New FOCUSABLE 200mW Red on DX

Hey guys i got my dx red about 5 weeks ago been working great my friends just came in last monday 4-21 its about 2-3 mm longer the adjustable focus head output hole is 2mm larger and his has a strap on it and his came with battery and instructionsI didn't know there were two types or these they work the same great just wondering if anyone else came across this before

nikokapo said:

[quote author=styropyro link=1204386353/315#320 date=1209646388]Ok, for some reason I couldn't get youtube to take the black powder video, so I am just going to attach it to this post.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z_0zbMajcE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S3eMHVGNZI

Click to expand...

can u upload them here as you did before? they were in a better quality and already in .avi

please
[/quote]
Absolutely NOT!!!
White Match...
;D

Red match...

alright!! thank you very much styro!!!!

@ john_lawson:

hey, DX is always getting lasers because they earn money by having a low stock, so the companies may be trying new circuits (improvements) and stuff, so you may get a different laser everytime you order from them...

but the dx 200 is advertised with a strap on :S

ok hmm i musta got one of the first ones i ordered it a week after it came out I love it it Rocks thanks NikoKapo

john_lawson said:

ok hmm i musta got one of the first ones i ordered it a week after it came out I love it it Rocks thanks NikoKapo

Click to expand...

I got my "back up" one today. Now I can hurt the other one

Peace,
dave

john_lawson said:

ok hmm i musta got one of the first ones i ordered it a week after it came out I love it it Rocks  thanks NikoKapo

Click to expand...

no prob.

hey we should add this to the faq, shouldnt we, styro? (the "why do i get a different laser everytime i order from dx" Q?)

I made a site just for the DX 200mw

http://www.200mw.com

spyrorocks said:

I made a site just for the DX 200mw

http://www.200mw.com

Click to expand...

Why?

Peace,
dave

2 reasons:

#1: I need dx points

#2: The dx 200mw needs a easy way for people to find it to try and save n00bs from buying Pulsars.

Heh, wonder if WL will counter with something like http://www.pulsar125.com/

In fact, wouldn't it be cool to make a site where every laser has it's own individual site? Cost a fortune, but look neat, and be easy advertising

It would be awesome, but as you said it would cost a lot.

Id like to do domains for a lot of DX lasers.

spyrorocks said:

2 reasons:

#1: I need dx points

#2: The dx 200mw needs a easy way for people to find it to try and save n00bs from buying Pulsars.

Click to expand...

The DX200 is a perfect way to make DX points. I'm up to 263 ;D

Hey, Styro!

I just received the Dilda today, and even with the workload i have and will continue to have until the end of may, i just had to do some testing and measurements. I wanted to know if it is regulated.

Here are my test results:
Current: 2x 3V CR2 primary: 0.24A in 20A range, 0.240A in 2A range.
Power: 154mW

Since the current doesn't change, even when i change ranges, this might indicate some regulation. The 2A range measures through a different shunt, which can affect some cheap green lasers by as much as 200mA current drop on a bad day.

But!

Current: 2x 3V CR2 rechargable: 0.31A in 20A range, 0.304A in 2A range.
Power: 176mW

Again no difference between the ranges whatsoever, but why the higher current? 3V rechargables are a better power source than primaries. But if it was regulated, and the reason for the lower power with the primaries would be dropping out of regulation, there would be a BIG difference between the ranges. The shunt in the 2A range would introduce an additional voltage drop and the reading would be lower, than in the 20A range.


So it would definitely appear to have some form of regulation, but it might not be a true constant current source.

I have some 3.6V CR2 rechargables, but putting them in might be too much. Who knows what would happen at 8.4V, altho i have no doubt, someone already tried. I need to approach this more carefully, by hooking it up to a PSU, and slowly raising the voltage. I will also limit the current, just in case it tries to overshoot. Unfortunatelly, i do not have time for that at this moment.


