# Leadlight 105/110 Modification Stages1,2



## LaserMod

*If you arrived here following an auction purchase, please send me an email. The following information is free.*

*The information herein is provided as an 'educational reference' only. I cannot accept any liability for damage done to you, the pointer or anyone/anything else as a result of these guides. That said following the steps accurately and carefully should not pose too many problems. *













The laser used in this guide has been bought from eBay and cost £59.99 but some can cost less if you are lucky with the bidding. This particular laser is manufactured by Leadlight and is rated at <5mw (less than).


I am going to perform a two-stage modification, which should allow the laser to output about 15-18mw (in most cases) with the Stage1 and 20-30mw with the Stage2. This will produce a very clear beam at night without any fog or haze and is quite good for star pointing, etc. You can leave your laser at Stage 1 or you can proceed to Stage 2 also but there is a considerable risk to your laser if you are not careful and try to rush the job. The Stage 2 modification involves turning the diode inside the laser to get the optimum alignment and in most cases can produce an overall brighter beam. To test my lasers I am using an analogue light meter that has been converted with a filter for measurement of 532nm in 'mw.'


*Stage 1*

This is the common 'pot mod' and to my knowledge is available on all Leadlights including the new models with the LED on the side to show when the laser is in use (110). I have yet to hear of a Leadlight that has failed completely using this modification and I have measured the current range of the pot and the maximum level it can give out is around 350ma which is well within the specifications of the laser diode.

I have come up with a simple solution for the pot modification to prevent opening the laser at all and risk damaging it.

The 'pot' is basically a variable resistor that controls the power to the drive circuitry and can be adjusted with a small screwdriver.

On my Leadlight, and all others the pot is directly above the switch when viewed on the circuit board:





To get to this part (without opening the laser) we first need to remove the button - this is most likely to be plastic and is simply glued in position with a piece of double-sided tape. The button can be levered off quite easily using a sharp razor blade - but be careful not to scratch it.

Underneath the button there will just be plastic but the pot is always in the same place and access to it can be done by noting the position in the image below (upper curve of the button footprint). Then using a small drill-bit (without the drill for obvious reasons) - slowly work a hole in the plastic.




If you find that the pot is in a slightly different position - the plastic insulation around the driver board will slide up or down inside the barrel/casing to help gain access to the pot.

Now whilst holding the power switch on, we can use a small screwdriver to turn the pot (the pot is a cross-head fit but I used a flathead which seemed to work better). The pot should be turned anti-clockwise for the Leadlight 105 and clockwise for a 110. Keep turning the pot slowly until the beam gets brighter and then goes dim or completely out then turn just a fraction the other way until the beam re-appears. If you cannot turn the pot, the likely is that some of the more recent Leadlights have had red glue put on the pot to stop it turning - this should break loose almost immediately of trying to turn the pot - if it does not you may have to scrape the glue away by opening the laser - proceed to Stage 2.

If modifying a Leadlight 105 - be very careful not to touch the metal sides of the button footprint with the screwdriver whilst turning the pot. Doing so will put a large amount of current through the diode >550ma. I would recommend wrapping a piece of insulation tape around the screwdriver shaft before turning the pot to prevent this.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
That’s it - you are now at the maximum current for the drive circuitry - but don't worry the power is still within the specifications of the diode and the lifetime will not have been decreased.


*Stage 2*

As said above, this stage involves opening the laser and can be very tricky.

Firstly, the obvious we need to remove the batteries and the button if you have not already done so. (If working on a 110 - make sure to REMOVE the safety LED diffuser by simply levering it out of the case).

At the top of the housing may be a 'Danger' sticker and this should be removed if it is overlapping the top cap of the laser pointer.

The optics barrel and circuit assembly are joined to the front aperture and is simply 'pressed' (not screwed) into the main barrel/outer casing. In order to remove I inserted a razor blade in the gap all the way around and gently prised the assembly out. At first it may not look as though it is moving but it does eventually shift. If you are having trouble you could try pliers wrapped in some cloth (to protect the paint-work). Another method is to find a very long thin knitting needle and insert it and the bottom of the barrel and be careful to rest the point of the needle underneath the circuit board and push on the brass of the diode. Remember - never exert any force on the electronics as they are very brittle and you will snap something if careless.

Once removed you will have the complete assembly something like this:





For the next part you can remove the plastic insulation and now I would recommend a soldering iron to remove the circuit board from the diode. (You can try without removing the circuit board but this puts a risk on breaking one of the pins from the diode). 

Study the image below, that brass ring with the two notches (at each side) needs to be loosened (not unscrewed though), now you can see why I would recommend removing the circuit board as you cannot get the leverage except with specialised tools. The circuit board can be removed by melting the solder of the three wires to the diode (two on the top joined together and one underneath). I would also recommend a very low wattage soldering iron and thinnest tip you can find. I used a 25w iron and a small tip (any smaller and it would have been a needle).










