[video]Heavy problems with RDTech's 445nm laser

[borgqueenx]

I just received the blue laser from forum user RDTech.

There is one big problem with this laser. the output power is about 1~10mw IMO. i cant measure it, but it wont burn anything and i cant see it 7 meters away...
And i bought a 1W laser...
I ofcource charged the battery, but it was already charged according to my trustfire charger.
I also tried another battery that runs great in my flashlight without dropping in power, but doesnt chance anything in the laser.
I payed alot of money for this laser and i hope i didnt got scammed...not talking bad about that user yet, i also did about usps but it appeared against all odds...but damn im sad now
Here's the link of the laser i bought:
http://laserpointerforums.com/f39/fs-125-ss-1w-445nm-pointer-w-rear-switch-56630.html

And here is a video i made to help you see what im seeing...
YouTube - 5mw blue laser...

i really, really, really need help and a solution to this problem...

 

[Lazy Laser]

Man I really do feel for you...First the shipping problem now this.
Hope you get it fixed some how? Either way best of luck dude.



LL

 

[borgqueenx]

Here is a photo of inside the laser...
http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/7225/img3715m.jpg

I already contacted RDTech and he said i needed to ship it back...there goes my dream for at least 2 weeks oh well he's kind to me, he wants to pay shipping costs...

Sigh, first a shitty battery life laser by forum user likeitbright, then a crap quality laser by darkarmyofone wich broke very fast, and now this 1W laser that outputs like 5mw...

 

[RDTech]

Yes, I am sorry for your bad luck in the past. I have no issues repairing it ir refunding money IF defective. I have NEVER sent a laser out defective, look at my profile and ebay feedback. I have no control over postal service and sometime things get damaged. SEND IT BACK asap, give me the total amount and I'll pay it, one it arrives I'll figure out the problem and fix it.

Mitch

 

[Eudaimonium]

I could be wrong here, but that is exactly how a laser made for 2X 16340 behaves when fed only one 18650 cell.

Linear driver, not enough input voltage, though only enough to make it shine, somewhat.

What is the driver that RDTech used? Linear or boost driver?

 

[RDTech]

Laser built with boost and was made for 18650, as I stated in post. I have made over 10 of these with no problem. I do feel like im under the microscope now, sorry about this. I explained I can and will repair this. It is NOT a linear driver.

 

[Eudaimonium]

Laser built with boost and was made for 18650, as I stated in post. I have made over 10 of these with no problem. I do feel like im under the microscope now, sorry about this. I explained I can and will repair this. It is NOT a linear driver.

If that's the case, these are very weird sympthomps ... :can:

How can that be? If driver broke, diode would not even light up, or would light up as LED, and if the entier thing is shorted, that is diode direct-driven, it would light up much much stronger.

When you get the laser back, make sure to investigate the problem. I'm curious now.

 

[borgqueenx]

Yes, I am sorry for your bad luck in the past. I have no issues repairing it ir refunding money IF defective. I have NEVER sent a laser out defective, look at my profile and ebay feedback. I have no control over postal service and sometime things get damaged. SEND IT BACK asap, give me the total amount and I'll pay it, one it arrives I'll figure out the problem and fix it.

Mitch

it came here very nice packaged and not damaged at all....it cant be damaged by the post service...

 

[borgqueenx]

i have two other 18650 batteries that my 900lumen flashlight likes alot...and i have seen reviews that they always work. ASUCell is something i never heard before, and seems like a budget battery. i can ofcource be wrong because i did not investigate...but im charging 2 of these quality 18650 batterys now...If those do not work...im packaging it again, and making it ready for shipment on monday.

EDIT: isnt there something really stopid that we're missing here?
Did i forget to screw something open or so...
Do i need to lay it in a hot room...since its cold up here...about 5~10 degrees celcius.
Maby clean something up...

and sorry to double post.

EDIT:
AFTER READING THIS TOPIC AGAIN AND AGAIN, I SAW Eudaimonium SAID IT MABY COULD TAKE 16340 BATTERIES. I TRIED THOSE, AND DAMN MY EYES!
i only shined on the wall so far without protective gear because i didnt thought something would happen. But daaaaaamn this laser is suddenly bright as hell!

Maybe you made a accident at the building process that it doesnt take 18650? is it save to keep using these batteries? i immediatly turned off the laser because i dont know if this is safe.

Reply ASAP, i wanna play and burnnnnn

 

[Eudaimonium]

Discussed over MSN.

