Building a powerful red laser

[Gofilord]

After I short the wires how do I connect a battery to them?

 

[yzer]

You are using 4xAAA, correct?

Put the AAA batteries into a 4xAAA battery holder available from an electronics store.

For test and adjustment purposes: connect test leads to the battery holder and the + & - inputs on the Micro-Drive after you have connected the test load and the DMM.

You want to short the output of the Micro-Drive after adjustment is complete and before you solder on the laser diode.

Do not short anything else. You don't need to short anything on the input side of the driver.

 

[ChukiDori]

After I short the wires how do I connect a battery to them?

You only short wires that go "out" , not wires from battery.

 

[Gofilord]

Wait, what I should short is the batterys wires that go in the + & - of the driver right?

 

[yzer]

Wait, what I should short is the batterys wires that go in the + & - of the driver right?

No.

There are two sets of + & - solder points on the Micro-Drive.

On one end of the Micro-Drive the + & - contacts are marked IN. This is the input side of the driver where you connect the battery power.

The other end of the driver has two more + & - contacts marked LD. LD means Laser Diode. This is the output end of the Micro-Drive. This is where you connect the test load. These are the contacts that must be shorted after you complete driver adjustment and before you solder the laser diode to these connections.


I really hope you have good laser goggles to wear while building and using this high-powered laser. I don't want you to hurt yourself or others. I recommend Eagle Pair laser goggles on my First 660nm in progress thread.

 

[Gofilord]

OK, so let me go throgh this.
First, I dissasemble the laser module to get the diode. then, I cut of the not used pin.
then, I solder the battery wires to the "in" of the driver and get 4*AAA's. then, I make a test load and set the driver current to 350mA. then, I desolder the test load, and shorten the LD+ and LD- of the driver. then I solder the LD on to the LD+ and LD-, and start lasing?

 

[yzer]

Get good laser goggle before you ever power up this laser!

Yes, you seem to understand the way to build this laser now.

All you have to do is unscrew the Aixiz laser module to see the laser diode mounted in 1/2 of the module. Leave the diode mounted in that 1/2 of the module. After the driver is adjusted solder the diode directly to the LD + & - contacts on the driver.

Instead of soldering and desoldering the test load from the driver I recommend connecting the test load with test leads. That saves you from soldering these output contacts twice.

 

[Gofilord]

Umm great but I have one question.
Once again, How do I shorten the LD's in if they are flat surfaces?
can I have like a picture or somthing?

 

[yzer]

It's easy to short out the LD contacts on the driver.

1. Cut a 1" length of wire.

2. Strip 1/4" of insulation from each end.

3. Bend the wire into a U shape.

4. Touch the ends of the wire to LD+ and LD-.

5. You have now shorted out stored capacity from the driver.

 

[Gofilord]

do I solder this ends? and for how long do I have to keep it there?

 

[yzer]

There may be a language problem here. We are talking about making a short circuit, not changing the length of anything. If you short or short out the LD + & - contacts you are making a short circuit by joining the two contacts with an electrical connection.

No need to solder when you short LD + & -. Just one touch to both contacts is all that is needed.

 

[Gofilord]

Oh just one second?

 

[yzer]

Yep. One second is fine.

 

[Gofilord]

Great. now I have a problem with the test load.
the picture is to complicated...
can you do this step thingie with the test load as well please?

 

[yzer]

I need to get away from this computer for several hours.

I will post detailed instructions and photos about making and using the test load on my First 660nm in Progress thread in eight hours or so if no one answers the questions here, first.

 

[yzer]

Bye for now.