What i'm surprised about is, that when you measured the current, it was the same almost to the end. So long in fact, that you killed one of your batteries. This is a little bit odd. Since the current is lower with primaries, it should eventually drop to that level on the rechargables as well. It wouldn't make sense, that the current would constantly be 240mA with primaries and 310mA with rechargables.

It is possible, there are different versions of the driver in this laser tho. Wouldn't be the first time.


Otherwise, the build quality of this laser seems good. I expected it to be a little more massive tho. It has almost the same diameter as the KD50, but that one is way more massive. The head/heatsink here has more mass than an aixiz module, so it's better than nothing. The driver is fixed to the head with something resembling the QuickSteel epoxy, so the batteries can not put stress on the diode. It's actually quite a good laser.

I just managed to light a cigarette with it, and it seemed to happen much faster, than with my 186mW laser. I have no idea why, but it could be just a feeling.

When i first grabbed it in my hand, it almost felt as if it was made of plastic. It is very light. I expected it to be heavier. The KD50 is heavier without the battery, than this one with two inside.

There is a good side to this, as alluminum is a very good heat conductor. The head does get warm, but interestingly enough, the heat travels through the threads into the tube.


It looks like a very good laser actually. And the paint seems to be of a high quality. I am not sure it would be a good host for an open can at 420mA tho. The heatsinking might not be good enough. 350mA should be ok tho. Could be a wonderful host for the new StoneTek diodes, in case the original one dies.


You were right, Styro. Even with all my DIYs i don't regret buying this. As soon as i find some time, i will analyze it further and maybe replace the driver, to keep it safe at close to the upper current limits and run it off two 3.6V CR2s.

After writing this, i did another power measurement. It was only 164mW with the same rechargable CR2s. Opened it up, measured the current, and it was 292mA, slowly climbing to 298mA, as the diode warmed up. The regulation seems to be far from perfect, and either you really got a different one, or there is something odd with your measurements. I am definitely changing the driver to a 317.

I left the laser on for a while, and the tube is getting quite warm. Are they usually this hot?

The tube does a good job of pulling the heat away tho. And the interesting thing is, this laser becomes more powerful as it heats up! I got 186mW and the current went back to 310mA. After turning it off, it cools down VERY fast.

And when i turned it on again, the power went to 205mW. :-? This is one odd lazor.


If i put the primaries back in, the power is again 157mW, but immediatelly afterwards on the rechargables, it is still 205mW. So before, i had 30mW difference, now i have 50mW difference. And the batteries are slightly less full than they were at the start.



P.S. Ok, now i need to leave again, or else i will get no work done! Stupid addictions.

Ok, the above weird readings were incorrect. My meter became unbalanced again. Need to put in a Low-Battery warning LED! The power of my laser at 310mA is very low, compared to a good 16x diode. 160-170mW.

And i don't think the laser diode is the thing making the body so hot. The resistor, diode and a transistor on the PCB are almost glowing from heat during operation. They must be the main heat contributors, since they have to waste half of all the power from the batteries.


I almost wanted to pop in two 3.6V batteries, to see how it would work then, but i stopped myself. Didn't want to kill it just yet. Instead i decided to hook it up to my PSU. I set the voltage to 6V and limited the current at 340mA.

When i powered it on, the current was 310mA. When i lowered the voltage very slightly, the current started dropping. When i raised it again, it reached 310 then 320 and after that, the current limiting jumped into action, and stopped the increase of voltage so the current wouldn't go above 340.

The power at this current was slightly above 170mW. I did not dare go any further.


It does not behave as if it was regulated. I don't understand, what all those components are doing, except getting hot. Maybe i really got a different driver. I don't know. Need to compare pics, but no time!


I know some people here have measured 240mW. If so, are you using 3.6V CR2s? What is the current?
And those who were turning the pot, again, how did it affect the current?

It would be good to know the limits of this thing. For now, i can only say, do NOT use 3.6V CR2s. It could even kill it instantly. Mine is definitely undergoing some surgery soon. Why, oh why can the chinese not grasp the concept of a driver?