FS: Full Colour Driver Extension for the White Fusion kit

[Darkarmyofone]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

Wow, waterproof lol, that'd be quite a sight to see... Sight.. no pun intended lol

And AMAZING job FML! I'm so thinking about diggin into one myself! The work you guys do is breath-taking, i mean how much easier could you all possible make this for people to build! just wow... I just stumbled accrost this now too, so mad props for the design FML!

Keep us posted about finding a company to print the PCB's for you, that'd be excellent!

If the price is $60ish as you said, you can most likely count me in for one, reguardless of wether they get printed or not This is exciting!

Tyler

 

[nikokapo]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

If you're going with a project box, it'd be really cool if there was an integrated spyrograph, it could work wonders with the RGB driver!

 

[HIMNL9]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

I can't say yet, I'm trying to find a manufacturer atm. If however anyone wouldn't mind, I can make two drivers on proto-boards right now, but they will be a little larger than a custom PCB. I have underestimated all the work involved, this is the first time I try to make and sell something so the price will go up to $60, I hope it's understandable. Still, it is a little early so nothing is official. :yabbem:

Just as idea, here there are some companies that works in professional PCB making, but also make "discounts" for prototyping PCB (they say discount, that means that, til a certain surface, you can pay a reduced price) ..... i guess that in Sweden is possible to find the same, and in this case, you can give them draws and get some professionally-looking units ..... and they also make very different prices for different delivery times and quantities (as example, i asked one of them for an info, about a double face pcb, 75x75mm, with metalized vias, no solder and no serigraphy ..... they said me that my works, for 2 pieces, was around 80 Euro delivered in 24 hours, but only around 30 Euro if i can wait 10 days for delivery ..... and ordering 4 pieces, it becomed around 112 Euro for 24 hours, and around 30 for 10 days )

The company that i asked is in Italy, and have an English page, if you want to check (www_mdsrl_it, change _ with dots ), but i suppose that is possible to find some similar ones also there ..... and, knowing Italian companies, maybe also more cheap

Sorry if it can't help, but i know exactly nothing about Swedish language, so can't search for your country companies .

 

[sightfx]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

If you're going with a project box, it'd be really cool if there was an integrated spyrograph, it could work wonders with the RGB driver!

Yes the plan is to go spiro with this one for me. I will have to find waterproof pots for the motors now. Maybe when I am done I will send it to jayrob so he can shoot video of it projecting in his awsome pool lol.

Edit: Do they make multi wavelength laser protection swimming goggles?

Thanks,

SightFX

 

[HIMNL9]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

Edit: Do they make multi wavelength laser protection swimming goggles?

LOL !! :crackup: ..... a scuba mask with a black glass window ? ..... :eg:

 

[jayrob]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

Yes the plan is to go spiro with this one for me. I will have to find waterproof pots for the motors now. Maybe when I am done I will send it to jayrob so he can shoot video of it projecting in his awsome pool lol.

Edit: Do they make multi wavelength laser protection swimming goggles?

Thanks,

SightFX

You know the saying...

Necessity is the Mother of invention!

 

[sightfx]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

I printed a scale sized print of the Proto Board version of this driver and great news! Looks like it will fit with the kit in the small box.

The driver print in the bottom box is the actual orientation of the driver so that is where you would want to mount it. This will work great if you put it in an aluminium box so the regulators can be mounted to the sides for heat sinking. The driver print on the top is inverted so you can see how well it all fits together with the kit in the box. The kit is mounted to the lid to make a platform for adjusting the alignment. This is going to work great. A longer box may be needed for battery space unless a small pack can be found. The ones I have found won't stack slim enough. A longer box isn't a big deal IMO and will give more room for more MAH in a battery pack.


Thanks,

Ryan

 

[FireMyLaser]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

Very nice scale picture. As I posted earlier... I really recommend using a metal box instead of a plastic one. That will give you no duty cycle, you wont have to find a separate heat sink for the driver, and it shields your lasers from ESD, which is great!

@ HIMNL9: I think I may have found someone in Sweden that can print them, but it was a great help

I have made a proto-driver for Ryan, and if anyone else want one I can have one made, so let me know. On a proto-board it is 35 x 68mm in size. IF for some reason I can have these printed, the price will have to go up even more because it is so much hard work, but for now I let the price stay where it is.
The max current I set them for is 449mA per LD.

These maximum pre-set currents are available:
449mA
391mA
367mA
350mA
309mA
267mA
265mA
250mA
208mA
183mA
166mA
125mA
83mA
Then you use the potentiometers on the driver-board to turn the currents down on whichever diodes needed to get a balanced white.

I recommend choosing the highest safe current for your lasers at CW.

One warning: I am not responsible if any of your lasers would get damaged or destroyed by this driver. I am just a hobbyist, no professor in electronics. But I can say with confidence I am pretty sure these drivers are very safe, I used this in my labby for months and drove the diodes HARD. My green laser failed because I took it out and tried to put in a better crystal, the red diode failed from back-flash.

 

[sightfx]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

Very nice scale picture. As I posted earlier... I really recommend using a metal box instead of a plastic one. That will give you no duty cycle, you wont have to find a separate heat sink for the driver, and it shields your lasers from ESD, which is great!

