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FrozenGate by Avery

Building a 405nm Laser (old one died) need help with the diode / driver selection

F

FrozenClear

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Oct 12, 2012
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Hi Everyone!

I bought a cheap laser from ebay and I reversed the battery and it died. I want to replace the diode and driver and use the same host (Laser 301 Body), Battery (3.7 V), and heatsink (38mm diode) to get this laser working again.

On ebay I found these two items:

Diode

Driver

Will they work together?

Since this is my first build any help would be great!

Thanks,
Frozen
 





I don't think you can just replace the contents of a 301 body. And no, that diode and driver will not work.

If you are not willing to spend real money on a real laser, you should stick to the chinese crap.

Those diode are crap too. They claim 200mw, but only 35ma in? yea right!
Drivers are crap too.

Check out dtr: https://sites.google.com/site/dtrlpf/home/

Or buy from the forum.

Don't waste your time :p trust me
 
Everything KRNAZNBOY said times 2. Buy quality and you won't have to buy it 10 times trying to get it right.
 
Hi Guys! Thanks for the replies!

I should clarify a little bit first. I want to build something cheap that would work so I can practice and learn before I invest in a "real" laser.

You guys are saying that the diode and driver won't work and I appreciate that information. Do you mind elaborating on the specifics as to why it would work? Remember I'm learning and I need all the help I can get :)

Thanks,
Frozen
 
Laserlands is usually a pretty good seller, so for the diodes, you are probably okay. Still it would be a
gamble though because of the error in the specs. You are either going to end up with a 200mW diode or a
5mW, depending on which spec was in error. Still you are likely to get diodes that actually work since he
generally knows what he is doing. The other guy I would avoid like the plague.
 
Thanks for the response! I think I'm begining to understand why this won't work. I found another diode with a high working current.

Diode: Link

What do you think? Also what is mean by "sealed"

Thanks,
Frozen
 
Those look like a good 8x diode. Techhood is a fairly reputable seller. By "sealed", I think he means that
it is a closed can diode.
 
Wow thanks for the info! Would you also be able recommend a 200+ mA driver that is ~10.5mm x ~17.0mm? I don't need the best driver in the world just something to "cut my teeth" on. I need some practice before I build my "real" laser!

Thanks,
Frozen
 
-The Original specs of the diode-


I have the same one and it works. It is fairly high power. I have burned my hand with this shit!

You can see my thread, it is around here somewhere with CNC in its name. I bought from techhood too.

About the driver:
make your own configurable mA driver. There are plenty of nice schematics of the famous lm317 driver. This is what I did. Set it to 120mA (with a test load) and you will be fine.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for all the great information! I have already placed the order for the diode and driver and I'll be waiting a few weeks for parts. Just a couple of questions in the mean time.

1) How important is having a diode press? Can I get by not having one for just this build? Is there a good way to do it without a press?

2) Do I have to use the conduction compound between the diode and heatsink?

3) Do I have to use the case pin on the diode?

4) The driver doesn't have a spring installed, where should I get the right side one for the -negative side of the battery?

Thanks,
Frozen
 
Last edited:
FrozenClear said:
1) How important is having a diode press? Can I get by not having one for just this build? Is there a good way to do it without a press?
Click to expand...

No you need a press set. Look in the sale/trade section for Flaminpyro.

2) Do I have to use the conduction compound between the diode and heatsink?
Click to expand...

No. In fact it is discouraged.

3) Do I have to use the case pin on the diode?
Click to expand...

You don't have to use it unless you will be picking up contact with the case that way.

4) The driver doesn't have a spring installed, where should I get the right side one for the -negative side of the battery?
Click to expand...

They can be found in many different places. You won't need anything special for a low
current diode like this. They can be found inside old toys and TV remotes easily found in
the trash. You can also buy them new on aliexpress.
 
Thanks for the help!

1) With the presses, I need a 3.8mm right now. In the future a lot of the diodes I've been looking at are 5.6mm. Is that a more common size? There is also a 9mm press. Which ones do I really need?

2) Got it, won't use it!

3) The laser I bought on ebay used the case pin and made contact with the case through the heatsink i assume. Should I do it the same way?

4) I think I'll cannibalize the spring from the broken driver. It should work fine.

-Frozen
 
FrozenClear said:
1) With the presses, I need a 3.8mm right now. In the future a lot of the diodes I've been looking at are 5.6mm. Is that a more common size? There is also a 9mm press. Which ones do I really need?
Click to expand...

5.6mm is the most common size for smaller diodes. 9mm is more common in higher power
diodes. It is up to you to figure out which ones you need. You can also buy diodes already
pressed into modules. Otherwise you can use a metal tube or something is the right size if
you can find one.

3) The laser I bought on ebay used the case pin and made contact with the case through the heatsink i assume. Should I do it the same way?
Click to expand...
Probably the one case where you would not want to do it is with a round driver that is pressed
into a brass ring. Unless you have a screw or make some other type of contact that can be
soldered to.
 
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