I've gotta laugh or I'll cry

[Kookapeli]

Well I got my 445 LD toda, I put my ESD strap on, hooked my test load to the driver and was outputting 1.2W, shorted the leads soldered the LD on, put everything together and Nothing ????? not a sausage !!!! hope I've not killed it. To tired to do anyhting right now so gonna calm down a little and have a looksie what I've done (or not done) gonna re-solder everything, check all connections etc

I'm using a Trustfire Tr801, flex V5 and a 18650 bat

+,- output to the +, - of the LD +ve off the case to the + input and the -ve input from the case in of the LD also tried off the -ve of the pill, still nothing

Bums, fricks, fudgenuggets and donkey molesting $!-!17 eater !!!!!

 

[daguin]

Why do you want to run it case positive with a flexdrive and a floating diode?

Do you have only one lead coming from the "pill"?

Did you test the diode/driver assembly before you assembled the laser? Did it work then?

Peace,
dave

 

[Mohrenberg]

Well I got my 445 LD toda, I put my ESD strap on, hooked my test load to the driver and was outputting 1.2W, shorted the leads soldered the LD on, put everything together and Nothing ????? not a sausage !!!! hope I've not killed it. To tired to do anyhting right now so gonna calm down a little and have a looksie what I've done (or not done) gonna re-solder everything, check all connections etc

I'm using a Trustfire Tr801, flex V5 and a 18650 bat

+,- output to the +, - of the LD +ve off the case to the + input and the -ve input from the case in of the LD also tried off the -ve of the pill, still nothing

Bums, fricks, fudgenuggets and donkey molesting $!-!17 eater !!!!!

wait, i got confused.

Have you confirmed the drivers output while in the host?

 

[Kookapeli]

I had it set up in the host with the test load on and worked, took off the test load, hooked up the LD and nothing *Scratches head*

@Darguin I meant to say that the +input lead comes off the + tab in the pill. I tried with the -ve from the pill too and nothing, didn't test the diode, i will test it outside the host tomorrow *yawn* almost time for bed :tired:

 

[lazeerer]

Doesn't sound like you Discharged the capacitors.? That could have killed your diode.

 

[Kookapeli]

I discharged them I made sure of that

 

[DrSid]

I'm testing these diodes with direct-drive from 4.5V zinc-carbon battery. It's kinda foolproof. Pack of 3 AAs would work the same, again I would prefer the most cheap zinc-carbon ones, as they have 1.5V and they are rather soft under load.
Still anti-ESP measures must be taken, and it's good idea to measure the voltage of the battery right before the test.
Also I can confirm that these diodes will handle 4.5V in opposite direction, at least for few seconds. But as I said, 4.5V ! With pump driver, you can get much higher voltages.

More about my direct driving here: http://laserpointerforums.com/f65/445nm-dilda-direct-drive-just-fun-55343.html

 

[bobhaha]

Kookapeli, the flexdrive is not like linear drivers, they need a load across the output terminals, otherwise you will burnout the driver. Was the driver powered at any time with out a load on it?

Does it have signs of burn marks or smell like burnt components?

Check these before powering it on again...

 

[anselm]

hooked my test load to the driver and was outputting 1.2W,

1. What's that test load like (how many rectifier diodes did you use to simulate the nichias Vf)?
2. "outputting 1.2W" Hmmm, so 1200mW/~4V = 300mA. Should lase slightly above threshold....:thinking:
Or was that just a typo and you meant 1.2A instead?

 

[Kookapeli]

Was the driver powered at any time with out a load on it?

Does it have signs of burn marks or smell like burnt components?

Check these before powering it on again...

I never power drivers up unless there is something attached to it.

1. What's that test load like (how many rectifier diodes did you use to simulate the nichias Vf)?
2. "outputting 1.2W" Hmmm, so 1200mW/~4V = 300mA. Should lase slightly above threshold....:thinking:
Or was that just a typo and you meant 1.2A instead?

I did mean 1.2A I got the testload from

Fantastic! And this type of test load =D

 

[LtKernelPanic]

Make sure you didn't solder your driver in backwards. I thought I killed my 445 diode and when I took the build apart to do an autopsy I noticed I soldered LD+ to the batt+ in the host. After desoldering and resoldering everything correctly it worked perfectly.

If you did kill it that sucks. If it makes you feel any better I managed to kill a $52 12x diode that had about 30 seconds run time on it when my bench PSU spiked and killed it.

 

[Things]

Unless you completely vaporise the die or its coatings, or melt a bond wire, you'll find the laser diode will still emit light. I would say you have a wiring or driver problem somewhere.

 

[Kookapeli]

Thats what I was thinking Things, didn't get chance to look at it last night, but I'll have a look when I get in from work *crosses fingers*

 

[Kookapeli]

I've been a bit busy the past few days, I finally managed to have a look at this, I've some how killed the Driver !!!! From taking it off the test load, shorting the caps, soldered on the diode, put it all together and then getting nothing !!!! Any ideas how this is happening ???

Nothing seems to have blown or smells burnt out, however I get continuity from the - to - but not with the + to + is this normal ???

I tried it on the test load again and got nothing

 

[LtKernelPanic]

On a flexdrive batt- and LD- share a common ground so that sounds normal. I'm not 100% sure but i don't think you should show continuity on the positive side due to the inductors. Have you hooked it up to your test load again and made sure it's really dead? I thought mine was dead but I soldered the connections backwards when I put it in the host.

 

[Kookapeli]

I'm going to use new wires tomorrow just in case I've damaged the wires, fingers crossed

On the upside, my soldering skills are improving