Micro-Drive laser driver by rkcstr

[SenKat_Stonetek]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

[quote author=SenKat_Stonetek link=1206947255/276#286 date=1212551294]SWEET ! I take it you got the little bug fixed in the test loads then - that is good news !

Yup... it wasn't really a "bug" rather a mistake on my part when I was adding a circuit trace before. I didn't catch it before I started etching the boards, so I had to re-etch all of the test load boards (I had about two batches or 60 of the test load boards etched that were wrong).[/quote]

OUCH Glad you got it worked out though - got folks lined up for these puppies

 

[rkcstr]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

Got some more orders out today, thru AMK.

Also, I'm going to try to get through the rest of the orders tonight, but I need to get the instructions done first, so they may go out Sat instead.

I have the instructions mostly finished and hopefully posted on my website tonight, for those of you who may have received your orders already. I'll post an update when I do as well as send out an email to those who ordered.

EDIT:

Instructions are posted, at the bottom of my website

 

[rkcstr]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

Just wanted to offer to anyone, if they want, I can make the adjustable range for the "low range" driver cut off at lower than 150mA, if you want.

I know a lot of people are probably using this range for the 803T diodes, and from what i understand, 100mA is considered a relatively safe limit for these diodes. I actually made up a module using one of these diodes and did this range, about 24-100mA, for someone I sold to on Ebay. Just thought there may be some of you not looking to really push the diode, and would be happy to limit to 100mA.

Also, I can similarly limit to ~98, 87, 76mA as well.

For now, you can just buy the standard range and then add a note to your order during checkout... if there's a lot of interest, I'll make it an option on my page.

 

[sk8er4514]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

Just wanted to offer to anyone, if they want, I can make the adjustable range for the "low range" driver cut off at lower than 150mA, if you want.

I know a lot of people are probably using this range for the 803T diodes, and from what i understand, 100mA is considered a relatively safe limit for these diodes.  I actually made up a module using one of these diodes and did this range, about 24-100mA, for someone I sold to on Ebay.  Just thought there may be some of you not looking to really push the diode, and would be happy to limit to 100mA.

Also, I can similarly limit to ~98, 87, 76mA as well.

For now, you can just buy the standard range and then add a note to your order during checkout... if there's a lot of interest, I'll make it an option on my page.

Nice. I just ordered 3 of your "low range" drivers which I will be using for 803T diodes. I just read this post after ordering it, any chance you could limit the 3 I ordered to be max 100mA? It would make it easier for adjusting the POT, just set it to max (my order was made through ken1645 (at) gmail )

I appreciate all the etching and whatnot you're doing here, very professional.

Thanks,
Kendall Wyatt

 

[rkcstr]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

Sure, I'll make a note of it

 

[Abray]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

hmm, I just had a maybe brilliant plan of shoving this baby into a mini maglite. what are the dimensions on this exactly? I'm interested to see if it would fit into the space in the end cap where the spare bulb is...

 

[sk8er4514]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

hmm, I just had a maybe brilliant plan of shoving this baby into a mini maglite. what are the dimensions on this exactly? I'm interested to see if it would fit into the space in the end cap where the spare bulb is...

I've tried and failed. maybe you're better at it than me but I've made over 50 of those lasers and tried for a few days to get these rckstr drivers in there.

You could take off the plastic circle part on the front and just have it stick way out but you'd have to get some clicky push button switches to turn it off and on.

let me ( & us) know if you get it though, it'd be cool.

& also you'll have to get some high voltage batteries as 2 AA isn't enough to turn these on, they take like 7v or something, read the threads in here I think it has the specs. There's some high voltage batteries for pretty cheap on deal extreme but I never bothered to purchase them.

 

[rkcstr]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

I've never tried it in a maglight, so I don't know.

Dimensions are 9.25x17.5mm +-0.25mm

 

[Abray]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

You could take off the plastic circle part on the front and just have it stick way out but you'd have to get some clicky push button switches to turn it off and on.

let me ( & us) know if you get it though, it'd be cool.

