Review of the Sinner Cyperus II XL 2x18650

[Seoul_lasers]

Alright, well it's done, but the home stretch was a nail biter.

Firstly I ran into some issues with the focussing lens not fitting all the way. I got it ~1/5 of the way by gently pressing down on it hard. I stopped there and used some epoxy resin to hold the focussing knob in place. It worked like a charm!
I waited a few hours to let the resin harden.

Next was to try to turn on the unit.. In order to do this without a spring in the back tail area I used a tiny Neodymium magnet to make the contact.

Everything was working for ~45seconds fine until my new laser started flashing intermittently, at random. I suddenly saw curls of white smoke curling out from the tail area..I though for sure that one of my batteries had decided to go KATO on me...

ALARMED, I immediately disassembled the unit.

Turns out that the tail switch decided to have a meltdown on me passing far too much current. I took out the clicky and examined it. completely DOA... (see pic 3)
Luckily I happened to have a spare from a crappy o-like host. It's the exact same diameter. I adjusted the clicky and added the magnet...

We now have first light.... :lasergun:

I still have some adjustments to make but all and all it's 99.5% complete and more or less functioning. The spring I'll look for tomorrow as well as the 3M TIM tape.


Whew.. a close one!

My final results from cold start with fresh batteries ( I'm using Samsung 30A 3000mAh non-protected cells) is maximum 3496.28mW with a continuous output of over 3100mW... once the host starts to heat up the output drops to the lower range (which is to be expected with 445nm LDs). I let it cool down (10-15 minutes to room temp) I'm back up to +3.4W of output. Pretty decent output and I guess I got lucky with an efficient diode. :beer:
Thanks again DTR!


More pics coming soon.

 

[COMMANDR]

Awesome, awesome, awesome build, congrads on +3watts from that copper marvel.
This should make sinner proud to see his handy work and yours produce such a cool
and powerful pointer. Please keep us updated on run time and its thermal performance.
Fine work Seoul_lasers.

 

[IWIRE]

Great work and pics ! Glad you got it going ! I just had the same problem with a switch in a different host. I installed a McClicky switch in it last night. Hoping that fixes it.

 

[Seoul_lasers]

Great work and pics ! Glad you got it going ! I just had the same problem with a switch in a different host. I installed a McClicky switch in it last night. Hoping that fixes it.

:yabbem: well, I lost a second clicky today... This new one started dimming my output and I realized that the clicky couldn't handle the current draw. Finally the switch died.. no smoke, just a hot plastic smell... and completely open circuit.


I need a source were I can find a high current clicky!

On more positive news, I was able to install the carbon nano particle based 3M thermal adhesive tape. It worked like a charm.

Out of all the things that could wrong... the tail switch dies for a second time in a row... :undecided: :thinking:

 

[IWIRE]

Google McClicky Switch. I just got some from someplace, can't remember the name, it started with an "O" They were $8 and they shipped fast. You have to dig around on the website to find just the switch. They want to sell the kit apparently. :beer:

 

[sinner]

Strange it would do that, I have one running an xml at about 4.2amps. :thinking: Try cleaning the contacts or better yet use a fine grit sandpaper for the brass contacts there must be some machining oil or something causing improper switch connections.

 

[ChaosLord]

Nice build! Sorry you're having switch issues. This will help nicely when I get my cyperus host.

 

[Seoul_lasers]

Strange it would do that, I have one running an xml at about 4.2amps. :thinking: Try cleaning the contacts or better yet use a fine grit sandpaper for the brass contacts there must be some machining oil or something causing improper switch connections.

I think the last tail switch had too high a resistance or wasn't rated for the amount of current I put through it. It was from an old o-like host... Who knows what switch it had.
I'm going to go find a high current switch today.
Actually I cleaned the contacts thinking that could have been the problem.

hmmm. :thinking:


Stay tuned.

In the mean time, here's a graph showing output from a cold start.

Yes the graph is a bit jittery because I was holding the laser in my hand. (the average is probably closer to 3200mW if I were to bring that dip up after the high pk.)

 

[COMMANDR]

Looks to be a really stable output. I think that host of sinner's, all that beautiful copper,
provides a thermal mass that yields a stability that is lacking in most of the other host/heatsinks.
It should offer longer runtimes and extended diode life IMHO.

 

[Seoul_lasers]

Looks to be a really stable output. I think that host of sinner's, all that beautiful copper,
provides a thermal mass that yields a stability that is lacking in most of the other host/heatsinks.
It should offer longer runtimes and extended diode life IMHO.

Dammed rights~ I will definitely get another one after this build. My only big issue is the tail clicky. I'd look to upgrade it with a MacClicky.

superb thermal handling.

Going to work on the tail tomorrow and have some further posting about modding it with a higher current switch.
Stay tuned... Then I'll post some pics of it firing with my wife's new camera. :angel:

 

[IWIRE]

Thanks for sharing all the info ! This is turning out to be a great build ! Kudos to you for turning it around and working through your opportunities for solutions :beer:
That's what craftsmen do right there

 

[COMMANDR]

Dammed rights~ I will definitely get another one after this build. My only big issue is the tail clicky. I'd look to upgrade it with a MacClicky.

Here you go.

McClicky Switch - $6.99 : Illumination Supply, Quality Flashlights and More!

 

[IWIRE]

That's good info COMMANDR ! Thanks for posting that, I would have bought mine from them had I known. :beer:

 

[Seoul_lasers]

Had a computer problem today and lost my post a few hours ago.

Basically I had posted about today's result after working 7 straight hours on working on immigration documents for my wife.

Made an interesting discovery today regarding switches.

Actually taking apart my last dead switch, the internals were fine 4ohms, but the spring had completely snapped and so had the contact "carrier".
the spring became a source of heat as it conducted
the current. this was the plastic smell... ahhhh... So it wasn't the current but the physical force exerted by the bass tail switch!!

I'm recommending that everyone with a Cyperus II host get the Macclicky because of the sheer weight of the tail switch. (It's really heavy!!!) The clicky it comes with is also NOT up to the job of switching high currents.


3 categories for switches.

1) Cheap analog tail switches. Usually high resistance and that is the majority of the problems with tail clickies. Also they aren't good at taking large amounts of physical force (pressure) . Brass switches will crush these to death.

2) High quality analog (Macclicky and a few others). Very durable tried and true... up to nearly ~70W input. $6-7.00 Got 2 today from illumination supply.

Thanks IWIRE & COMMANDR for that link btw!

3) MOSFET based switches (Solid state relay). These are used for switch 10W's- several 100W's of input power. Essentially the MOSFET is acting as a switch by having a small amount of potential applied to it's gate. These are used in some of the large Xenon arc lamps as a means of isolating the switch from huge monster currents that would otherwise vaporize a normal pushbutton switch.

FETtie pic courtesy of Candlepower forums.

 

[IWIRE]

Glad your working through it ! It was COMMANDR that posted the link. Thanks go to them
I find myself at CPF searching for parts frequently. Good info thanks !

 

[Seoul_lasers]

Glad your working through it ! It was COMMONDR that posted the link. Thanks go to them
I find myself at CPF searching for parts frequently. Good info thanks !

Order confirmed by Illumination supply this morning our time.

In the mean time I'll try and post some shots of the laser in action.