do these parts make a laser?

[superh90x]

okay, so I haven't been freshened up on lasers in a long time, and now I have money to spend (not a lot) and I want build a red laser that can burn. I will post links to the parts and I want to know if I have everything, or if I need something else. feel free to post suggestions

Driver - Amazon.com: AixiZ 2 pack red and IR laser diode driver 80-500mA w/TTL: Everything Else

Diode - www.rayfoss.com

Housing - http://www.cajunlasers.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2

I think i'm missing something besides wire and power supply, but what is it? thank in advance and feel free to message me too if you'd like to mentor me on this build.

 

[The Lightning Stalker]

You are possibly forgetting the most important piece - the safety glasses. Otherwise the link for the host is dead, but yeah, that should be everything. Just make sure the host you get comes with a lens. Some of them don't. Also, I have those same drivers. Don't expect much more than 350 - 400mA out of them. They like to smoke.

 

[superh90x]

I got the glasses, don't worry, and I don't plan to push it past 340 mA

 

[superh90x]

Btw, how did you wire the board? I want to just ignore the ttl or wire the positive in to positive ttl if I need to

 

[Kookapeli]

You need 1 of THESE

might as well get a few if you're making a few low power lasers

Also you could possibly get the diodes cheaper HERE just put in an offer for about $15, he'll make a counter offer and put in another offer, free shipping too

as for the TTL, just don't wire it in, it's optional. Did you make sure that driver would fit the host ?? not sure of the dimensions of that ?

you will need a test load as well to set the driver, just click on the orange links in my sig for more help

 

[kilter]

Please search around the forums! This has been covered many times before. The search button is your friend!

 

[superh90x]

Kookapeli, this is older than the other threads you've helped with, I already have all the parts.

To everyone else, thanks for the help, I bought a 5 pack of diodes, 5 housings, the drivers listed above, and safety glasses.

Thanks to all for the advice

 

[The Lightning Stalker]

Btw, how did you wire the board? I want to just ignore the ttl or wire the positive in to positive ttl if I need to

It depends on your exact board. I know that on mine I had to connect the TTL to the positive lead to get it to work properly. Also, at least on some of them you have to be careful not to turn up the pot all the way or else it will go into saturation and blow up your diode. Good luck with it.

 

[superh90x]

Did you connect both ttl, or just the positive to the positive lead?

 

[Kookapeli]

Kookapeli, this is older than the other threads you've helped with, I already have all the parts.


Thanks to all for the advice

Better late than never save it for when you run out

 

[The Lightning Stalker]

Did you connect both ttl, or just the positive to the positive lead?

Here is a picture of my boards and how they're hooked up. I just took a lead I cut off of a rectifier or something and bent it over the board and soldered the wire to it.

 

[superh90x]

That's what I thought, thank you very much. Expect to see a thread documenting my first build in the coming week or so.

 

[ApexProxy]

You may want to be careful of wires running around the board like that because you run the risk of causing a short to the inside of the host. Also, your output leads are damn close to each other so it would be very good idea to put some heatshrink on them. It couldn't hurt to put it on your input leads as well.

When you go to get a host you are going to need to plan for having that driver. You have to account for it's dimensions as well as needing a contact board.

I also didn't see mention of a lens, which is essential. DTR is a very good source for those.

 

[superh90x]

It won't short for me because it doesn't fit in the housing, I'll only be using the front piece and wrapping the open stuff with electrical tape

 

[superh90x]

PROBLEM! no matter what I do the driver only gets 180ish mA through the test load, do need more than 3 AAA batteries since i'm connected to the TTL positive too? or is the driver busted? (it wouldn't surprise me if it was) I have a spare driver, should I set it up?

 

[The Lightning Stalker]

These will need at least 5-6V. Also don't forget battery voltage can drop under load.