New dx red 200mW....dead in a day!

Firstly, I am new to this forum So please be nice everyone! I ain't too well verse in the technicalities of how a laser work, but I guess I know enough to not make a fool of myself here, with all the pros and such Just a normal guy playing with lasers here.

Alright down to the issue. I just received my 200mW red ( is it the dilda??) from dx today and was pretty excited about that, so I went to the nearest photo shop and got myself two energizer lithium CR2 batteries. Popped it in the laser straight and was really amazed by the power of it. However it's its burning capabilities that blew me away! This baby smokes synthetic leather, blasts holes through low density foam and yada yada... I digress.

So I know my laser works and YES I was really happy. Upon reaching home, I got two more parcels from dx, one being the CR2 rechargeable batteries and it's charger. Left em to charge, and when it's done popped it into the laser to see whether my batts are good or duds. It too produces the blinding red light and I supposed the same 3V as the lithium batts from energizer. However, all of a sudden, the laser dimmed down... way down till there's only a little red light from the aperture. Immediately went to remove the rechargeables and replace em with the lithium but the same result suffice. :thinking:

I came to the conclusion that somehow, the CR2s from dx managed to fry my diode and I have already file a return ticket with dx in hopes of getting a new laser for my one day old dilda....:/

I really wanna know what happened to the laser, and whether the fault lies with the new batteries. If the problem really lies with the batteries, should I be using them on the replacement laser?? (if I succeeds in getting the replacement that is) and has anyone out there experienced the same problems before? If so, do share :/ Kinda sucks to have my red die on me on the 1st day!:cryyy:

PS: Also I went to test the voltage of both the lithiums and the rechargeables. Lithium came out at around 2.9 V and the fully charged CR2s 3.2 V. Is that what killed my dilda?? Also, is dx ever good at sending replacement units?? Please reply :thanks:

Note: I DIDN'T TOUCH THE POD OR VIOLATE THE LASER IN ANYWAY, IT IS AS STOCK AS IT IS. ALL I DID WAS CHANGED THE BATTS

Also, the driver of the dilda seemed to be the newer driver, if it helps in anyway... I really wanna know how my laser died, and what I can do to prevent similar calamities from happening in the future... Please help someone.

^poor indeed, I got my first violet from them and the button broke in a week...

Scythe001 said:

Hmm, I do not have enough experience to comment on the nature of the batteries, however, one thing you might consider is how strenuous was the laser's duty cycle?

That is, how long did you use it before shutting it off? As I understand it, diodes are very heat sensitive and they can get especially hot with prolonged (or even short) use. It may have burned itself out with all the exercise you put it though. Although, this is a DX laser, it could very well be poor build quality.

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Hmmm the duty cycle of the dilda is supposedly < 5 mins. I am very sure I used it for less than that amount of time! All I did with the laser was the usual burning stuff, and it took no more than 10 seconds on each accounts. Also I do know how sensitive diodes are, and was really liberal with the cool down time... Thus it confuses me why it died so fast.

Here are some pictures of the driver board and the batteries that I used to power the laser.

the driver.






the Batteries.


I must add, the driverboard is not of poor quality. Every component seems to be of a decent quality here.

Hmmm thats really wierd maybe you just got a bad diode:thinking:

A bad diode you mean one that has a CONSIDERABLY shorter lifespan than a normal one? Or one that is DOA. Cause mine's definitely not DOA.... My guess is the rechargeables killed it. But I have no clue as to what exactly killed the laser.. BAH fml. Anyway I placed an order on DX for ANOTHER dilda. HAHA let's hope I get a better deal this time.

PS: & if the replacement really came, Imma sell my old working dilda! Woohoo

....I think I have an answers to why the batteries from DX fired the pointer, 1stly ultrafire batteries are unprotected cells which mean that the discharge voltage is 4.2v per cell as apposed to 3.6v. The momentary surge from the ultrafire cells blew your pointers diode or driver.
I have lost 3 flashlights from these batteries! Also I had one explode on me. You have been warned.

