Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Module...

[pianoman2011]

Hi everyone,

I have been planning and planning a laserbeam combination project with only one thing holding me back... I need to be able to have an adjustable output (by using a POT) green laser module. I have searched for these and found none... and even if I would have found something it would have probably been way out of my price range. Here is what I need:

A 532nm laser module that:

-Has at least 50mW of output power (preferably IR filtered).

-Costs up to $50.

-Has an easily removable driver (with which I can replace with an LM317-based adjustable current driver)

Pretty much, the idea is that I need to build an adjustable output 532nm module myself from an already-built normal 50mW 532nm module. I need the driver that the module comes with to be easy to remove because I am good at breaking things.

After I remove the driver it comes with, I will solder the + and - wires of my own preferred driver to the + and - leads of the IR diode in the 532nm module.

Thanks for the help!

-Jakob

P.S. Here's the driver. I'm sure everybody recognizes it... the poor man's LM317-based adjustable current driver.

 

[wolfblue]

Re: Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Modul

Hi Jakob, what your planning is a RGV with 3 adjustable power supplies. One problem you may find is that the output from a (cheap) dpss is not linear. As you turn up the green it wont get brighter and then suddenly it will jump in power. So you may not get the adjustment that one would hope for in that respect. And I don't think you need 50mw. Unless your mixing it with that 400mW BR beast on the other thread ;D
As for removing the driver from a green, its not all that hard. If your soldering skills are decent. But resist the temptation to remove the diode, like if its held by a threaded lock ring. It can be a real pain to get the polarization right when you put it back. And then get it locked back down.

--John

 

[nikokapo]

Re: Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Modul

ne problem you may find is that the output from a (cheap) dpss is not linear. As you turn up the green it wont get brighter and then suddenly it will jump in power.

I second this.

You won't be able to really tune the visibility of a cheap DPSS with a pot as much as you'd like, try to buy an overpowered laser and then tuning it DOWN to the visibility you wanted. It is more expensive, I know, but it's a good way to avoid problems

 

[wolfblue]

Re: Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Modul

buy an overpowered laser and then tuning it DOWN

My thought exactly. A PHR would be the economical V for a RGV laser. My guess is that a 80mW PHR would need 40mW red and only 4mw green to get a reasonable white. But the laser faq http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/laserioi.htm#ioicav2 , put the RGV ratio at like 175:8:1. It seems not to be this bad in practice. rog8811 is one who could say.

Get a 20-30mW to mix with a PHR. and calculate( trial and error) resistors for the LM317 to get a range on the potentiometer that works.



--John

 

[pianoman2011]

Re: Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Modul

Hi Jakob, what your planning is a RGV with 3 adjustable power supplies. One problem you may find is that the output from a (cheap) dpss is not linear. As you turn up the green it wont get brighter and then suddenly it will jump in power. So you may not get the adjustment that one would hope for in that respect. And I don't think you need 50mw. Unless your mixing it with that 400mW BR beast on the other thread ;D
As for removing the driver from a green, its not all that hard. If your soldering skills are decent. But resist the temptation to remove the diode, like if its held by a threaded lock ring. It can be a real pain to get the polarization right when you put it back. And then get it locked back down.

--John

I wasn’t quite planning on putting the green above it’s recommended current, but rather adding a driver with a POT to decrease the current running through it from what it originally ran at with the old driver. Would this still give me inconsistent changes and jumps (downward) in the light intensity as I increased resistance? And I was planning on mixing it with an AW-SF210 diode, which have so far tested up to 384mW… so pretty close .

I am pretty good at soldering… it is the sturdy glue that I am worried about getting through. Have you dealt with any o-like modules similar to the 50mW one yet? Is the glue easy to deal with? I will make sure not to remove the diode. Thanks for the help!

-Jakob

I second this.

You won't be able to really tune the visibility of a cheap DPSS with a pot as much as you'd like, try to buy an overpowered laser and then tuning it DOWN to the visibility you wanted. It is more expensive, I know, but it's a good way to avoid problems

What kind of oversized laser might you be suggesting *link*? And though it might be more expensive, do not worry… I have no problem with extra power ;D ;D ;D…

And I was[/i[ planning on tuning it down all along. So no worries about that…

Thanks!

-Jakob

 

[pianoman2011]

Re: Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Modul

My thought exactly.  A PHR would be the economical V for a RGV laser.  My guess is that a 80mW PHR would need 40mW red and only 4mw green to get a reasonable white.  But the laser faq  http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/laserioi.htm#ioicav2 , put the RGV ratio at like 175:8:1. It seems not to be this bad in practice.  rog8811 is one who could say.

Get a 20-30mW to mix with a PHR. and calculate( trial and error) resistors for the LM317 to get a range on the potentiometer that works.

--John

I was planning to have 3 different completely adjustable (from zero to full power) diodes/modules. This way, I could tune whichever necceesary colors down when using the laser for RGV and tune them back up if I just wanted to combine two colors... or even just use one. So I want the most power I can have for each color... limited only by my price range. And thanks for the ratios and advice... These will be useful in times to come!!!

-Jakob

P.S. Rog8811 is the one who I got this idea from in the first place... I saw his "7-color laser optics" idea in instructables.com and decided that I loved lasers

 

[wolfblue]

Re: Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Modul

So you want to use the green stand alone style. And turn down to mix colors. I must admit, I'm planning the same 3 LM317 type thing. But I don't plan to over power the green as far as mix goes. Just be careful that the green module is case positive. If your using conductive materials in construction.


