Spent a weekend experimenting with stuffing M140s into pen hosts.

[Sumfinclever]

I had fun with these, and learned a couple things. Killed one diode in the process R.I.P., but he didn't die in vain.

I've always loved the idea of big power in a small package. Each unit is outputting 1300 to 1400mw with a single freshly charged 10440 cell. I happen to be sitting on a 'few' M140s, and have been testing some of the cheap Chinese drivers. Got a couple boards in the mail on Friday, along with a pack of copper modules w/3E glass from Jordan. Had nothing else to do, so I decided to experiment a bit. The drivers are the little yellow boost boards sold from Lilly electronics on fleabay/anazom.

I used a couple more of those little Defiant pens that I bought over the holidays specifically for laser purposes. Then the last one was a little Rayovac pen I picked up at Walmart for a couple bucks. Yes they get warm fast, and yes the battery life is shorter than most trips to the bathroom. Still, I managed to accomplish exactly what I set out to do, so I'm not complaining.

PS: Bonus picture included of the cabinet I burnt while trying to get a couple beam shots. WHOOPS!

 

[GSS]

Nice and yup those Defiant pen lights are fun to mod.
Can you show possibly show a link of the cheap driver's as last time I remembered they had alot..

 

[Sumfinclever]

Nice and yup those Defiant pen lights are fun to mod.
Can you show possibly show a link of the cheap driver's as last time I remembered they had alot..

I agree, definitely was a fun challenge to work with with such tight size constraints. Do you know any other places that sell Defiant lights, or is it just a Home Depot brand? I actually bought a 2 pack of their black 2xAA sized flashlights last weekend too. Ordered a few things from Jordan yesterday to build a beefy 465nm in one this week. Preliminary fitment testing far exceeded my expectations.



As far as the driver boards, the cheapest I have found them was through a seller on fleabay. Should be able to find the exact listing if you search for item# 191903871453. Their price for a pair of boards is less than many other vendors charge for a single one.

They work well, but there are a couple caveats. The only through holes you can solder to are for the pos terminal on the end. The pads for the other contacts are crap. Second, they are just barely too long to fit inside a standard aixiz back half without modifying the board or module. That said, where there's a will, there's a way

 

[GSS]

I have 2 of the Defiant builds. I didn't mod them though.
I have 405nm bdr 209 doing I believe 650mW that "Liftime17" made for me and,
a PL520 in the other at 100mW that "Pman" made for me..
Pman would be the one to ask as he was a maniac at building pen builds. He's not on much lately though but I would send him a PM and hope he logs on. He did do ALOT of shopping at Home Depot

That big Axis sink looks good!!

 

[Sumfinclever]

That big Axis sink looks good!!

Lol I can't tell you just how excited I was when it not only fit perfectly, but had zero play when I threaded the tube into the head. Now I just gotta play the waiting game as USPS pretends to be efficient at delivering things promptly lol.

 

[BowtieGuy]

I think the Defiant lights are a Home Depot brand product, I've never seen them anywhere else.
I bought a handful on sale at Christmas time a few years ago, built a few, gave some away, and still have one or two left over to do something with.
Here's what I did with one of my builds; "Home Depot Defiant Pen"

Edit: I went looking again, and found these on Amazon, don't know if they're real Defiant lights or just similar, but they look like the real deal.

 

[Sumfinclever]

I think the Defiant lights are a Home Depot brand product, I've never seen them anywhere else.
I bought a handful on sale at Christmas time a few years ago, built a few, gave some away, and still have one or two left over to do something with.
Here's what I did with one of my builds; "Home Depot Defiant Pen"

Edit: I went looking again, and found these on Amazon, don't know if they're real Defiant lights or just similar, but they look like the real deal.

You now, it's kinda funny, but I finally arrived at the same conclusion about cutting off the back of the model to make it fit. Only I didn't think of that until I was having problems fitting everything into that little rayovac pen. Me thinks I may need to revisit the assembly of the two defiant pens with the scroll saw and some Arctic silver.

I hadn't actually searched for the defiant ones on Amazon, but I did come across these which look a wee bit roomier.

That freaking Rayovac pen tho... There's zero room left inside. Happy with the result, but really wish the copper wasn't sticking out

 

[GSS]

Wow Jeff, I remember that build and cannot believe it was 3 years ago.
Time fly's when you get old

 

[BowtieGuy]

You got that right Pete, I know that I just built that pen recently, ....or so it seems!
Getting old is a bitch, but it sure beats the alternatives!

