Please Help! 1.5 watt host build not going well.

[highvoltagefeathers]

So I've been working on this project for quite awhile, and it hasn't been working. :thinking:

I've double and tripple checked my connections, and don't quite know what to do.

I've removed the pink plastic spacer, and bent the case pin so that I could solder it to the negative pin (case negative host, of course).

I've made a connection from the negative diode pin (which is also the entirety of the case negative host) to the negative "out" of the flexdrive (although, I belive, it doesn't matter which negative (in or out) side of the flexdrive its soldered to, because both are directly connected through the PCB.) The positive lead from the battery is soldered to the positive "in" on the flexdrive, and the positive "out" is soldered to the positive pin on the diode.
I took great care in installing the diode, and doubt that I killed it, although I took my voltmeter to it to measure resistance (I assumed it would "look" like a diode, right?) and could measure nothing both ways (it acted like the pins had no electrical connection whatsoever.)

Any advice is welcome! Pictures below!

 

[foulmist]

attach a test load instead of the diode and see if it outputs anything...
if it works ok, you have messed up the diode

i think that will help you identify where the problem is :beer:

 

[Eudaimonium]

So what exactly does it do, that makes you believe it's not working?

Low diode output, LED type of diode output, no output at all?

First step, as foulmist said, is to test load the driver, and we'll work from there.

In the picture with the driver, where do the blue and red wires go? To the diode or contact board or what?

Because, according to this:
http://hacylon.case.edu/ebay/laser_diode/MicroFlexDrive_V5_manual.pdf
-they should be going to the battery.

Are you sure you haven't wired your driver backwards?

 

[foulmist]

i think that's the bottom that goes to the pill with the string ? or is it backwards indeed

 

[regalis]

..hehe!
It is backwards...but don't worry...i also manage to kill my stuff every now and then

 

[highvoltagefeathers]

DOOHH. :crackup:

I wired the damn driver backwards!!!
I can't belive I was that dumb...
Any chance the components survived that kindof a mixup? :banghead:

 

[Eudaimonium]

DOOHH. :crackup:

I wired the damn driver backwards!!!
I can't belive I was that dumb...
Any chance the components survived that kindof a mixup? :banghead:

The only way is to try and find out.

Rectify the error and post some beamshots :angel:

 

[lasersbee]

And use a TEST LOAD....:yh:

BTW... some solder flux would not hurt..
Your solder on the pins of the LD are what we
call dry...

Jerry

 

[jake642]

Wheres the pot?

 

[Nocturnal]

btw, case negative= negative side of battery towards clicky
editoops, unless that last pic isnt the clicky

 

[highvoltagefeathers]

I fixed the wiring on the flexdrive, then it still didn't work.
I figured it had to be the battery.
I charged the "Ultrafire" 18650 fully, and still nothing.
I removed the protection circuit from the battery, and still nothing. :banghead:
Then I went for broke, and tried 2 cr123's off the shelf at the hardware store (3 volts peak each, /slightly/ overvolting the driver). And:
:lasergun:
BAM its alive!
Its burning and better than ever! and I get 1.2 Ah out of those lithium batteries
I'll post pics on my original build thread

 

[mpwn]

all i can say is your one lucky son of a !@!@$!

 

[Eudaimonium]

I fixed the wiring on the flexdrive, then it still didn't work.
I figured it had to be the battery.
I charged the "Ultrafire" 18650 fully, and still nothing.
I removed the protection circuit from the battery, and still nothing. :banghead:
Then I went for broke, and tried 2 cr123's off the shelf at the hardware store (3 volts peak each, /slightly/ overvolting the driver). And:

BAM its alive!
Its burning and better than ever! and I get 1.2 Ah out of those lithium batteries
I'll post pics on my original build thread

Hm, damn...

This is weird. Well, Flex can act as Buck driver but you are overvolting it, and it won't last very long that way.

Perhaps your 18650 is dead, and if it was dead before everything there, nothing was damaged in the first place. Try using a new 18650 cell, it's gotta work.

Can you try measuring the voltage off your non-working 18650 cell? Is it below 2.7 V?