Analog laser tester, for people who need it, WITH TYPICAL RADIOSHACK PART NUMBERS
Posted upon request for a beginner, use at own risk as I have no control over what and how you do things.
BUILD IN A BOX LIKE RS 270-1802
Solder all connections and place heat shrink tubing over ANY bare metal in the circuit, ok to bolt 7805 flange to box with 4-40 or possibly 6-32 screw and nut. note 7805 flange is at circuit ground. Note flange will not solder, use leads.
I DO NOT want to hear, I built Mixedgas ^&*_*&*()&^ circuit and pin one shorted to pin 3 on the 7805 and then I hooked it up backwards and dumped minus nine volts into my analog input.....But its all Mixedgas fault even though he;s 750 to 5000 miles away and never saw it...... So PLEASE cover the bare spots in heat shrink tubing or use RTV silicon or similar to insulate the internal connections..... Not that 9V would harm most systems, but there are a few really cheesy lasers out there in PL land.
EDIT: ADDED 1 kilo ohm resistor for protection of laser, use RS part number 271-005 or 271-1321 This will restrict current to 9 mA worse case or 5 mA normal.
Use stranded wire, solid wire breaks when flexing.
WORKS WITH MOST ttl LASERS TOO.
SEE ATTACHED.
TEST WITH VOLTMETER BEFORE USING WITH LASER, HOLD LEADS OF 7805 with pliars to keep cool while soldering, ie hold with pliars close to the case to prevent heating the silicon goodness inside. (Silicon Goodness sounds like something I picked up from Dr Lava)
USE OF RADIOSHACK PART NUMBERS IS A ADMISSION THAT SOMETIMES ITS THE ONLY PLACE YOU CAN GET ELECTRONIC PARTS IN TOWN IF YOUR A BEGINNER, AND THAT RS PART STOCK OFTEN SUCKS AS ITS A NOW CELL PHONE STORE PRETENDING TO BE A PARTS PLACE, AND ITS SALES DROIDS HAVE NOT A CLUE. BUT ITS PARTS LINE IS USUALLY DECENT QUALITY. THIS IS NOT A ENDORSEMENT, BUT What YOU GONNA DO, ITS THERE AND ITS NATIONWIDE.
ONCE UPON A TIME IT WAS GOOD..........
DRAWN IN WALLEYE VISION (note for non USAians, A WALLEYE IS A FRESH WATER FISH WITH BIG SPHERICAL EYES)
FROM THE MOVIE "HOT SHOTS", Pilot Jim 'Wash Out' Pfaffenbach says: "It's my eyes. I've got walleye-vision. ..."
ALTERNATIVE DIGIKEY PARTS NUMBERS (AND THEY NOW WAIVE THE MINIMUM ORDER)
LM7805CT-ND or LM7805ACT-ND
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377-1549-ND or 377-1549-ND
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360-1887-ND or 432-1074-ND or similar spst on/off panel mount
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CT2159-ND or CT2205-ND
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478-3150-1-ND or 490-3811-ND or 445-4802-ND
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HM377-ND or similar
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OD102JE-ND or 1.0KQBK-ND
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stranded wire and solder and heat shrink as needed.