Once the circuit board is removed we can turn the brass ring (anti-clockwise). For this I found a 1p penny was sufficient to fit in the two notches and loosen it. Now you will find that the three wires pins of the diode can now turn freely inside the brass barrel assembly. We will now hook the laser back to the circuitry and test whilst holding the batteries to the terminals (the negative pole is the spring and the positive is the brass laser body). Hold the laser turned on and pointing at a white wall - slowly turn the diode and find the brightest spot, and once found mark the position with a marker of some sort. With the circuit board removed once more you need to re-tighten the brass ring to lock the laser in its new position (taking care not to off-set it again).

You can re-focus the beam by turning the black lens at the top of the barrel (it is glued down but a sharp turn will loosen it). The below image shows the parts of the assembly:










Re-assembling the laser should now be quite straight forward, but first check for any artefacts or cross patterns in the spot of the beam before putting it back together as this makes cleaning a little easier. The imperfections you may get in the spot are caused by visible dust etc. on the lens or surprisingly by oil from your hands that cannot be seen except by the imperfections of the spot. To get rid of any dirt on the lens you should use a soft clean cloth with an alcohol based cleaning agent. For cleaning of the chassis of the chrome Leadlights I use 'Brasso' metal polish that works wonders for it.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
That’s it - enjoy your new modified laser.


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## DAZGREEN

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

COOL, DONE MY POT MOD ON WY 5MW LEADLIGHT AND THE BEAM OUTPUT IS SOMTHING ELSE, EASILY 2-3 TIMES ORIGINAL OUTPUT.I WILL BE DOING YOUR MOD VERY VERY SOON,CAN'T WAIT.I WILL POST HERE HOW I GOT ON
REGARDS


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## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

Cool, let us know how you get on. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif


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## lasercrazy

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

Nice guide but all that info has been around for quite awhile now. I did the same mods months ago to my many leadlights.


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## Azecos

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

How hard is stage 2? I really like to try, but don't want to mess up my pointer.


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## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

The purpose of the guide is just to answer a few questions that the others don't and to show what I have found. Like the drilling for the pot mod. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

And, yes the stage2 is quite difficult the first time round. The hardest bit is removing and soldering the circuit board.

If you are not v. good at soldering I would recommend a heatsink i.e. pliers around the wires to the diode to help prevent heat damage. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif


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## Azecos

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

I'm quite good at soldering, so I don't think that would be a problem. I was just curious how difficult the turning part would be.


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## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

Once the brass ring has been loosened, it can be quite fiddly to operate the laser, turn the ring and view the output at the same time. I had my batteries taped together with wires taped at either end so I could concentrate on getting the best alignment but I was not going to hook it up to a PSU incase the current was too high and blow it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif like it did to my red pointer.


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## AW

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

Thanks John for the info, I certainly will try that mod when I get my new green laser.


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## Woodsie

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

I've just broke my leadlight, i was turning the POT as instructed and a metal piece came off, the thing that is shaped like the screw that goes on the POT and now it doesn't work /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif £50 down the drain,

My fault, thanks anyway guyz, i guess i'll be leaving the forum now as there is no need for me to stay :'(


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## lasercrazy

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

It's still savable, just short whats left of the pot to the body.


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## Woodsie

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

Ooooh light at the end of the tunnel !

How do i do that, remember i couldn't even do this mod so if i have to take it a part count me out, but i guess its worth a try !


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## liteglow

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

[ QUOTE ]
*Woodsie said:*
Ooooh light at the end of the tunnel !

How do i do that, remember i couldn't even do this mod so if i have to take it a part count me out, but i guess its worth a try ! 

[/ QUOTE ]

You take the laser apart /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Then u solder a wire from the "pot" into the housing to the laser.. that`s it..

but i will belive life time of the laser is higly redused !


if u not want to solder the stuff, u can sell the broken laser to me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif


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## s0crates82

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

does this method work on the Green Lasers from Fry's Electronics? They're branded as "Alpec"


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## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

[ QUOTE ]
*Woodsie said:*
I've just broke my leadlight, i was turning the POT as instructed and a metal piece came off, the thing that is shaped like the screw that goes on the POT and now it doesn't work /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif £50 down the drain,

My fault, thanks anyway guyz, i guess i'll be leaving the forum now as there is no need for me to stay :'( 

[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif If you are any good at soldering (you will have to take it apart though), you can try this. Looking at the laser assembly with the diode pointing up, the pot pin layout will make a triangle - to get the max. power you will need to short the top pin with the one on the left.

(I'm not sure but you may get away with just coiling a bit of wire around the two pins now that the top of the pot has been removed /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif).


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## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

[ QUOTE ]
*s0crates82 said:*
does this method work on the Green Lasers from Fry's Electronics? They're branded as "Alpec" 

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure, I am assuming the diodes are the same but what about the circuitary, anyone else know?