 

[RedCowboy]

Wow Jeff, I remember that build and cannot believe it was 3 years ago.
Time fly's when you get old

You got that right Pete, I know that I just built that pen recently, ....or so it seems!
Getting old is a bitch, but it sure beats the alternatives!

LOL, Yea no doubt, too much daily grind and not enough YOLO moments to mark the passage of time makes it all blur together........but hey, lasers are cool.

Looks like you're having fun Sumfinclever, how are those single 10440 cells holding up ? Also what boost driver are you using and can you provide a link ? Never mind I think I found it.


Better deal @ 2 for $14

2pcs 445nm 450nm 1W-1.4W High Power Blue Laser Diode Driver Board Circuit 3.7V | eBay

Wavelength:445nm 447nm 450nm. Pin definition: the PCB board shows positive and negative wiring schematic. Reverse Polarity Protection:None.

www.ebay.com

Also I found a lilly site outside of ebay which is interesting but I did not see the drivers there : http://www.lillyelectronics.com/


----EDIT----
BTW has anyone tested this sharp diode yet ?

Sharp GH04C01A2G 450nm 1650mW Blue Laser Diode/TO18 5.6mm/Brand NEW | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Sharp GH04C01A2G 450nm 1650mW Blue Laser Diode/TO18 5.6mm/Brand NEW at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[LaserRanger]

I've been doing this to a lot of AAA pen lights. I bore out front enough to have the thread part fit through and the back half of a copper module works as a retaining ring/heatsink. I've probably done 4 different pen lights from home depot like this little husky single AAA flashlight and I did the same with the 2 AAA light. This driver also works with a single alkaline AAA battery

 

[Sumfinclever]

Looks like you're having fun Sumfinclever, how are those single 10440 cells holding up ? Also what boost driver are you using and can you provide a link ? Never mind I think I found it.

Better deal @ 2 for $14

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2pcs-445nm...there : [URL]http://www.lillyelectronics.com/

You bet your boots I've been having fun . The 10440s are holding up okay. As you might imagine, they don't last super long. But 300mah is enough for probably 10 or 15 minutes of runtime drawing 1.3A. I usually keep a small container in my backpack with a few extras, as well as a spare set of 21700s for my vape mod. So in the event I get hit with the lasing craving but then run out of juice, it ain't no thang.

Yeah prices on these little yellow drivers varies quite a bit vendor to vendor. The item number I posted was 2/ $10 unless they raised the price. The seller wasn't actually Lilly electronics, but that's the name printed on the antistatic bags. They're also listed on Amazon, sold by both Q-Baihe and Lilly Electronics. Which reminds me, ya'll should message both Lilly & Q-Baihe through amazon, urging them to make these FBO/Prime w/2 day delivery. I messaged Lilly last week; figure if they have enough people ask, they may send a case to Amazon for a trial run.

I've been doing this to a lot of AAA pen lights. I bore out front enough to have the thread part fit through and the back half of a copper module works as a retaining ring/heatsink. I've probably done 4 different pen lights from home depot like this little husky single AAA flashlight and I did the same with the 2 AAA light. This driver also works with a single alkaline AAA battery

Very nice, I saw the Husky one a while back but haven't tried building in one yet. What diode are you pushing with a single alkaline AAA, and what kind of output & runtime are you seeing? That kinda looks like the 405/445 boost driver from Aixiz. If it's what I think it is, I've got one sitting on the bench at home that I need to make use of in the near future.

 

[Sumfinclever]

You got that right Pete, I know that I just built that pen recently, ....or so it seems!
Getting old is a bitch, but it sure beats the alternatives!

So true. I turned 30 last year, and I'm feeling that bitch nagging more and more every morning. Luckily she still shuts up with offerings of coffee and ibuprofen, for a little while anyway lol

 

[trinh hong phuoc]

nice buddy
hey RCB
I tested those diodes, they have the same parameters as osram diodes , just have a bit diffirent ,it is 460nm when i run at 1.7a,very nice beam,can say they are similar color to m08 at 4A

 

[RedCowboy]

nice buddy
hey RCB
I tested those diodes, they have the same parameters as osram diodes , just have a bit diffirent ,it is 460nm when i run at 1.7a,very nice beam,can say they are similar color to m08 at 4A

Nice, I like the color of the NUBM0A and NUBM08 just hate that GBall, but because these sharp diodes are 460nm and have good divergence like the PLTB450B then I will have to get some.

 

[trinh hong phuoc]

Actually no one is interested in this new diode, I have used 5, get it, the price is never bad ,I have not ventured to push them to 2A, which is really meaningless when I do not have LPM, Hope you can try them and have an official topic
Edit; sorry for lost topic