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Thread: Just got Die4Driver, and I am sure I will need help... ;)

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central Florida
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    7,067

    Red face


    I think I broke it... I get the same voltage from the 5 volt psu on the "LDA" power. When I was going to hook it up for a try the LDA+ came off and it took me several tries to get it back on. I think I somehow "erased" the part of the board that insulates the 5volt + and the LDA +... I didn't try the diode cause I tested it, but I don't think I can fix the board now... Maybe at FLEM...

    Off to bed. I got one day till the weekend.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Milwaukee WI
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by The_Doctor View Post
    If you want safe practise, find some broken widget with a circuit board and remake a few of its smaller solder joints to get the hang of timing the applying and removal of iron and solder for the neatest cleanest joint possible. Once you can repeatedly and easily get them as good as the originals you're good to go.

    So long as your wires and pads are very clean it will be just as easy.
    Doc, you're full of great advice, I've never thought about doing that! I have always been intimidated by soldering such small areas, I am so familiar with 12AWG that I could solder with duct (not DUCK... or better yet gaffers) tape covering my eyes (so no residue is left behind), hopping on one foot and one hand occupied playing with my laser projector!

    I digress

    I am thinking about buying one of these drivers as well, so I hope to see many pictures to see how to do it myself

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Florida
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    Default

    I'm tired now and reddy 4 beddy but here goes--
    (I think PL was offline for a little while tonite )

    Put a small amount of inner core fluxed solder 60/40 to 'tin' the tip of the soldering iron after it's hot , then wipe it clean with a water wetted clean sponge, put the tip of the iron to the pad or connection point just until it turns liquid, quickly push a small amount of solder into the connection, immediately remove the solder, then the iron. Dont move or breathe. The solder joint when cool (after 10 seconds) should look shiny,not dull. let it cool, then take alcohol and a brush to clean the flux off . If using ROHS solder (lead free) It's a whole different story.
    Hope that helped. Good luck.
    Steve

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central Florida
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    Lightbulb

    Thanks steve, I think. I'm not sure if I get it. I plan to remove all the solder from the spots where the two connections are when I get home tommorrow, but I think the section of the board that insulates the two spots has been comprimised so the 5 volt is going from the 5+in right to the LDA+.

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Pflugerville, TX, USA
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    Use some solder wick to remove the excess solder and you should be good to go.

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central Florida
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    Lightbulb

    Quote Originally Posted by carmangary View Post
    Use some solder wick to remove the excess solder and you should be good to go.
    Thanks! So I "probably" have solder I don't need as opposed to messing the insulation between connections up? I am worried about there being an open pathway there. If it is just a pathway of solder I can remove it as you say, which is what I hope. What is solder wick?

  7. #17
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    Dec 2006
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    Pflugerville, TX, USA
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    Yes, you probably just have a solder bridge. The insulation you speak of doesn't really exist. It is the lack of copper plating that creates the gap so unless you magically added copper plating back onto the board then you are OK.

    You can get solder wick at radio shack or other electronics places. It is braided copper on a roll. You put it on the solder joint and apply the soldering iron on top of it and the solder gets sucked into the wick. It works very very well. I had to use it a few times on those little boards myself.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Florida
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    Yeah solder-wick is great .
    Can you post a pic of the "problem" area?
    (wheres those smilys with the signs..hehe)

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central Florida
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    Red face

    Actually Robin said the LDA and LDC with give me 5volt and that I am not supposed to ground the laser to the LDC... I think... Maybe not... He said I should get the same voltage, but I don't think I get it.

    Actually it is this, "
    That's how it is meant to be, the +5V pad is intentionally connected to LDA.
    The laser diode goes between LDA (+ve) and LDC (-ve)
    The MOSFET sinks a programmed current from the LDC pad to GND.
    Thus LDA is at +5V and LDC is at (5V - Vf) where Vf is the forward voltage of the laser diode.
    To use this driver your laser diode case must be isolated (not connected to the same GND as the PSU connected to the driver)"

    I don't get.
    Last edited by allthatwhichis; 10-19-2007 at 11:57.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Pflugerville, TX, USA
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    The negative side of the diode is not grounded in the Die4Drive arrangement. So, if you short the diode case you end up applying 5V across it and blowing it. So, you have to isolate it from ground.

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