TTL driver question...

[warriorx15]

Hey guys so I know I'ved already bugged some people with this but I'm still not too sure after researching a ton. So I bought : Laser Diode Driver Board 20-300mA, TTL Control - eBay (item 160421245909 end time Jan-01-11 12:43:41 PST)

And it has TWO +VE on the input side (bottom) and I was wondering what I should do if I am not using the TTL for a PHR 405nm diode. Should I solder a 2 way wire to the TTL and normal +VE for a single postive wire to the battery or should I ignore the TTL +VE side and just use the +VE side?

 

[warriorx15]

Umm well then. Bump :lasergun:

 

[sampson]

Hey guys so I know I'ved already bugged some people with this but I'm still not too sure after researching a ton. So I bought : Laser Diode Driver Board 20-300mA, TTL Control - eBay (item 160421245909 end time Jan-01-11 12:43:41 PST)

And it has TWO +VE on the input side (bottom) and I was wondering what I should do if I am not using the TTL for a PHR 405nm diode. Should I solder a 2 way wire to the TTL and normal +VE for a single postive wire to the battery or should I ignore the TTL +VE side and just use the +VE side?

From the auction itself:

"When the TTL +ve is not connected the output is a few mA, when it is powered above 2.5V the driver is enabled; it can be connected to power +ve for continuous operation. The TTL control can be used to switch the laser at rates up to 10kHz. Board colour (the printed solder-resist layer) may be green or red depending on production batch."

So if you want "normal" constant wave operation you need to connect your V+ to both the +VE and TTL +VE on this driver.

It's worth noting that other drivers may be backwards from this one.. meaning that TTL would be GND for CW operation.

 

[warriorx15]

From the auction itself:

"When the TTL +ve is not connected the output is a few mA, when it is powered above 2.5V the driver is enabled; it can be connected to power +ve for continuous operation. The TTL control can be used to switch the laser at rates up to 10kHz. Board colour (the printed solder-resist layer) may be green or red depending on production batch."

So if you want "normal" constant wave operation you need to connect your V+ to both the +VE and TTL +VE on this driver.

It's worth noting that other drivers may be backwards from this one.. meaning that TTL would be GND for CW operation.

Ok so just to confirm... V+ means the 2 way wire right?

 

[sampson]

Ok so just to confirm... V+ means the 2 way wire right?

I not sure what you mean by "2 way wire". If you mean hook up a wire between the V+ in and the TTL then then answer is YES. Both the V+ in and the TTL should get V+ from battery for CW operation.

 

[warriorx15]

Ummm by 2 way wire I mean a "Y" shaped wire where the 2 points are soldered onto the TTL +VE and the normal +VE to make a single wire to the positive diode pin

 

[sampson]

Ummm by 2 way wire I mean a "Y" shaped wire where the 2 points are soldered onto the TTL +VE and the normal +VE to make a single wire to the positive diode pin

TTL +VE and +VE go to the positive current source (switch then battery?) using your "2 way wire.

POWER & TTL -VE goes to the negative supply.

Like this:

 

[warriorx15]

TTL +VE and +VE go to the positive current source (switch then battery?) using your "2 way wire.

POWER & TTL -VE goes to the negative supply.

Like this:

That is exactly what i was looking for. One LAST question though. What should I do with the two -VE outputs to the diode? Should I also use a two way wire, or just use the one on the right that doesn't say null?

BTW +1 Rep perfect answer

 

[sampson]

^^ When powering 405nm diodes I've never connected the CASE pin. I would clip the case pin and leave the NULL unconnected but someone else may want to chime in on this because I'm not certain on this one.

 

[jameser]

yeah, you probably just want to leave out the "-ve or null" terminal. ive recently finnished my 803t with the same circuit and thats what i did (and it works, at around 100mw).

 

[warriorx15]

^^ When powering 405nm diodes I've never connected the CASE pin. I would clip the case pin and leave the NULL unconnected but someone else may want to chime in on this because I'm not certain on this one.

0.0 Really? Theres a bunch of people who have said if you want the battery negative at the bottom just connect the battery input wire to the case pin so the negative charge can use the host itself as a conductor to the bottom spring. BTW how do you get the wire down to the spring at the bottom then?

yeah, you probably just want to leave out the "-ve or null" terminal. ive recently finnished my 803t with the same circuit and thats what i did (and it works, at around 100mw).

Awsome! Well, how did you get the wire from the driver (power supply negative) to the bottom part of your host? Did you just solder it onto the case pin? Or did you directly solder the case pin with the negative pin? Or otherwise?

 

[jameser]

eeerrr, well my host (cr123a torch) was case negative so i kept the diode housing isolated(its anodized) and put it in an aluminium heatsink which i soldered the - connection to and screwed it into the torch, (its not as complicated as you think, i'll try and get some pics). And i just cut off the diode case pin.
Hope this helped.

 

[warriorx15]

eeerrr, well my host (cr123a torch) was case negative so i kept the diode housing isolated(its anodized) and put it in an aluminium heatsink which i soldered the - connection to and screwed it into the torch, (its not as complicated as you think, i'll try and get some pics). And i just cut off the diode case pin.
Hope this helped.

Oh so you soldered the - wire to the heatsink itself?

Also what voltage are you running your diode/driver at? Whats the source?

 

[jameser]

yeah i soldered the - input wire from driver to the heatsink, and at the moment it's running on two cr123a '(so about 7.2 volts).
My meter is a bit messed up so, although i woudn't advise this, i just turned the laser on and (carefully and slowly) adjusted the pot until the uncollimated beam was at it's brightest.