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FrozenGate by Avery

PHR w/Micro Boost Drive V1 cutting out.

awlego

awlego

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I built a homemade phr build in a flashlight using the new Micro Boost Drive V1. It is set at 135mA and worked great for several hours of use time over a couple of weeks. It lit matches almost instantly and was quite impressive... but now as soon as I turn it on it dims almost instantly to maybe half of the power it had before. It starts nice and bright, but after a half a second it dims - unable to light matches. I've tried new batteries, checked all my connections, made sure there was no shortages between the driver and the casing...

Any ideas what's going on?

Thanks,
-Awlego
 





It MIGHT be because you ran it at 135ma...I was told 90 is 'conservative' 100 is safe, and 110-120 is pushing it....but 135? OUCH!
 
Recharge or replace your battery. Sometimes even "new" batteries have problems

If that doesn't do it, clean ALL your contact points again.

Diodes do NOT go brighter and dimmer and then brighter again if they are failing. This is a power source problem or the driver is having a problem

Peace,
dave
 
Last edited:
daguin said:
Recharge or replace your battery.

If that doesn't do it, clean ALL your contact points

Peace,
dave
Click to expand...

I thought that at first, but THIS made me think it had to do with the diode itself.

awlego said:
I've tried new batteries, checked all my connections, made sure there was no shortages between the driver and the casing...
Click to expand...

BUT you should still double and triple check before assuming it's the diode, resoldering a connection is a lot cheaper than a new diode.
 
bloompyle said:
I thought that at first, but THIS made me think it had to do with the diode itself.



BUT you should still double and triple check before assuming it's the diode, resoldering a connection is a lot cheaper than a new diode.
Click to expand...

Yes. "ALL" your connections includes solder joints. If it is a solder joint problem, it will be on the battery side. If it was on the diode side it should have blown the diode

Peace,
dave
 
touching on what dave said. i don't know what batteries you are using but if they are cheap chinese rechargable lithiums it could be that. after the laser goes dim. tatke your batteries out and check each one with a multi meter. if it is less than a volt or two lower than the stated rating, it is a bad battery. happens to me all the time with the ultra fires.

michael
 
Thanks for all the replies.

The diode is not blown, as Dave said. It works, it just has some power issues.

As for batteries, I'm using 3 triple A's. Using two different sets, the old set running 3.7 volts and the new set running 4.5 volts, the laser did the same thing. I'm pretty sure it's a driver issue as I get the exact same problem every time I power it up - all the while changing batteries or unscrewing the positive contact end cap. Every time it starts bright and then almost instantly goes to about half power. Maybe I'll take the driver off and set up my test load again and retake the voltage measurement and see what the theoretical amperage going through the diode is.

I will also take the module out and look at the driver and see if I damaged anything in my soldering... if it looks like I have, I do have another driver (but I hope I don't have to - I wanted to use it to build a different laser)

I'll post back when I have done this and let you guys know what's up. Thanks for the replies. Feel free to continue to add advice if anyone has experience/ideas on what may be going on.

-Awlego
 
I'm still putting my money on a bad battery or connection

Peace,
dave
 
wait...4.5V? I'm not expert, but don't micro-drives have a 2.25V dropout? Which means your drive is also only running on 2.25V (4.5-2.25 = 2.25)....I don't think that's enough, but I may be wrong...
 
hey bloom. he is using a boost type driver. meaning it bucks the voltage up the necessary level. one more note on the flex drive, its maximum input voltage is around 5vdc.


michael
 
chipdouglas said:
hey bloom. he is using a boost type driver. meaning it bucks the voltage up the necessary level. one more note on the flex drive, its maximum input voltage is around 5vdc.


michael
Click to expand...

Ooooohh...so that's what 'boost' in the name means...so if I give it 6V it will take everything it needs, but just use up the batteriesa faster? Same with 4.5V?
 
6 volts is too much i believe. check in the instruction manual. but it is capable of boosting 3.5 volts up to 5.whatever for a blu ray for instance. they are good for compact builds where there is room for only 1 battery.

michael
 
The micro boost driver is in fact a boost-only driver. So the input voltage has to be less than the diode's voltage. Try using a lower input-voltage, this may solve the problem.
 
it depends on the which laser diode you are using and how many miliamps you will be running through it .


michael
 
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