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## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

While I'm online, does anyone know where I can get a replacement 'Danger' sticker for the front of my laser. Mine just looks a bit odd without it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif


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## DaFiend

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

Sams Laser FAQ has them.

http://members.misty.com/don/laserfaq.htm#faqtoc


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## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

Thx, I'll take a look.


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## Azecos

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

I don't see much difference when I turn the diode. All I see is that the near the dot are some artifarcts. Should the difference be very noticeble or is it just slight?


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## Woodsie

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

Ok i am totally useless at soldering, so i think i will, try and sell it to someone who wants it

liteglow, you got PM


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## AW

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

How much you want for that shipped to Hong Kong?


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## Canuke

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

[ QUOTE ]
*LaserModifier said:*
[ QUOTE ]
*s0crates82 said:*
does this method work on the Green Lasers from Fry's Electronics? They're branded as "Alpec" 

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure, I am assuming the diodes are the same but what about the circuitary, anyone else know? 

[/ QUOTE ]

I have one of those, I tried the mod by eye. I suspect however that mine was already past 5mW... but lacking a free green LED I can't be sure.

The only thing I see that looks different is that the IR filter in mine is in the outer focusing lens assembly which gets pried off the top, not affixed to the output end as seen here.


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## slammin

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

i Have done both these mods now and the laser is now perfect (i think) thenks laser modifier for the info. Im too scared to take it back apart cos it seems to have improved so much im not riskin losin this power! when i seen pictures of a beam so bright in daylight i thought they were faked, but now i know its true, cos ive took some myself. Thanks a lot for this info!


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## liteglow

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

[ QUOTE ]
*slammin said:*
i Have done both these mods now and the laser is now perfect (i think) thenks laser modifier for the info. Im too scared to take it back apart cos it seems to have improved so much im not riskin losin this power! when i seen pictures of a beam so bright in daylight i thought they were faked, but now i know its true, cos ive took some myself. Thanks a lot for this info! 

[/ QUOTE ]

Sweet /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif 
enjoy your laser.. and be careful with it !!
Remeber the power is wery dangerous !! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif 
but alot of fun /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif


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## kakcoo

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

If I allready have a pointer that lays on 45mW. (I'm thinking about the 45mW one you can buy from Arnold) How high output can I get from it?


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## Raccoon

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

I'm pretty sure that's the most you'll get out of it. Besides, a pointer doesn't have the heatsinking necessary to disburse much more heat.


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## kakcoo

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Ok


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## uncleworm

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

This is my first post. I'm reading al lot at this forum.
But can somebody confirm me that this modification is also possible at the new models 
with the indicator led?
And what are exactly the differences between the new and the old model? Only the feedback? With you can destroy
by cutting the wire?


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## Justintoxicated

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

thats a pretty sweet post. I wish my Leadlight still worked. Damn thing crapped out on me and I never even touch the innards. Last I spoke with arnold he did not have anymore lasers that were 45mw, unless he lied to me.


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## Christoph

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

I just got mine and it is bright the beam is clearly visible
at night or in a mostly dark room.I just popped the switch cover off and the pot is visible in the hole with but I do not want to hurt it,what are the chances that I will make it worse or not improve it? I see what people see in lasers they are cool. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


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## LeaKeD

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

5% chance to break yer laser doing only the pot MOD, 73% chance thats its already potted.. I tried to do pot mod on my newist laser only to find it was already potted.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif


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## dyter

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

- 0% chance with the pot mod if you turn without power on the leadlight because if you short the pot with the case the diode isn't reguled.
- I think that the leadlight is at 5mw for the class IIIa strict reglementation: I found this:
http://www.apinex.com/ret2/glp5an.html
for 10 or 20mw I think it's a pot mod only, and they sell it much !


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## DaFiend

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

I've never heard of a laser dying from the pot mod. Leaked, you should get some change at least with a pot mod. do you have instruments to confirm that there was absolutely no change? Where did you purchase as well?


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## dyter

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

chance but no change ...


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## DaFiend

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

you can do the pot mod without the pointer on, some people prefer to do it that so there is absolutely no chance of shorting the pot................


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## Christoph

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

What happens if you short the pot while tweeking?


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## KeyserSoze

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*


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## Enigmahack

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

LOL!!


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## kongfuchicken

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Lol!
Just avoid shorting it while it's on.


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## liteglow

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

dont worry... shorten the pot will only give a damn bright beam.. but if it`s stay ON more than 5 sec.. then "maybe" u got a nuclear blast... i dunno...


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## DarkLight

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

I shorted mine a sec and was like wow... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Lite glow what value resistor you using again to short that pot to the diode?


