Laserworld CS-400RGY repair, help please!

[dream beamz]

My new red diodes are fitted. I was wondering what angle to set the cube. Before, it was pretty much 90 degrees to the beam. Should I move it by say 1 degree, ie just a tiny amount, or by something more substantial like 5, or 10?.

yes, do not have it at 90 degrees exactly

[cyaniron]

I knew how to set the diodes regarding polarisation, I was concerened with what angle to set the cube, ie 91, 95, etc. I set the diodes further away from the cube so that reflected energy was more offset. After experimentation, it seems that say 91, or 92 (ie just a tiny amount that can only just be noticed with the eye) is enough to make reflections so that they align with the lens aperture something like this...


Should that be enough Dream Beamz?. I figured that the relected energy that actually went back into the aperture wasn't focussed back on the diode itself, and would overcome the reflected energy issue (if that was the problem in first place). I couldnt set it any more as the there was only a little bit of adjustment on the red mountings, and I wouldn't have been able to realign the beams.

The laser is now working like this : -



I reset the dichro (bottom of picture), as a significant amount of red was missing the galvo mirrors. I set the current on the diodes(http://hightechdealz.com/index.php?m...&products_id=1) to 180mA each when warm. These long die open can appear to be capable of a lot more power than the Rohm diodes(http://hacylon.case.edu/laser/diode_red_roundup.PNG)

I didnt bother putting any fans in, as the mountings dont get particularly hot, I guess that the heat is dispersed well already.

Hopefully either the better diodes, or the resetting of the cube will fix my problems, and I'll repair the other laser the same. I'll report back after some use in the field.

To set set the alignment up, I just tweaked the red mountings, the cube, and the mirror a number of times over in no particular order until the beams lined up ok, and I wasnt losing too much red.
Is there a recognised method for setting up lasers, ie., what is set first out of lasers, dichros, mirrors, cube, galvo?, and what is the sequence leading to the last to be set?.

[hobbybob]

Very interesting topic Cyaniron, as i myself built a dual red setup and wasn't able to properly align the 2 dots. One diode was mounted 1 mm lower then the other, and the stayed apart. Nearby it was 1 dot, but after 50cm you saw the 2 drift of.
My mounts were fixed but only by pressing one of them very hard i could align it a bit better.

A) i need better mounts (more precise)
B) i needed to rotate the cube a minute amount to get it right, just like you 1 or 2 degrees.
c) Damn if this is so hard to align, how hard will a 4 diode setup be ? aaaargh...

Hope to keep reading in this interesting topic. Hope to pick up some tips and suggestions.

[cyaniron]

Hi Hobbybob,
After I moved the cube (pbs for the technically correct!), and dichro, it would appear that I cant get the beams to align as good anymore. At 10cm from the galvos the beams are about 2mm apart. At 5m the beams cross. I expect that out at 20m the beams are unaligned by about 8mm, but I haven't checked. Up until 5m (and I expect up until 10m where the difference will probably be the same as about 10cm), when the red and green is on, it makes a reasonable yellow for an audience scan anyway. This is acceptable for me in my mobile disco type applications, so I am not too worried. You can actually see that at least one of the red diodes' beams is not aligned inside the box in the last picture, you'll have to take my word that they are closer at 5m!.

[cyaniron]

This repair was all going well, and I'd fitted 2 diodes in one unit, and 1 diode in the other. I got to unwrapping the 4th and 5th diodes that I got from Hightechdealz out of the foil they were packed in.

One of them was severely pinched from extraction, and didn't even dimly glow, let alone lase, it appears that the gold contact has also been damaged.




The last diode was also pinched....


and had bent pins.....


It did lase, but the beam was about 3 times as wide as it was high. I suspect that the can was very distorted and wasnt mating well in the housing. Despite trying to reseat it in the mount a few times, I couldnt get the beam properties any better, and it died after lasing for about 5 minutes set at 140mA. I supect it overheated.

It was at this point that I noticed that these diodes are infact short die, and not the "long die open can laser diodes", as advertised on the site (http://hightechdealz.com/index.php?m...&products_id=1)

Just in case the picture of the "long die" diode disappears!!...


He ignored my emails, cost me time and money with these lower spec + damaged diodes, and has left me with expensive (by my standards) lasers that perform like much cheaper ones.

OK....Rant over....
Can anyone suggest a better supplier to get the long die open can diodes from.?

On the bright side I have been using the unit with the 2 diodes installed about 10 times for about 3 hours at a time with the current set at 200mA, and none of them have failed yet.

[hobbybob]

OK....Rant over....
Can anyone suggest a better supplier to get the long die open can diodes from.?

Hi CyanIron,

I have had some pleasant dealings with DDL lasers, he's on here as well.
Very nice long open can's high power, well packed, sent fast.
Great service, great prices and even a 10% discount for PL members.
You can find his site here:
http://www.daedallasers.com/lasers/laser-diodes

You have to make an account and login to be able to use the coupon (just a tip from me...)
Hope this helps. Look for DDL and look in his signature for the coupon code.

[buffo]

Was going to suggest Daedal Lasers as well, but hobbybob beat me to it.

Mo is a great guy, and he'll treat you right. Note: He's also a PL member. Send him a PM and ask some questions if you want.

Adam

[cyaniron]

I ordered some diodes off DDL, and they have arrived in quick time. Thanks

[michelrietveld]

hi group, i got some leftovers from someones hobylaser kit and it also includes the driver board mentioned with the text e246366 ldd-red rl250-300906 ver. 2.0.1 and i wonder what voltage to feed since i cannot find any schematics on it.
with a pen 230v is written but i don't dear to try without research first.
also got 5 red laser diodes with no brand or anything written on it other than a paper label with the text 08.1.24L and another paper label saying 0.125A which is possibly the max current to feed.

[cyaniron]

Hi,
I can vouch for the power supply to the red board in my laserworld rgy400 being 230/240 volts. The red diodes need replacing every few months on mine. I dont really know why, but I am getting used to doing that job now, and can live with it!.