FlexMod not going over 310mA help

[linekernel]

hi there
it is my first time working with laser , laser drivers etc...
i have a flexMod , so i am trying to set it up for my diode (1000mW 445nm) , so DTR wrote to feed 1A to my diode , but when i turn my gain pot to get 1A , it wont go over 310mA (the screw will but my reading stop growing)
i have shourtcut the "int" with the "+V"
and also the first 2 solder points on the side of the big resistor (from the diode pt of view)
i also screw a huge heatsink on the regulator (12x8cm)
my power supply is a 12v 5A

i of course didn t solder the diode
and i can make a reading only when my amp-meter is set to 10A i get the red diode when i try my amp-meter on mA

any advice or test i can do ?

 

[DTR]

The red light on the driver is off when you are testing it right?

I do have a guide for setting up the P3 that is designed around bypassing most of the safety features and the modulation but should give you an idea.

http://laserpointerforums.com/f51/how-set-up-flexmod-p3-handheld-laser-56572.html#post798901

Also I currently like just using a LM3805 5V regulator to give a 5V signal to the Mod input instead of a1.5 K Ohm 1/2 Watt resistor. The Mod only pulls a few mA and will not make the regulator heat up so it is a great choice if you want full power all the time and exactly 5V going to the mod input.

 

[linekernel]

yes i have seen the guide , but i am giving 5v to the "MOD" pin from my microcontroler because the idea is to control the laser from the microcontroler (arduino)

and yes the red led is off the all time i am making the test

i dont think it is the case but i ll have to verify if it is not me misreading the amp-meter , like 0.310 would be 3A100mA because i am on the 10A mode
but that would be strange .

i made the Frankenstein mod , i put my regulator on wires , is it possible that i burned it ? (even if i am not a noob on soldering i guess mistake like that could happen) if it was burned , wouldn t the red LED turn on?

 

[DTR]

Well I have always used a test load to measure current so I am not sure what advice I can give about using a DMM to directly measure output although I know the user guide says you can. Do you have a test load you can try it with?

The Mosfet is designed to handle a good deal of heat so I would think that it would take a lot to damage it but anything is possible.

 

[linekernel]

no i don t have a test load
(didnt ordered one when buying my driver)
(is there something else in common electronic that could be use as a load , such as a diode extracted from a power supply , a high power led ...)

i will make more tests tomorrow but the gain pot seems not to react the same as i read somewhere that it was like half a turn for 100mA don t remember exactly, and for me it is more like 10x more , i will count number of turns exactly tomorrow .

thanks again DTR

 

[Flaminpyro]

Some times pictures will help others to figure out the problem you are having :thinking:
we can't see if you have hooked up something wrong with out pictures.

 

[linekernel]

so turning the screw on my setup is equal to
1turn (360degree) 100mA

here are some pics of my setup

 

[123splat]

Your picture don't show any grounding common to supply/driver/Arduino. You may not be actually drivig the modulation input on the driver. Crank the pot down a bit, connect a common ground wire between the driver and the Arduino, and try again.

 

[Cyparagon]

Is your arduino-looking thing grounded to the same place as your power supply? Modulation requires + and -.

 

[linekernel]

ok thanks you 123splat and Cyparagon ,

i turned the pot down until i had 100mA then plugged the ground (that i soldered just before) and it went all the way up to 700mA ,

Amazing , i ll be able to start my laser tonight !!!!

HUGE THANKS

so everybody confirm that to get 1W (445nm 1W) out i am supposed to set my driver to 1A out?

 

[linekernel]

THANKS GUYS

i ll post more pics , when i get how to make good pictures of something that is filtered out because of your glasses .
it is quite difficult actually
and also i understood i need to have a black background to be able to take pictures of the beam , i thought it would be easy at 1W , but it is not.
i understood the diode heats way more than the regulator , i am happy i ve waited for my heat think to arrive.
i already made plenty of pictures but this one might be the best , i also needed to remove the spring to make sharp focus at short distance...

YEAHHH , my first laser is working !