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## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

LOL /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hahaha.gif

Just short it and enjoy it while it lasts...about two hours of use then you'll have a 1mw/expensive battery holder. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif


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## Bond007

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

I've never trusted myself before with the modifying before, my sense of touch and delicacy would make a baby elephant laugh...

But only 5 minutes ago I had a good read of the pot mod thing and I got my old 5mw out. I managed to hold the button down whilst I was actually turning the pot and I was really pleased lol..

I don't have a coherent laser check but comparing how it changed and also to my 45mw, I'd guess the laser is now more like 15mw and I'm delighted lol,

*checks back pocket*

Anybody fancy selling me a coherent laser check for £3.59 ? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


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## wintermute

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

You could build your own cheap laser power meter with a green LED like SBK by checking out his website here.


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## drpepper1024

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

I performed the first two mods on my new leadlight and its tons brighter. I do have a problem because there is some green light leaking out around the dot where it shouldnt be (see the pic, light leak is circled in red). I think it might be a focus issue, but I've tried turning the focus ring and it doesnt seem to help. Does anyone have any suggestions to correct this? I sure hope I havent broken anything.

you can see the image here (sorry i couldn't get the pic inserted into the post):
laser problem you may have to refresh the page once before you can see it, again sorry for the inconveniance


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## userx

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Hi everyone. This is my first post on this forum and I have a question. I recented got a modded 5mW leadlight laser from z-bolt. The product page (http://z-bolt.com/generic33.html) says that they replaced a few resistors to increase the current load. If I do the pot mod, would the new load be too much? I really dont wanna get a dead laser but on the other hand actually seeing a semi-solid beam at night is pretty cool. And how do you know how much to turn if you're turning the pot without the laser on? Will it just stop turning, or is there a click? Thankss


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## drpepper1024

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

userx, im not sure, but your modified laser may have already had the pot mod done to it. In the case that it hasn't been done, you will not feel a click or be unable to turn the pot past a certain point. If you wish to turn the pot while keeping the laser off to reduce the risk of shorting it, turn the pot counter-clockwise a little bit and then switch the laser on. Repeat these very small turns and switch the laser on inbetween every turn. Eventually after one of the turns the laser will become very dim. When this occurs, turn the pot back CLOCKWISE a tiny turn and switch it on. If its gone bright once again then youve done it, otherwise if its still dim give it another small turn clockwise and switch it on again. Hope this helps.


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## userx

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

cool, thanks drpepper. I'll try it out once i get back home. Hmm, still one question though. does the resistors that they 'upgraded' affect anything? will it make the current too much?


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## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

In my opinion the fact they have had to change surface mounts is a load of...well popcorn. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif

To increase the current load just for a true 5mw should never be needed and probably hasn't actually been done (well thats what I think anyway).

5mw with the SMR's changed will result in 300-400ma and so must be a very very inefficient MCA and very low battery life and way too much heat and work for the diode. Not good.

The most effcient laser I have seen came from WickedLasers and was putting out 15mw at 180ma. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Userx - whack the pot to the maximum - you have nothing to fear.


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## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Oh and the problem with the leaking green...

UserX you need to turn the diode just a little bit either left or right. There is a small amount of Z movement and that is what causes the diode to be a little off centre.


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## dyter

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

with a 360ma, I've got a 30mw and the MCA temperature is stable, but at >360ma, the MCA heat and the power beam down !
The result depend of the diode and MCA quality ...


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## userx

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

whoooo!! awesome! it works!! at first i was a bit scared cause i think i turned it a bit too much and it didn't work but just like you guys said, i turned it back slightly and now it's much brighter =] Thanks for all the help guys!


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## userx

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

ps: a beam in daylight!!!! =P


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## userx

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

pps: hmm, drpepper seems to be right. the 'hole' was pre-drilled already so it seems they have tinkered with it a bit. but since it was only 5mW then, it wasn't much i guess...


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## Shredhead

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

what will stage 2 do...i already did the p_mod...will stage 2make it even brighter?


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## Bond007

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Well, yeah, like it says in the first post in the thread!


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## drpepper1024

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

[ QUOTE ]
*LaserModifier said:*
Oh and the problem with the leaking green...

UserX you need to turn the diode just a little bit either left or right. There is a small amount of Z movement and that is what causes the diode to be a little off centre. 

[/ QUOTE ]

I tried what you said and i still have the little quarter halo of green light outside of the main dot. Maybe I'm being too picky and just need to get over it, but do you have any other suggestions?


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## bg2vo

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Greate post! My EXTREME from WickedLaser looks exactly the same.


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## herminator

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

I've just tryed the pot mod, but it doesn not seem to work correctly. 

When i tur it on, the beam is wery weak, and slowly increasing in strengt untill it reaches full power. Somethimes it does not increase at all.. 


help plz /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif


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## herminator

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

uppdate: when i as much as touch the pot with a screwdriver without adjusting at all, the beam increases to full power.


