Red 200mw Laser not working correctly

1Nick · Mar 22, 2010

okay, so i ordered my 200mw new style red laser from o-like about a month ago, and i love it! i left it in my car for about 4 days and when i turned it back on, the light was extremely dim. it was nothing compared to what it was before. i tried charging the batteries but it still appears dim. my guess is that the batteries are not being charged/the charger is broken. but i dont know for sure. can someone please help. i have supplied the before and after photo's to show you what the laser used to be like and what it is like now.
this is before:

and this is now

please help!!

Greenmechanic · Mar 22, 2010

First step is to test the batteries.
Check them on a DMM (digital multi meter) they should read 3.6V when fully charged.
To do a (simple) check of your charger, put the batteries in it, the LED should come on red, then in a minute or so turn green.
If this is what's happening, then I'd say your charger is OK
The batteries have probably gone bad from being discharged to low.
Check these things first, then let us know if you still have problems.
If you don't have a DMM, you can buy one at Harbor Freight for around $4

SeNNHeISeR · Mar 23, 2010

Maybe your diode died, same thing happened to me.

x90z75ek · Mar 23, 2010

SeNNHeISeR said:
Maybe your diode died, same thing happened to me.

If the diode had died the dot would not look like this. When the diode is dead it usually shines like a weak LED, which is too weak for the dot to be seen like that.

It's probably what Greenmechanic said. However the batteries might have gotten into deep discharge since they are not being charged anymore. If that's the case then there's nothing to do except buying new batteries.

Eudaimonium · Mar 23, 2010

Exactly as x-zek said!

Dead diode is usually associated with apsolutely no light coming out , WHICH is totaly false.
Dead LD is manifesting as exeptionally weak dim light due to melted facet of diode.

Dead batteries however would give a very brief flash of light followed by weak light afterwards, at least it was in my two examples of dead 10440's.

Weakned output is a wide therm,
Could you explain the conditions?
Like, is it starting bright and dims, or is it very dim and brightens up afterwards?
Fluctations in power?

I am confident it gives a very brief flash and then dims down, if so = new batteries.

1Nick · Mar 23, 2010

yea, i agree. the batteries most likely died, because my laser did work perfectly for about 30 seconds and then it started dimming. i will see if i can find some way to test my batteries. and if it is them, i'll just buy a new set of rechargeables. if its the laser, i'll need to talk to susie about that.

Eudaimonium · Mar 23, 2010

1Nick said:
yea, i agree. the batteries most likely died, because my laser did work perfectly for about 30 seconds and then it started dimming. i will see if i can find some way to test my batteries. and if it is them, i'll just buy a new set of rechargeables. if its the laser, i'll need to talk to susie about that.

It's not the laser, simple diode lasers do not go away that quickly.
For new rechargeables, you can also go to O-like,
They have a 2pcs CR2 batt + charger for them.
If you need only the batts, go to DealExtreme.
However not all are that good.

1Nick · Mar 24, 2010

crap! i tested the batteries and the tester reads 3.14 volts. the batteries are fine. could the laser diode be broken? should i contact susie? p.s: the current laser light actually looks dimmer than the picture supplied.

Eudaimonium · Mar 24, 2010

1Nick said:
crap! i tested the batteries and the tester reads 3.14 volts. the batteries are fine. could the laser diode be broken? should i contact susie? p.s: the current laser light actually looks dimmer than the picture supplied.

Are those 3V lithiums or 3.7 V li-ion?

3V lithiums should read just above 3.7V when fully charged.
Your voltage may seem OK now, but once you put a load on your batteries (draw some current), it will drop drastically.

For example, li-ions read 4.2 V when full, but when you power a 18650 , it drops under 4V in miliseconds.

Are 3.14 V you measured fresh out of the charger?

1Nick · Mar 24, 2010

yea, the batteries are fresh out of the charger. good news though, i contacted susie and she said that i can send it in and they will send me a brand new one! wow, i love o-like

Eudaimonium · Mar 24, 2010

1Nick said:
yea, the batteries are fresh out of the charger. good news though, i contacted susie and she said that i can send it in and they will send me a brand new one! wow, i love o-like

Laser or the batteries?
Because batteris are to blame.

Fresh out of charger should read 3.7 V.

1Nick · Mar 24, 2010

Eudaimonium said:
Laser or the batteries?
Because batteris are to blame.

Fresh out of charger should read 3.7 V.

well, wether its 3.7v or 3.1v, the laser's performance shouldn't change to the way im experiencing it.

Hemlock_Mike · Mar 25, 2010

A bad cell can read good voltage and drop to almost nothing if it has gone high impedance in the heat of a glove compartment. It will also charge "completely" in seconds because it only holds a small surface charge.
What is the distance from the laser to the target in the second pictures? A LD gone bad usually won't produce a good dot.

HMike

1Nick · Mar 25, 2010

Hemlock_Mike said:
A bad cell can read good voltage and drop to almost nothing if it has gone high impedance in the heat of a glove compartment. It will also charge "completely" in seconds because it only holds a small surface charge.
What is the distance from the laser to the target in the second pictures? A LD gone bad usually won't produce a good dot.

HMike

ohh, that would explain alot. perhaps i should buy a new set of batteries and test the laser before i send it in. and yes, it does charge completely in a bout a minute. the distance in the pic is about 1ft.

AndyR · Mar 25, 2010

I would buy some new batteries and try it out before you send the laser in and waste yours and Susie's money...

Eudaimonium · Mar 25, 2010

Yes, seconded.

New batts.
Your point of view is wrong, 3.1 V and 3.7 V cannot produce same results, because you overlooked one thing:
You are measuring them without any kind of load.
Once you start to draw current, because of impendance of the battery, the voltage will sag greatly, and entire thing will resemble an empty battery.

Red 200mw Laser not working correctly

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