But the parts are so pretty!

The max current I set them for is 449mA per LD.

This is plenty for what I have but I think the regulators could be switched out for LM350s that are rated up to 3A. Is the regulator the only limiting factory? :thinking:


Chears :beer:

Ryan

 

[FireMyLaser]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

Three reasons why:
I dont want to push the transistors
The regulators will make even more heat
I need to get higher wattage resistors and pots which will cost more.

 

[sightfx]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

Ah ok thanks,

I was just thinking about the 12X BRDs that are comming out soon.

Thanks,

Ryan

 

[Slipstream]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

Put me down for one also

 

[FireMyLaser]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

Cool guys.

I will be ordering some more parts now, I've already made three working drivers on proto-boards. Now if anyone wants one now it will be on a proto-board, ~35 x 68mm. If whenever I get them made on custom made PCBs they will be ~35 x 58mm, so they only change is in length.
Now, the main reason why I'm trying to have the boards custom made by a company is so I wont have to work myself to death by frustration, really the little difference in size don't matter much IMO, it is pretty small either way.

So, who'd like to get their drivers asap on a proto-board, because I can have that arranged now if you really want.

 

[Darkarmyofone]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

lousy no good for nuthin Backflash... i have a bag of LPC diodes ALL dead from backflash ****counting...**** 7 of them. what a waste. did it die because it had a dust cap on it? that was the reasoning for my backflashes, except for one... i shined my first red laser into a mirror :crackup: REEEEAAAAAL smart *doof!*

Anyways , FML, what would it take to get my hands on a proto-type for testing, I have two units im working on right now, and would be MORE than happy to record all results, and post back with pictures, measurements, and final results.

How can we make this happen? as im VERY excited, if it wasnt your design, i'd proto one myself, but i trust your cuircut skills a bit better than mine and i dont wanna step on anyones toes (PATENT THIS if it ever gets printed on real PCB's) ah, man, just such an amazing deal you got here man!!

Right now im using THREE RKCSTR drivers, and to save space, i never snapped the boards apart (dont know if anyoned ever bought a 10-pack of RKCSTRS b4, but they come in a nice straight brick of drivers you have to snap apart, blah blah) anyways, im using three of them all still connected (but isolated) to drive my lasers. (even the green, wich sucked... killed TWO 50mW modules trying to use my own driver) i just wanted extra space, thats all.

So does that seem like a good game-plan anyone? (if your building it slightly cheaper, the low power version) to use three rkcstr drivers all still together to save space... that takes up like... almost no room, its cool. I havent fit them to their final positions yet, im waiting on my new 50mW modules. i DO have a 100mW module... but it seems too fat to fit in the heatsink??? (kinda like an over-fat aixiz module) or Sure module) so i was gunna use that and tone it down, but it wont fit without me permanently pressing it into my awsome extra large green sink....

Any ideas anyone? just fishing for info I chose not to use flexdrivers for two reasons, ease of use, and cost. but if anyone thinks im making a mistake, or could do it better somehow, please do share im open to ALL knoledge, i cant wait to finish it!

(Jayrobs pool is cool enough... you dont need to add an awsome spyro-7-color to make it cooler!, jeez! now i'll never have a better pool than Jay!) lol, im J/P! Awsome pool Jay, i think a waterproof 7-color would be SICK underwater!!

And you dive dont you Jay? i thought i saw a photo in your album with you and soem gear on, maybe im wrong. but that'd be sweeeeet!

Thanks for any input in advance guys, ecspecially FML for being such a great help, plz let me know about the prototype, i have two units to test it on, i could try one acrylic, one metal

BTW: i just ordered a crap load of 50mW greenies from Susie, so Dark Lasers will have plenty of 50mW module stock for everyones 7-color builds! just thought i'd let you all know, better than waiting 1.5 weeks for it. but susies a fast shipper too, so either way it works. but reguardless, they are available in two places now, my shop (USA customers only, im under contract with susie) and anyone international.. well, hit up susie she'll take care of you.

PM me when you can FML, :thanks:!

Tyler - Dark Lasers

 

[FireMyLaser]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

First, you don't use any extra drivers with this driver, it connects strait to the diodes.
Second, I don't know how the RKCSTR drivers will respond to modulation, I've never had one.
Third, I think my driver is as small as it can get at this point, really. With heat sink option which RKCSTR drivers don't have, no?

 

[Darkarmyofone]

Re: Feeler: full colour driver extension for the White Fusion kit

you can put a heatsink on a rkcstr, but it isnt needed most of the time,

But you never answered me, what would it take to get a proto-type to test, and report back all data gathered (i could even return the driver if you like) i've got two 7-color kits im working on, and i'd like to try one out SO bad.

Let me know if we could work something out, i also have items for trade, drivers and diodes and such. let me know im very anxious to try one out! im SURE it's WAY better than three rkcstr drivers lol (for this application, im not knocking rkcstr, their great drivers, but not the best for this application)

Tham FML, speak with you soon, via PM would be easier.

Tyler - Dark Lasers