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## DaFiend

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

your shorting the pot to the case........ might want to wrap some tape around your screwdriver.


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## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

[ QUOTE ]
*drpepper1024 said:*
[ QUOTE ]
*LaserModifier said:*
Oh and the problem with the leaking green...

UserX you need to turn the diode just a little bit either left or right. There is a small amount of Z movement and that is what causes the diode to be a little off centre. 

[/ QUOTE ]

I tried what you said and i still have the little quarter halo of green light outside of the main dot. Maybe I'm being too picky and just need to get over it, but do you have any other suggestions? 

[/ QUOTE ]

Some 'spill' can be caused when the beam hits the side of the barrel - just try and centre it again - it is very fiddly.

Try holding each of the objects to the light and look for dust particles/hair etc.


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## herminator

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

ok.. lets say i shortened the pot to the case. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
For short periodes, would that damage the diode?

After the pot mod (stage 1) my laser produced a very weak green beam, and somethimes i had to "start" the laser by shortening the pot to the case.

Now i tryed stage 2 of the mod, witch involves loosening the diode and adjusting for max power. During this operation my laser died.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

it seams to me that the doide is fine casue its emitting a deep red light, and lots of IR. 
My problem is that i dont get any green light at all, with the all of the lences and parts assembled..


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## Wyvern

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

all sound reasonably simple, except i saw a tutorial with a 1ohm resistor soldered across one of the pcb ones to further increase the power, is this recommended?


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## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

The MCA will go bang...

Don't say you haven't been warned... only one in every few hundred MCA's can be pushed beyond 50mw.

550ma is the absolute maximum of the diode in my opinion - not had one die at that current (yet).
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

'herminator' if you have taken your laser apart, try reversing the very last lense (that sits on top of the diode) this is the OC mirror and only works one-way.


----------



## herminator

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

ok.. guess i have made some progress on getting green light.

When i turn on the laser i get green light, dim, for a very short time. Like 0,1 secs.

This i with the original positions/setup of the parts, the one that i have always been using..

what is wrong?


----------



## xcxeon

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

To begin with, I would like to say thank you, I just completed both mods on my leadlight in less then 30 mins. The power increase is amazing. I would also like to note, that on the newer model, you can no longer access the pot simply by prying off the switch, as the black plastic piece that covers the switch, no longer has a hole in it. You have you take the laser out of the case, and remove the black plastic piece to adjust the pot.


----------



## DaFiend

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

drill a hole in it.....


----------



## xcxeon

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Heh, I'm not gonna try that, the plastic is very thin. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Is there any other way to modify a laser like this to increase the output?


----------



## DaFiend

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

you don't use a drill. you use the drill bit by hand.


----------



## Uisgdlyast

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

[ QUOTE ]
*LaserMod said:*
[ QUOTE ]
*drpepper1024 said:*
[ QUOTE ]
*LaserModifier said:*
Oh and the problem with the leaking green...

UserX you need to turn the diode just a little bit either left or right. There is a small amount of Z movement and that is what causes the diode to be a little off centre. 

[/ QUOTE ]

I tried what you said and i still have the little quarter halo of green light outside of the main dot. Maybe I'm being too picky and just need to get over it, but do you have any other suggestions? 

[/ QUOTE ]

Some 'spill' can be caused when the beam hits the side of the barrel - just try and centre it again - it is very fiddly.

Try holding each of the objects to the light and look for dust particles/hair etc. 

[/ QUOTE ]

I got the same exact problem, i messed around with the laser for hours and still had a little halo.. thought i got it perfect but there is still some leakage. When i shine it next to an object i can see the object shadow on the wall.

I think it might just be the price you pay for the rush...


----------



## cy

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

what holds the UV filter to brass body? does anyone have a picture that show correct order of internal lens?


----------



## Raccoon

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

all leadlights have splatter. you will not find a pen laser that produces a crisp beam with no light spilling out to the sides.

this is my understanding anyway, someone correct me otherwise.


----------



## l337m4n

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

would it hurt if you take the plastic part out?
EDIT:nevermind i cant even see the POT when i open it up.i can see it buy it is way up there its not close to the switch at all,do i have to take it apart?Or should i just leave it?


----------



## Jim Smyth

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Well I picked up a Leadlight off ebay recently from vital. When I took the rubber button off there was alreay a hole above the pot. I did the stage 1 modification with a flat bladed screwdriver that had the shaft of the screwdriver covered with a very thin layer of tape so as to not short out the pot while adjusting. It didnt do any good. The pot was already adjusted for max power/light throw. I'm not even going to try the 2nd stage mod because I dont feel it will do much good either and really has the potential to mess up the unit. If you want more power I would recommend saving your money and getting a higher powered unit from the beginning.


