DIY modules, drivers and diodes

[Zoof]

What are the go-to options nowadays for drivers and diodes?
Mainly because my red module sort-of-died. The suspected fault is the power IC on the driver board that may have developed a fault after experiencing a “externally induced power transient”. Not sure of the source of the driver board anymore.

So I could troubleshoot the driver or just replace it along with the 2 laser diodes since I expect things to have moved along in 10 years.

The blue DIY module is fine but beamquality isn’t great. Diode is of the type that was harvested from a Sony(?) overhead projector that for the first time used an array of blue laser diodes - and needs anamorphic prism pair to shape the beam to be reasonably round/square. A pointer to a new pretty 450nm - 460nm diode would be appreciated.

[Draco]

DTR has a lot of diode options on that site Dtrslasershop.com. He has optics as well and then fleabay.

Not sure on laser drivers, the Simpledrive was a nice and easy to use laser driver but after war broke out with Ukraine that supply has dried up and now have the same problem, finding a good driver. The common analog drivers from eBay and made in China have bandwidth limitations around 10khz and can cause display problems at higher speeds (wrong displayed color, trails due to the beam not being cut off fast enough) so I have been looking for replacement options as well. The Simpledrive has a bandwidth of 100khz and work very well. The Flexmod P3 is another from Innolasers and they are out of stock and not seen one in some time. Wavelength electronics has analog drivers but they are not cheap and not plug and play. Lasertack.com out of Germany has an analog driver as well but it's around 100 bucks as well. I have a used WLD33 from Wavelength Electronics that I found on eBay on the way but that driver needs external parts, and they have an evaluation board for these as well.

The ones from China found on eBay are dirt cheap, I have two in service with one failed one to fix, it does a single pulse at a higher power, on power up and blew out a 100 dollar laser diode so will be testing them with an LED first.
I hope there are other options out there.

Draco

[Zoof]

Does anyone recognize this driver and have more information about it?

[swamidog]

Does anyone recognize this driver and have more information about it?

that's a flexmod driver from drlava.

[Zoof]

DTR has a lot of diode options on that site Dtrslasershop.com. He has optics as well and then fleabay.
….
Draco

Thanks Draco, that has some nice pointers. All Chinese drivers I can find are TTL only. Given your experience I would probably spend a little more on a proper driver if I can find one. Turns out I have a flexmod. My other driver is a die4drive, which is working perfectly.

[Zoof]

that's a flexmod driver from drlava.

Thanks! I had a faint notion that this was drlava’s driver but was clueless on the name.
Managed to find the documentation. That will help.

I’m using it to drive my red dual diode module. Always worked great, just recently the output severely reduced. At first I thought it would be a bust diode, however, both diodes output an equal low amount. That would be too much of a coincidence, both diodes degrading the same amount at the same time.
It appears the drive isn’t outputting the right current anymore:110mA per diode instead of what I probably set to 200mA per diode.

I ruled out a modulation issue by swapping channels.

Since the projector experienced a power transient when someone plugged his faulty projector into my extension cord at some event about 15 years ago. It destroyed (litterally) my Riya and laptop. The green CNI dpss took a hit but could readjust it to get higher output again - seems to be working properly. I’m guessing the flexmod took a hit as well and is now showing up.
So I’m thinking about replacing the mosfet on the flexmod.
However, Would a damaged mosfet fail in this manner?
Any thought on this analysis are welcome

[swamidog]

i don't know enough about how they work to say. probably the best bet would be to reach out to dr.lava.

Thanks! I had a faint notion that this was drlava’s driver but was clueless on the name.
Managed to find the documentation. That will help.

I’m using it to drive my red dual diode module. Always worked great, just recently the output severely reduced. At first I thought it would be a bust diode, however, both diodes output an equal low amount. That would be too much of a coincidence, both diodes degrading the same amount at the same time.
It appears the drive isn’t outputting the right current anymore:110mA per diode instead of what I probably set to 200mA per diode.

I ruled out a modulation issue by swapping channels.

Since the projector experienced a power transient when someone plugged his faulty projector into my extension cord at some event about 15 years ago. It destroyed (litterally) my Riya and laptop. The green CNI dpss took a hit but could readjust it to get higher output again - seems to be working properly. I’m guessing the flexmod took a hit as well and is now showing up.
So I’m thinking about replacing the mosfet on the flexmod.
However, Would a damaged mosfet fail in this manner?
Any thought on this analysis are welcome

[Zoof]

i don't know enough about how they work to say. probably the best bet would be to reach out to dr.lava.

Yes, will reach out to him.

Anyone know anything about these drivers? I never used them but have them laying around after a trade.

[Draco]

If DrLava is of no help I think I still have a manual for a flexmod P3. I still have one laying around still.

[mixedgas]

These days you can buy an analog RGB module of decent quality at nearly the same cost at which you would pay for replacement parts.


Good analog drivers come from Poland and Russia... I'll get back to you with models, I'm out of the house today.

Steve