RDTech, is it possible you mistook that laser for some other?
You said you sold 10 already, so maybe you have a lot of same lasers, and perhaps one was meant for 2x lithium ion cells with linear driver, and another one was meant for boost driver, and you switched those two?

In any case, I have offered my help with this laser to BorgQueen, since I am too in Europe and shipping would be fairly quicker and less expensive.

If you agree, I'd like your points in disassembly procedure with this laser. I can also make a boost driver to for the laser to accept one 18650 cell, or repair the existing one.

 

[ped]

Where abouts are you borgqueen?

 

[borgqueenx]

Where abouts are you borgqueen?

Netherlandzzz..
it costs 24,10 euro to ship it back to you RDTech. for also about 5 days shipping. But i do like the idea from Eudaimonium...
and he seems he has alot of knowledge about lasers to

 

[daguin]

Until we KNOW what the driver is, I would NOT power it with the two 16340's. If it is bright with the 16340's, the diode is not blown. Do not blow the driver with excess voltage.

Can you power the laser with a bench PSU?

Try cleaning the spring contact points and the top and bottom of the battery.

Try stretching the contact spring a bit or using some sort of spacer to increase the pressure on the contact points. Make sure that your spacer doesn't short against the housing.

Make sure that the spring contact is not too long and bending over to make a short against the housing

Peace,
dave

**EDIT** Looking at the picture, I am also wondering if maybe the positive contact on the battery (or the spring) is making contact with one of those solder bumps. Try masking off the top of the battery with something so that only the center of the positive contact on the battery is exposed. Alternatively, you could place a small magnet on the top of the battery to hold the top of the battery away from the solder bumps

 

[borgqueenx]

Until we KNOW what the driver is, I would NOT power it with the two 16340's. If it is bright with the 16340's, the diode is not blown. Do not blow the driver with excess voltage.

Can you power the laser with a bench PSU?

Try cleaning the spring contact points and the top and bottom of the battery.

Try stretching the contact spring a bit or using some sort of spacer to increase the pressure on the contact points. Make sure that your spacer doesn't short against the housing.

Make sure that the spring contact is not too long and bending over to make a short against the housing

Peace,
dave

**EDIT** Looking at the picture, I am also wondering if maybe the positive contact on the battery (or the spring) is making contact with one of those solder bumps. Try masking off the top of the battery with something so that only the center of the positive contact on the battery is exposed. Alternatively, you could place a small magnet on the top of the battery to hold the top of the battery away from the solder bumps

i dont know what a PSU is, so i think i dont have one.

still waiting on those other 18650 batteries to charge. will test them out anyway today, completly charcged or not charged. i dont think i possess a magnet in the correct size to put between the battery and spring...
i already tried to do a bit of cleaning...
But thanks for trying to help, appriciated

EDIT: just tried a not-complely charged 18650 of my own, high quality...desame output as with the 18650 RDTech supplied.
RDTech's 18650 says 3.7V, and mine says 4.2V and 2.75V.
I sooooo hope he made a mistake and i can use those smaller batteries...

Its really killing me that i saw the full power of this laser but cant use it because i might kill it witht hose batteries.
aaaaargh!

 

[daguin]

i dont know what a PSU is, so i think i dont have one.

still waiting on those other 18650 batteries to charge. will test them out anyway today, completly charcged or not charged. i dont think i possess a magnet in the correct size to put between the battery and spring...
i already tried to do a bit of cleaning...
But thanks for trying to help, appriciated

EDIT: just tried a not-complely charged 18650 of my own, high quality...desame output as with the 18650 RDTech supplied.
RDTech's 18650 says 3.7V, and mine says 4.2V and 2.75V.
I sooooo hope he made a mistake and i can use those smaller batteries...

Its really killing me that i saw the full power of this laser but cant use it because i might kill it witht hose batteries.
aaaaargh!

PSU = power supply

Let the battery charge fully before testing. The result of your "experiment" with the 16340's shows that the laser works when it gets sufficient voltage/current. That means it is NOT something broken or failed in the electronics (diode or driver) of the laser. It is a power supply (battery) problem or a connection problem

Once again, let the battery charge fully before you try it again. Then you still have several other things to try (explained above) before you mail it off to someone

Peace,
dave

 

[JLSE]

Id test the current draw that the laser is using... If the driver was
mistaken and is not boost, there will only be a 2-300mA draw.

If the laser is drawing upward 1A or more, than something is
really wrong.

If you try to power a 445 with an AMC7135 for example, using
a single 3.6v cell, the diode will only see a little over 200mA.

Drop a second battery in, and the 7135 kicks on at full.


Test your current and you will have a better idea of what is happening.