----------



## bg2vo

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

I recently bought eight 10mW from CNI(group buy. I'm in Dalian, China).
The background is that one of my friend bought one and I measure the current draw to be 210mA with 10mW output. I modified for him to about 40mW and we are very happy with it.
I called CNI to tell them that I'd like 10mW output with the current draw not greater than 220mA. At some stage they said they can only achieve 10mW with 240-250mA. I insisted I need 210mA or I will have my money back. Finally I got all eight GLP back and the biggest current is 217mA(the smallest is 197mA). Most of those was modified to 30mW-50mW later.


----------



## thor

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

WOW, what an incredible mod! I just got my leadlight off ebay where also you could bid for mod instructions from $5 and up so thats when I googled and got em for free! However on my pointer I removed the laser barrel because unless I angled the screwdriver in there at an extreme angle i wouldnt have been able to hit the pot, let alone turn it at such an angle. So I pulled the barrel out with a pair of mini vice-grips (a little sratch dosnt bother me) and tapped the batteries into a pack while i adjusted the pot. After turning it just a hair the brughtness jumped! I was amazed to see such a difference, anyway, great instructions. Anyone know a good sight for building your own DPSS in the 50-100mw range? More power, more power!!
Thor


----------



## DeltZ

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

is it just me or am i the only person who find it absolutely impossible to remove the aperture lens? it's properly stuck for me. i can't reach the pot under the switch, cause it's a bit too far forward + i broke the thing which lets you use a screw driver to adjust... so i'd need to take the PCB out etc...but...it's properly stuck on that lens. Only thing i've done is scratch and ruin paint job...i've tried everything from slitting knife, vice thingy (not much luck, won't grab on) and biting lol..really annoying me now any pro tactics to remove the front ? :/


----------



## SuperBert

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

i used a vise grip brand pair of pliers and it came off IMMEDIATELY with no scratches or anything. It a second to clamp in on properly, but then it just came right off


----------



## DeltZ

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

is this bit absolutely required to turn the pot? I had a look in side (using enough gripping force which actually put two large dents on the aperture cap...at least it looks neatly done) cause i think a bit may have broken off (red glue holding it in place)nothing seems to want to move in the pot, shall i just leave it? cause i'd really like more power (without shorting of course) a daylight visible beam would be really nice /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif


----------



## Raccoon

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

I find a pair of large scissors works the best. Just dig into the crack and get a good angle on it, pushing the scissor blade forward with your thumbs.

[ QUOTE ]
i can't reach the pot under the switch, cause it's a bit too far forward + i broke the thing which lets you use a screw driver to adjust

[/ QUOTE ]

That thingie you adjust with a screw driver IS the _pot_.

Also. Daylight visible beams are not possible on any leadlight, though dimly lit rooms are.


----------



## DeltZ

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

so i guess i'm _*** {edited by moderator}_ saved by the glue? any way of repairing the pot? since that thing i broke of is the pot...get rid of the glue? restick it on...? lol


----------



## K-T

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

DeltZ,
welcome to CPF. 

Please take your time while creating your posts to keep out any foul language - as this is a family friendly _all-age_ forum. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif


----------



## bootleg2go

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Hi Deltz,
What you broke off was just the top of the pot, not what is actually providing the resistance. All is not lost, I broke one of mine off as well. After that I just use the point of an exacto blade to turn the pot. Get a DVM to check and make sure the resistance to pot provides is still working.

Jack


----------



## DeltZ

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

thank you thank you thank you^^
i guess i'll just have to take off the glue slowly etc with a pin etc
then turn the pot
and about the bad language..sorry  didn't think many young children have green lasers lolz  maybe it's more common in america. I'm UK btw


----------



## DeltZ

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

ok...REALLY appreciate you guys help
but ..please confirm do i remove the glue around this and turn the whole metal thing seen? i don't want to break it now i've got this far.(though willing to try still)


----------



## bootleg2go

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

It looks like the pot itself is still intact. What kind of glue did you use? It needs to be removed very carefully, hopefullt there is a way to just disolve the glue. Then use the edge of a small sharp pointed knife like an exacto blade to turn what remains of the pot and a DVM to measure the resistance while doing so. If all else fails, you can get some surface mount resistors and just hard wire the needed resistance.

Jack


----------



## DeltZ

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

thanks again guys, finally got the pot mod done,had to clear out the red glue they put on the put from underneath the pot with a knife, after that it turned quite nicely. Beam is a lot easier to see in shadowed conditions, and i'm generally very happy /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif don't think i'll attempt the soldering mod until i at least get a soldering iron. Which i need for PCB volt mods for my computer anyway^^


----------



## Jetrider

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

I did the mod and it worked out awesome but i lost the damn button. anyone have a solution for a lost button?

tnx for the help
J.


----------



## drpepper1024

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

wait, bootleg, is it possible to remove the pot altogether and "hardwire" in the need resistance? If so please explain, for instance would you have to take off the smr's that control the min and max current of the pot?


