theres always the one time or two that it's the culprit and the build fails. They scratch there heads and say i just blew that NDB7A75 $$$$$$$ Down the tubes...

Rich

Yeahh, the NDB7A75. Thanks lifetime. Haha. Yeah.
That feeling in your gut when you hit that switch then...nothing. Check the batteries maybe that's it..nope. Retest the driver, wire the diode to the DC power supply..nothing. Diodes dead. $&@"&
You analyze what could have happened. Esd is always a possibility. I force myself to use the wrist strap even if I think I don't need to to isolate that variable.
Good soldering practice and heat shrinking connections helps too but even then sometimes you lose one.

By the way, if you dont enjoy removing those pesky 3.8mm diodes from their sleds, the Ebay seller who sells the sleds for $29 also sells the diode already removed for $35. I don't know if that is new or not but I never saw it before:
Extracted 405nm 900mW Laser Diode from Pioneer 16x BDR 209DBK Sleds | eBay
I have a couple of them on order.
What driver are you going to use in that laser 66 build with this diode Rich?
What driver is DTR using?
Going to need a couple of really small drivers like whatever is being used. I have larger ones that obviously won't fit inside a module.

Shakenawake said:

Oh. My. GOD. Just blew my fourth one, set at the lowest current yet, .5A, and it goes LED in record time. Excuse me, I'm going to go blow my brains out

I have to be the unluckiest guy here, maybe I should cut my losses and leave the hobby

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The fact this sort of thing keeps happening to you isn't normal. I'd bet there's something about your house/environment or the way you store or use your lasers that is killing them. Perhaps something in your house is generating far more ESD than normal. Might be worth investigating to avoid further losses.

Pman said:

By the way, if you dont enjoy removing those pesky 3.8mm diodes from their sleds, the Ebay seller who sells the sleds for $29 also sells the diode already removed for $35. I don't know if that is new or not but I never saw it before:
Extracted 405nm 900mW Laser Diode from Pioneer 16x BDR 209DBK Sleds | eBay
I have a couple of them on order.
What driver are you going to use in that laser 66 build with this diode Rich?
What driver is DTR using?
Going to need a couple of really small drivers like whatever is being used. I have larger ones that obviously won't fit inside a module.

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Hi Pman,
I use a X Boost from Lazeerer and he makes a mini to. I used Techood to but i usually order from Existotem or Uchen . All lazeerers X Drives will fit into a 12mm module no problem, lots of room. DTR is also using the X Drive and SXD's that Lazeerer makes. I get adjustable drivers all the time,i like the flexibility. The SXD's will adjust from 1.2A to around 5.2A's, The X Boost will adjust from150mA to 1.8A And the X Drives will adjust from 150mA to 3A i think..I save a little more getting the diodes from the sleds and i like doing it , it's a challenge for me. Hey if DTR can do it ,it can be done to. Try some ESD precautions maybe that will break the spell of your 405 demon your having, give it a shot..

Rich