DVD writer laser on this???

[DoctorGalifrean]

I wanted to see if i can make a cheep green chinese laser (100mW but i don't believe it) more powerfull so i opened it and turned the little screw to the left, but there was only a dim red light you barely see, not a laser beam. When I turned it to the right again, the green laser beam appeared again.
Can I use this board and connect it to a DVD writer laser?
What should I expect from that???

 

[Eudaimonium]

What you were doing is pot-modding.
Don't do that. You will just destroy the laser diode by feeding it too much current.

And no again, you cannot use the driver board for red laser , sorry.
Board was meant for IR laser diode , needing around 1.9V and , if output near 100mW, around 500mA.

And you turned the pot so there is no way to know what kind of current to expect.

Sorry, but it's a no-go.

 

[DoctorGalifrean]

OK! Thank you very much!

 

[Bluefan]

And never look at the dim red light, it's a huge amount of IR. Use goggles if you're not sure how much IR is leaking.

 

[bloompyle]

And never look at the dim red light, it's a huge amount of IR. Use goggles if you're not sure how much IR is leaking.

Good point,m that 'red dot' is the IR, it's invisible, it's blinding. Don't assume it's just the weak laser and play with it like a little keychain thing you get at walmart, it's just that YOU CANT SE IT. So be careful.. =]

 

[Benm]

You should have measured current draw off a fresh battery to start with.

Often enough, stock drivers can be replaced with better ones, but you need to know what current you are aiming for!