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Trouble-shooting RGB

Anthony P

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Powered up RGB module for first time. Blue seems to behave perfectly, but green and red have barely any output. I am not sure how to proceed.

Each is powered by LM317 current reg with adjustment resistors tailored for each diode. On test load, everything reads perfect. Current to diodes read perfect. Current adjustments range from manufacturer data min threshold to max operating current. They do light, but only measure a few mw output.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.
 





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what power source are you using for each diode? If amperage is fine, it may be the voltage. How is everything hooked up?
 

Anthony P

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Bench supply set at 9vcv and 2A cc feeds 3 lm317 configured for cc. Voltage on test load reads 3v( 4-1n4001 series with 1 ohm resistor). Current monitored to lasers reads dead on. Also, the OPSL green has cv heater driver 1.25-2.5 adjustment. starting from 1.25 to 1.6 heater voltage, output increases. Over 1.6v in drops off. Stopped there before I damaged anything.


Edit:
I have been searching this site and found some info on the red diode(HL63603TG). I am more confused than ever now. The data sheet states a max operating current of 200mA, yet every post I've read has people running them at double that and sometimes higher. Am I reading the data sheet wrong? If so, how do I know what is the correct safe max input current?

Edit #2
Green is on line now.
Turns out the heater voltage is very sensitive. A few hundredths of a volt make a huge difference in output. This is the same OPSL from Alaskan's group buy. This one runs at 2.05v.
Still almost nothing out of red.
 
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In this forum anyway, it's common for people to obscenely overdrive laser diodes. Even if the lifespan is reduced from 50,000 to 2 hours, that's long enough until that diode becomes obsolete, given standard pointer usage. One drawback is infant mortality, as you may have experienced here. if the voltage across the set-resistor is reading 1.25V, the current is therefore where it should be, and you've fried the diode. Try again, either with higher ESD precautions, or lower drive current.
 

Anthony P

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In this forum anyway, it's common for people to obscenely overdrive laser diodes. Even if the lifespan is reduced from 50,000 to 2 hours, that's long enough until that diode becomes obsolete, given standard pointer usage. One drawback is infant mortality, as you may have experienced here. if the voltage across the set-resistor is reading 1.25V, the current is therefore where it should be, and you've fried the diode. Try again, either with higher ESD precautions, or lower drive current.
Thank you for your advice. Before connecting diode, I used a dummy load to verify current via 2 independant current meters. All parameters were verified to be well within datasheet specs... even a bit on the conservative side. ESD precautions observed. I have seen the DTR video of this diode being driven much much harder than I was.
I suspect the diode came from the seller defective. The leads had solider residue and the face of the can had tool marks visible under the microscope. The blue and green are working. 2 out 3 aint bad. It may test my mechanical skills, but I will attempt to replace the diode with a new one. I do not want to turn this in to the cliche boo-hoo bitch session, but other issues with seller and module have put them on my no fly list.

PS
1.25v verified on set resistors.
 

twelti

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Oh, SNAP! I thought it was one of the many floating ads! Due, you really went whole hog.
 

Anthony P

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Oh, SNAP! I thought it was one of the many floating ads! Due, you really went whole hog.
I can't tell if that is sarcasm or not LOL. I started with this module as learning experience. I intend to build one much higher in power. I can say that after bringing 2 of the 3 on line and seeing the whitish dot and beam, I am hooked on this project. I fully intend to go "whole hog" soon. I will likely build everything myself rather than buy an off the shelf module.
 

Anthony P

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Hey....BANGGOOD = GET SCREWED GOOD.....Very, very, very, very BAD source. They Blah, Blah...." We care, Customer Service #1, We want you experience to be best for you ...we want you satisfied " HAHAHAHAHAHAHA..... They SUCK !!! Followed the required/requested procedure to provide Banggood with a video of the brand new Power Supply unit not displaying correctly. All I got was repeated requests for the video....ALL the SAME canned message as the first. NEVER heard back from a real human !!! After about six (6) emails.... I gave up !!! They do NOT give a Rat's Ass about the customer !!! "After Customer Buy...Customer can go Suck it "....that should be their motto...STAY AWAY !!!
They could send me 10 free Power supplies now....I will never ever buy from them again !!!....and I will continue to warn all to stay away from...…..BANGGOOD !!! CDBEAM
 
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Anthony P

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Hey....BANGGOOD = GET SCREWED GOOD.....Very, very, very, very BAD source. They Blah, Blah...." We care, Customer Service #1, We want you experience to best for you " HAHAHAHAHAHAHA..... They SUCK !!! Followed the required/requested procedure to provide Banggood with a video of the brand new Power Supply unit not displaying correctly. All I got was repeated requests for the video....ALL the SAME canned message as the first. NEVER heard back from a real human !!! After about six (6) emails.... I gave up !!! They do NOT give a Rat's Ass...STAY AWAY !!!
They could send me 10 free Power supplies now....I will never ever buy from them again !!!....and I will continue to warn all to stay away !!! CDBEAM
Thanks for the heads up.
Actually, my plans are to get good diodes and parts from DTR, Survival and AixiZ, then fabricate my own. The Holokid module I bought was cheap so I could look at it and get ideas.
 

twelti

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That looks a lot like what I have in mind for home-made. What are you using for TTL control?
So far just manual control. I was thinking of using Arduino. I'm still trying to think of some clever and cheap DIY scanner, using speaker drivers. I have them laying all over the place at work.
 

twelti

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Joined
Jan 3, 2019
Messages
40
Points
8
Hey....BANGGOOD = GET SCREWED GOOD.....Very, very, very, very BAD source. They Blah, Blah...." We care, Customer Service #1, We want you experience to be best for you ...we want you satisfied " HAHAHAHAHAHAHA..... They SUCK !!! Followed the required/requested procedure to provide Banggood with a video of the brand new Power Supply unit not displaying correctly. All I got was repeated requests for the video....ALL the SAME canned message as the first. NEVER heard back from a real human !!! After about six (6) emails.... I gave up !!! They do NOT give a Rat's Ass about the customer !!! "After Customer Buy...Customer can go Suck it "....that should be their motto...STAY AWAY !!!
They could send me 10 free Power supplies now....I will never ever buy from them again !!!....and I will continue to warn all to stay away from...…..BANGGOOD !!! CDBEAM
I've ordered probably 15 times and had no problems. You get what you pay for I guess.
 




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