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Laser repair in United States?

Shakenawake

Shakenawake

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Mar 11, 2013
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I got a ~500mW laser from Blord. it is 405nm. the diode seems to have been faulty or maybe the driver. This laser is in the 501B host. I would like to send it to someone in the United States for replacement of the diode and testing of the driver, rather than to Belgium. I can have DTR send the Diode to whoever does this. Can anyone help or tell me who to PM about this?
 





I see you don't want to ship it to Belgium. It is hard for any builder to repair the laser if it isn't made by them. I am still offering to help. Shipping just the aluminum module is very easy.
 
Looks like I may end up doing that Blord. I also want you to know I am pleased with the lasers I got from you, and I will not let this small issue effect my opinion of your work and ethics, which is high. I did have one member tell me they were unwilling to fix other people's builds. I suppose I can imagine why. I was really bummed, as I want this wavelength badly. It's like a black light laser. I wish more mW could be had, as this color is so hard to see. Is the diode you used for this the strongest you know of for 405nm? Are there others that could be pushed for more power?
 
it cost me $12 cheapest method to send a 501B head back to BLord for repair. he fixed her up and promptly shipped her back. I think he was in pain, at the time, with a broken ankle. I was very impressed with his service. Shipping time and cost became a non-issue because of his kindness and level of service.
 
405nm diodes are very fragile, and at that current, well beyond spec. I wouldn't go around claiming Blord's products are in any way defective. These diodes die, period. You could have dropped it, put your batteries in wrong...anything. Considering it's so over-driven to begin with, you need to resign yourself to the idea that you will be killing diodes. Turn it down a bit if you want it to live a while.
 
I certainly understand you defending Blord, SBA, he is indeed an outstanding guy. I already told him what happened, and it was no fault of my own. I am not the type of person to make others pay for my mistakes, and if it was my fault, I would admit it and pay the cost myself, which has happened before with both my spartan and rifle. On the small chance that it was my fault, I offered to pay all of shipping and half the cost of a new diode, but Blord has offered to refund the cost of a diode. Perhaps I will get one that is driven a little less hard, I never thought 500mW was too much to ask from one of these diodes. I certainly dont want to be replacing them too often.

I suppose I will exercise some patience and send it back, thanks all
 
Very good. Consider yourself lucky. I cannot think of anyone who'd be willing to replace a 405nm under these (as we see them) circumstances. I didn't mean to imply that you ACTUALLY did anything. I simply meant that there are so many reasons these diodes die.

While there are many folks, including myself, who run these diodes at 500mA. But, we all do so at our peril.
 
What is the average life expectancy of a 405 driven at 500mA? how many have you killed SBA? When I first contacted Blord, I asked him for a 500mW violet, but also mentioned I did not want any of the three lasers I got to be dangerously overdriven, he didnt mention it could be an issue. If this current really is too much, perhaps i will pay him to push 400mA or 450mA for this laser, would this make a dramatic difference in its life-time?
 
These things are highly variable. Whether it's "over-driven" and how much current is too much is speculation, as we are pushing the diodes past their spec current ratings. I've personally pushed a S06J up over 750mA on the bench w/o killing it...but, I knew I could.

I've killed 2 S06J diode's so far. One never made it to the host before I LED'd it, one eventually went LED after suffering a couple of falls. I'm on my 3rd now, and it's driven @ 495mA. I am going to treat it very sweetly, keep it in my case, and hope it treats me well...

Bottom line is, what I may think is too much, might not be for the next guy, and the other guy might think we're both nuts for going over-spec at all.
 
The current was set at ~440mA. It should give the diode a decent life expectancy for a handheld laser.
 
One would think. But, you know how these diodes are.

Blord, you are a helluva guy. That was very kind of you to help out a customer like that. Should you ever have anything I cannot live without, I wont hesitate to buy from you with confidence.
 
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