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Help - 50mw green diode now shows dim red glow???

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smogthemog

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Dec 29, 2007
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I have just bought a cheap 50mw greenie and after a bit of faffing around with the driver board I've now got a dim red glow from the aperture and nothing else :(

The diode seems to read ok with a MM but wont lase.

Is there an easy way to tell if the problem lies with the driver board or the Diode?


Pics of the driver board:

://mysite.orange.co.uk/smogthemog/IMG_0601.JPG

://mysite.orange.co.uk/smogthemog/IMG_0602.JPG
(please paste into your browser and add http to the start to view)

Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks

Jim
 





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pseudonomen137

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Re: Help - 50mw green diode now shows dim red glow

Don't look into that red glow! That's the IR pump diode. Sounds like you either broke the crystal set, or knocked it severly out of alignment. Its not impossible to try fixing, but to be honest, you're pretty much stuck buying a new greenie. Sorry!
 
X

xanatos

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Re: Help - 50mw green diode now shows dim red glow

Ship me your broken greenie! I want to try fixing it! :) I like challenging little techy projects, what can I say. If the crystals aren't cracked and the diode isn't popped- I bet I can get it to go again!

Dave
 
S

smogthemog

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Re: Help - 50mw green diode now shows dim red glow

Hmmm - don't quite understand how I could have misaligned the crsytal, I didn't drop it or anything, all I did was short out a resistor and it went dim (sorry, should have put that in the original post really).

Can I test just the diode anyhow easily?

If I put a standard red 3mw laser module (not just the diode, the whole module) on the output from my driver board it lights so could that mean the driver board is OK?
What does the 3rd pin on the green diode do? Does it need to be connected?

I have an LM317 here if that will help me at all?
Any simple cct's anywhere to build a small test cct from?

Thanks again

Jim
 
S

smogthemog

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Re: Help - 50mw green diode now shows dim red glow

Ive tried 2 AAA cells with a 10ohm resistor in series with it and I still only get a red glow.

Can anyone please suggest anything else or is it simply fried?

If it is fried then why the red light? What has happened to it? The light looks exactly the same colour as a standard red laser but only a pin prick.

Ok, I realise I shouldn't look at it but I do need to see what's happening down there.

Thanks

Jim
 
L

Lorgar

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Re: Help - 50mw green diode now shows dim red glow

If you shorted the resistor and now get a dim red glow chances are very high that you fried the diode.
 
S

smogthemog

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Re: Help - 50mw green diode now shows dim red glow

Dam and blast it :( Oh well, live and learn ;)

Thanks
 
W

wooooooolazer

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Re: Help - 50mw green diode now shows dim red glow

You really shouldnt look at that, just because its a tiny pinprick doesnt mean it cant hurt your eyes, if you must look down it while its on use a camera phone or a regular camera altho they sometimes have ir filters on them. And when you see the blinding blue light on the camera you will know why you shouldnt put your eyes in front of that :p

...lazer... ;D ;D ;D
 
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wooooooolazer

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Re: Help - 50mw green diode now shows dim red glow

Thats interesting, ir lasers would have a higher tolerance for cod compared to red or violet. Is that why ir laser diodes are cheaper?

Short-wavelength lasers are more susceptible to COD than long-wavelength ones.
Click to expand...

...lazer... ;D ;D ;D
 
S

smogthemog

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Re: Help - 50mw green diode now shows dim red glow

Does anyone have a replacement diode for me to replace it with at all - I fancy a challenge and a faff about :)

Paypal payment.......

Looking at the aperture through my camera phone it does indeed look blue and a bit brighter than a telly remote - is that about correct for a blown diode ?
 
S

smogthemog

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Re: Help - 50mw green diode now shows dim red glow

Just ordered a PS3 laser module to have a play with and a Wicked GXII (I know, I know, I have read the blurb - but it was cheap :D)
 
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wooooooolazer

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Re: Help - 50mw green diode now shows dim red glow

Um i serioulsy hope that was a joke, wicked gx II are are not cheap for what they do... they output about 200mw..

Look here for an actual that will put out alot more power for the same price or cheaper.. and they are a very good product with good customer service.
http://www.optotronics.com/r-lithium-ion.php

Notice the rpl 200 that is $729 it is like they say "by far more powerful than a spyder II.

...lazer... ;D ;D ;D
 
S

smogthemog

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Re: Help - 50mw green diode now shows dim red glow

I paid £130 GBP for the Wicked. I guess that's a reasonable price?
 
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