mini dorcy flashlight laser

[curtis]

so a little while ago i posted a thread asking a bunch of questions about how to make a mini dorcy flashlight laser. just a couple nights ago i finally finished it! it was working fine. popping balloons, lighting matches, cutting electrical tape and yesterday i had to replace the battery which costs $10! and today it seems to be not burning anything and i dont wana go spend another $10 on another battery just to have it not work the next day. so if any of you can give me some ideas on what to do it will be greatly appreciated!

 

[ndrew2505]

if you used a lava drive or the resistor method the diode probably died. usually the only time the power sags and the laser wont do much is when the battery is dying or the diode popped? what kind of diode/driver is it?

 

[Shogoki]

what batteries are you using? are they rechargeable?

perhaps a residual current draw when the laser is still off, thus draining the battery?
i think you might have a problem somewhere.. best to maybe remove the battery when you are not using the laser until you can figure it out.

we'll need more details to help you out.

 

[curtis]

i am using a duracell ultra luthium cr17345 battery and its not rechargable. its basicly the same one that would come with the flashlight when you buy it.

 

[ndrew2505]

so you used the resistor method? no driver?

 

[curtis]

ya i used the resistor method. i just put two 2.2 ohm resistors in series(on the negative lead)

 

[ndrew2505]

how does the light look coming from the laser? does it still lase or it is just a faint colored dot?

 

[curtis]

it looks pretty good! rly bright! i might get a very very tiny puff of smoke if i focused it at a piece of electrical tape but thats it. it cant light matches any more. and i tried all kinds of matches so i know its the laser thats not working right. before it could light matches in about a second!