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FrozenGate by Avery

12x BR DIODES

Exerd

i just had the same problem with my flexdrive the pot kept on jumping from 320ma to 420ma and back to ~320ma even a slightly little tap against the driver would make it hop from high to low, then after i turned it a few more times trying to set current it suddenly went stable @ 415ma no more hops from high to low so i gently put the host together and it seems to work fine now.....

any idea if these were just faulty pots or to much current for it to handle or something else...?:wtf::thinking:
 





Xtrm2Rick said:
Exerd

i just had the same problem with my flexdrive the pot kept on jumping from 320ma to 420ma and back to ~320ma even a slightly little tap against the driver would make it hop from high to low, then after i turned it a few more times trying to set current it suddenly went stable @ 415ma no more hops from high to low so i gently put the host together and it seems to work fine now.....

any idea if these were just faulty pots or to much current for it to handle or something else...?:wtf::thinking:
Click to expand...

A little of both.

The pots are NOT "faulty", but they are "touchy", especially when at the extreme ends of the range. Drlava has designed the next generation with a more "robust" pot. This does not mean that the pots are bad. It is more related to the second part of the answer.

The flexdrive was not designed to work with these high of currents in combination with these high of voltages. We have pushed the flexdrive to the very edge of its capabilities and in some cases, beyond. When you are at and beyond the limits of small electronic components, they act in some unpredictable manners. That's why drlava has designed the next generation.

Finally, the little pot was not designed to be repeatedly adjusted. They were designed to have one single adjustment and then to be left alone inside a machine. The design also does not protect it if there is pressure applied to it. All you have to do is look at it to see it was not built to be manhandled ;)

Peace,
dave
 
RA_pierce said:
My laser has slowly dropped in power by 5mW over the past couple days... I was a little saddened by this, and proceeded to check the optics to see if maybe there was some junk on the lens that dropped the power ~1%.
Indeed, the 405-G-1 lens was dirty. I was surprised by this because the aperture surface was clean. It was the side facing the emitter that was dirty and only one little spot where the beam enters the lens. Also, it was not dust or dirt, it was almost "fogggy" as if there was moisture or some finger oil on the lens, which is strange because once I put the lens in I never took it out. Also, this grime did not create any artifact in the beam that I could see with/without goggles -- before and after cleaning there was no difference in beam quality.
Sure enough, once I wiped it clean power went right back up to 481mW.

Can others confirm that these lasers are depositing "gunk" on the lenses?
I remember reading about yobresal's 8X with can removed... some gunk formed on the emitter IIRC.

I wonder if this is contributing to degradation (if the diode window is getting progressively "foggier" with use).
Click to expand...

RA;

Sharp has stated that any organic particles in the BR diode beam path will be decomposed by the UV wavelength.

Any smoke that enters the chamber between the diode and the lens can be degraded and deposited on the lens.

Teflon tape should keep this area sealed fairly well.

I assume you are actually using the Hi-Power lens assembly.

If so, then the lens aperture facing the diode is larger, and easy to clean.

I use pure acetone for cleaning the lens. (very flammable)

LarryDFW
 
LarryDFW said:
RA;

Sharp has stated that any organic particles in the BR diode beam path will be decomposed by the UV wavelength.

Any smoke that enters the chamber between the diode and the lens can be degraded and deposited on the lens.

Teflon tape should keep this area sealed fairly well.

I assume you are actually using the Hi-Power lens assembly.

If so, then the lens aperture facing the diode is larger, and easy to clean.

I use pure acetone for cleaning the lens. (very flammable)

LarryDFW
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, Larry. I did read the cleaning instructions you sent with the assembly. I don't know where to find pure acetone, so I use 91% isopropyl alcohol and it seems to work very well.
A bit off topic, but do you discriminate between the terms "405-G-1" and "hi-power assembly?" I was under the impression that the lens itself was designated "405-G-1" and I wouldn't like to confuse terms.

Exerd said:
I always check for properly tinned and soldered connections, so I have ruled out bad connections.

