DX "Elly" converted to high power laser :D

[liveforphysics]

This is a fully regulated 180-240mW red portable laser module. Total cost into these units is around ~$25 each. They are fed by a single 2.5Ah NiMH AA cell. They feature the diodes from Dr. Lava's group buy, and use the stock DealExtreme "Elly" model 1watt LED flashlight current controled powersupply. Each laser uses a different fixture and lens, because I happened to have them laying around. I much prefere the small brass lens/fixture to the larger chrome one.

The laser works fine with the cover on, but is still simple to unscrew and manually focus the laser to a pinpoint if you wish to burn things. Time to light a black match <1second. Time to light a normal match <3seconds. Visible beam in the sky at night, range is as far as you need to be putting a spot on something. They look really cool in foggy evenings

Best Wishes! Enjoy the pics!

-Luke

 

[Ashton]

Scematics please? Blueprints? vague assembly instructions even?

I want to know how the bleep you're getting 240mw out of a single AA cell! (and how long this poor batter lasts, 30 min?) Also what's the duty cycle on them?

 

[liveforphysics]

Ok, here goes the vague assembly instructions. Buy Elly flashlight from DX. Unscrew head. Unscrew LED/regulator disk. Scratch off the intigrated LED on the front "star".

Take any 5.6mm cheapy laser pointer optics/case and press/punch the puny little diode out. Carefully tap in your DVD burner diode or whatever hipo LD you are planning on playing with. CAREFULLY bend legs of the LD to flatten out, and insulate with a bit of rubber band to keep the non-case tied legs from shorting to the case.

Center the laser/lens package on the star. Solder the LD to the respective places on the star (the places the former LED mounted). Drill out the plastic reflector to enable it to slip down over the laser module if needed. My little brass laser case didn't require drilling, the chrome fat unit with crappy annoying to focus optics required drilling a 0.490" hole in the reflector. Install the head and a battery and enjoy the unit.

In reguards to duty cycle, all the diodes are going to be a little different, so I would recomend running the diode with your finger on the case to get a feel for what sort of rate temperature rises, and then decide what temps you feel comfortable with.

Around 20seconds is my personal loosely enforced duty time, but I rarely need to leave it on this long for simply burning or pointing to things.

As far as battery life goes, I am pumping ~350mA into the LD, which should give me at least an hour or more from a single AA. I've never had a battery get low yet after EDC'ing the devices and playing with them quite a bit each day.

Best Wishes
-Luke

 

[Hemlock Mike]

Luke --

Is Elly carried in major stores ?? I looked at my 1W LED flashlight and it is powered by 3 AAA cells. I love that boster board. I'm getting your power but with a bigger 3AAA holder and a ballast resistor.

Mike

 

[liveforphysics]

No idea if it's sold anywhere else.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1120

Its $5.30 from Kyle, and he always has a bunch in stock. I buy them in bulk

 

[Hemlock Mike]

Luke --

Thanks - I ordered some... Might make a good IR light too !>!>!>!

Mike

 

[paulr]

These things scare the crap out of me. That device doesn't look from the front like either a flashlight or a laser. I worry that someone is going to look into it (maybe not this one but others like it are being made), wonder what the heck it is, turn it on and fry their eyeball. Nothing wrong with using these things if you're properly safety aware and know what you're doing, but it should be treated like a firearm, locked up in a gun safe or the equivalent when not in use.

 

[SenKat]

paulR - IF the Aixiz modules are being used to house the diode - they have safety warning stickers on them. Some careful peeling later, and they should be able to be re-apllied to the exterior of the "elllaser"

:naughty:

Thanks for the link - I ordered some as well - cannot wait for the New Year celebration to complete so shipping gets here faster !

 

[Hemlock Mike]

PaulR -

I agree with you about safety. I handle all my lasers like I do my firearms. I sure don't pass them around to the "unenlightened". I am also looking for warning stickers or a program to print them.

It seems to me that everyone here is safety minded - Note all the redundent warnings made to the noobs.

Mike

 

[Hemlock Mike]

Luke --

That "little" LD assembly looks familiar. Where do you get them ?? I got a couple from ebay a month age and can't find them again. Also, I find that Dr Lava's big assembly makes a good heatsink.

Mike

 

[SenKat]

Mike - if I am successful (keep fingers crossed) at getting laser warning stickers from one of the retailers I keep "bugging" then I will find a way to distribute them - I even offered to pay for them to the dealers, in an attempt to defray their cost a little bit...I think everyone of us that use so many lasers, either home-made, or store-bought should have a few extras laying about just in case !

 

[scubasteve1942]

Nice work. thanks for the pics.

 

[SenKat]

Thanks for the informative "how-to" ! Question : Are the solder pads noted as to polarity ? (+/-)

 

[Meduza]

Do you really think the diodes will hold up to take 350ma any longer time?

 

[TigerhawkT3]

Do you have any extras lying around that you wouldn't mind parting with?

 

[liveforphysics]

Paulr- If this laser seem dangerous, just wait until I finish my 3-5watt DPSS green (thermally stable for only a few seconds at a time) planned to be entirely contained inside a 5Dcell maglite body. 20w 808nm diode powered by LiPoly cells for the pump... Now that laser would be a perticularly poor choice to leave laying about...
However, you may rest assured that I keep my lasers in a safe place with the rest of my firearms and things of that nature (assumeing I am not EDC'ing them of course ).


SenKat- The pad with the wire leading to the screw that mounts the star is negative. If you used Dr. Lava's diodes, the case lead on the diode is negative. The burner diodes I harvested were both case postive, so you need to check before just assumeing.

Meduza- This is not a critical piece of equipment, so I dont mind if parts fail at some point by being seeing 350mA. I see my lasers as amusement tools, and occasional part failure is just part of the journey. Using my rough duty cycle I've not had any problems yet, and if I do, I could always swap in a new diode and a little resistor.

TigerHawkT3- If you are asking if I have any spare Ellasers, then no, I dont sell anything that I make for myself. If you are asking me if I have any spare diodes, the answers are yes and no respectively.

 

[SenKat]

Very cool - thanks for the info ! I ordered a few of those puppies tonight - cannot wait to get them in, now ! (tick, tock...tick, tock !)

 

[Hemlock Mike]

My "elly" order is to ship on the 25th. I can't wait !!

Lots of good info on this thread.

Mike

 

[SenKat]

Hehehehehe ! It's gonna be a race, Mike...mine is due to ship same time ! Muahahahahaha ! Gentlemen, start your diodes ! :laughing:

 

[Ashton]

Paulr- If this laser seem dangerous, just wait until I finish my 3-5watt DPSS green (thermally stable for only a few seconds at a time) planned to be entirely contained inside a 5Dcell maglite body. 20w 808nm diode powered by LiPoly cells for the pump... Now that laser would be a perticularly poor choice to leave laying about...
However, you may rest assured that I keep my lasers in a safe place with the rest of my firearms and things of that nature (assumeing I am not EDC'ing them of course ).

And I thought the ellaser was awesome! I want plueprints for that monster! could you include a cooling system like the Herc does? or does it get SUPER hot? (rig up a water-cooling system stolen from a computer CPU?)