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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

PHR-805 damaged?

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May 19, 2013
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I finally recived my laser goggles yesterday and started to assembly my PHR-805 module.

Its now working and i get a laser-ish output, but its nothing like the power i thought it would have, from what i have heard a 80-100mW 405nm diode would light a match when focused. I have set the power to 100mA and im focusing with a 3 glass 405nm lens from Odicforce but i dont get any heat reaction from black mate platics, matches, my hand and so on..

The 1ohm resistance in the dummyload was made of 5x5ohm resistors in paralell and that was probably stupid, when i changed from the dummy load to the diode it got fed 160mA for like 30sec, but would that be enought to kill it?
 





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What driver are you using, how is it assembled?

Pictures of your setup would help greatly. There's a whole list of factors that aren't yet ruled out.
 
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Im using this driver from Odicforce:
Laser Driver Board V1 - 80-300mA+ optional TTL - Detailed item view - OdicForce Lasers Online Shop

dmwjew.jpg

Sorry for the blurry picture. The diode is connected with case negative as described by Odicforce. The driver is feed with 9v and the TTL is connected to 9v aswell for testing.

I have tested the output current by measuring the voltage over one of the 1,5ohm resistors next to the -VE connectors and also by measuring the drivers total amperage and subtracting the 30mA consumed by the driver so i know im not outputting to low current.

I would love to get this diode working, now its way to weak for my needs :(
 
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It appears to be correctly wired then - can you grab a picture of the diode's output being shone on some surface, like white paper?

160mA should not, if I remember the specs correctly, kill an 805. I mean, everything looks to be done correctly... except there's no end result. Hm.

What lens are you using? Is it focused correctly?

Either I remember wrongly and 160mA is too much current, or you have a defective diode.
 
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It should be okey with but not for to long as far as i know.

I bought the 3element glass lens from Odicforce:
3-Element Collimating Glass Lens Assembly Coated for 405nm Lasers - Detailed item view - OdicForce Lasers Online Shop
The strange thing however is that i get a verry short "focus range", with my 5mW green laser pen i get a nice 2mm or so dot from 30cm as well as 4m away. The 405nm lens however might give me a tiny spot at 30cm but at 1m it will be about 5mm in width... That cant be right? I dont know if its the optics or the diode thats causing this.

I have a video showing the laser in operation and some of the focusing problems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAS4Svhvtus
 
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Looks too bright to be LED'ed and too weak to perform up to spec.

No idea at all.

Regarding the focus, just screw the lens in a bit further, but no idea why's the output power this low.

Just to eliminate one of two possible components, can you construct a small LM317 based 100mA circuit and power the diode with it, and power that with different battery set?

If that produces the same result, your diode is dead.
 
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Is it a 9v battery you are using, could be it's not supplying enough current ?? The TTL isn't needed either
 
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Yea, its not as weak as a LED right? I wish i had a LPM!

Im powering it with a 12v transformer that im regulating down to 9v with a LM317 so i know i got enought power into the driver.

I can try to build a LM317 driver to eliminate a faulty driver. Unfortunately im on vaccation until Sunday so it will take a while until we will know the results..
 
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I have like 5 phrs with that same driver. I power most with 4xAAs. You actually get more power with the aixiz acrylic. I element v 3 elements. TTL not needed.
 
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at that power you wont see much visible strength, did you try burning without the microcontroller attatched. The acrylic lens will be fine
 
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At the moment the TTL is just connected to 9V as "always on". I have tried burning a match and tried to make some sort of reaction on matte black plastics without any success.
 
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The 160mA accidental overdrive should have been fine especially since it wasn't for very long.

Did you solder the diode yourself? There is always a small possibility if damaging a diode when you solder to the pins if you accidentally get the diode too hot, its amazing how easy it is to damage little single modes like these. Are you able to get a photo of the diode's raw output(no lens)? This could go a long way in showing us if the diode is damaged.

I second the recommendation on building a small LM317 driver and testing like that. Your issue may still reside with your driver.

405nm lasers are also never very bright. Even my 800mW 405nm is not very bright at all and looks pathetic next to just about all my lasers. It does however burn like hell :D.

With small single modes like these you want to use single element lenses because they pass the most amount of light so an acrylic lens or an even better G2 would be optimal.

Another thing, whats the current rating on the 12v wall plug you are using?
 
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Hi, i did solder it myself, it was forced into the housing before it got solderd so atleast some of the heat should have been transfered to the housing. Its hard for me to say if it got any damage from that, i tried to be quick but well, maby is all i can say =/ I can get a picture of the raw output on Sunday, im on vaccation until then =) I also will build a LM317 driver to eliminate a faulty driver.

Could you explain "single mode" diodes? Have nerver heard of it before. On a stronger diode its worth sacrificing some of the power for a better focused beam or whats the thought about 3 elements lenses?

I dont remember the current rating on the transformer, might be 800mA, im driving a quite big stepper motor with it without any trouble so its probably fine driving a small laser diode =)
 
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