Here is a little excerpt from lighthound.com

The second most common Li-Ion batteries available today are the CR-123 size 3.6 volt UNPROTECTED lithium batteries. They produce 4.2 volts of power when fully charged, then quickly fall to 3.6 volts output. They output 3.6 volts until they are mostly discharged, at which point the voltage falls rapidly. If they are discharged below 3 volts, they will be ruined and no longer usable. The user must be very careful not to let this occur. These batteries should only be charged in a charger specifically designed for them, as those chargers have a circuit that stops charging the battery when they reach 4.2 volts. All of the Li-Ion chargers that we sell are designed to charge both Protected and Unprotected batteries.

Seoul_lasers said:

....I think I have an answers to why the batteries from DX fired the pointer, 1stly ultrafire batteries are unprotected cells which mean that the discharge voltage is 4.2v per cell as apposed to 3.6v. The momentary surge from the ultrafire cells blew your pointers diode or driver.
I have lost 3 flashlights from these batteries! Also I had one explode on me. You have been warned.

Here is a little excerpt from lighthound.com

The second most common Li-Ion batteries available today are the CR-123 size 3.6 volt UNPROTECTED lithium batteries. They produce 4.2 volts of power when fully charged, then quickly fall to 3.6 volts output. They output 3.6 volts until they are mostly discharged, at which point the voltage falls rapidly. If they are discharged below 3 volts, they will be ruined and no longer usable. The user must be very careful not to let this occur. These batteries should only be charged in a charger specifically designed for them, as those chargers have a circuit that stops charging the battery when they reach 4.2 volts. All of the Li-Ion chargers that we sell are designed to charge both Protected and Unprotected batteries.

Click to expand...

Holy crap thats some good info thanks for the warning :thanks:

So you are saying that it's unsafe to use those CR2s rechargeables for the laser??? Man.... Screw those reviewers that said it was the perfect batteries for the dilda! :wtf:

Ok, enough ranting. I did buy the charger that is said to go with the batteries. Here is the CHARGER I dunno whether it does regulate the voltage, but what it said was IT DOES. Plus straight after my laser blew, I pulled the batteries out and volt tested them... Both showed a volt of around 3.2V (no decimal point for me, ancient analogue multimeter ) Yup, so if it's really the voltage spike that fry my laser, is it the diode or the driver that's fried? Anyway of salvaging any parts from the dilda? Or should I just wait for DX to give me a refund?

Q&As ( thanks for your time )
Any way of protecting my laser from the spike in voltage? Like can i drain it slightly so it doesnt spike and blow another laser??

I am still bummed over the fact that my dilda died on the first day...:yabbmad:

Seoul_lasers said:

....I think I have an answers to why the batteries from DX fired the pointer, 1stly ultrafire batteries are unprotected cells which mean that the discharge voltage is 4.2v per cell as apposed to 3.6v. The momentary surge from the ultrafire cells blew your pointers diode or driver.
I have lost 3 flashlights from these batteries! Also I had one explode on me. You have been warned.

Here is a little excerpt from lighthound.com

The second most common Li-Ion batteries available today are the CR-123 size 3.6 volt UNPROTECTED lithium batteries. They produce 4.2 volts of power when fully charged, then quickly fall to 3.6 volts output. They output 3.6 volts until they are mostly discharged, at which point the voltage falls rapidly. If they are discharged below 3 volts, they will be ruined and no longer usable. The user must be very careful not to let this occur. These batteries should only be charged in a charger specifically designed for them, as those chargers have a circuit that stops charging the battery when they reach 4.2 volts. All of the Li-Ion chargers that we sell are designed to charge both Protected and Unprotected batteries.

Click to expand...

