RCR123 in a dorcy jr (senkat diode) Help!

[xmtgx]

Using senkats diodes is there anyway i could use a rechargeable cr123 in a dorcy junior host?
they are 3.6-4.2v when fully charged, is there any resistor or anything i could use to bring the voltage down to a safe level for the diode after it is boosted by the dorcy's driver?

EDIT: I read somewhere that kenom said you cant directly, but i was hoping there was a way, I hate using primaries :-/

 

[SenKat_Stonetek]

Use the RCR - and measure your current, and your voltage - post your results

Erm - I mean BEFORE using a laser diode !

 

[xmtgx]

Alright lol, ill post when i receive my order from ya, just ordered last night so might be a little.
If i calculated it right though, it should be boosted to around 7v (with a fully charged (4.2v) RCR123), thats only if the 3v batteries are boosted to 5v like I've read though.

 

[Dark_Horse]

Using senkats diodes is there anyway i could use a rechargeable cr123 in a dorcy junior host?
they are 3.6-4.2v when fully charged, is there any resistor or anything i could use to bring the voltage down to a safe level for the diode after it is boosted by the dorcy's driver?

No problem, at least in my builds.
I have built (4) Dorcy Jrs with 16x Senkat diodes, (the "weaker ones" from the beginnning on the year),
and (3) with PS3 diodes (BR) and I am using RCR123's in all (7) of them. You do have to set the current with a fully charged battery or risk overcurrent when you do replace with a fully-charged battery. I have heard others warn not to use Rechargables with this host, but I have not had any problems so far.
I adjust the output by placing a resistor or pot in series with the positive side of the LD. Others have also stated that these hosts change thier driver-circuit designs on a regular basis, I have not seen this yet, all of mine have been the  same and match the pictures in Kenom's thread, so you will have to check this out for yourself.
You can read my "output reading versus resistor setting" with a PS3 diode in the following thread, in the first post. ;D The output did not change a lot with different batteries (2.8V-4.1V), but enough to take into account.
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1207864937
For a 16x red, as I remember I usually placed a 5-ohm resistor in the Dorcy, which delivered about 230mA with a 120-130mW output. Individual results will vary .
Additional note, the higher voltage batteries do not seam to up the "max-boosted voltage", seams to still be the same, about 5v with no load, your actual voltage will match your LD, with either battery.

Dark Horse

 

[xmtgx]

Using senkats diodes is there anyway i could use a rechargeable cr123 in a dorcy junior host?
they are 3.6-4.2v when fully charged, is there any resistor or anything i could use to bring the voltage down to a safe level for the diode after it is boosted by the dorcy's driver?

No problem, at least in my builds.
I have built (4) Dorcy Jrs with 16x Senkat diodes, (the "weaker ones" from the beginnning on the year),
and (3) with PS3 diodes (BR) and I am using RCR123's in all (7) of them. You do have to set the current with a fully charged battery or risk overcurrent when you do replace with a fully-charged battery. I have heard others warn not to use Rechargables with this host, but I have not had any problems so far.
I adjust the output by placing a resistor or pot in series with the positive side of the LD. Others have also stated that these hosts change thier driver-circuit designs on a regular basis, I have not seen this yet, all of mine have been the same and match the pictures in Kenom's thread, so you will have to check this out for yourself.
You can read my "output reading versus resistor setting" with a PS3 diode in the following thread, in the first post. ;D The output did not change a lot with different batteries (2.8V-4.1V), but enough to take into account.
For a 16x red, as I remember I usually placed a 5-ohm resistor in the Dorcy, which delivered about 230mA with a 120-130mW output. Individual results will vary .
Additional note, the higher voltage batteries do not seam to up the "max-boosted voltage", seams to still be the same, about 5v with no load, your actual voltage will match your LD, with either battery.

Dark Horse

Thats good to hear, but what do you mean by "set the current with a fully charged battery"?

EDIT: How long have you used the red diodes with the rcr123a, what has been there current lifespan.

 

[Dark_Horse]

By "setting the current" I mean when you are testing the resistor combos needed to decrease the current to the desired level, you should be using a battery that is supplying the maximum you expect to use, in this case about 4.2 volts.
The "stock-circuit' in my Dorcys supplies about 350mA to a 16x diode, with a intial peak of 400mA in the first 4-10 seconds. With a 5ohm resistor in series with the positive leg of the diode, the circuit is "current-limited" to about 230mA, but not regulated. If you were to supply a higher-voltage battery, this current would likely increase some as well.
Dark Horse

 

[xmtgx]

Alright man thanks for the help now time to build it, wish me luck on my first build lol.

 

[sk8er4514]

nice posts Dark Horse. very informative.

and good luck xmtgx, the dorcy isn't too complicated to make, kenom's video instructions help out a lot.

[link=http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1120132/diy_dorcy_burning_red_laser/]http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1120132/diy_dorcy_burning_red_laser/[/link]