----------



## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Looking at the driver board with the diode at the top. 

There are three pins on the pot - you would need to remove the pot (or some fancy soldering) and then short the top with the bottom-left pin. The max limiting resistor does not need to be changed if you are just after 350ma. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


----------



## mullerr666

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

I just did the pot mod.... (and hi all - this is my first post).

I had success but it was not at all smooth sailing.
My laser is very similar to the photos , but has slightly different optics, and a resistor in a different place.
I also had to turn my pot 'clockwise' to increase the brightness. The optics have a crystal mounted at 45 degrees and another side mounted sensor with 2 wires running back to the PCB. I assume this is optical feedback for power control.

Pot Mod Results:
I measured the optical power before and after with the poor mans power meter (green LED):
before pot mod = 4.5uA
after pot mod = 24uA
Visibly, it was at least twice as bright.
Current drawn from the supply was the same - at about 330mA.

I also had a LOT of trouble getting the brass cap off the end. It was just a very tight press fit. Pliers would not budge it. I ended up carefully tapping it out with a sharp chisel.

I managed to get the optics dirty in this process and had a heck of a time getting it clean - alcohol and cotton tips helped a lot, but best to avoid touching it in the first place.

I had to remove the case to get to the pot. Like some others here, it was slightly forward and not accessible from under the switch.

I also knocked my switch off in the delicate extraction process, but was no trouble to resolder it back in place. I am good with electronics, so am happy to answer any questions I can there.

Will try the 2nd stage next....


----------



## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Thats either a Leadlight 110 or a <1mw UK model with the feedback sensor in place.






I have just updated the mod post on my forum - there were a couple of things I thought needed mentioning.


----------



## mullerr666

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

That schematic looks spot on.
I got it from the USA (ebay), 5mW unit, but he claimed it was capable of being modded to about 40mW.

I just completed step 2, but didnt really boost it any more - it was already well aligned, so i guess im sitting on around 20mW or so. Plenty bright enough.

Only thing I would like now is enough power to burn things (insert evil laugh). It would be fun to zap a cockroach from the comfort of your armchair. 

The power rating of semiconductor lasers is ever increasing. Can't wait to see what we will have in maybe 10 years. Still, there's something nostalgic about a good old HeNe tube....

I have some pics of the mods - just need to read up on how to post pictures.


----------



## laser_module

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Hey guys, ok i have a laser module, and it seems to look different from the one in the modification tut.
The one i purchased were rated for 10mW, and has a longer barrel, and thinner than the one in the Tutorial.
3 wires still go in to the barrel, 2 on oneside and 1 on the other (Switch Side).
Can some plz tell me how to mod it for step 2, step 1, is easy enough with the tuning of the pot, but seems like i have a different looking laser module.
Also while we are at the topic, would anyone care to sell me a metal case for this module,eg: broken, or dead laser?
Appreciate your help

Thanks


----------



## luckytexan

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Good ... I got 34mW here. It was 8 or 9 whaen I got it. Can't get any more without phase III 1/4W resistor mods? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

I turned the regulator pot back clockwise about 1/4 turn, about the same power and may save on AA batteries or wear 'n tear.

One note on the lens cap, mine was threaded and very hard to remove-- it was pressed in, but not threaded into the diode assy. Probably done to save an assembly step? I corrected this upon reassembly. My leadlight laser has the button on the bottom, not on the side. Afterwards I had to use a toothpick wraped in lens cleaner cloth to clean the lens-- I had some scatter caused by dust. Its clear and sharp now, stable and very bright.


----------



## Daemonspawn

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Hey, I'm new here as you can see /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif and I just the other day ordered a Leadlight 105 off eBay, and after reading the "Stage 1" mod, I think that I will give that a go once my laser arrives /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I just want to know, once you remove the button cover so you are able to access the POT, and then rotate it to its optimal level, how exactly do you put the button cover back on, is it simple to do? Also, what are the chances of something going wrong while doing the mod (Stage 1 only) ?

Cheers!


----------



## StevieRay

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

The button is held in place with contact adhesive or rubber cement.
If you are carefull, it should just stick back in place. If not, then get some contact cement.


----------



## Draco_Americanus

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Ok I did the mod myself on a leadlight I got from e-bay, every thing whent sell for the stage 1 but it starts out bright, dims for a second and then goes back to full brightness and seems to be stable after that, that normal?

Another quick question, any one know the equasion for figuring out laser power with the green led? also would a digital meter work insted of the 400ua mechanical meter?

Also have any one poped the IR filter off of one of these?


----------



## Daemonspawn

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Just wondering, what's the most mW someone has ever gotten out of a Leadlight with a pot mod?


----------



## Daemonspawn

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Is it true that people have gotten up to 25mW by doing so?


----------



## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Most I've got with a pot mod alone on Leadlight 105 is 55-60mw.


