Welcome to Laser Pointer Forums - discuss green laser pointers, blue laser pointers, and all types of lasers

LPF Donation via Stripe | LPF Donation - Other Methods

Links below open in new window

ArcticMyst Security by Avery

RESOLVED BY COMMUNITY! - Bad experience with Bwhollen

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jul 27, 2011
Messages
114
Points
0
RESOLVED BY THE COMMUNITY, THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE!

NOT RESOLVED BY BWHOLLEN.

From the start it seemed like my purchase would be a great one from the user bhwollen. I paid for a 1.8W 445nm laser from him on 07-28-2011. He said he would ship the next day, but there was a delay (of course I was not notified). Anyway I received the laser on 08-22-2011 in Canada. I know shipping can take a bit longer to Canada, but it doesn't usually take that long.
SO me, being a noob, I put my goggles on and press the button to turn it on after charging the battery and putting it in. Nothing happened. I shook the laser a slight bit and turned the focus knob (which was loose and almost hanging out, I assumed that was the way it was). The laser then worked for a second and then stopped. I screwed in the focusing part and the lens a bit better. I then turned it on again and it worked for about 30 seconds and then I turned it off, so as to not burn anything as I didn't get any really specific instructions on how long to run it (even after asking for them).
After this I could no longer turn it on, so I assumed that maybe this had worn down the batteries somehow so I put them back in the charger. I then contacted bwhollen, and he suggested shaking the device more.
After a few days of this back and forth I finally opened the laser up to see if I could see what was wrong as I assumed it had something to do with contacts.

I found this


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Notice that the black wire is not contacting. Now I took this to my fathers office to solder it back into place. It was then that I noticed (you can't quite see it in the photo) that the solder points of both wires are touching and even if the wire was soldered into place the circuit would be shorted.

I had no idea what to do, so I told bwhollen this. He told me that I could pay for shipping there and back and for materials he could fix this.
I felt that this is clearly not my fault and I told him that he should pay the cost of repairing it as he was the seller.
He declined this, he said if I send it to him and paid for parts he can quote "see what he can do".
So my counter that still stands un-replied is that he could send me a new diode or whatever and guide me through fixing this myself. Since he has been unreasonable about paying any money towards this up to this point I think I can assume he won't do this.


Now I do understand there is no real warranty when buying like this, but I think a reasonable person or a good businessperson will stand behind their product.

I will wait until tomorrow, and if I still get nothing, I will file a claim with paypal since I do feel I have been wronged here. If he will pay for shipping I will send him back his piece laser I guess, but if not I will wait until I am more experienced with this stuff and I will then try to buy the parts and repair this item myself.

Over all, bad communication (i had to wait long between replies, and he only replied if I put a message on his public board asking him to), bad at keeping promises (didnt send when he said he would), and bad product (worked a total of less than a minute and now is essentially worthless).


I have taken this as a lesson and I most likely will no longer do any business with people on this forum unless they are proven to be VERY reputable and will stand behind their products.
My likely next purchase will be through Lazerer which so far has a good rep and they have been very cordial in communication so far.

Sorry this went so long. I'm just very chapped and disappointed. Especially when he said in his last reply "not a chance" to my request that he fix things.

Not sure what to do now other than try to get my money back through paypal, suggestions?

EDIT: he declined to send any replacement parts to fix it as he says there is no warranty and he says that I broke it.

Also, I wish that I had seen and read the other negative transaction with bwhollen before purchasing from him. That thread was not a one-off, this is a mediocre seller.
 
Last edited:





jimdt7

0
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
1,893
Points
48
Re: VERY BAD EXPERIENCE with 'bhwollen'

I wasnt expecting this from bhwollen ! He is great guy ! Can you upload some closer pictures ? If you want you can send it to me and i can tell you if i can fix it at a very low cost ! Less that 10$ . I cant guarantee i can fix it first i need some closer pictures of the diode ! PM me of you want !
 
Joined
Jan 13, 2011
Messages
1,681
Points
0
Re: VERY BAD EXPERIENCE with 'bhwollen'

First of all, he said it wouldn't turn on so I took it apart, which could be why the wires were twist.

Second all, he refuses to ship it back to me so I can look at it.

Third, he tried to have his dad fix it by re soldering it

Fourth, he said "when I touch 2 wires together there are sparks. why would you do that?

Fifth, he asked for me to send a replacement diode instead of have me look at it.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
167
Points
0
Re: VERY BAD EXPERIENCE with 'bhwollen'

Sorry to hear about your transaction going bad mate!

I'm just curious, if the circuit is shorted, can anyone explain to me why shaking it made it work for a brief perio?
 

jimdt7

0
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
1,893
Points
48
Re: VERY BAD EXPERIENCE with 'bhwollen'

Ok i understand you Ben but we cant do anything yet till we have some closer pics ! Also i can take a look if he wants ! Is the heatsink press-fit ?
 
Joined
Jan 13, 2011
Messages
1,681
Points
0
Re: VERY BAD EXPERIENCE with 'bhwollen'

And if the pins were shorted like you said, how would it have working in the first place?

