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

What to do with this dead laser?

Joined
Feb 19, 2011
Messages
120
Points
0
So a few months ago I ordered this from focalprice. Of course that was back when I didn't know jack about lasers... I'd never even think about getting something like that now.

Anyway, when I got it, it worked for a few seconds and then the green dot disappeared and there was just a little bit of red light coming from the aperture. Hitting it would occasionally make it work again but it'd always quit after a bit. Now it doesn't do anything at all even with a fresh battery. I got my money back from focalprice and they didn't make me send it back to them. So, is there anything I can do with this?

I thought about maybe taking it apart but the most I can do with it is take off the back cap. The rest seems to be a single seamless piece of metal. Does anyone know how to get one of these open?
 





Joined
Jan 4, 2011
Messages
110
Points
18
Yeah. Im pretty sure that you need to open the laser where you would put the battery and look toward the side that has the diode. Take out any foam if there is any and look for the small circuit board. Get 2 long prongs and unscrew the whole thing by gently twisting it. It sounds like the problem could be a short or open circuit, but Im not sure.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Feb 19, 2011
Messages
120
Points
0
Yeah. Im pretty sure that you need to open the laser where you would put the battery and look toward the side that has the diode. Take out any foam if there is any and look for the small circuit board. Get 2 long prongs and unscrew the whole thing by gently twisting it. It sounds like the problem could be a short or open circuit, but Im not sure.

Ok, I pulled out the foam and stuck 2 precision screw drivers in there (one on each side of the chip) and twisted the barrel until the whole thing popped out. It's a metal cylinder looking thing with a green chip sticking out of the back of it. Theres a spring on the end of the chip. Should I be looking for anything in particular?

EDIT: I think I've found the issue. There's a couple of VERY tiny rectangle things soldered onto the chip. One of them is half way broken off. It appears to have "151" printed on it but I can't really tell. It's really tiny.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Feb 19, 2011
Messages
120
Points
0
Any good pic of the part ? (driver)

Unfortunately, no. The best pic I can get is from my iPod Touch and it's blurry at best.

Bukmg.png


The arrow points to the broken one. It's just lifted off the chip a little on the right side.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Feb 15, 2011
Messages
8
Points
0
Unfortunately, no. The best pic I can get is from my iPod Touch and it's blurry at best.

Bukmg.png


The arrow points to the broken one. It's just lifted off the chip a little on the right side.

That's probably just a lifted diode..If you very carefully drop a little solder on that point to reconnect it to the board, it might work...if that's the only problem and the trace isn't too damaged. Just be careful not to use too hot an iron, or you'll burn out the diode. If your iron doesn't doesn't have a selectable temperature, be sure not to leave the iron near it for more than a few seconds.

Oh, and be sure not to create a solder joint where it doesn't belong.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Feb 19, 2011
Messages
120
Points
0
That's probably just a lifted diode..If you very carefully drop a little solder on that point to reconnect it to the board, it might work...if that's the only problem and the trace isn't too damaged. Just be careful not to use too hot an iron, or you'll burn out the diode. If your iron doesn't doesn't have a selectable temperature, be sure not to leave the iron near it for more than a few seconds.

Oh, and be sure not to create a solder joint where it doesn't belong.

Uhh... yea... I don't have a soldering iron or any experience in using one.
 

HIMNL9

0
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
5,318
Points
0
Ipods, eh ? ..... brrrrr

You can try to get a better pic placing a magnifying lens just in front of the camera, regulating the distance til you see the image focused, but with these things, is still difficult to get some decent pics ..... from the image, it can be anything, resistor, capacitor, diode ..... it's only a blurred rectangle, sorry.
 




Top