After my 12x CR123 host was dropping output power figures, I disassembled the unit, and found that the pot is what's acting up. It will not sustain any current above ~400mA now, and the pot is very finicky. Slight pressure on the pot raises output, then when the screwdriver is removed, output drops. I'm going to replace the driver in that host with a different one.

I put that #2 diode back in the slim 18650 host, and have made it a murder project. Drive current is now set to 495mA and will remain there for the rest of the diode life. Power output sits at a steady 737mW.
Click to expand...

Perhaps IgorT will sell you one of his drivers. They should be able to power diodes with high forward voltage like the 8X and 12X more reliably at high current than the Flex. I believe he uses fixed resistors rather than a potentiometer, but if you plan on leaving it then I suppose that is not a problem for you.

Otherwise, Dr. Lava is developing a new boost driver that will work with these diodes.

Those are the only two boost drivers I can think of that will fit in that host.

I haven't run my 12X to high currents so I cannot say I've had this problem. But as Daguin said, the pot is sensitive, and the driver was not designed for that kind of load.
 
daguin said:
A little of both.

The pots are NOT "faulty", but they are "touchy", especially when at the extreme ends of the range. Drlava has designed the next generation with a more "robust" pot. This does not mean that the pots are bad. It is more related to the second part of the answer.

The flexdrive was not designed to work with these high of currents in combination with these high of voltages. We have pushed the flexdrive to the very edge of its capabilities and in some cases, beyond. When you are at and beyond the limits of small electronic components, they act in some unpredictable manners. That's why drlava has designed the next generation.

Finally, the little pot was not designed to be repeatedly adjusted. They were designed to have one single adjustment and then to be left alone inside a machine. The design also does not protect it if there is pressure applied to it. All you have to do is look at it to see it was not built to be manhandled ;)

Peace,
dave
Click to expand...

thank for that answer Dave that makes it all clear now:thanks:
i hope Drlava releases those new drives soon sounds good and more user friendly
and yea these pots look like those used deep inside electronic's certainly not made to be adjusted by man hands
 
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Xtrm2Rick said:
thank for that answer Dave that makes it all clear now:thanks:
i hope Drlava releases those new drives soon sounds good and more user friendly
Click to expand...

I know that the prototypes are done. I do not know if he has moved on to the manufacture of them yet.

Peace,
dave
 
I will get in contact with DrLava. I really want to get a hold of those drivers.

Within the last few days, these Flexdrives have really shown their true colors. They are unstable and all over the place for power.

You guys want to see a diode torture test? Here's my latest torture test provided to you by a sporadic Flexdrive:

91dy00.jpg


I ain't touching it. I'll let the diode gods decide the fate of my fun on this one. 885mW = :drool: It's been running a few seconds at a time all night and hasn't declined yet from this number. I have a feeling a few minutes of on-time will prove it's destiny at such a level.
 
Wow...

Burn baby burn...

Just for the record, drlava had stated a while back that he only recommends up to 300mA's current setting for the V5 FlexDrive using these diodes that have a higher forward voltage.

Of course many are pushing them higher. My 12X runs very stable at 320mA's with a V5 FlexDrive. But I have a feeling that those pushing over 400mA's are going beyond what the driver is capable of regulating properly. (at near 6 volts demand)
 
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2 Full minutes at 885mW now. Checked again, same reading this morning without any loss.
 
I fired up my new 12x tonight using a Jayrob lens.. OMG -- I'm in the upper curve with this one :drool:

200 mA 5.3 V 303 mW
300 mA 5.6 V 451 mW


I'm stopping there for tonight before I do something stupid :cryyy: :tired:
When testing a $200 diode -- always go to bed happy-----

HMike
 
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Hemlock_Mike said:
I fired up my new 12x tonight using a Jayrob lens.. OMG -- I'm in the upper curve with this one :drool:

200 mA 5.3 V 303 mW
300 mA 5.6 V 451 mW


I'm stopping there for tonight before I do something stupid :cryyy: :tired:
When testing a $200 diode -- always go to bed happy-----

HMike
Click to expand...

Waiting for the other data to add this new baby in the datasheet...:beer:
 
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