The Tale of the Ghetto Driver

No need to quit, but those drivers you linked to are 25-250 while mine are 80-500. Thats a big difference.

Actually, its the exact same driver. It has 2 ranges. If you read the green pic, you'll need to swap the 2 resistors or make sure they are each 5 ohms or you'll be in the lower range.

Here is what Chuck emailed me abt the AixiZ driver:

1.Suitable for 20mw-250mW 650nm,660nm,808nm,980nm laser diode.
2.Constant current output to assure a stable power output by 4.0V-5.0Vinput.
3. Has outlet for connecting TTL device.
4.Size:10mmx19mm(WxL)
6.Recommended Power Supply: 3.7V-4.2 Li battery such as 16430,18650,14500 and 18500 or Pre-set lab power.

2AAA probably won't work as that's only 3v. That will depend on where the driver drops out and how much it needs to work.

I got it to work!! I tested the test load to the Null port and set to 35 (took forever) and then I soldered the diode directly to the drivers null and positive. I them soldered some leads on the driver, stripped the negative and wrapped it around the negative terminal and then made a short positive that I touch to the positive terminal to turn it on. I then electrical taped it together.

The only problem Now is that as it heats up, it dimms quite bad.

Good job. According to the pic, Null is the non TTL output LD-. Glad the 9v didn't blow the driver.
If its dimming, either the battery is bare min on voltage or current and falling off, or the diode is getting hot. Even at 5mw it will need some heat sinking.

Glad you got it going though.

Edit: Reread your post and you wrapped it around the battery - ? You went back to the 9v?
What does your spec sheet say as operating voltage? Chuck never did call, but did send the same green pic and the specs I posted. Honestly, I'm not sure either of the sellers on ebay know the true specs of that driver. If you are back to the 9v battery, you could be heating up the driver causing the diode to dim. Be careful or you are gonna lose something.

I just Stick it in the Freezer for like 20 sec when it starts to dim and I pull it out and It is bright as shit when I tun it on. I never got the spec sheet from anyone so I am just flying by the seat of my pants here. Ill Post a video of the laser sometime once I am back home...

Also Do you know if the driver current will change if I change the batteries or not, Thanks

Toaster. Start listening or please leave. At this point I could be a lot less polite! I've watched your non-helpful posts at the start; I've watched your, 'try and help', posts shortly after to gain some credibility; now I see your, 'Stick it in the freezer', post... ? WTF? You have a laughable tutorial thread that employs everyone else's hard work except your own, and you still think you know better?

I told you I'd be watching and I have been. This won't go on much longer. You had your chance and you seem intent on blowing it.

Good luck in your reply.

M

Dude what are you gonna do, Ban me? I dont care if you are polite or not man. I am who I am. I am posting what I learn in that thread for all the new people. All the tutorials I have seen on this site so far only make sense for people who already know what it is about, which defies the point, they leave so many unanswered questions its ridiculous. I am trying to answer those.

Not up to me to ban...

It's not about teaching electonics from scratch and, frankly, you are not learning anyway. You don't listen; you don't use other sources to confirm what you think you know...

If you went and put some effort into learning the basics then we may start talking the same language. At the moment you are gibbering. Most newcomers here already know more than you so the misnamed, 'tutorial', you are failing at is below the level needed here. It doesn't help anyone. Not even you. (I fully understand the effort those who have contributed have put in).

The shame of that thread is the help others have offered. It's a shame because it will fall on deaf ears.

M

Morgan said:

You don't listen; you don't use other sources to confirm what you think you know...
(Snip....)

Click to expand...

A sweet little trick to learn faster/look more knowledgeable/keep up with tread is to have a 2./3. tab open with google and/or LPF search in it. That way one can search unfamiliar term in more or less realtime.

E.g. someone offers a group buy of some strange letter/number combination or other, instead of cluttering the tread with questions one searches and find that it happens to be a sled with such and such diode in it.