Help With Deadels driver.

Hi, I am newly registered to this forum and have 2 questions.

First, I have built this driver for my laser diode. However I could not locate a 100 ohm pot.
I was able to locate a 1 k, a 1m, and a 400 something k. for the sake of seeing if I could even build something like this I made it with the 1k pot. When I connect an xmas bulb to the driver and power it on I turn the pot all the way up and theres a dim glow in the bulb, very dim. I turn the pot down and the light goes off. Does this mean that I have built the driver correctly and its working? I know I have the wrong pot and it wont power my diode but I need to know if this means my driver is functioning correctly. I think it is. Also I have the driver powered form a 7.4volt lipo battery pack form a team losi micro t. From what I understand as long as I input at least 6 volts to the driver the power output remains at 2.5volts. If this is correct it would be safe to use the 7.4 volt pack right?

Second question, My diode does not look like the one that came out of my aixiz housing. I assume its an open can. I can see right inside of the diode and see 2 pins and the laser in the center. I placed it in the housing and can somewhat focus the beam. This will still work right?
It is form a lite on it 20x dvd burner. I connected it to an old laser pointer and it lights up fine. its just not as bright as I would have expected.

So after reading this all that I should need now is the 100 ohm pot right? Is there a work around so I can make this work with out it? i have been waiting a very long time to build my burning laser and if I'm this close I am happy.

Thank you for your time in answering my questions.


So far I have had a some input on this in the other thread but I was asked to create a new one.

I was told to check the schematics to be sure im not using an older version that is incorrect. I do not think Im using that version. I went by the diagram with the images of each component. The simple one

I know im getting output from the driver because it will slighty light up the filament in small xmas bulb. I dont hav emuch on hand to test it with. i know it wont light an led and it will spin up a small motor from the havoc heli tail rotor. But it will not light up my diode.

I dont want to resort to the maglite mod. I have already done that with an ir diode. But due to me enjoying my ability to see things I stopped messing with it.

Im not sure what could be wrong. If I had to guess I would say that im not getting enough output from my driver.


Thanks again for any help I can get.

ebay for 100ohm pot

I got 20 of em for like 4 bucks shipped. good ones too...

I dont have means to order online, no bank account no credit card.

Another guy earlier said any pot will work. Im just not getting a high enough output to power anything with the driver i built.

I really have no idea whats wrong. I might end up just stuffing my diode in my mini mag.

any pot will owrk, yet you have not the right resistors if your case is as it seems. you need 5 ohms, or 2 10ohms in parallel, which means:


|----10ohm----|
----| |----
|----10ohm----|

make sure u did the crcuit right too...

regards,

amk

BTW u need at least 6V input, and preferable NOT AAA, AA, or 9V as they sag very fast.

Ok, I do have 2 10ohm resistors as you have shown.

Im thinking maybe this is a little too much for me to do.

Can I take a 3.6v battery pack and connect it directly to my diode with a 10 ohm resistor in between?

I already did this and had a really nice bright diode and I had it on for maybe 30 seconds or a little more. the diode did not seem to heat up much if any. Im just tired and im pretty sure i did the circuit correctly because i am getting output voltage, just not alot. Maybe one of my parts are the wrong one.

This is not as easy as I had hoped.

Oh and I am using 7.4 volts as my input.

DNMEBOY said:

Ok, I do have 2 10ohm resistors as you have shown.

Im thinking maybe this is a little too much for me to do.

Can I take a 3.6v battery pack and connect it directly to my diode with a 10 ohm resistor in between?

I already did this and had a really nice bright diode and I had it on for maybe 30 seconds or a little more. the diode did not seem to heat up much if any. Im just tired and im pretty sure i did the circuit correctly because i am getting output voltage, just not alot. Maybe one of my parts are the wrong one.

This is not as easy as I had hoped.

Oh and I am using 7.4 volts as my input.

Click to expand...

most liekly the loads u ar eusing are not enough for your driver to start "driving". I have a huge mungo motor from radio, and that even does not draw enough current. 2 options:

1. get a DMM and test

2:
Turn ur pot up all the way so that there is as much resistance as possible. turn off driver if u havent already.
Solder on diode
turn on driver.
SLOWLY tun pot resistance DOWN untill you get a bright beam. dont over do it, but then again if u have 2 10 ohms and a senkat diode, u shud be fine.

