DX30 dimming problem, what causes it?

bob12345 · Mar 15, 2008

So I recieved my "True" DX30 green today. It's not a New Wish as far as I can tell. It's all nice, beam visible in day and all but there's only one problem - it jumps to some high power and then after a second dims back down. Yes, it's a common problem but I'm at a loss as to what causes it. Batteries? I have GP Recyko+ batteries, Sanyo 1000mAh batteries and the original primaries that came with it. I haven't tried the Sanyos (uncharged ATM) but I have tried both alkalines and those rechargeables.

Any way to fix it? I'm all ears. It seems to be a problem with the button, not the actual laser diode. I can make it alternate between high and low power by pressing the button harder or softer.

styropyro · Mar 15, 2008

IF it's something wrong with the button, butting a little wad of aluminum foil in the back of the part where you put the batteries in should fix the problem.

Also, try keeping your laser on for a minute or two and see if it gets brighter. Some DX lasers are very sensitive to temperature and lase best when they are warmed up or if they are cooled down a little.

charleytown55il · Mar 15, 2008

shine it throuth a magnifying glass to see if it is mode hopping.

bob12345 · Mar 15, 2008

It's not mode hopping, the dot is focused to a pinprick. I already stuffed the circuit board with tissue (wrapped in tape) to prevent any button issues but it still does it, suggesting that it's some kind of voltage drop. Any ideas? What's the maximum voltage I can drive this at?

nikokapo · Mar 15, 2008

i got the same two times, when i was using USED alkalines.
u would press the button, wait for 5 secs and suddenly it just "lost" power.

well, my solution was grabbing the top of the laser (next to the diode) with my both hands and warming it up. then the problem would go away. but i recommend just start using rechargeables and heating it up a little bit before starting to use it

Razako · Mar 15, 2008

Mine does that whenever I use alkalines. You get a quick flash of light and then it quickly dims because the batteries can't keep up. I found that you get much better stability if you use rechargeable NIMH batteries. They also last a lot longer than alkalines and will save you money in the long run.

bob12345 · Mar 16, 2008

Well, it seems I got the full range of issues with the DX 30 (thanks God :

). First, it was button issues. Then dimming. Now it's actually mode hopping to TEM01. I couldn't tell because the dot was so well focused and retained its intensity close up, but after shining it at a distance of about 25m it split into the distinct 2 dot oval.

What do I do now? My first laser was an eBayser (for free, thankfully - paypal dispute opened) which died promptly, and now this.

I have to salute whoever focused this laser though because damn, it was hard to tell.

Predictions:

KD50 will come with no IR filter and will mode hop. It will then rotate self-consciously and direct the beam into my eye.
DX 200 Red will come with no focusing lens, or tailcap. The diode will be an open can, kindly made so by the 2 ampere surge of current that blows it up when I first attempt to switch it on.

mikeeey · Mar 16, 2008

the newwish pen-style lasers have a terrible heatsink so they heat up after a few seconds of use, and when a laser heats up it will start to dim. also the bad button connection helps cause the issue

nikokapo · Mar 16, 2008

thankfully i've only got the dimming problem.

but it might as well be that i was using alkalines with it, now i've got sony cycle energy NIMH's and never got a problem..

if it mode hops u should RMA it.. there's no way to fix that

im sorry to hear u got unlucky with your first lasers..

Ace82 · Mar 17, 2008

bob1122 said:
Well, it seems I got the full range of issues with the DX 30 (thanks God :). First, it was button issues. Then dimming. Now it's actually mode hopping to TEM01. I couldn't tell because the dot was so well focused and retained its intensity close up, but after shining it at a distance of about 25m it split into the distinct 2 dot oval.

What do I do now? My first laser was an eBayser (for free, thankfully - paypal dispute opened) which died promptly, and now this.

I have to salute whoever focused this laser though because damn, it was hard to tell.

Predictions:

KD50 will come with no IR filter and will mode hop. It will then rotate self-consciously and direct the beam into my eye.
DX 200 Red will come with no focusing lens, or tailcap. The diode will be an open can, kindly made so by the 2 ampere surge of current that blows it up when I first attempt to switch it on.

The way I see it, you did buy more then one right?
And now you basically have two options:
1. Return it to DX for replacement. Pro-you get a different new DX 30 Con-min. 2 months till sent.
2. Rip it apart. Pro-you learn how and what a green laser works, you can get all the info you need on this forum, you just might fix it. Con - Instead of having a broken laser, you have a destroyed laser!

bob12345 · Mar 17, 2008

I'm going to send it off to DX to be honest. I know how a green laser works (and I'm not bothered to open it up

).

I have 1 more on the way, and this lovely KD 50mW which is working very nicely. Even nicer after I added solder to the crappy clicky switch contact. Beam is now a lot more visible in my well ventilated room.

Just one problem - me being a muppet, I decided to "clean" the lens. So now it has shitloads of more speckle (it came almost perfectly clean but I thought I could do better - I thought wrong). How do I actually clean the lens?

GooeyGus · Mar 18, 2008

I had this same problem with a DX true 50. Beam splitting and losing power. Soo... I chose the 'best-of-both-worlds' option. When I officially decided to RMA the 50, I promptly ordered a True 30 so I would have a greenie to play with because I knew it would take forever for the 50 to come back. ;D

wesdaman14 · Mar 18, 2008

GooeyGus said:
I had this same problem with a DX true 50. Beam splitting and losing power. Soo... I chose the 'best-of-both-worlds' option. When I officially decided to RMA the 50, I promptly ordered a True 30 so I would have a greenie to play with because I knew it would take forever for the 50 to come back. ;D

yeah same thing happened to my dx true 50mw. i think dx needs a better manufacturer for the true 50's, because they state its newwish, but i know for a fact they aren't because i opened the laser and there was no newiwsh on the inside.
there probably selling over clocked true 30mW with a 50mW sticker.

Things · Mar 18, 2008

When you rip the module out, if its a newwish, newwish will be written near the circuit board, where it is connected the the big metal bit

DX30 dimming problem, what causes it?

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