Laser not working?

[Brandoninio]

Hey all,

I've recently finished an Aurora C6 build, but it just doesn't turn on. I have checked the batteries and they are charged. I have attached some photos to see if anyone can see what the problem is. Thanks!

(Diode is LPC826, driver is Mohgasm 478mA and batteries are Trustfire 18340 3.7v)

Also, the red wire is soldered to "LD+" on the driver and the black wire is soldered to "LD-".

 

[Blord]

What is that blob on the diode in the second picture ? Did you solder the diode to the module ?
Looks like the +pin of the diode is making contact with the solder.

And where is the brass ring for the driver in the pill. Each C6 host should have one.

 

[Brandoninio]

Yeah, I accidentally got a blob there. I didn't think it would matter since it's making physical contact anyway. I don't think my host came with a brass ring. The driver fit in perfectly though.

 

[daguin]

First, check what Blord suggests
If the solder blob is touching the + pin, then clear it

Second, test the laser by powering it directly to the pill
If you do not have a bench power supply then you can do it with the batteries
It is easiest if you have a rare earth magnet to go between the batteries
Place the magnet between the two batteries
Tape wires to the ends of the batteries
Then hold the negative wire to the outside of the pill
Touch the positive wire to the center of the contact board
Remember to have the diode/module pointed in a safe direction

If you don't have a magnet, get a friend to hold the batteries together

If it doesn't light that way, then the problem is in the pill, driver, solder joints, or diode
If it lights that way, then the problem is in the host, the switch, or the battery contacts


Check the continuity of the switch
If the switch works correctly, you can try screwing the tailcap out a bit to check if the spring is bending over and shorting out

With the way that you have the driver inset (without the copper/brass adapter) the contact point may just be too deep for the battery top to make contact
You can solve this by placing a magnet on the top of the battery, or by building up a solder "bump" on the center contact of the driver, or by soldering a short spring to the center of the driver contact

Peace,
dave

 

[awillis2589]

Yeah that big blob on the positive isn't good. If I'm not mistaken that blob would be touching the case and the laser is case negative so it like short circuiting the driver. Clean that up and see if that doesn't fix the problem, also sometime with the c6 host the switch need to be taken apart then put back together because sometimes it doesn't make good contact.

 

[Brandoninio]

Thanks for all your replies!

Daguin, I tried directly connecting everything together, but when I do that, the driver makes a small buzzing noise and the pill heats up, but there is still no light. What do you reckon that could be?

Cheers

 

[Brandoninio]

Thanks for all your replies!

Daguin, I tried directly connecting everything together, but when I do that, the driver makes a small buzzing noise and the pill heats up, but there is still no light. What do you reckon that could be?

Cheers

 

[daguin]

Thanks for all your replies!

Daguin, I tried directly connecting everything together, but when I do that, the driver makes a small buzzing noise and the pill heats up, but there is still no light. What do you reckon that could be?

Cheers

There is either something wrong with the driver or you have shorted out some component on it to the pill
With the pill heating up, it is much more likely that the driver is shorting to the pill

When you don't use the brass/copper adapter ring, the driver sits too close to the shoulder in the pill
It is very possible that either something on the driver is directly shorting to the pill or some of that solder that is all over the back of the pill migrated past the contact disc and shorted something

The adapter not only gives you good contact to the pill, it also gives you something to solder cleanly to
You place the driver into the adapter and solder the driver to it
Then the adapter and driver are "pressed" into the pill

It is VERY difficult to solder to a pill
The mass of aluminum pulls the heat away so quickly that a good, hot solder joint is very difficult to create
When trying to solder directly to the pill, you have to heat the pill up enough to make solder flow
Unfortunately, that also allows the solder to flow where you do not want it AND can sometimes heat up the driver enough to reflow the solder on it

Pull the driver
Look to see if any solder migrated
If so, clean it up if you can
Then use the same direct power trick to power the laser from just the driver disc
Negative wire to the outer ring
Positive wire to the center spot

Peace,
dave

 

[Brandoninio]

Cheers daguin. The laser actually started working now. Turns out the buzzing from the driver was just a bad connection since sparks had to jump across a gap and the heating up is mainly where the heatsink is, and not where the driver is. Everything is fine except for the fact that it isn't bright at all and cannot set things on fire, let along warm my hand up. Do you reckon you could help with this? I've also started a new thread on this case.

Cheers

 

[awillis2589]

you probably have damaged the diode when the driver was messed up.

 

[Brandoninio]

Okay, thanks. I just wanted to know which part needed replacing.