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FrozenGate by Avery

Blu-ray pen-style laser powered by 2x AAAs

rkcstr

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A project I've been working on for a while that's been slow, but finally has come out well.  DIY boost driver, I run it off of 2 AAAs, but it should work down to 0.7V (but alkalines can't supply enough current that low).

Update: I changed the name of the title because the original wasn't very descriptive.

P3221029.jpg

P3221038.jpg

P3221035.jpg


The beat up newwish case that holds it all:
P3221043.jpg


Some beam action:
P3221044.jpg


Freaking the cat out:
P3221045.jpg
 





Re: Blu-ray with boost driver in pointer form

Nice PCB, are you going into production to sell them?

Regards rog8811
 
Re: Blu-ray with boost driver in pointer form

I was planning on selling some on Ebay to help fund my hobbies  :D  Not sure what kind of price though.

The driver is similar to what cdanjo did (http://web.mit.edu/cjoye/www/lasers/BluRay1/ ), but using a different regulator and my own board.  It's a boost voltage regulator that puts out 5V, with a series pot to drop the voltage and limit current to the diode.  I wasn't planning on selling them as I only have enough parts to make maybe 10 extra drivers, though.
 
Re: Blu-ray with boost driver in pointer form

I take it you could run it off a single Li cell? I'd take one, possibly two of them for my next bluray project :)

What current range is the pot adjustable through? .. One other question, is it 'slow start'?
 
Re: Blu-ray with boost driver in pointer form

when you are ready to sell them please respond to my PM
 
Re: Blu-ray with boost driver in pointer form

flogged said:
I take it you could run it off a single Li cell? I'd take one, possibly two of them for my next bluray project :)

What current range is the pot adjustable through? .. One other question, is it 'slow start'?

Hey, sorry, I actually responded to your post, but then accidently deleted it, meant to reply again later, but then forgot :-/

Anyway, yes, it could run off a single Li-ion, 3.0 or 3.6 should be fine. The input voltage just must be lower than the output (otherwise it wouldn't be boosting it ;)), but I'm not entirely sure of minimum difference of output to input necessary.

The pot doesn't really set the current, more so it drops excess voltage and limits current. Basically my aim was to be able to adjust for variance among the blu-ray diodes in forward voltage (using actual regulated current at 40ma, I had some running at anywhere from 4.3V to just under 5V). You can theoretically drive the blu-ray as high as it will draw at 5V by turning the pot to 0 ohms (but not recommended), or you can turn it up all the way and the output will probably be somewhere within 25-35ma, depending on the diode.

And, the regulator has a built in 2ms soft-start as well as there being an output capacitor to absorb any transients.
 
If you make some of these for sale, I am in for a couple. I am starting on my first Blu-ray project, and I am not a big fan of Radio-shack enclosures or 9-volt batteries, these should work great in a 2x CR123 flashlight, with the board taking the room of 1 of the batteries, the way DX is doing the new 30mw Romisen green flashlight-style lasers. A good boost-driver for the Blu-ray is long overdue. ;D
Dark Horse
 
Re: Blu-ray with boost driver in pointer form

rkcstr said:
[quote author=flogged link=1206263457/0#4 date=1206420082]I take it you could run it off a single Li cell? I'd take one, possibly two of them for my next bluray project :)

What current range is the pot adjustable through? .. One other question, is it 'slow start'?

Hey, sorry, I actually responded to your post, but then accidently deleted it, meant to reply again later, but then forgot :-/

Anyway, yes, it could run off a single Li-ion, 3.0 or 3.6 should be fine. The input voltage just must be lower than the output (otherwise it wouldn't be boosting it ;)), but I'm not entirely sure of minimum difference of output to input necessary.

The pot doesn't really set the current, more so it drops excess voltage and limits current. Basically my aim was to be able to adjust for variance among the blu-ray diodes in forward voltage (using actual regulated current at 40ma, I had some running at anywhere from 4.3V to just under 5V). You can theoretically drive the blu-ray as high as it will draw at 5V by turning the pot to 0 ohms (but not recommended), or you can turn it up all the way and the output will probably be somewhere within 25-35ma, depending on the diode.

And, the regulator has a built in 2ms soft-start as well as there being an output capacitor to absorb any transients.[/quote]

Great work - I'm very interested. Would you be willing just to sell the SMD parts along with the schematic? I'd like to build a slightly smaller version of what you've got. For my next BluRay (the BooRay) I'm going for a very small sexy pointer. I'm thinking something powered by a single CR2 battery, and your boost driver would work perfectly.
 
looks like there is alot of money to be made here, ill take 5 price depending
 
Re: Blu-ray with boost driver in pointer form

flogged said:
[quote author=rkcstr link=1206263457/0#7 date=1206579117][quote author=flogged link=1206263457/0#4 date=1206420082]I take it you could run it off a single Li cell? I'd take one, possibly two of them for my next bluray project :)

What current range is the pot adjustable through? .. One other question, is it 'slow start'?

Hey, sorry, I actually responded to your post, but then accidently deleted it, meant to reply again later, but then forgot :-/

Anyway, yes, it could run off a single Li-ion, 3.0 or 3.6 should be fine. The input voltage just must be lower than the output (otherwise it wouldn't be boosting it ;)), but I'm not entirely sure of minimum difference of output to input necessary.

The pot doesn't really set the current, more so it drops excess voltage and limits current. Basically my aim was to be able to adjust for variance among the blu-ray diodes in forward voltage (using actual regulated current at 40ma, I had some running at anywhere from 4.3V to just under 5V). You can theoretically drive the blu-ray as high as it will draw at 5V by turning the pot to 0 ohms (but not recommended), or you can turn it up all the way and the output will probably be somewhere within 25-35ma, depending on the diode.

And, the regulator has a built in 2ms soft-start as well as there being an output capacitor to absorb any transients.[/quote]

Great work - I'm very interested. Would you be willing just to sell the SMD parts along with the schematic? I'd like to build a slightly smaller version of what you've got. For my next BluRay I'm going for a very small sexy pointer. I'm thinking something powered by a single CR2 battery, and your boost driver would work perfectly.
 
thats nice, i made a tiny red driver and a tiny br driver to fit in a axiz casing and they work great and i found a nice 3 cell aaa host for my br,here is a pic of the driver
 

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I see there's a lot of interest, haha.

I'm looking into buying more parts and the cost. Also seeing if it would be worth it to have the board professionally manufactured.

The size I designed mine for was to fit a green Newwish laser case, but it can be made smaller. I originally designed it to fit an Aixiz module but lengthened it. Also, I don't know if everybody would need the push-button switch or not, it can be removed or just shorted.

As for selling a schematic/parts kit, at the moment I don't have a lot of parts to spare, and considering how many other people are interested, if I was to sell anything at the moment it would be pre-built boards or board/parts kits (though, I wouldn't recommend building this driver with a soldering iron alone).

Well, I'm interested to see how many people would want to buy them and what kind of price they would be willing to pay. I would like to offer something for under $10, but that depends all on how many I can sell because the more parts I buy, the cheaper they get.
 
if you sell some i want 2-3 ive figured it would be easier to them than to make them
 


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