A spot of trouble with wiring

[Blade Carbonics]

I've got my 3 60nm 5mW lasers all hooked up to a 9v via a clip, but i'm hitting a problem. Only the middle laser seems to be at full power, the other two are really weak, barely visible. Should i link another 9v into the circuit? any ideas what my problem is?

Thanks!~!

 

[ONE END]

Ask, "Ei'luj" She will know how to help you out she's the wiring expert.

 

[Ei luj]

Wires! Did somebody say WIRES?

(wi 'r we here )

SERIES connection: battery + --> switch one side --> switch other side--> laser1 + laser1- laser2 + laser2- laser3 + laser3- battery- --> battery -

Three 3v lasers will be OK, but if they are more than 3v, there may be a problem.

If they are indeed greater than 3v, connect in PARALLEL: all the - leads of the lasers are connected together and then connect to the - side of the battery.
All the + leads of the lasers connect together and then connect that bunch to one side of the switch.
The other side of the switch goes to the + side of the battery.

Using two AAA's in series (+ - + -) for the battery and connecting the lasers in PARALLEL configuration works also.
But getting a holder for two AAA's connected in series may be a pain....

hope this helps.

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Ei'luj

 

[Mortal Immortal]

The 2 dim ones sound like you had to much v and burned them up. 3 laser on a nine volt wired direct will burn them out.

 

[Blade Carbonics]

I initially wired them as a series, i'll try the parallel setup later today. Thanks for the help!~

 

[Ei luj]

Scott is right, if they are 3v lasers and they are all in parallel with 9v across them, then they will pop.

Before you parallel them, put a limiter resistor in series with each laser.

Then put the laser + resistor across the battery, and the other two the same way.
Then they won't blow.
But then you need to calculate the resistor

BUT if you don't want to mess with the resistors, use a pair of AAA batterys in series for the laser supply.
There you have only 3v, and can parallel the 3 lasers and not smoke them.

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Ei'luj