Laser help

[AvengedSevenfold Fan]

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10095

I have a green 50mW laser capable of popping balloons and stuff, but I want a little more power. Im getting the above laser, but I need a cheap source of power for it. Im looking at this:

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=114

but I dont want to assemble it. If anything all I want to have to do is solder red to red, and black to black. Can anyone help me out?

PROBLEM SOLVED

[kcajblue]

is there any place where they sell the ones strong enough to pop balloons for a cheap price.

cause im probably just going to try and get a cheap one and make it stronger.

[AvengedSevenfold Fan]

you should prolly do some researching, but the cheap ones generally do not have IR filters, therefore making them dangerous. but visit dealextreme and kaidomain and you'll find some adequate green lasers. you need at least 50mW for balloon popping.

you should visit candlepowerforums.com also to ask around, or talk to me on aim or msn, ([email protected] for msn) and ill explain to you everything you need to know. im only on msn once in a while though.

[bah]

Any laser that can pop a balloon is dangerous to whatever its pointed at, especially eyes. :)

At least you can get the things in the US, in Australia customs will take any lasers other than piss weak laser pointers and send you a letter of how to pay your big fine. :(


To quote the dealextreme page: "I used a 5V DC breadboard power supply from Sparkfun.com to power this. Just hook up the red wire on the laser to VCC and black to GND, and you're done. A battery pack that can produce 5V will also work (red to +, black to -)." - I like how they added that. I worry for people playing with 50mW+ lasers that don't know + from -.

Thats what you linked to at sparkfun, whats the problem?
You just need a DC adaptor with enough juice and to connect the 2 power wires.

[AvengedSevenfold Fan]

Any laser that can pop a balloon is dangerous to whatever its pointed at, especially eyes. :)

At least you can get the things in the US, in Australia customs will take any lasers other than piss weak laser pointers and send you a letter of how to pay your big fine. :(


To quote the dealextreme page: "I used a 5V DC breadboard power supply from Sparkfun.com to power this. Just hook up the red wire on the laser to VCC and black to GND, and you're done. A battery pack that can produce 5V will also work (red to +, black to -)." - I like how they added that. I worry for people playing with 50mW+ lasers that don't know + from -.

Thats what you linked to at sparkfun, whats the problem?
You just need a DC adaptor with enough juice and to connect the 2 power wires.

The breadboard on sparkfun requires assembly and a lot of soldering. I did end up finding a DC adapter though, so problem solved. And that sucks for the Australia laws.

[mexicansnake]

I know how to MAKE 250mw hand lasers...

[bah]

Yeah, we've all seen the video (http://lifehacker.com/software/diy/turn-a-flashlight-into-a-handheld-burning-laser-287252.php) that was on /. a fair while back.

[mexicansnake]

Yeah, we've all seen the video (http://lifehacker.com/software/diy/turn-a-flashlight-into-a-handheld-burning-laser-287252.php) that was on /. a fair while back.

As far I can tell that video doesnt work cuz it doesnt even explain which batteries to use. Since you can overvolt the diode you need 1.2V found in rechargeable batteries, also you must use thermal pastes like arctic 5,
you must take CARE about how much MAH are feeding the diode cuz you can burn it thought.

That guide is just pathetic, it doesnt explain how to install the diodes, how to unistall them, how to remove them...

Maybe I should post a REAL guide of how to make one :D.

[kcajblue]

do it.
so i can make my own using a better detailed guide.

[mexicansnake]

do it.
so i can make my own using a better detailed guide.

Sure Ill link some guides :D, also I know how to make military smoke bombs and fireballs that you can hold in your hands :D.

[kcajblue]

lol. you know like everything about pyro stuff dont you.

remember my balloon thread back in the junk days.
i think i still have some of those vids up. lol.

[bah]

The video is not a howto its a rough proof of concept demonstration.

There is a brief set of instructions linked underneath, it even mentions thermal paste as you did so I'm guessing you didn't read them before calling the link pathetic.

If the laser is rated at 3v when 2 alkaline cells should be fine, it worked for him. Non rechargeable batteries loose voltage along with capacity (especially under high drain) so they wont be 1.5 for long. Rechargeables tend to maintain their 1.2 till the point they are almost completely flat then the voltage drops suddenly along with the ability to supply current.