Well thanks for the suggestions, i will have to try them tomorrow but for now I did it the dingbat way. I put everything in a garity led flashlight. i connected the negative directly to the diode and the positive to a 10 ohm resistor and then to the diode. I have a great beam and it burns. Ive lit several matches so far but I am worried about the diode burning out and even more worried about my eyes.


Exactly how worried about my eyes should I be? I already know not to look into the beam but what about staring at things you burn......if you cant watch them burn well its pointless then.

I also have one question. I know Daedal's circuit is made for 6v in, but does the amper matter too? Will it make any difference if i use a.. let's say, power adapter with 6v and 3 amper?

kake said:

I also have one question. I know Daedal's circuit is made for 6v in, but does the amper matter too? Will it make any difference if i use a.. let's say, power adapter with 6v and 3 amper?

Click to expand...

The power supply needs to put out as many amps as the circuit is drawing. If you are running the diodes with 250ma's then you need at least a 6 volt 250ma. adapter.

But if im using 250ma diodes, does it matter if i use a 1A adapter?
Another question.. The pot in Daedal's circuit, doesn't that just regulate the voltage, and not the ampers? How can i know and adjust the mA going through?

kake said:

But if im using 250ma diodes, does it matter if i use a 1A adapter?
Another question.. The pot in Daedal's circuit, doesn't that just regulate the voltage, and not the ampers? How can i know and adjust the mA going through?

Click to expand...

It doesn't matter because the 317 is regulating the current.

Please refer to the following link to learn more about the 317:

http://users.pandora.be/davshomepage/current-source.htm

You need a meter to measure the current. Or you can use the formula provided on the webpage I linked to.

So if i connect 1 LED that needs at least 30mA, if i meter it, will i get 30mA? And if the circuit gives 200mA, and i connect a paralell of leds that needs 500mA, will i meter 200mA?

Ok first of all this wa smy thread and im supposed to be the one being helped
No biggy.

Ok so I have a nice burning laser that pops balloons form 4 feet away and that is cool. It burns matches as well.
but anyway Im running the diode the dingbat way right to the battery but I have a 10 ohm resistor in place. I know it isnt supposed to work this way or its bad for the diode. I want to put the cap in it as well as the pot. Will that be better for my LD as far as life span? I dont want to use the 317 because it wont fit in my flashlight. If I regulate the voltage by keeping it at 3.6 volts like I have now then I shouldnt need the 317 if I understand this properly. The thing I need to worry about is the amperage going to the diode right? I want around 250 ma and im running it off 3 AAA that are 800 mah, is MAH something different in terms of wanting 250 ma going to the diode?

What I want to do is take ddl's circuit and condense it down by leaving out the 317. From all the reading and research I have been doing I dont see why this wouldnt work. But I dont know much at all about circuits and all the parts in it.

I know how to read, follow directions and solder. My laser works fine now but i want to make sure it stays working for some time to come. And I really want it all to fit in my flashlight.

Thanks

DNMEBOY said:

Ok first of all this wa smy thread and im supposed to be the one being helped
No biggy.

Ok so I have a nice burning laser that pops balloons form 4 feet away and that is cool. It burns matches as well.
but anyway Im running the diode the dingbat way right to the battery but I have a 10 ohm resistor in place. I know it isnt supposed to work this way or its bad for the diode. I want to put the cap in it as well as the pot. Will that be better for my LD as far as life span? I dont want to use the 317 because it wont fit in my flashlight. If I regulate the voltage by keeping it at 3.6 volts like I have now then I shouldnt need the 317 if I understand this properly. The thing I need to worry about is the amperage going to the diode right? I want around 250 ma and im running it off 3 AAA that are 800 mah, is MAH something different in terms of wanting 250 ma going to the diode?

What I want to do is take ddl's circuit and condense it down by leaving out the 317. From all the reading and research I have been doing I dont see why this wouldnt work. But I dont know much at all about circuits and all the parts in it.

I know how to read, follow directions and solder. My laser works fine now but i want to make sure it stays working for some time to come. And I really want it all to fit in my flashlight.

Thanks

Click to expand...

I donno, ur not getting the full potential of the diode out with just 1 10ohm resistor

Ok so if I use 2 10 ohm resistors like you showed above it should work?

I just want to make sure its ok to remove the 317 as long as I input only 3.6 volts.

As soon as I can figure it out, maybe its my connection...I will post pics of my laser.

laserpointerforums.com/forumdata/yabbfiles/Attachments/prototype_001.jpg

thats what I am trying to build without the 317