--John

 

[FireMyLaser]

Re: Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Modul

It's tricky with white balance with blu. In my experience I get a good white beam at these currents:

R: 130mA, LCC
B: 470mA, DX 35 module
V: 125mA PHR

I have no idea about the output power tho. The lasers have enough power to burn individually.

But if a want a white dot it's almost impossible. I need to turn the red way down, and if I point it at a white paper I need to turn the blu way down. But no matter how much I adjust the intensities, I just cant get a good white dot, unless I use a white paper.

Then, on top of that I have transition-lenses which kill half the output of the blu, so if I want to see the white beam I have to take them off, or else I see a yellow/green-ish white. That really sucks.

 

[pianoman2011]

Re: Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Modul

So you want to use the green stand alone style. And turn down to mix colors.  I must admit, I'm planning the same 3 LM317 type thing.  But I don't plan to over power the green as far as mix goes.  Just be careful that the green module is case positive. If your using conductive materials in construction.

--John

Yes, you hit it spot on. I’m hoping to whip up a nice design a produce some of these units, then sell them for $$$BIG BUCKS$$$… I’m glad to hear somebody else is planning the same idea… that means that it might not be that bad. And don’t worry, I plan to coat the inside of the casing with some coating or platic so that no short-circuits happen.

-Jakob

It's tricky with white balance with blu. In my experience I get a good white beam at these currents:

R: 130mA, LCC
B: 470mA, DX 35 module
V: 125mA PHR

I have no idea about the output power tho. The lasers have enough power to burn individually.

But if a want a white dot it's almost impossible. I need to turn the red way down, and if I point it at a white paper I need to turn the blu way down. But no matter how much I adjust the intensities, I just cant get a good white dot, unless I use a white paper.

Then, on top of that I have transition-lenses which kill half the output of the blu, so if I want to see the white beam I have to take them off, or else I see a yellow/green-ish white. That really sucks.

Thanks for the numbers… the one problem here is that I can’t buy from DX since I’m in the US. Have you modified your DX module so that it is adjustable current? What is the full name of the LCC?

I was actually planning on using the red diode from my GBW-H10N sled (coming in the mail) for my red. I think its able to do 250mW or so. And the blu-ray diode is going to be the SF-AW210 diode (I have two of those in the mail).

I also have a nice design for an optics mount with about every degree of adjustability (fine and course), but now I need to go to a milling place and have the parts for it made… and I have no idea where one is. Without an optics mount, I have almost no hope of making a white laser . Do you know where to get any good optic mounts?

It sounds like your white laser is on it’s way, but has some work to be done. Are you using the KES-400A sled as the optics mount (the two beamsplitters are already mounted perfectly), or have your own optics and setup?

-Jakob

 

[nikokapo]

Re: Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Modul

This

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10004

or this

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10094


Let us know how the project went when you finish it (or post pics during the making of it )

 

[pianoman2011]

Re: Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Modul

This

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10004

or this

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10094


Let us know how the project went when you finish it (or post pics during the making of it )

Thanks for the links... I cna't buy the first one though... I live in the US and DX ships nothing over 5mW to us... The second one I could buy, but I think I might neew a more powerful module... I was thinking 50mW-100mW in power! The o-like module is 50mW for $28 and ships to the US... I might try that one.

I'll post pics when the project is started and finished but that won't be for a while... I need to have some parts milled for my custom-designed optic mounts... and I have no idea how or where to do that... so yeah...

-Jakob

 

[nikokapo]

Re: Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Modul

You can always ask Sawt to ship it to you, he's working on a GB to help US laser enthusiasts, don't know if he's still holding it though..

 

[FireMyLaser]

Re: Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Modul

[quote author=wolfblue link=1237590616/0#6 date=1237757561]
Thanks for the numbers… the one problem here is that I can’t buy from DX since I’m in the US. Have you modified your DX module so that it is adjustable current? What is the full name of the LCC?

I was actually planning on using the red diode from my GBW-H10N sled (coming in the mail) for my red. I think its able to do 250mW or so. And the blu-ray diode is going to be the SF-AW210 diode (I have two of those in the mail).

I also have a nice design for an optics mount with about every degree of adjustability (fine and course), but now I need to go to a milling place and have the parts for it made… and I have no idea where one is. Without an optics mount, I have almost no hope of making a white laser . Do you know where to get any good optic mounts?

It sounds like your white laser is on it’s way, but has some work to be done. Are you using the KES-400A sled as the optics mount (the two beamsplitters are already mounted perfectly), or have your own optics and setup?

-Jakob

All lasers are adjustable and I made my own optics mounts.

Check this thread for details: http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1235775228

 

[pianoman2011]

Re: Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Modul

You can always ask Sawt to ship it to you, he's working on a GB to help US laser enthusiasts, don't know if he's still holding it though..

Thanks! His username is "Sawt"?

-Jakob

All lasers are adjustable and I made my own optics mounts.

Check this thread for details: http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1235775228

That setup is really nice! Those optic mounts are suprisingly similar to the idea I have! I was either going to make min out of aluminum or acrylic.

 

[rangedunits]

Re: Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Modul

Sawt at Huriyah, i should be close..

 

[pianoman2011]

Re: Removing/replacing the Driver of a 532nm Modul

Sawt at Huriyah, i should be close..

So "Sawt at Huriyah" is his name???