FREE DIY open source BOOST driver!!! Tested & working!!

Hey Ben, are you planning a build with the new mini-benboost? Would be interesting to see it in action.

In general:
I have killed a diode, I don't blame any one . To me it is a learning proses. I don't know how many more diodes will go to their graves in my hand.Building a boost driver takes hard work. Re flowing the board is a skill that come with long experience with mistakes.

If board are built and tested ok. Then the user side must have done something wrong. They themselves might not have realized their mistakes and admit them. A digital scope will show the spike , even a am meter can be used before connecting the diode.

To me the circuit looks good although I have not completed the construction . I read most of the thread and found some harsh attitude. As humans these are to be expected,and the next day we have forgotten what it was. To those cry babies make sure every single component is tested and re flowed well , then test them again.. Do the reverse test if possible. Look out for bridges , polarities and open tracks.
Don't give up , I know the high cost of the diode is a point which will discourage many.

Finally we are all here to learn and learn we will, good night.

tony1 said:

In general:
I have killed a diode, I don't blame any one . To me it is a learning proses. I don't know how many more diodes will go to their graves in my hand.Building a boost driver takes hard work. Re flowing the board is a skill that come with long experience with mistakes.

Click to expand...

I am curious....
Did you use benboost for the diode in question?
Did you purchase or built the benboost yourself?
What diode did you kill (445nm, 405nm?)
What was your current setting on the driver?

Sincerely I did not use benboost driver. I am still waiting for some SMD components to finish the Driver. It is quite difficult to buy them in my place. I have requested my friend's help. I built a similar circuit on a bread board using normal components to test. It seem OK. I killed a 405nm. I think the diode got fried because I was careless with setting the current. Later I discovered the current was way to high . I did not know 600mw could kill the diode. I am still waiting to try another ( a 445mn diode) This time I will start from a low current. Mistakes made. I hope to learn from the forum.

Thank you
Tony1

tony1 said:

Sincerely I did not use benboost driver. I am still waiting for some SMD components to finish the Driver. It is quite difficult to buy them in my place. I have requested my friend's help. I built a similar circuit on a bread board using normal components to test. It seem OK. I killed a 405nm. I think the diode got fried because I was careless with setting the current. Later I discovered the current was way to high . I did not know 600mw could kill the diode. I am still waiting to try another ( a 445mn diode) This time I will start from a low current. Mistakes made. I hope to learn from the forum.

Thank you
Tony1

Click to expand...

Where are you located Tony?

I killed my last s06j on a 450ma ata. So there is no real settings over the origional spec's that I would accept.. lol expecially for these sensitive single mode diodes.. The multi modes will take alot more than spec. and I have a pl450B at 400ma Microboost. puting out 300mw but I have also killed 4 of these diodes by over powering them. I only have 2 405's one is about 100mw phr and 1 s06j at 600mw and have many dead ones along the way...

running one at 745mA, went as far up as 760mA no issues

http://laserpointerforums.com/f38/b...tutorial-long-boring-picture-heavy-77476.html

Dear Tom Steele,

It is kind of you to ask. I stay nearby Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

I like to ask you the same thing, Where are you located TS?

I am South Carolina, USA. It is by my avatar, but I did call South Carolina by a local humorous nickname.

The reason I ask is that I wondered where you were located that it was so hard to get chips. Isn't Malaysia where they make a lot of chips?

Is it possible to order from places like element 14, or digikey?I have parts and boards that I can send you if shipping isn't too high.

<----------- where I'm at----------<<<<<

Benmw,

Would these parameters for shottky in benboostmini be suitable?

PMEG4020EP,115 NXP Semiconductors | 568-7405-1-ND | DigiKey

And I assume this is the Inductor you used?
NR6028T4R7M Taiyo Yuden | 587-2100-1-ND | DigiKey

Dear Tom Steele,

It is really difficult to obtain SMD parts. Yes Malaysia manufacture a lot of chips but not SMD components.
I have an account with Element 14 for a number of years. You cannot buy small items , just a piece, you have to buy minimum 10 pieces when you only need 1. This discourages me. I only buy when my customer is willing to pay a bit more than the normal cost of repair.
I was the biggest Computer dealer in my area from 1990 but now I only continue repairing any electronic devices that my friends bring.
Sometime back I sold nearly a small truck of IT scrap. I still have many tube 14" monitors, Speakers, and power supplies. These power supplies comes in handy for many projects that I have constructed for use around the house.
I have also given some away. If you need any just tell me.

You are so kind you willing to send me boards and parts. If the shipping is high may be I can contribute.
so long South CarolinaTom Steele

Check the OP guys. I updated it with the files and parts list.
Definitely make a Benboost Mini, they are great

Sorry it took me so long!

gillza said:

Benmw,

Would these parameters for shottky in benboostmini be suitable?

PMEG4020EP,115 NXP Semiconductors | 568-7405-1-ND | DigiKey

And I assume this is the Inductor you used?
NR6028T4R7M Taiyo Yuden | 587-2100-1-ND | DigiKey

Click to expand...

This is amazing! Thank you very much!

Might be worth Epoxying over the delicate parts such as the SMDs.
It also means that a short is less likely to result in a runaway situation, and makes modding the unit less risky.
Did this to a "victim" pendrive just now so I could perform flash recovery on another pendrive using its controller and BGA pads.

The trick with Epoxy is to pre-heat the unmixed glue to just above room temperature then mix and use, it then reliably bonds to the substrate.
Only problem is that it isn't then repairable, ever again.

conundrum said:

Might be worth Epoxying over the delicate parts such as the SMDs.
It also means that a short is less likely to result in a runaway situation, and makes modding the unit less risky.
Did this to a "victim" pendrive just now so I could perform flash recovery on another pendrive using its controller and BGA pads.

The trick with Epoxy is to pre-heat the unmixed glue to just above room temperature then mix and use, it then reliably bonds to the substrate.
Only problem is that it isn't then repairable, ever again.

Click to expand...

Won't epoxying over the components effectively seal them and prevent any possible heat dissipation through the surfaces?

You could make it so the epoxy only covers the conductive bits, and leave the tops of the IC's open to heatsinking. o: