help with aixiz 532 laser module

[swamidog]

i just received an aixiz "532nm 15mW 5.0VDC Tunable Laser Module" and am having problems getting it to turn on.

i've hooked it up to my 5v power supply and tied the ttl leads (red/white) to each other. i get a nice green light on the power supply, a nice red light on the laser driver board, but nothing from the laser.

it's this product at aixiz: http://aixiz.com/store/product_info....products_id=93

any ideas short of calling aixiz and making them send me a new one? here's a shot of my hookup, if it helps.

thanks!

[LASERGUY]

Did the power supply come with the unit?
Maybe a stupid question.... did you try not powering up the unit without connecting the red and white leads together?

[swamidog]

Did the power supply come with the unit?
Maybe a stupid question.... did you try not powering up the unit without connecting the red and white leads together?

it didn't come as part of a set, but it's just a standard issue 5vdc supply:

http://aixiz.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=75

yes, i've also tried power it up with the ttl lines disconnected and i've verified the PS is putting out 5vdc.

[wolfblue]

The red wire is actually the MOD input. The white wire is ground. Connecting them together turns the laser off. The MOD input floats high. You have to pull it towards ground to modulate.

I have that same laser, and I dont have anything plugged in to that plug. And it does right at 15mW. And I run it at 6V, 4 AA alkaline.

But these are, I think 50mW modules that did not pass QC. I have seen some run near 100mW. I dont think they have a IR filter. keep in mind that maybe you have a lot more IR in that thing than you would normally think.

--John

[swamidog]

interesting. i just put a multimeter on the LD output and i'm not getting any reading. can you measure yours and let me know voltage/current? maybe i've got a bad driver board. there's so little to these things, it's hard to imagine it being DOA.

think i could drive the laser with a flexmod?

The red wire is actually the MOD input. The white wire is ground. Connecting them together turns the laser off. The MOD input floats high. You have to pull it towards ground to modulate.

I have that same laser, and I dont have anything plugged in to that plug. And it does right at 15mW. And I run it at 6V, 4 AA alkaline.

But these are, I think 50mW modules that did not pass QC. I have seen some run near 100mW. I dont think they have a IR filter. keep in mind that maybe you have a lot more IR in that thing than you would normally think.

--John

[wolfblue]

Well with the laser on, the voltage would have to be a little more than 2V I think. And I checked this one when I got it. It was doing 400mA. Which is several times past a lot for 15mW. That's why I think these 15mW ones are QC fail. Misaligned pump or bad MCA crystal. I got this one from aixiz ebay, advertised as 15-40mW. It does 15mW turned all the way up on 6V, that was the 400mA point.

--John

[swamidog]

cool, thanks. sounds like i can run it off a flexmod if i have to, but i'd rather not..

Well with the laser on, the voltage would have to be a little more than 2V I think. And I checked this one when I got it. It was doing 400mA. Which is several times past a lot for 15mW. That's why I think these 15mW ones are QC fail. Misaligned pump or bad MCA crystal. I got this one from aixiz ebay, advertised as 15-40mW. It does 15mW turned all the way up on 6V, that was the 400mA point.

--John

[swamidog]

working now. there was a loose solder joint on the big transistor.

i need to invest in a power meter. this little beast is smoking electrical tape at about a foot from the aperture and that seems a little improbable for something that's only supposed to be 15mw.

i don't have any way to tell how much of that is IR.

[Laserman532]

it may smoke electrical tape..but will it Pop balloons

[swamidog]

it may smoke electrical tape..but will it Pop balloons

my 20 watt co2 laser does a pretty good job with balloons.