My new 532 just stopped working.

I personally really like my O-like crown upgrade 532nm a lot and if I remember correctly it pushes over 600mW. Looks nice and doesn't feel like a cheap unit regardless of what anyone who hasn't actually purchased one thinks.
I'm curious where you bought your 532nm modules from that are supposed to be 100mW+ of output. It's been my experience that you're only likely to get one that strong if you buy it claiming it's 150-200mW and even then you better be able to return it or get your money back as it might just be a regular 5mW adjustable one that is able to hit that from max output adjustment.
I realize you've had a rough start here and haven't had the best luck with all the accidents. I am also willing to help with information and am forever learning.
By the way, I made that same double battery mistake once with that 600mA+ crown but luckily realized it just as I was about to turn it on. My own fault for getting distracted with too many other things.
Lessons learned that lasers may be fun but they are also dangerous and we need to focus while messing with them.
Really great that you have accumulated a bunch of the proper tools to start building. Would warn you about adjusting the pots on anything with conductive screwdrivers. I use ceramic ones ever since I blew a Fasttech module with a metal one trying to adjust with power applied.
Not sure you mentioned whether you have a variable DC power supply or not but I find it invaluable.

Hi Pete,
The modules were sold as 200mW 532nm and there is a thread about that ordeal. After a back and forth turns out the seller admitted the modules put out 150mW 532 and the rest IR. That's acceptable to me and he sent me 2 for the price of one when I called him on this. I have bought a Variable power source and IR filtering glass to test them out but am still waiting on the lab style heat sink I ordered a few days ago.
Your offer for help is very much appreciate my friend. I will happily take you up on it via PM. I'm gonna just pm people willing to help me rather than make threads from now on.

Funny you mentioned non conductive tools! I was researching drivers last night and came across a post of yours that discussed ceramic screw drivers. I ordered a set last night and they will be here in a few days. Great tip thank you.
Here's what I have so far in case you think I am missing anything vital;

ESD mat and wrist strap,
module press tools from F.P.
soldering station
2 types of flux and solder,
helping hands
multi-meter
non conductive wire snips,
pre-tinned leads,
copper diode modules with backs
variable power source 5 amps
Scienctech 30W LPM
IR filtering glass that allows 532nm light through
Artic Silver thermal adhesive
various sized contact boards and springs
various adj drivers square and round,
4 different diodes from DTR
lens for 520nm, g3 and 3 element glass
all kinds of awesome gizmos and gadgets from YOU!!!! Thx again
Test load
I was going to a members house tonight to learn how to set drivers but something came up on his end so well have to do it another time.

If the module will put out a relatively stable 150mw with a adequate heat sink, that isn't too bad of a deal, have you received them yet to confirm the actual 532nm output? I was measuring the output of one of my 532nm lasers tonight with laserbee laser power meter and measured a total of 30 mw of power but when placing a filter which will only pass IR between the laser and my LPM, with all of the visible light filtered completely out, 11 mw of IR was measured to remain.

When considering the filters 18% loss to IR or in this case another 5mw of IR, the output of this cheapo 8 dollar China laser calculates to be slightly more than 50% IR. If judging the dividing line to be 50% to determine if the laser is either a green or a IR laser, it's really an IR laser! This is just one laser, I have others of the same exact type which put out two to three times the amount of total power, so this pointer is probably an exception that it puts out so much IR compared to green, due to a 532nm SHG conversion inefficiency.

For those interested in doing this test, this is the type of filter I used, but mine is a very old 4mm thick glass IR filter:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/12mm-Infrar...-750nm-Pass-808-1064nm-IR-Laser-/251801466990

Hi Alaska,
I do have the modules but they wont fit in the hosts I have without some custom heat sinks so I haven't fired them up yet. I bought a Variable power Source as well as a laser specific IR filter that allows less than 3% IR through and 97% 532 light. Before I can test these modules I need the Scienctech LPM and lab style heat sink both of which are in the mail now and should arrive early next week. I will have to meet up with theGreaterWatt to calibrate the LPM though. Ill need some info on how we go about doing this. But as soon as I know you will know. The modules look a lot nicer than all the other ones I have so I am trying to remain optimistic.

nwfreefly said:

Here's what I have so far in case you think I am missing anything vital;

ESD mat and wrist strap,
module press tools from F.P.
soldering station
2 types of flux and solder,
helping hands
multi-meter
non conductive wire snips,
pre-tinned leads,
copper diode modules with backs
variable power source 5 amps
Scienctech 30W LPM
IR filtering glass that allows 532nm light through
Artic Silver thermal adhesive
various sized contact boards and springs
various adj drivers square and round,
4 different diodes from DTR
lens for 520nm, g3 and 3 element glass
all kinds of awesome gizmos and gadgets from YOU!!!! Thx again

I was going to a members house tonight to learn how to set drivers but something came up on his end so well have to do it another time.

Click to expand...

I don't see the test load listed there, I know I just recently told someone this, don't remember if it was you or someone else. You just need the test load and DMM to set or test a driver, it's easy, here is one example of a test load:
3A Selectable Test Load
There are a few places to buy one or you can easily make your own. Don't ever try to test the current directly from a driver with just a DMM without properly using a test load. Unless it's a linear driver it will be toast, some people here have made that mistake.

