LPC-815 red module powered by single Li-ion + linear driver

This is the properly working driver, right?
It's the same driver, DX green modules have. You should be able to use it.
What's with the cap between the potentiometer and the switch? It looks brownish on the photo.
I can post pictures on how to connect this driver to the laser diode tomorrow.

lazerov said:

This is the properly working driver, right?
It's the same driver, DX green modules have. You should be able to use it.
What's with the cap between the potentiometer and the switch? It looks brownish on the photo.
I can post pictures on how to connect this driver to the laser diode tomorrow.

Click to expand...

Yes, it is...i think lol....As for the cap, good question. I have asked myself that same question-whether is got "burned" out or what. Heres the story on this driver--As always, when i get a laser for DX, i mod it a bit. On this pointer, the top housing wouldnt come off, so i drilled a small hole through the bottom housing right abouve the pot. I dont think the drill bit came in contact with the pot at all...even if it did slightly, i dont see why it would "kill" that cap..then all of a sudden it stopped workin..no life at all from the diode, except a little red glow.... .Anyway, thats the stroy on that driver. lol

And yeah, sounds good for your pics posting tomorrow

Also, for this module DealExtreme: $4.06 Red Laser Module - Focusable Dot (3.5V~4.5V 16mm 5mW), what should i use in terms of a diode? A open can or a closed can..is theere a difference in focusing or power? I usually go with open can, but i am just wondering the difference between the two.

We all thought that LOCs were far and above LCCs but some guys of late are getting surprising results with the closed ones. Nice bike BTW. I just got rid of my Maxim (XJ) 1100 in favor of my cbr600f1.

creanzworld17 said:

Also, for this module DealExtreme: $4.06 Red Laser Module - Focusable Dot (3.5V~4.5V 16mm 5mW), what should i use in terms of a diode? A open can or a closed can..is theere a difference in focusing or power? I usually go with open can, but i am just wondering the difference between the two.

Click to expand...

Both closed can and open can diodes have the same size (5,6mm). So they'll fit inside the module on the link.
I can't comment on their power as I have only limited experience with them. You can find pin-outs and other data about various laser diodes here:
Diodes Compilation - All Diodes Data In One Thread!

Here are the pictures:


As you can see the power supply (+) should be connected to the same PCB pad as the Laser Diode (+). This is because IR laser diodes in the green modules are case positive, while red LDs are case negative.

Ok, i think i got it. Explain again why there needs to be three pins from the LD.... from the green diode...hooked in the board...but the 20x red LD i will soon put in, only needs to be hooked in with two pins - and + ....

Also, once i hook up the 20x LD to this driver, and switch out the resistor for a .33ohm, it will be safe right? And if it is safe (meaning it will not kill the diode) it will give out nice mW's right?

FYI--And i only have a multimeter--obviously measuring mA's..not sure how i am supposed to test this driver once everything is hooked up, as to not kill the LD.

creanzworld17 said:

Ok, i think i got it. Explain again why there needs to be three pins from the LD.... from the green diode...hooked in the board...but the 20x red LD i will soon put in, only needs to be hooked in with two pins - and + ....

Click to expand...

5,6mm. laser diodes have three pins but in most of the high power ones the third pin is not used (low power LDs have monitoring photo diode there). The third PCB pad is not physically connected to the circuit. Watch out not to reverse the polarity of the diode.

Also, once i hook up the 20x LD to this driver, and switch out the resistor for a .33ohm, it will be safe right? And if it is safe (meaning it will not kill the diode) it will give out nice mW's right?

FYI--And i only have a multimeter--obviously measuring mA's..not sure how i am supposed to test this driver once everything is hooked up, as to not kill the LD.

Click to expand...

The resistor you have on the driver (on the pictures) right now is 0,33Ohm. You don't need to change it.
If you are not careful you can very easily kill the diode. Again, I recommend you to use a test load.
First set the driver to very low output (potentiometer fully turned clockwise). You can measure the current going through the load with your multimeter. An easy way is to use 1Ohm resistor in series with the load. Switch the multimeter to the 2000mV (2V - most common) range. Then you need to measure the voltage across the 1Ohm resistor. Every 1mV accounts for 1mA current.
Alternative method is to measure the voltage over the 0,33Ohm resistor you already have on the driver. In this case you should switch the multimeter to 200mV (for greater precision) and every 1mV will account for 3mA.

Hope this helps. Just be careful.

lazerov said:

First set the driver to very low output (potentiometer fully turned clockwise).

Hope this helps. Just be careful.

Click to expand...

Dont you mean counter-clockwise? I thought turning the pot clockwise increases output on the diode? And turning it left, decreases?

creanzworld17 said:

Dont you mean counter-clockwise? I thought turning the pot clockwise increases output on the diode? And turning it left, decreases?

Click to expand...

Just tried this in order to be sure. Turning the pot clockwise decreases output. It's a bit illogical, I know. I've made the same mistake some time ago and pushed about 800mA into a 100mW DX module (which presumably has 500mW IR diode inside). Luckily, it survived.

Hmm interesting, because i might have just soldered the terminals backwards. On my DDL driver, turning it clockwise increase output/counterclockwise decreases. So that may be the "problem" for that. But i do think that on my DX drivers, turning the pot is the same as my DDL driver. I may be wrong, but i was pretty sure. Now i am scared i will kill the diodes.lol

You shouldn't be touching that pot without replacing the LD with a dummy load anyway.

Well focusing on the DDL, as a test load i use an LED, which is sufficient for the LM317 schematic..as fot the potentiometer on this driver, i guess i can take it off ( b/c it is kind of pointless) and just add two 7.2Ohm resistors in series which will give me 3.6Ohms i guess...then since i dont have the pot anymore, it will be a steady current of...more than 370mA right? That would be more than enough for a 20x LD...of course with that output, i guess i will have to time it with like 30seconds or something, unless i use a good heatsink. Sound good a far as the DDL setup for me?

If I understand correctly, you're talking about replacing the pot and fixed resistor on Daedal's regulator with a 3.6 Ohm resistor (that's two 7.2 Ohm resistors IN PARALLEL BTW). You would then have 1.2V/3.6 Ohms= 333mA. Just remember that your battery voltage must be more than 3V above the votage drop of your LD
-Phil

it is interesting

laserdudephil said:

If I understand correctly, you're talking about replacing the pot and fixed resistor on Daedal's regulator with a 3.6 Ohm resistor

Click to expand...

Pretty much, heres what i am referring to- lazd.net site admin demo - MXDL 300 Laser Build