Super cheap and easy red burner build for the masses!

So a week or two ago, I saw this thread, and was really intrigued by it- i had a few of those heatsinks, and the rest of the parts for a 650nm build were pretty cheap..So I ordered what I needed:

The host: Pocket 3W LED Flashlight
The driver: 350mA AMC driver
The diode (in module) : 650nm 3.8mm laser diode
And heres the heatsink, of which I had a few (conveniently) laying around: 12mm Heatsink

We will be using this picture here to base our wiring off of:


First, solder the spring (already in the flashlight) to the OUTER ring of the underside of the driver:


Here's a view of the topside of the driver- mine all came with leads already soldered on, but if yours for some reason doesn't have them, you can just follow the first picture i posted. From here its black to black, driver to diode:


add some heatshrink:


And same with the positive line, red to red (also driver to diode):


Now just set the module into the heatsink:

I used a bit of glue later on for this, so that I didn't have a stupid long screw hanging out the side of my build.

After this, you just set the whole thing into the flashlight. I put a little super glue on the outside edge of the driver to it would stick to the inside of the host-which didn't work at all
The spring will set on a little ring on the inside of the host, and you can just push the heatsink in and glue it [heatsink] into place- neither it nor the driver will go anywhere.

Then boom! Put in a 14500 li-ion positive end first (negative/flat end towards tailcap), and voila!

Enjoy your burning laser that you just made for under $30!

This thing is really small, and could be even smaller if you cut the end of the heatsink off to sit flush with the host. Nice little pocket burner, and bright at that! I have no problem seeing the beam in a dark room, but its not like a 445 where if you point it at a wall 5 feet away you will get sun spots.

But that is not to say safety is important. Wear your goggles, people! You only have 2 eyes, don't burn them out due to being careless!

Hope you all enjoyed this little build
If you have some spare time, and a little money, I highly suggest doing this- it takes all of 5 minuted to put together, and is a pretty cool little "pocket burner". Especially if you are perpetually lacking money, like me It kills me not being able to do anything with lasers just due to money, so this was nice for me.

Once again, thanks for looking! :thanks:

While a nice build, there's one think you need to watch out for! Case polarity: You are using a case positive driver, and inserting the battery in case-positive manner, while diode itself is case negative.

You MUST make sure the diode is insulated from the case connections.

That means either:
1) insulating the heatsink from driver + case,

Or
2)insulating the module from heatsink.

Should a full case connection to the diode break through, the diode will die from being directly connected to a battery.

The heatsink is anodized, do its all good. Also the inside of the host only is conductive on the inside up to where the spring sits. Everything is isolated and happy :beer:

Oh cool, clear anodizing!

Wish I could do that. It does wonders to protect the heatsink as well, scratches and tarnish and all.

With that said, awesome build!

i still say euda is correct. all it takes is one burr to scratch and the anodizing is right off. I say better safe than sorry.

while it is a "cheap" build, this is an expensive hobby and you should always take care and do things in the best manner.

Michael.

Even if the anodizing somehow is scratched off, like i said in a previous post: the part of the host that conducts from the tail cap side only extends up to a certain point, which the SPRING (negative driver contact) sits on. If the heatsinks anodizing was scratched off ANYWHERE, it would still NOT come in contact with and current flow. it is 100% isolated from everything. Besides, if that wasn't the case, my whole build would be shorting out right now since the spring touches both the negative host contact, and the non conductive upper part of the inside of the body. the only way it could short out and die would be if the driver+spring "poofed" out of existence (leaving the diode soldered right to the body), the anodizing was "Poofed" off the heatsink, inside and out, and the heatsink then fell down farther into the host and touched the conductive part.

Like I said, its all happy and isolated Trust me, i thought about it all before putting it together.

That would apply for this specific host indeed.

But be aware that this is NOT a generic solution: plenty of hosts have the body metal connected to the negative (or rarely) positive battery terminal.

In such cases this driver solution will only work for laser diodes that have their body isolated from both supply leads (such as the 445's).

Anodization is NOT insulation by any means. It might isolate at first glance, but once some pressure is applied you'll find an electrical connection is easily made between anodized aluminium and something pressed against it.

Benm said:

That would apply for this specific host indeed.

But be aware that this is NOT a generic solution: plenty of hosts have the body metal connected to the negative (or rarely) positive battery terminal.

In such cases this driver solution will only work for laser diodes that have their body isolated from both supply leads (such as the 445's).

Anodization is NOT insulation by any means. It might isolate at first glance, but once some pressure is applied you'll find an electrical connection is easily made between anodized aluminium and something pressed against it.

Click to expand...

Obviously it is specific to this host. Hence me using it
And like i said, even if the anodizing wasnt there, the driver+spring would have to be removed for it to make contact.

I may actually pick up one of these guys for my 685 build. I need something isolated due to my driver/diode combo. Are you saying the top of the host is not metal though?

Nvm, my driver/diode combo needs two batts.

wannaburnstuff said:

Nvm, my driver/diode combo needs two batts.

Click to expand...

You can get 1/2 AA lithium batteries, search 14250.

It's a very nice host, ultra-compact. Feels cheap, but I liked the size and cost.
So, naturally I ordered 3 when I saw the other thread (not all for 650nm).

Great post with the tutorial and all, but I also want to give credit to the first thread.

Thanks for sharing! :beer:

crazyspaz said:

Obviously it is specific to this host. Hence me using it
And like i said, even if the anodizing wasnt there, the driver+spring would have to be removed for it to make contact.

Click to expand...

Yeah I would meter it before putting in the battery just to make sure.

I ordered and everything finally arrived. I have a couple of questions if you would be so kind. This is my first build.
My driver is different and i know I have to remove one of the chips but can i just connect/solder black to blackk and red to red on the diode?
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1...2-amc7135-led-flashlight-driver-circuit-gener
does the bulb end of the host unscrew like the tail cap does? i can't get it to unscrew by hand and haven't put a wretch on it yet, if not, how do u get the original innards out?
Thanks
WJ

Yes, red to red and blue to black on the diode. I would recommend leaving the second chip on the board
and just heating each pin with a soldering iron and cutting it off while it's hot. I don't know about the host.
Maybe someone else can chime in.

Good on the B to B R to R! could you splain removing the chip again, i don't understand?
I have a nice Hakko and those little nipper cutters but not real proficient with the Hakko

Heat one of the pins with the iron and then cut it off near the chip when the solder melts. Cut off the other
one the same way. Otherwise if you try to cut it cold, the pad could come up off the board. Then just
leave the rest of the chip on the board. It will be completely disabled without those 2 pins.