What it looks like to me is that you took it apart and by doing so twisted the wires and broke it.

My offer still stands that if you send it back to me I will look at it and see if its a simple fix.

Even if there was a warranty it would have been voided because you took it apart.
 
Last edited:

jimdt7

0
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
1,893
Points
48
Re: VERY BAD EXPERIENCE with 'bhwollen'

I'm just curious, if the circuit is shorted, can anyone explain to me why shaking it made it work for a brief perio?


I think that probably the wire disconected from the diode so when he was shaking the laser the wire was coming in contact with the diode but when i moved the laser again the wire didnt make contact !
 
Joined
Jul 27, 2011
Messages
114
Points
0
Re: VERY BAD EXPERIENCE with 'bhwollen'

First of all, he said it wouldn't turn on so I took it apart, which could be why the wires were twist.

Second all, he refuses to ship it back to me so I can look at it.

Third, he tried to have his dad fix it by re soldering it

Fourth, he said "when I touch 2 wires together there are sparks. why would you do that?

Fifth, he asked for me to send a replacement diode instead of have me look at it.
I was going to have him solder it, but it did not end up happening. I'm sorry but Ill say here what I said in PM, I am not spending more money on this if there is no guarantee it will come back or even if it does come back that it will be fixed. Your construction is obviously shotty and I don't trust that same workmanship to fix this.
I will send it back if you cover the costs.
Also I never said I touched two wires together. When it was open, a spark came from the diode area.
The wires were likely twisted together because of the VERY loose focusing and lens area, and when I tried to adjust focus it probably was just turning the whole insides. Adjusting focus is something I feel I should be able to do without it breaking.

I am not experienced with this stuff. My father was the one who said it would be shorted and thats why there is no point in soldering it. I am not sure the melting point of solder but possibly the solder melted in between the two wires due to heat in there at some point? Not sure, but either way it was not my doing.
 
Joined
Jul 27, 2011
Messages
114
Points
0
Re: VERY BAD EXPERIENCE with 'bhwollen'

I think that probably the wire disconected from the diode so when he was shaking the laser the wire was coming in contact with the diode but when i moved the laser again the wire didnt make contact !

This might be true, and it is possible that shaking the laser was not the best advice. Either way the thing should be able to take more than a light shake and still stay ticking.
 

jimdt7

0
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
1,893
Points
48
Re: VERY BAD EXPERIENCE with 'bhwollen'

And if the pins were shorted like you said, how would it have working in the first place?

What it looks like to me is that you took it apart and by doing so twisted the wires and broke it.

My offer still stands that if you send it back to me I will look at it and see if its a simple fix.

Even if there was a warranty it would have been voided because you took it apart.

Ben you are 100% correct but i he doesnt want to send it back to you i can check it and see if its just an unsoldered wire ! Also is the heatsink pressfit ?
 

jimdt7

0
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
1,893
Points
48
Re: VERY BAD EXPERIENCE with 'bhwollen'

@Upperlevel

Do you want me to check it ? But i want some closer pictures first pls!
 
Joined
Jan 13, 2011
Messages
1,681
Points
0
Re: VERY BAD EXPERIENCE with 'bhwollen'

If he doesn't want to pay to ship it to me why would he ship it to you?
 
Joined
Sep 16, 2007
Messages
3,658
Points
113
Re: VERY BAD EXPERIENCE with 'bhwollen'

It seems that the module was not set firmly enough or the set screw was loose which would explain why the laser could not be focused properly. It would also explain the poor connection at the solder joints which were apparently not protected with heat shrink or even electrical tape. Turning the focus ring, if the module was not set right, may have turned the entire module and broken the solder joints resulting in what we see in the pictures.

Assuming the diode and driver were not damaged from the short circuit, it should be as simple to fix as re-soldering the wires to their proper pins, wrapping them in electrical tape or heat-shrink, and then re-setting the module (properly).
 
Last edited:
Joined
Jul 27, 2011
Messages
114
Points
0
Re: VERY BAD EXPERIENCE with 'bhwollen'

Ben you are 100% correct but i he doesnt want to send it back to you i can check it and see if its just an unsoldered wire ! Also is the heatsink pressfit ?

I will give some better pics tomorrow, I am sorry my good camera is at my cabin as of tonight.

Also I can tell you definitively that me taking it apart (hardly, I just unscrewed the one part) DID NOT cause the unit to break.
Also, when i tried to unscrew the part to put the battery in, the top part was the part that was actually unscrewing, I noticed half way through and put it back to its original spot. If I had kept going and unscrewed the units center all the way thus 'taking it apart' I would have voided my warranty? Hardly think so. I have dealt with a couple companies for lasers and unscrewing the top part has NEVER voided a warranty.
 
Joined
Jul 27, 2011
Messages
114
Points
0
Re: VERY BAD EXPERIENCE with 'bhwollen'

@Upperlevel

Do you want me to check it ? But i want some closer pictures first pls!

I do trust you more than ben at this point and would love to send ti to you. Unfortunately I have no funds to have it sent back as of right now and barely enough to have it sent.
Bare in mind this is in Canada and international shipping is expensive and can take a while.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.




Top