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You can't run the LPC-815 laser diode and the rkcstr Micro-Drive on only 3VDC. The diode requires 2.35V to 3V+ and the driver needs another 2.25V. Look at the Dr. Lava red roundup chart again. 350mA will get you about 210mW with LPC-815. Yes, optics will cost you significant power on a LPM: the...

Northern California not far from Sacramento.

18650 is rechargeable Li-ion nominally 3.7 VDC. Fully charged: 4.2 VDC. All of the Li-ion batteries used for our lasers are the same.

The choice of host is really up to you. There are lots of threads here on LPF with many hosts used for the LPC-815 diode. If you use the rkcstr driver you will need more than 5.25 VDC from the batteries to run the laser diode and the Micro-Drive. You can do that with a variety of battery...

1. Connect the test load to driver LD + & -. 2. Connect the DMM to the test load across the resistor. 3. Turn on the DMM and set it to mV. 4. Connect the batteries to the driver and turn the battery power switch ON if you use one. No need for a battery switch while making tests, actually. 5...

The driver must be powered before you can adjust driver output.

1. No, the resistor is not used for the final laser. 2. Yes. If you don't use a switch between the batteries and the driver then connect the batteries to the driver after you have made all of the other test connections first. The black tape on the resistor wire is a flag to remind me to connect...

The host is a 2xAA Mini Maglite flashlight (krypton light bulb: not LED). This host is not that easy to work with but it made for a very nice laser. A red LPC-815 laser can be made from a much smaller host using smaller batteries or a boost-type driver with a single battery but I wanted the...

1. No. The resistor is part of the test load. The test load is only used to adjust the driver and none of it is used in the finished laser. 2. If I understand your question, no. There is no need to short the IN + & - pads before connecting battery power.

I posted additional information and photos here last night. I hope this makes the test load and driver adjustment procedure easier to grasp.

Oh, yeah. I've had some of those tools for many years having worked on old tube-type military radios, boats, cars and the house. The handy hands are at least 15 years old: they didn't come with the magnifying glass back then. That old tin of Burnley soldering flux is ancient: you don't need to...

I am updating this thread with some more detailed information. Another LPF member is building a 660nm red with the same LOC LPC-815 laser diode and the rkcstr Micro-Drive. He wants specifics regarding the test load and driver adjustment. I'll add some other information useful for anyone else...

Bye for now.

I need to get away from this computer for several hours. I will post detailed instructions and photos about making and using the test load on my First 660nm in Progress thread in eight hours or so if no one answers the questions here, first.

Yep. One second is fine.

There may be a language problem here. We are talking about making a short circuit, not changing the length of anything. If you short or short out the LD + & - contacts you are making a short circuit by joining the two contacts with an electrical connection. No need to solder when you short LD...

It's easy to short out the LD contacts on the driver. 1. Cut a 1" length of wire. 2. Strip 1/4" of insulation from each end. 3. Bend the wire into a U shape. 4. Touch the ends of the wire to LD+ and LD-. 5. You have now shorted out stored capacity from the driver.

Get good laser goggle before you ever power up this laser! Yes, you seem to understand the way to build this laser now. All you have to do is unscrew the Aixiz laser module to see the laser diode mounted in 1/2 of the module. Leave the diode mounted in that 1/2 of the module. After the driver...

No. There are two sets of + & - solder points on the Micro-Drive. On one end of the Micro-Drive the + & - contacts are marked IN. This is the input side of the driver where you connect the battery power. The other end of the driver has two more + & - contacts marked LD. LD means Laser Diode...

You are using 4xAAA, correct? Put the AAA batteries into a 4xAAA battery holder available from an electronics store. For test and adjustment purposes: connect test leads to the battery holder and the + & - inputs on the Micro-Drive after you have connected the test load and the DMM. You want...