Open up x-125

FireMyLaser · Nov 30, 2008

Does anyone know how to open it up without destroying it? I want to open it because it has a strange TEM10 mode, I think there might be some dirt on one of the optics inside, causing the problem.

I tried twisting the upper part, but it just moved the switch/board around. :-/

Ya'll just thinking: "sent it to nova, they'll fix it", but I had to pay $100 to customs when I fist got it and now they're illegal.

maxkillz · Nov 30, 2008

NOVA will send another one if it gets confiscated ;D just don't let it get confiscated going out

I've had my fair share of CNI lasers but I don't have any anymore :'(

rangedunits · Nov 30, 2008

FireMyLaser said:
Does anyone know how to open it up without destroying it? I want to open it because it has a strange TEM10 mode, I think there might be some dirt on one of the optics inside, causing the problem.

I tried twisting the upper part, but it just moved the switch/board around. :-/

Ya'll just thinking: "sent it to nova, they'll fix it", but I had to pay $100 to customs when I fist got it and now they're illegal.

Use wood tape, paint wont peel.
Take the top in your hands and slowly turn with forces, keep it turning while you take it off.
Congrats you have the rubber, driver plastics, module

now dont loose cap&gold ring.

robjdixon · Nov 30, 2008

Yeah - i have no gold ring for the same reason :-[

FireMyLaser · Nov 30, 2008

I used this contraption to try to unscrew the upper part, made of wood:

It doesn't seem like it's threaded, or is it? It just tuned the board around and might damage the diode.
Do I even get to the optics by removing the upper part from the body?

Oh, btw, the paint has already peeled off. So much for "high quality" :-/

IF it would get confiscated, I'd still have to pay a fine, right?

rangedunits · Nov 30, 2008

You will only see module and driver and you wont damage it, ive temp fixed my x75 yesterday.

FireMyLaser · Nov 30, 2008

Got pics? When did you buy the laser? I bought mine in may.

RA_pierce · Nov 30, 2008

You can't get to the optics that way.
You can however, get to the pump diode and crystals.

The top is not threaded. It's pressed into the body.
Twisting it clockwise may damage the diode or driver.
The diode should be threaded into the heatsink, so twisting it counterclockwise may loosen the diode from it.
Your best bet is to pull it straight out. Carefully.

There are some pictures here:
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1216868594

FireMyLaser · Nov 30, 2008

Whoa!

+1!

So it seems like the only way to clean the optics is to unscrew them one by one from the barrel? That's scary with all the precision involved to get a nice beam when screwing them back in. :-/ And secure them with some sort of glue..

GooeyGus · Dec 1, 2008

DONT KEEP TURNING IT.

Whew.

Yeah just pull it out, you can turn it a few degrees either way just to help loosen it, but dont make full rotations. There is a plastic driver support that it usually glued in there, if you keep rotating you can snap the driver board.

the diode itself will be safe as it is a c-mount that sits on a platform, you'll see the leads when you get the module out.

This is definitely a crystal issue and not an optics issue. Focusing optics cant cause different transverse modes. You will probably need to align the crystals to get tem00 again. Did this different transverse mode happen after a drop or a shock?

FireMyLaser · Dec 1, 2008

I don't know how it happened, but I do know that it's not because of any mechanical shock. I also don't know exactly when it happened, I discovered it when I used a lens to focus it, about 1-2 mounts ago.

Why I believe it's because of dirt is when I put something in front of the beam, maybe a foot or two from the aperture so it only just blocks the dot, it shows allot of speckle (I'll try to get a picture). The collimating lens IS clean, so the problem must be deeper in.

daguin · Dec 1, 2008

FireMyLaser said:
I don't know how it happened, but I do know that it's not because of any mechanical shock. I also don't know exactly when it happened, I discovered it when I used a lens to focus it, about 1-2 mounts ago.

Why I believe it's because of dirt is when I put something in front of the beam, maybe a foot or two from the aperture so it only just blocks the dot, it shows allot of speckle (I'll try to get a picture). The collimating lens IS clean, so the problem must be deeper in.

This is NOT a dirty lens.

That is TEM10. The single "pretty" dot that we all want is TEM00. If it used to be a pretty little dot, then something happened to the power or the alignment. Try brand new, high quality batteries in it. Try cleaning all the battery connections and threaded portions of the housing. Put a spacer of some kind (folded aluminum foil, a rare earth magnet, etc.) in the tail of the laser to make the contact stronger. Check under where the button is to see if the board is "flexing" down when you push the button. If it is, put something (like a piece of plastic) under it to support it.

Peace,
dave

FireMyLaser · Dec 1, 2008

I'll check all that, dave.

Here's all the speckle that shows up then the dot is blocked. There was NO speckle whatsoever at TEM00, this came with the TEM10:

FireMyLaser · Dec 1, 2008

Oops, double post!

All checked but no success. The board is nice and solid though.
Any idea what could have caused the speckle?

RA_pierce · Dec 1, 2008

The speckle could be caused by reflections from inside the laser or off the lens nut.
When my laser mode hops the beam shifts to the side a little bit and part of the beam gets reflected off the inside of the aperture and it does something similar.

It may be possible that when twisting your laser you dislodged the pump diode a tiny bit which would cause the mode hopping.
If you screw it back in all the way it may help.
I would not do this, however, unless you can completely remove the module. If you tighten it too much you'll snap the driver off the pump.

FireMyLaser · Dec 1, 2008

Well the beam don't hit the aperture, unless it's mode hops, which it like to do more often in the colder weather. Anyway, the beam doesn't hit into something at TEM10.

You see, I tried twisting it because it already have mode issues, how this happened in the first place is still a bit of a mystery. :-/ I'm still guessing on some loose dirt on one of the optics, because of the speckle.

Open up x-125

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