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Not Working/Exploding Driver

Toaster

Toaster

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I am not very official on reviews but I'll get the point to you.

Link: AixiZ

I have never gotten these to work. No matter what power supply I used, through my test load, when I turned the pot, I got from .8mV to 1.8mV. Joyous.

So I had a 780nm laying around and I was like WTH. I turned it to about 3/4 wired to to the little thing in and connected it to an pack of EIGHT AAAs in series/parallel. Two 6V packs in parallel. Connected it to the driver and BOOM. Something, not sure what exploded and shot sparks (No joke). Scared the shit out of me. Sounded like a gun. I was like damn, so I took my last cheap driver turned the pot the same, hooked it up to an 18650, got a brief flash out of the diode and then it died.

Anyway. Why it blew up, I am not sure. Why the 18650 killed it, not SURE, but I can guess even though it doesn't make sense. 4.2-1.5 = 2.7v...

Anyway, G'day everyone.
 





Toaster said:
I am not very official on reviews but I'll get the point to you.

Link: AixiZ

I have never gotten these to work. No matter what power supply I used, through my test load, when I turned the pot, I got from .8mV to 1.8mV. Joyous.

So I had a 780nm laying around and I was like WTH. I turned it to about 3/4 wired to to the little thing in and connected it to an pack of EIGHT AAAs in series/parallel. Two 6V packs in parallel. Connected it to the driver and BOOM. Something, not sure what exploded and shot sparks (No joke). Scared the shit out of me. Sounded like a gun. I was like damn, so I took my last cheap driver turned the pot the same, hooked it up to an 18650, got a brief flash out of the diode and then it died.

Anyway. Why it blew up, I am not sure. Why the 18650 killed it, not SURE, but I can guess even though it doesn't make sense. 4.2-1.5 = 2.7v...

Anyway, G'day everyone.
Click to expand...


You wouldn't want to use that driver in it's default configuration for a 780nm diode. You most likely needed to change R2 to a higher value as your 780nm diode runs <200ma (I've been running my 52x CD-R 780nm diodes at no more than 175ma as I've had trouble after that point).
 
Even so, The driver shouldn't explode sending sparks everywhere.
 
well well, my CD burner diodes are VERY IR :)
but.. too bad about the driver :(
 
The driver was only ~3$ Im lucky my eyes are fine. That shit is more dangerous than my 445.
 
Yeah you are right.
Even when talking about the IR, and about the long-term exposure causing eye-lenses getting permanently blurried, etc.
 
I was not worried at all about the diode output, as i did not have the lens on. Too bad I didn't have the video going.
 
Toaster said:
Even so, The driver shouldn't explode sending sparks everywhere.
Click to expand...

Yea, dude, I don't know how to explain that. Sounds like there was very excessive current. Since your second one worked, in the sense that you saw light and no smoke, I'd assume that the first one was just DOA.

I don't know the exact specs of that driver but I know you would need to replace R2 (unsolder the SMT resistor(s) and replace with higher values) to drive that 780nm diode at the proper current level. I'm sure Aixiz can tell you how to get ~150ma out of that thing.

I'm driving my 780nm labby @ 160ma on a driver using the NTE1900 pulsed/CW switchable with a 555/npn combo on a 5V supply and it burns like a mofo. It appears to turn smoke into neat looking plasma :eg:
 
What do people mean when they say, "Labby"? Is that like a table top laser? If so, why, lol.
 
Toaster said:
What do people mean when they say, "Labby"? Is that like a table top laser? If so, why, lol.
Click to expand...

exactly. It's an abbreviation of laboratory. In my case these certainly aren't FDA compliant lab quality lasers.. but they're not battery powered pens, ect. I'm going to post these builds soon; at least one 650nm and one 780nm.
 
Connected it to the driver and BOOM..... Sounded like a gun.
Click to expand...
Capacitors have that effect when they blow. Overvoltage will do that to them.
 
Last edited:
Damn, 6v.... Oh shit. I forgot about the surface charge boost or w.e its called.. How does one prevent that spike?
 
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