Hi, all! First post. I've scoured these forums, and I didn't really see anything like this (except a few post from several days ago, but didn't want to hijack the thread). I have a 405nm 500mw-ish Banggood laser module with a dead laser diode. I was burning something last night, and the laser quit working half way through the job. I tested the LD+ and LD- pads with a volt meter, and the voltage modulated while running a test burn. So I assume the board isn't the problem (well... more on that later). I snipped the diode leads, and there is no diodity in the diode. I'm assuming that IS a problem.
From what I gather looking at other posts, the driver can be an issue resulting in decreased diode life, but the posts stating that are several years old. I'm not sure if Banggood is even using the same board as when those posts were written. Looking at the drivers on DTR's page, they don't seem as complex as what is on mine, which is PWM. (I'll include a photo).
Second, I used this laser for PCBs (negative photoresist method), but the results were "OK", could be better. The divergence coming out of the diode significant. I even ordered a collimating lens, which gave a better quality dot, but there was always still a halo around the dot, which would partially expose stuff I didn't want exposed. I played with focusing, watched every video I could find, and still had problems. In the end, I would up making a cardboard cone that I fixed to the end of the module. That actually worked pretty good, but could have caused some heat issues that wound up killing the diode.
Which brings me to diode quality. I assume the ones Banggood are using are OK, and my expectations when I bought it were different than the reality. I just assumed that a laser diode would output a parallel, tight beam, and the lense would just focus it to a point. Boy was I wrong! In looking at replacements, the BDR-209 900mw 405nm in DTR's shop looks like a winner. 500mw is recommended for longest life, and my driver is 500mw. But how is the divergence?
Here's pics. The laser is the FB03-500 405nm PWM, and the driver is SW-LD62 v2.1.
Thanks!
From what I gather looking at other posts, the driver can be an issue resulting in decreased diode life, but the posts stating that are several years old. I'm not sure if Banggood is even using the same board as when those posts were written. Looking at the drivers on DTR's page, they don't seem as complex as what is on mine, which is PWM. (I'll include a photo).
Second, I used this laser for PCBs (negative photoresist method), but the results were "OK", could be better. The divergence coming out of the diode significant. I even ordered a collimating lens, which gave a better quality dot, but there was always still a halo around the dot, which would partially expose stuff I didn't want exposed. I played with focusing, watched every video I could find, and still had problems. In the end, I would up making a cardboard cone that I fixed to the end of the module. That actually worked pretty good, but could have caused some heat issues that wound up killing the diode.
Which brings me to diode quality. I assume the ones Banggood are using are OK, and my expectations when I bought it were different than the reality. I just assumed that a laser diode would output a parallel, tight beam, and the lense would just focus it to a point. Boy was I wrong! In looking at replacements, the BDR-209 900mw 405nm in DTR's shop looks like a winner. 500mw is recommended for longest life, and my driver is 500mw. But how is the divergence?
Here's pics. The laser is the FB03-500 405nm PWM, and the driver is SW-LD62 v2.1.
Thanks!
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