o-like 50's, 3 modules overpowered.

[samsomiler]

Well it has been a while since I have been on here. Hello again everybody!

Well what has happened to me is I have bought 3, 50mw O-like modules. I put one in a pen host for a customer and it burned out on him. It was running off of 2 AAA batteries. I recently got a replacement from Susie and I metered it, it was running at 410 milliamps off of a power supply at precisely 3 volts. On the third module I got, I metered it and it was running at 500ma's! WOW! I was planning on selling it to one of my old science teachers but I desperately don't want a module to burn out on her! So I was On Susies website, (O-like) and it says these modules are rated for less than 300ma's at 3v. After metering, I SLIGHTLY adjust the pot. My intentions are to TURN IT DOWN! The pot won't adjust anything. One stays at around 410ma's, and another just stays around 510ma's.

I think that I am getting reject lasers because I look on the Board and it looks like there are a few things missing. So i am attaching a picture for reference.
So am I just unlucky? Well i can't figure this out.

Can anyone help me solve this mystery? Thanks if so,

-Sam

 

[Exerd]

Well it has been a while since I have been on here. Hello again everybody!

Well what has happened to me is I have bought 3, 50mw O-like modules. I put one in a pen host for a customer and it burned out on him. It was running off of 2 AAA batteries. I recently got a replacement from Susie and I metered it, it was running at 410 milliamps off of a power supply at precisely 3 volts. On the third module I got, I metered it and it was running at 500ma's! WOW! I was planning on selling it to one of my old science teachers but I desperately don't want a module to burn out on her! So I was On Susies website, (O-like) and it says these modules are rated for less than 300ma's at 3v. After metering, I SLIGHTLY adjust the pot. My intentions are to TURN IT DOWN! The pot won't adjust anything. One stays at around 410ma's, and another just stays around 510ma's.

I think that I am getting reject lasers because I look on the Board and it looks like there are a few things missing. So i am attaching a picture for reference.
So am I just unlucky? Well i can't figure this out.

Can anyone help me solve this mystery? Thanks if so,

-Sam

Susies quality control = SHIT. I'll say it loud and clear since every noob praises her around here.

I sold a guy a 200mW module build and the module burned up right in front of me with about 2 minutes use on it while he was using it. And I'm talking 10 second duty cycles because I knew they were hot for the size. Made me look like a scammer. Turned into a 47mW wimp module right then and there. Yep, they had that baby cranked to try and get it to do 200mW.

You get what you pay for.

As to your specific problem, I'd be willing to bet you are getting the very modules people like me are sending back. As I said, mine went right to 47mW and that's all it would further do. A perfect candidate for her to sell as a 50mW to someone like yourself.

 

[BShanahan14rulz]

is there nothing on the back side of those "drivers"?

 

[Eudaimonium]

Nothing is missing on your lasers, dude.
You are maybe being paranoid?

I have one 50mW o-like that does solid 60mW, draws 390 mA of current and has a bit thicker beam (2mm) at aperture, but lowest divergence I've ever seen in those modules.

I am talking about less than 1 mRad.

Haven't measured it though.

Drivers look same as mine.
It's all good, the fact that you are getting defective ones ... it just might be your bad luck.
I had nothing but positive experience with those lasers.

 

[samsomiler]

@BShanahan14rulz There are components on the back side but in the pictures, you can tell there are a few things missing on the top side of the board.

@Exerd Man i feel bad for you about a 200 module burning out. Did you get a replacement module?

 

[samsomiler]

@Eudaimonium, yes it is possible that i'm just paranoid, but I just hate the fact that I will be selling someone a pen laser with a module that was the same brightness as the first one I sold him. It looks the same too. I am pretty much positive that it will burn it self out. I am guessing its maybe 70mw at about 420ma's. It also is weird how I cant adjust the pot to turn it down!! I don't care about the brightness of the laser, I care about the life of it.
-sam

 

[Exerd]

I read some responses stating that I was not the only one getting O-like modules which would cook in a few minutes of use.

Don't get me wrong, the 200mW module was amazing for the 2 minutes it lasted. It peaked at 221mW on my meter, and had awesome divergence.

When it burned up, it spooked the guy and I could tell, he asked if green lasers were likely going to burn up often and I offered him just to give his money back to ease tensions during the wait for a replacement. Now he's having me build him a 12X since they are so simple and reliable.

Anyways, since he didn't want another green, I asked Susie to give me the difference on a 400mW module, so I could put it in a large TA30 host. This 400mW module outputs high power, warms up to 476mW on my bench supply at 4V, but the beam is wider than the small modules. It's also a tiny bit larger diameter than the TA30 host interior is that I have disassembled. I could take care of it by turning the module down on the lathe, but instead of altering it, I'm just going to sell it and use a high-end module in the TA30 host. I want to get a CNI 400mW module, since that has a more preferable size dimension as well as a presumably better beam.

All in all, O-like comes off to me as a really cheap crap company, with great customer service. That's my honest opinion.

If you want a deal on a 475mW O-like module anyone, let me know. You can see I'm not pushing the sale with false promises.

 

[Morgan]

Hi samsomiler,

Did you have to set the focus on any of the modules you got recently? I have just received my 50mW module, (weekending 18th April), and the focus ring is free. From what Susie has said this is now standard practice as people have complained about not being able to change the focus. I have to say I would have preferred a fixed focus but hey, that's me.

Just wondered...

Thanks,

M

 

[samsomiler]

Hi samsomiler,

Did you have to set the focus on any of the modules you got recently? I have just received my 50mW module, (weekending 18th April), and the focus ring is free. From what Susie has said this is now standard practice as people have complained about not being able to change the focus. I have to say I would have preferred a fixed focus but hey, that's me.

Just wondered...

Thanks,

M

Yea! All mine were loose focusing lenses. I wish susie wouldn't do that because now all of my lasers kind of rattle. And they slightly get out of focus. So now I'm thinking about setting the focus and glueing it down.
-sam

 

[Morgan]

^That's the advice I was given.

I was peeved because I wasn't told this beforehand and I didn't really want to take the risk of damaging the lens trying to, 'fix', the focus. I didn't really feel I was tooled up for it either. I can see some advantage but I figured it should be up to those who WANT to change the focus to take the risk in damaging a perfectly good laser. Cuts costs on time though I'm sure!

M

 

[hxdrummerxc]

I just got a 100mW o-like module.....

It also had a loose focusing lens and rattled a little. It scared me at first.

However,
My driver did not look like yours. Both sides of my driver had stuff on them.

be careful though, I ruined mine. O-like modules do not have reverse polarity protection, it will fry out like mine if you accidentally put the battery in backwards.