& also you'll have to get some high voltage batteries as 2 AA isn't enough to turn these on, they take like 7v or something, read the threads in here I think it has the specs. There's some high voltage batteries for pretty cheap on deal extreme but I never bothered to purchase them.

well I would somehow try to use the original on/off method with the screw top. And as for the batteries, if I buy LiIon AA batteries (around 3.7 v), they should be enough to power this driver. maybe

and if you have already tried, I guess I don't have much hope. But also, I don't really have anything to lose(except somehow breaking the diode), so I'm going to try my absolute hardest to get this to work!!

 

[Abray]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

holy crap it is ALMOST perfect. If anything, it won't fit in because its too fat. I may have some extra room on the driver to file it down, though, maybe creating enough space.

 

[rkcstr]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

If you're trimming the sides down, Just be careful you don't short the copper plane of the side with the regulator IC to the case (ground)... that would be bad.

 

[rkcstr]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

I have an announcement too... or more so a reiteration of a general warning:

When connecting your driver to a power source, it is CRITICAL that you connect the leads to the proper polarity!!

I've had some troubles recently with driver malfuction after reversing polarity, which for the most part, I know people are careful enough to not do that, but if you do, it may possibly damage the regulator chip on there causing it to put out TOO MUCH current to your diode and possibly damaging it.

I decided to make this announcement after my own mistake in reversing the power leads on a module I made up... ended up blowing the diode when the chip put out 1A into it

Now, some may say, "hey, there's a reverse-protection diode on there, what gives??" This was originally implemented mostly because of requests to be like Daedel's circuit, which uses the same design. But, what this effectively does is it creates a short across the diode when the polarity is reversed, which means you're shorting out the regulator IC. This WILL protect the diode, but if you damage the driver, causing it to put out too much current, when you go to power it up the CORRECT way, it will kill your diode.

So, what I suggest is that if you think you've reversed polarity, to TEST the driver before powering up your laser diode again. This means disconnecting the diode from the driver and hooking up a test load to make sure it's putting out the proper current.

What does this all mean to you? Not much, if you follow directions, lol ;D Just make sure you don't switch the input wires around.... WHITE IS POSITIVE, BLACK IS NEGATIVE

I'm currently looking into implementing a better protection using a MOSFET (credit goes to Colin, AKA cdanjo), which should effectively break the circuit entirely in the case of a polarity reversal. I'll also be including a reminder warning with all of the drivers I sent out.

 

[Abray]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

If you're trimming the sides down, Just be careful you don't short the copper plane of the side with the regulator IC to the case (ground)... that would be bad.

Yeah I did think of this...it was really my main concern as to if this will work... on this note, how much room is there on each side to take off if I could safely (as in not shorting it to the case, i would put some sort of barrier) file the driver down?

 

[infrangible]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

WoW these came out too i tested both them seem perfect and fits in my axis as well i thank i got this driver cheaper than wen i went to radiohack and a local store to do my diy one i guess my laziness payed off this time thanks

 

[rkcstr]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

[quote author=rkcstr link=1206947255/288#298 date=1213055884]If you're trimming the sides down, Just be careful you don't short the copper plane of the side with the regulator IC to the case (ground)... that would be bad.

Yeah I did think of this...it was really my main concern as to if this will work... on this note, how much room is there on each side to take off if I could safely (as in not shorting it to the case, i would put some sort of barrier) file the driver down?[/quote]

eh... they're pretty tight as it is... I would guess not more than one mm, possibly 2.

 

[Abray]

Re: Micro-Driver laser driver *NOW ADJUSTABLE*

well 1 or 2 mm's is all I need. However, If I just look at it and can tell that it won't fit, and never will, I'll probably save that perfectly good driver to put on my lab style BR. No need to waste the driver.

I'll let you know if this happens to work