No need to get high and mighty, my point was just that the ability to make a laser pointer from a DVD burner is well known. The way you capitalised 'MAKE' made it sound like it was something uncommon.
I'm sure a google would turn up a more thorough guide.

[mexicansnake]

The video is not a howto its a rough proof of concept demonstration.

There is a brief set of instructions linked underneath, it even mentions thermal paste as you did so I'm guessing you didn't read them before calling the link pathetic.

If the laser is rated at 3v when 2 alkaline cells should be fine, it worked for him. Non rechargeable batteries loose voltage along with capacity (especially under high drain) so they wont be 1.5 for long. Rechargeables tend to maintain their 1.2 till the point they are almost completely flat then the voltage drops suddenly along with the ability to supply current.

No need to get high and mighty, my point was just that the ability to make a laser pointer from a DVD burner is well known. The way you capitalised 'MAKE' made it sound like it was something uncommon.
I'm sure a google would turn up a more thorough guide.


Indeed, maybe its not pathetic but its not accurate. Dude the laser was never rated at 3v!, at least the DVD diodes are not!, so you say it worked for him? yeah but 2 minutes until he fried it. It doesnt matter if they lower the voltage as you say cuz you need less than a minute to fire a dvd diode with a pair of AA alkalines (most common and less dangerous than the new metallic ones) with 1.5V.

Is common to "hear" about it not to do it, tons of noobs tried in some forums I visite I saw thounsands of threads consisting that they fired the diode :p, do you even know how hard is to take out a dvd diode from its original heatsink?. Do you know how fragile is it? cuz if you drop it or overheat it by soldering the "pins" or removing it you will end up with just garbage. The guide is good but it doesnt explain a couple of things wich are vital for the making of the dvd laser.

But your points are reasonable.

[bah]

Aren't the lasers in DVD writers designed to pulse not create a constant stream?
I was under the impression the reason you couldn't keep a homemade laser on for long periods of time was due to overheating because of that, rather than over-volting them.

I'm guessing you meant mA not mAh in your first post, the capacity of the battery isn't an issue, voltage and (perhaps) current can be.

Are lasers special in some way that you have to worry about amps? I thought they had some kind of (adjustable) controller that gave the diode what it needs.
Normally too many volts will fry something, but a circuit will only draw the current it needs. You can hook several batteries together in parallel and connect them to most devices no problems for extra battery life (a bloke on these forums did it with 3 battery packs in parallel for his PSP).

My electronics knowledge is pretty basic.... :)

[mexicansnake]

Aren't the lasers in DVD writers designed to pulse not create a constant stream?
I was under the impression the reason you couldn't keep a homemade laser on for long periods of time was due to overheating because of that, rather than over-volting them.

I'm guessing you meant mA not mAh in your first post, the capacity of the battery isn't an issue, voltage and (perhaps) current can be.

Are lasers special in some way that you have to worry about amps? I thought they had some kind of (adjustable) controller that gave the diode what it needs.
Normally too many volts will fry something, but a circuit will only draw the current it needs. You can hook several batteries together in parallel and connect them to most devices no problems for extra battery life (a bloke on these forums did it with 3 battery packs in parallel for his PSP).

My electronics knowledge is pretty basic.... :)

Well Im not also an expert but Ill study electronics in a few months and my physics teacher gave me good reading stuff.

The DVD diodes produce a constant beam but is not a line is a curve.

Well you can overheat the diode by overvolting it :), basically it doesnt have resistors so all the current will be like in a bottleneck producing heat.

Well I meant mAh well at least we writte it like that in spanish (sorry for my english ignorance Im still learning it:p). The capacity is not an issue while using it (just less battery life) I meant how much capacity does the circuit feed to the laser, thats why they use a maglite :). The DVD drive has resistors and special circuits to avoid overvolting, overheating... The diode is just a diode it just produces the beam and like everything amounts of heat.

Yeah! the circuit would draw the needed volts but we are not using a circuit! thats why you could fry the diode!, if you put more than 2.5 you would fry it in a pair of minutes. But your idea is awesome!, some laser hackers actually do that! they put several batteries with special circuits and resistors to have HUGE battery life, but having 2 rechargeable batteries
of 2500MaH each one would be enough to have alot of fun for hours :).

I may be wrong but thats what I read on tutorials, books and websites.