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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

SciFi lasers

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Jan 28, 2015
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first off I've had this laser for 3 hours now, I know.

So I got one of joker's high quality lasers in the mail. I ordered the 405nm purple 1 watt laser. been waiting a whole month for this :) I open the envelope, take out the box, to find a laser, assembled and ready to go. My first thought to my teenage self is "turn it on" so I click the button. and nothing.. no batteries. I grab a few and take a look at the inside. both sides have springs... what?!? I used my electronics knowledge to decide that I should try going negative down first (through casing). It worked! for all of 3 minutes. It just dimmed severely. I figured that the batteries were dieng and so I replaced them. I popped the non-rechargable in. nothing. I decided that the contacts were bad so I shook it. nothing. I took out the battery and lo- and behold, one of the few smells I can detect; burning. not very happy. am contacting Joker. will keep updated

Edit:joker has offered to repair the laser for me, thanks, Etian!
 
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Re: Scifi lasers- how I dropped 140 USD for 4 minutes

You probably put the batteries in the wrong spot, that's why it dims so quickly. Mine is all positive in first.
 
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Re: Scifi lasers- how I dropped 140 USD for 4 minutes

positive to diode or switch?
 

Benm

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Re: Scifi lasers- how I dropped 140 USD for 4 minutes

It would be quite unusual for a product to work at all on inverted batteries - it could obviously get damaged (burned out of that matter) but i hardly see any mechanism to make it work for a few minutes and then suddenly die.
 
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Re: Scifi lasers- how I dropped 140 USD for 4 minutes

It would be quite unusual for a product to work at all on inverted batteries - it could obviously get damaged (burned out of that matter) but i hardly see any mechanism to make it work for a few minutes and then suddenly die.

just tested it with a multimeter. dead. the thing will pass ~3mA of current with 6 applied volts. resistance thru the driver is 3kOhms. all connections are good
 
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Re: Scifi lasers- how I dropped 140 USD for 4 minutes

Put your batteries positive facing the diode and neg facing switch.
 

Davidx

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Re: Scifi lasers- how I dropped 140 USD for 4 minutes

Their must be a simple way to prevent putting batteries in backwards from killing the laser. I personally mark the tail caps with either a plus or minus.
Sorry to hear after waiting a month,your laser died the first day.
 
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GR3EN

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Re: Scifi lasers- how I dropped 140 USD for 4 minutes

All Sci fi laser batteries go in positive first negative to tailcap. If I recall correctly. Always ask first if unsure is always a good rule. Even the smallest of doubt.
 
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Re: Scifi lasers- how I dropped 140 USD for 4 minutes

didnt u get a manual with the laser? it says there how put in them correct.
 
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Re: Scifi lasers- how I dropped 140 USD for 4 minutes

I highly doubt it was a polarity problem, The 16X 405nm diodes are a bit touchy when getting anything over 550~600mA you say you were seeing 1W of power so maybe driver may have been set at 600mA(at a guess)
Tell us more about your 3 minutes of life?
Did you turn it off or on during the 3 minutes? was it on constantly for 3 minutes while burning etc.? did it flicker during 3 mins, did you feel any heat during 3 mins runtime?

Also did you get get the "Arcane" or "501b" host? any information would help us give you an idea of the death of the poor diode

But either way, if you use your manners and give some respect to the Joker he will look after you and leave you More than Happy after this experience, Treat this as a learning after this is resolved
We All Do......
 
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Re: Scifi lasers- how I dropped 140 USD for 4 minutes

That laser has a duty cycle of 60 seconds on 60 off. If you run it a full 3 minutes you're taking a big risk. You also can't use the 3V disposables or you will get reduced power and very short battery life. Am not sure what driver he uses but it's not a boost driver and that diode needs over 6V to operate at full power.

Alan
 
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Re: Scifi lasers- how I dropped 140 USD for 4 minutes

Hes not going to tell us the truth if he did do a 3 minute runtime now......lol which is the Info i was trying to extract with my last post lol
oh well......
 
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Re: Scifi lasers- how I dropped 140 USD for 4 minutes

This 400mw from 0-Like I bought when they first came out, had it for years.
Something I always do is color the inside of the cap to denote polarity.
This would be a good idea, if everyone did it then everyone would look for it.
SANY0464_zpsnl4vhvk7.jpg

SANY0466_zpszujurlre.jpg


Or with a drill bit I make a couple dimples in the housing and mark with paint.
SANY0470_zpsiyglv2kh.jpg

These have been around and taken a beating, yet still the markings persist.

Another good idea for Joker is to put a rolled up piece of paper, make it cardstock so it wont crush and make it long enough it wont be unseen with instructions, that way people cant avoid it easily, hell have it painted red on the front and black on the back and tie it with a string to the tail cap spring, It's got to be idiot proof. That and in big dam print SAFETY GLASSES printed down the middle of this half red half black battery compartment length of paper tied to the tail cap spring with thin string.
 
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Re: Scifi lasers- how I dropped 140 USD for 4 minutes

I did run it for over a minute a few times, but not 3 minutes straight.
With the disposable batteries, i had figured that the effective duty cycle would be longer. (6.2 volts vs 8.4 volts)
Edit: no manual came with my laser.
 
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GSS

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Re: Scifi lasers- how I dropped 140 USD for 4 minutes

RedCowboy your right, I try to mark mine one way or another weather its masking tape and a pen or hospital tape till I find a source for premade stick ons. The thing with the Joker is he sends the manual via email and thats even if it comes. Sorry joker with all do respect you should send a paper copy with all your products, does it really costs all that more:thinking::) RedCowboy I also just saw your card paper style insert you mentioned you couldnt have described it any better!! Sorry
 
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APEX1

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Re: Scifi lasers- how I dropped 140 USD for 4 minutes

If you put the batteries in the wrong way like some are saying it wouldn't lite up at all. I doubt the drivers he uses have reverse protection! so with that said it would die. Thejoker doesn't send out bad lasers so its most likely something simple that killed it
 




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