Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits pens

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

they are cheap unprotected cells, got them here:
http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/ptron2?_nkw=17670

They are re-packaged cells removed from packs, but aren't worn out. (1 of 9 was bad)
Internal resistance on mine after charge was 120-170 milliOhms.

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

drlava said:

Igort, is this glaucoma related or..?  WOW sorry to hear, I hope it comes back to normal for you.

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No, nothing like that. I thought i just irritated my eyes by sleeping with contact lenses in, and possibly with a microscopic aluminum shaving stuck to the lens. But the doctor doesn't agree. He says it would have to be a rock to cause this. He has a theory about a rare infection.

I was very scared there for a while, but the fog is going away more and more every day. I can basically use depth perception again when walking, but can't focus up close, and the glare from the computer is still a bitch - i should not be keeping the bad eye closed, but i can't read if i don't.

I also won't be able to enjoy blu rays till i can use contacts again - my glasses block them completelly. Maybe i should get my glasses 405nm AR coated?


On the other hand, who else can claim their eye is a body builder on crack? (i've been getting steroids and cocain injected in there!)  ;D

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

I noticed you sell one on your order page with a pre set current.

What would you recommend running a red open can diode at? I would like at least 175mW and the diode to live a fairly long life.

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

It is ALIVE!!!
I have see my first violet beam, it is beautiful! ;D It's still on the breadboard until I make the case, still room to screw-up though.But for now I bask in it's 405nanometerness! :

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

lamborgini8 said:

I noticed you sell one on your order page with a pre set current.

What would you recommend running a red open can diode at? I would like at least 175mW and the diode to live a fairly long life.

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Just add to that, if the current can be set to give me between 175 and 200mW for an open can diode then I will buy that.

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

Drlava, please check out this thread

http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1221085312/0#0

Peace,
dave

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

ArRaY said:

How do you isolate them? If you remove the wrapping, don´t they have a massive metal body? If it is negative, no problem.
Also, are they rechargable and protected ? or not protected?

ArRaY

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I use the ultrafire protected CR123A, but it doesn't fit with the wrapper.  I removed it and stuck a piece of tape over the metal strip going from the front to the back and its a tight fit, but it works.

BTW, 17670s don't fit in mine, even with the wrapper removed  :-/

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

Current setting guys, yes you can easily achieve 200mW+ with an open can red. It's up to you to decide the current you want. I have done tests and posted charts detailing the approximate currents needed for the range of power output for many types of diodes.

rck, what model sonar and what is the exact diameter of your tested 17670s? I had to sand the threads on my sonar just a little bit to get it in.

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

Mine's the white one..."Sonar II"? battery compartment diameter is 16.74mm, which is 0.08mm short of my unwrapped 17670 at 16.82mm. But, my Ultrafire CR123A protected cells will fit if I unwrap them, being about 16.56mm, but they don't fit "loosely" and sometimes I have to tap or swing it to get the battery to come out.

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

IgorT said:

You just need to be careful not to overdischarge it, since it is unprotected. Due to the way this driver works, you would not notice any decrease in performance, until it was too late for the battery. I use special LEDs, that turn on when the voltage drops under 3V and give me a warning this way.

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i plan to use those drivers with DX' "Ultra Fire 10440 3.6V 305mAH" rechargeables, which dont come with protectioncircuit.
i see three options to prevent overdischarge and damage:

1) put a silicon diode between driver and battery. the driver will stop working at 2.45v + 0.7v (drop from the diode), which would be 3.15v, good for the cell. it would be the tiniest and simple solution, with wasted energy on the diode. what happens when the voltage drops under the 2.45v minimum input?

2) extract the protection-circuit from a protected cell and install it somewhere, somehow in your laser. would be the most secure and "cleanest" solution, but not exactly easy to do. since i dont have those circuits, nogo for me.

3) use, like IgorT suggested, a "low batt warning LED". those are 3mm red leds, which light between 2.3 and 1.5v, and do nothing (consume only 5uA!) above that voltage. combined with a 0.7v drop silicon diode, it should warn us at 3.0v. problem is it only warns, if you decide (or dont notice) to leave it on, it kills the cell. it wont explode though, just get damaged.

oh, and 4): do nothing. when the circuit is at 2.45v and stops, the cell isnt all dead. it will have reduced capacity quickly, but there are protection-circuits which cut off at 2.5v too..


what do you guys think? i am especially interested in the warn-LED-option, did i overlook anything?

Manuel

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

Extracting the protection circuit from another battery and installing it in the laser is not a bad idea, if you have the room. Shouldn't be too hard.


The diode trick is something i was thinking about too. But i wouldn't use a regular diode. Use a Schottky, they have more like 0.35V voltage drop, and that on top of 2.4 is preciselly where protected Li-Ions cut off.. You would also waste less power this way, the efficiency of the system would be better.
However, what will happen depends on the FlexDrive. I haven't tested this yet, but it says it just shuts down. If so, this would work nicelly. It would only influence the efficiency a little bit, and it would also add polarity protection to the whole thing.


The LEDs i mentioned in the beginning of this thread, are 5mm, and turn on at ~2.7V. I have not found a source of 3mm ones, but would be interested, if you know where to get them.
I use those LEDs in a case like this, cos i can't use the diode trick on my driver, as it just keeps on working down to 2.2V, and even after that, it still works down to 2V, only the current drops a tiny bit. All a diode would do is decrease the efficiency, and the driver would still drain the battery too low.


The best option of all is a protected cell. You don't sacrifice any efficiency, and it's in the perfect range for the driver. The second best would be transplanting the protection. You can then still add the LED, just to warn you that you'll need recharging soon.

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

IgorT said:

The diode trick is something i was thinking about too. But i wouldn't use a regular diode. Use a Schottky, they have more like 0.35V voltage drop, and that on top of 2.4 is preciselly where protected Li-Ions cut off..

The LEDs i mentioned in the beginning of this thread, are 5mm, and turn on at ~2.7V. I have not found a source of 3mm ones, but would be interested, if you know where to get them.

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aah, i looked again, its indeed a 5mm warning-led here too. i remembered it smaller.

i think i will use a diode to drop the voltage a bit, not sure yet if it'll be a 0.7 or 0.3v diode. since i will not use that flexdrive in all projects with unprotected 10440 cells, i'll (try to) put a warning-led in all of them..

when i'm done with it, i'll let you people see what i got!

manuel

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

Where can I get the low voltage indicator LEDs?

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

Could someone just clear something up for me?
Before I solder everything together, what do I need to do? I read about shorting the driver (or something similar to that nature), but I am still failing to fully comprehend what I must do.

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

Hey lava, are these newer one's not designed to be cut down and fit into a leadlight? Cause I've looked and it doesn't look like it can be cut down small enough.

Re: Lava Micro FlexDrive Driver (lavadrive2) fits

el-taco, typically people set the current with a dummy load before connecting it to their laser diode. Don't short it.

Kenom, these actually have a smaller component area width for being cut down to fit a leadlight, especially considering the tiny black box next to the 101 component can be removed. Once cut down, they can even fit in an aixiz module.