Help with first build

[rizzlyfox]

So I recently bought a 3w laser from DTR's shop with a suggested operating current at 2A and maximum of 2.4A. When it arrived to my place I hooked it up to a singular protected 3.7v 18650 with a continuous discharge of 4A. I did not tweak the driver whatsoever prior to hooking it up to the 18650. The laser had a small flash of brighter light but then dimmed down and it looked like a 5mw laser pointer. This is indeed my first build although I have been messing about with different lasers and modifying them, but this is my first time actually putting together a laser.

I also tried using two 18650's and it was still dim. If anyone has suggestions please help me out lmao

 

[Ricker]

Unfortunately it died, it is now "LEDed." For some reason or another it either had too much current, or not enough of a heatsink and burned up due to thermal runaway.

 

[RawCuriosity]

So I recently bought a 3w laser from DTR's shop with a suggested operating current at 2A and maximum of 2.4A. When it arrived to my place I hooked it up to a singular protected 3.7v 18650 with a continuous discharge of 4A. I did not tweak the driver whatsoever prior to hooking it up to the 18650. The laser had a small flash of brighter light but then dimmed down and it looked like a 5mw laser pointer. This is indeed my first build although I have been messing about with different lasers and modifying them, but this is my first time actually putting together a laser.

I also tried using two 18650's and it was still dim. If anyone has suggestions please help me out lmao

Sadly its dead, either from poor heat dissapation or too much current or a polariaty issue. Was the laser properly mounted in a heatsink? Was the positive and negative connected correctly? And was there a CC (Constant Current) driver between the battery and the diode? A Li-Ion protection circuit wont limit the output current and if the diodes max operating current is 2.4a then a 4a surge would kill it. You get drivers from DTR or Survival Lasers which you can buy for different operating currents, in your case 2a or 2.2a. You could also choose to use a bench supply but be careful with the knobs as it's easy to slip and kill a diode.

Also I must ask, were you wearing laser safety googles as 3w laser will 100% blind you, if you weren't some would say it's lucky the diode died.