First laser build

The_Muffin_Man · Nov 4, 2008

thanks for all the help!
How'd u make that laser above? I really like the design
1) so I check the resistance by hooking it up to a DMM (on the driver) what current should I run it at?
2) if I wanted to make the laser above do i need to get anything special( different drivers/housing ect) or could I use an aixiz housing and a rkcstr driver and the batteries above ? where do i get the host for it?
3)where can I get the charger for the batteries?
4)you said that would work fine when talking about soldering the negative from my diode to the negative of the driver and positive from diode to positive on the driver...but you said look at the post...i dont really understand the post very well...ill read over it again but if you could clarify in simpler terms i would GREATLY appreciate it.
Thanks

laserman55 · Nov 4, 2008

ok here is my circuit i tried to make it as small as possible
it uses a 300 ohm pot and they didt have a lm317 fixed so i got a nother voltage regulator (5volts 1 amp)

i am also using a really cool setup with a 7.2 volt 1100 mah battery

but gues what its not working when i twist my pot nuthing hapens volts and current stay the same. Its no putting out 5 volts and i kno the regulator is hooked up right. but idk what to do its no shorting everything is wired up fine

o those yellow and black wires going up one pair is to ld on is to the little pot u can barely see

rog8811 · Nov 5, 2008

so i got a nother voltage regulator (5volts 1 amp)

What regulator is it then? It is difficult diagnose problems without knowing, also show a photo of the oother side of the PCB and the wiring at the pot.....

Regards rog8811

laserman55 · Nov 6, 2008

ok so it is am NTE960 they only had an LM317T it was adjustable or something from 12v-32v it said :-?lol i didnt want to show my crapy soldering
and yes of course i cut of that extra board ;D
will a LM317T work?

laserman55 · Nov 6, 2008

ok this time i kno its good

The_Muffin_Man · Nov 6, 2008

Hey,
Ok so my driver and diode came today (diode is preinstalled in an aixiz laser housing). I was wondering if i could just hook my diode right up to my driver (Positive of diode to the place on driver marked LD and negative from diode to the place on the driver marked GD) If not then tell me how to do it otherwise and as for these batteries http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.974 could i just hook them right up to the driver? Also in the laser above (the pic of the red laser that rog posted) what housing is that? and what parts do i need to build that laser
Thanks

rog8811 · Nov 6, 2008

Hey,
Ok so my driver and diode came today (diode is preinstalled in an aixiz laser housing). I was wondering if i could just hook my diode right up to my driver (Positive of diode to the place on driver marked LD and negative from diode to the place on the driver marked GD) If not then tell me how to do it otherwise

check that the pot is wound to max resistance before you start adding the LD, which will solder straight onto the pads on the driver, drill out the hole at the back of the module so that you don't twist the driver board when you screw it together..... you can look in the hole as you do it up.

and as for these batteries http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.974 could i just hook them right up to the driver?

yes

Also in the laser above (the pic of the red laser that rog posted) what housing is that? and what parts do i need to build that laser

if you are in the US of A I am afraid that one is impossible to find, others have tried.....
Thanks

@lm55

i didnt want to show my crapy soldering

Well you have succeded, still cannot see it...... Sorry I don't know the reg you have used so cannot help you....

Regards rog8811

laserman55 · Nov 7, 2008

well they didn't have just an lm317 but they had an lm317t wich some on told me is exactly what i need
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062601

The_Muffin_Man · Nov 7, 2008

Hey thanks for responding,
Frick on a stick..( ;D)..i really liked that housing...oh well :'( anyway do you suggest any other housings? (<-- especially one that will use those batteries you suggested)
I soldered the diode right to the pins and the positive/negative from battery holder (for a 9v) to the board...and bam my laser lit up. It wasnt lasing very brightly cause the pot was at its max resistance but i wound it up and it was really bright. i have it turned so it is like 1/16 of a turn from the end. i am not sure how much power it is getting but it runs fine...It wont burn though :'( :'( And this has happened before but i have tried focusing it and i have tried turning the pot all which ways but the way i have it right now it seems as bright as it can get..And by drill out the end do you mean all the way so it is a tube or should there be a little ridge?
Thanks so much

The_Muffin_Man · Nov 7, 2008

My laser still works (believe it or not...) but when it is on for a couple of seconds the driver gets really hot. IT is a rkcstr driver and it is a senkat diode...the diode doesnt get hot just the driver. does anyone know how to fix this? or if it even needs fixing? Other than that the beam is bright but there is a lot of scattered red around the dot that the diode emits. I HAVE tried focuising...ill keep trying but does anyone know why that is?

Thanks

daguin · Nov 7, 2008

The_Muffin_Man said:
My laser still works (believe it or not...) but when it is on for a couple of seconds the driver gets really hot. IT is a rkcstr driver and it is a senkat diode...the diode doesnt get hot just the driver. does anyone know how to fix this? or if it even needs fixing? Other than that the beam is bright but there is a lot of scattered red around the dot that the diode emits. I HAVE tried focuising...ill keep trying but does anyone know why that is?

Thanks

Probably a dirty (or damaged) lens.

Peace,
dave

The_Muffin_Man · Nov 8, 2008

whoooooooooooooooo

IT BURNS ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Ok so i took the lense from my other aixiz housing (the one that my other broken diode came in) and screwed that on...nothing happened...so i got really frusturated and kept turning it on and off and then my 9v battery died...And i started saying some 4 letter words as i realized that i didnt have any 9v batteries left so i pulled out my 6v (4 AA's) and hooked it up. I turned on my laser to see if it would even work and i held it up to a black piece of paper and it smoked instantly. So i tried it on a match and it lit and i tried it on a balloon and before i even got it to the black part it popped....Now all i need is a host...Any ideas? Also my diode (well the aixiz housing) gets really really really hot in a couple of seconds after i turn it on...Do i need a heatsink? should i put this in a dorcy jr with a jayrob or darkhorse heatsink? or do you have any other (and cheaper please) ideas?

Thanks

The_Muffin_Man · Nov 8, 2008

......Ok so it was running fine for a while burning like a charm...but then it just stopped. It stopped lasing and then gave off a little orange glow...It still makes the same spot on the wall just much much weaker...Does anyone know what happened? Did something short circuit? or what...ok i only have enough money for 1 more diode...so i dont want to screw this last one up...Should I solder everything twice as much so nothing comes undone or what...I am pretty frusturated right now..lol but yeah if anyone can help i would appreciate it a lot

Thanks...

daguin · Nov 8, 2008

Based on the inconsistency of your experience, I would start from scratch and take it "one step at a time" and proceed very slowly.

I have built over 100 lasers. I still double check at each step of the build. If something doesn't look or work the way i expect, I take that step back apart and do it again.

Peace,
dave

rog8811 · Nov 8, 2008

And by drill out the end do you mean all the way so it is a tube or should there be a little ridge?

See photo below.....

i have it turned so it is like 1/16 of a turn from the end. i am not sure how much power it is getting

The trouble with that is you have no clue as to how much power you are feeding the LD with, to get an idea put a 10hm resistor in the pos line, from the battery, put a DMM probe each end of that resistor and measure current in mv (millivolts). Doing this may prevent early death of the LD.

Ok so it was running fine for a while burning like a charm...but then it just stopped.

Too late, learn the lesson and do what Dave said above.....

Regards rog8811

laserman55 · Nov 8, 2008

ya i am using i little wirebound ceramic 1 ohm resistor as my testload

First laser build

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