Helping hands: I recommend one with a lighted magnifier. The base on the helping hands is always too small, they are obviously designed by people with no electronics experience. It may even have a holder for your soldering iron but not stand up if you put your iron in it :wtf: You can clamp it to your table, or you can attach the base to a larger piece of wood or plastic, I can't do this permanently with mine because of the battery compartment for the light.

You list thermal adhesive but not thermal compound/grease, I hope you understand the difference and where and when to use them.

I also don't see a wire stripper listed there.

Alan

Pi R Squared said:

I don't see the test load listed there, I know I just recently told someone this, don't remember if it was you or someone else. You just need the test load and DMM to set or test a driver, it's easy, here is one example of a test load:
3A Selectable Test Load
There are a few places to buy one or you can easily make your own. Don't ever try to test the current directly from a driver with just a DMM without properly using a test load. Unless it's a linear driver it will be toast, some people here have made that mistake.

Helping hands: I recommend one with a lighted magnifier. The base on the helping hands is always too small, they are obviously designed by people with no electronics experience. It may even have a holder for your soldering iron but not stand up if you put your iron in it :wtf: You can clamp it to your table, or you can attach the base to a larger piece of wood or plastic, I can't do this permanently with mine because of the battery compartment for the light.

You list thermal adhesive but not thermal compound/grease, I hope you understand the difference and where and when to use them.

I also don't see a wire stripper listed there.

Alan

Click to expand...

Right! I do have a test load bought from survival lasers. I knew I forgot to List something.
Any recommendations on thermal grease? That I don't have. I'll order wire strippers now. Soldering station has a stand holder on it. Good tip on the helping hands. The base does look too small.
Thx Alan.

nwfreefly said:

Right! I do have a test load bought from survival lasers. I knew I forgot to List something.
Any recommendations on thermal grease? That I don't have. I'll order wire strippers now. Soldering station has a stand holder on it. Good tip on the helping hands. The base does look too small.
Thx Alan.

Click to expand...

Good you have the test load, I have the same one, you might not use it much, it's easy to buy all your drivers pre-set but if your a real do it yourselfer then it's a must have item.
No recommendation on thermal grease, there's some kind you can buy at Radio Shack or you can buy this from Survival Laser: Céramique 2 Thermal Compound 2.7 grams
That's what I have right now, honestly I don't usually bother to use it but it's a good idea with parts that get hot and aren't a tight fit. It can help the duty cycle of your lasers a little. Just don't use thermal adhesive where you shouldn't, it's meant to be permanent, the grease/compound isn't, it doesn't glue things in place.

Alan

^^^ that reminds me of something that has me puzzled- in the presence of a running 488nm Argon SL my green pointers LOOK very yellow-its a trick our eyes make on us so it cant be photographed- anyone know why this happens??

running argons tonight including a ML so I will check this out again.

hak

Hak, I have noticed this too with 473. When I bring the 445 out (which is several orders more powerful) it makes the 473 turn a sort of turquoise green, a rather horrible colour to be honest! Similarly, if I sit under a SOX light (low pressure sodium, intense orange) normal light bulbs look cold white, the inverse is true if I sit under a mercury light.

I have no scientific explanation to give but it seems our eyes try to "normalise" light and after a while tricks you into thinking a given light is closer to a neutral colour (ie white) than it really is.

There is a little surface mount transistor
in there marked D882. That is probably
fried, and it can take out the diode with
it too, but not always. You can get
replacements on eBay if you thing you're up
to reflowing the tiny SMD. It's easier to
replace it with an AixiZ adjustable driver
set to 350mA if it fits. Make sure to test
it first though because if the diode is
bad, you will be wasting your time.
Easiest of all, and possibly cheapest is
just to throw it out and buy a new one. 3
weeks is a long wait, though, believe me, I
KNOW!

The Lightning Stalker said:

There is a little surface mount transistor
in there marked D882. That is probably
fried, and it can take out the diode with
it too, but not always. You can get
replacements on eBay if you thing you're up
to reflowing the tiny SMD. It's easier to
replace it with an AixiZ adjustable driver
set to 350mA if it fits. Make sure to test
it first though because if the diode is
bad, you will be wasting your time.
Easiest of all, and possibly cheapest is
just to throw it out and buy a new one. 3
weeks is a long wait, though, believe me, I
KNOW!

Click to expand...

Hey LS,
Thanks that's good to know. i have been practicing soldering and pressing diodes today. I went to goodwill and bought some DVD burners and salvaged the diodes out of them, pressed them in a module, soldered leads and then tried to get them to fore up with the Variable power supply. It didn't work but I still was happy I got some experience going.

I ordered a new module from O-like. $35 and it will screw right in. It was a really nice laser. I'm still not sure why everyone thinks they are such cheap crap but maybe they are. I own a handful of 50-100mW actual cheap ebay lasers and this O-like was significantly better, zero splash, and a nice bright beam. So I figured just ordering a new one was best rather than fiddle around with drivers as I still haven't set my own yet but should be meeting a LPF member this week to have him walk me through the process.

Cheers and thanks
Jeff