My batteries are CR2s though... Not cr123. But is both built the same way? I mean mine did say on the printing that if fully charged, it will discharge at 3.2 volts and that's about it. I highly doubt a 0.2 volt difference will fry my board... Also some guys on the forum did also say that voltage is regulated on the dilda, with some pushing the diodes by using 3.6V CR2s. So i highly doubt a small voltage increase will kill it.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong

Regardless of what the battery is, RCR123A or CR2 Li-ion... you are over volting your laser. Laser diodes are extremely sensitive to over voltage conditions, again the rechargeables just like the RCR123As are Li-ion and are non-protected. Ultrafire makes (hot batteries) and you are getting 4.2v momentarily. You need protected cells which are more expensive and give a steady 3.0 - 3.6v max out.

DO NOT USE ULTRAFIRE!

Another thing to be conscious of is that the DX and O-like modules are rated at 3V. Once you start putting more voltage then 3(literally 3.0 not 3.1,3.2,3.6) some of the components get VERY hot. I agree with Seoul, either way you are over volting the driver and or diode.

EzPk0970 said:

Another thing to be conscious of is that the DX and O-like modules are rated at 3V. Once you start putting more voltage then 3(literally 3.0 not 3.1,3.2,3.6) some of the components get VERY hot. I agree with Seoul, either way you are over volting the driver and or diode.

Click to expand...

There is a little bit of tolerance on the drive, but having the unprotected cells is most certainly the problem here.

Protected cells have a limiting circuit that prevents a condition in cheap "Chinese" rechargeable RCR123As and RCR2s known as "overcharge". The circuit also shuts off the battery when the voltage drops below 3.0v.

RCR123a and RCR2s that are protected will have a peak and a mean voltage. Protected cells top off at 3.6v and mean at around 3.3v.

Seoul_lasers said:

Regardless of what the battery is, RCR123A or CR2 Li-ion... you are over volting your laser. Laser diodes are extremely sensitive to over voltage conditions, again the rechargeables just like the RCR123As are Li-ion and are non-protected. Ultrafire makes (hot batteries) and you are getting 4.2v momentarily. You need protected cells which are more expensive and give a steady 3.0 - 3.6v max out.

DO NOT USE ULTRAFIRE!

Click to expand...

The batteries he's using can't supply more than 3,6V anyway. DX sells only one type of rechargeable CR2s:
DealExtreme: $3.82 Rechargeable 3V CR2 800mAh Green 2 Packs
I'm using two pairs of these to power my "dilda" since around 10 months.
And the charger for CR2s available at DX does not overcharge them. (3,6V peak, 3,2V under load)

I have yet to see protected CR2s. If they exist, they will (probably) be longer than non-protected ones. Even non-protected CR2s fit very tightly in that laser.

Also, a lot of people are using the same laser with 3,6V CR2s which really output 4,2V when fully charged. This is useful only with the older revision of the driver. The newer driver is not very voltage dependent.

I'm reading the DX forum from time to time and have noticed increased amount of complaints about this laser. Maybe this has something to do with the fact that the "dilda" now uses a Small Open Can diode instead of a LCC. (or they just get more orders)

I agree. No way can my cr2s push more than 3.2V. So i guess it's just that i have a bad diode.... So do you guys think DX will change a new one for me?

Wait let me try and get a picture of the diode in the dilda so that you guys can identify it.. I don't know the difference between Open can or otherwise, will be helpful if someone enlighten me

benson said:

Wait let me try and get a picture of the diode in the dilda so that you guys can identify it.. I don't know the difference between Open can or otherwise, will be helpful if someone enlighten me

View attachment 25462

Click to expand...

This is a LCC (Long Closed Can) laser diode. Exactly like mine.
I thought they are using Small Open Cans, but apparently they sell mixed batches.

You should get a replacement. If you are lucky, you won't have to send it back.

lazerov said:

This is a LCC (Long Closed Can) laser diode. Exactly like mine.
I thought they are using Small Open Cans, but apparently they sell mixed batches.

You should get a replacement. If you are lucky, you won't have to send it back.

Click to expand...

Hmmm thanks for the quick reply!

So is the LCC better? Or the SOC. :thanks:

PS: So laserov, you are sure the ultrafires are safe to use on the laser?? Like really sure, because I have made another order for the same laser....