----------



## Daemonspawn

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Sounds pretty good, hope I can get my 105 to 15-20mW with a pot mod... when it comes /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


----------



## LaserMod

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Green Lasers Forum back online, the images should display now. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


----------



## badhorsey

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Just done my pot mod! Still shaking and sweating from working on my precious greenie, but wooooo - is it bright!


----------



## bletzinger

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Just did the stage 1 mod and used a 3/64" flathead screwdriver to turn the pot. I could make it much dimmer but not much brighter. I measured using the green LED method described earlier at about 6mW. I felt hard limits in either direction for the POT. Is this the case? I don't want to turn it too much/hard and break it off.

edit: used a more accurate multi-meter and measured 11-14 mW. Very nice beam is visible in non sunlight, bright light. Thanks for the instructions.


----------



## Phant0m

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

at last the stage 1 and 2 mod is finished, I have a rather different PCB inside my laserpointerm there are no nuts to unscrew the brass ring, and the 2 diode pins are not solderd together, but pics say more then a thousand words:

http://www.phant0m.nl/laser-pcb/0%20001.jpg
http://www.phant0m.nl/laser-pcb/0%20002.jpg
http://www.phant0m.nl/laser-pcb/0%20010.jpg

pics of the laser in action will be posted later on


----------



## CreamySoupUSA

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

I just bought a laser from abeland1 and told him I was from CPF so he sent me a higher powered laser. There was a post it note on the box that said "23.6 G", but I can't tell if its a uppercase G or a lowercase "a". My friend says that means its a 23 mW laser, is this right? If that is right, would a pot mod make it even brighter?

This is the first green laser I have ever seen too, so I have nothing to compare it to.


----------



## abeland1

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

[ QUOTE ]
*CreamySoupUSA said:*
I just bought a laser from abeland1 and told him I was from CPF so he sent me a higher powered laser. There was a post it note on the box that said "23.6 G", but I can't tell if its a uppercase G or a lowercase "a". My friend says that means its a 23 mW laser, is this right? If that is right, would a pot mod make it even brighter?

The post-it note is the reading from my Coherent Lasercheck after one full minute of operation. Please do not try to modify it by increasing the input current to the pump diode. This is just as likely to decrease the final power output as it would be to increase it. The "G" means simply that it has Gold colored trim.. Try to find someone with a a pointer form another source and compare the performance against theirs and your mind will then be at rest.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanks.gif


----------



## titanium

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

Wow! I successfully completed both mods and am very pleased.

I have ran into a small problem however. The beam is no longer centered on the focusing lens. I have disassembled (unscrewed), and reassembled the lens several times, thinking perhaps it wasn't on properly. Nothing I do seems to resolve the problem.

The beam is way off-center (almost touching the metal edge). I cannot put the front aperture cap back on, as it practically blocks the beam.

Any ideas on what may have caused this? Thanks in advance.


----------



## deezdrama05

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 4*

you may have to re - align your diode(stage 2 mod).


----------



## Avenged7X

Hi all, im new to the board. I ordered a leadlight from vital spirit and just recieved it today. (yay)It was already impressively bright. I think brighter than my old GLV5 greenie I had. Anyway I wasted no time and opened it up, did the pot mod which made it conciderably brighter. Then I unsoldered the diode from the board and losened the locking ring and twisted the diode around looking for where the brightest spot would be but it never gets any brighter so it seems that my pointer isnt responding to stage 2 at all which is a shame and disappointment. Im guessing the crystals are just not a good set. Im not sure what mw its running because I dont have a multimeter. Anyone know any other reason it could not be responding to stage 2 of modifying a leadlight?


----------



## Pixel

Why didn't you first guess that your laser had already good alignment. Mine had too. And this is far from a "shame" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif.The quality pointers have their diodes already fine aligned. The stage 2 is not "modifying" but more likely - fine tunning. So, only badly build units will respond positively to the stage 2.


----------



## kushy04

sorry this needs a bump


----------



## LightFetish

lol, how bout this one then.
i did the pot mod. saw a big difference in brightness (for less than a minute), put it all back in the case only to have snapped the white button off. i gave it to my friend to fix since he has a soldering iron. looks like he did a good job, not messy and the button is on well. but.... it doesnt work. he has offered to buy me a new one. but i wanna try to fix this, i feel like im just wasting it. 

what can be done to fix it?
im going to buy another its just its eating at me cuz it seems like an easy fix and it was only the button that snapped off.

thanks guys


----------



## erkme73

Kudos to everyone involved in helping the dummies like me figure out how to modify these lasers! Within minutes of receiving my 105, I had performed the seemingly miraculous improvment of step one. Wow!! But, the gadget-geek side of me couldn't rest until I tried step 2. That's where I should have left well enough alone.

After performing the re-alignment process, the reassembled light seemed slightly dimmer. I thought perhaps I had bumped the pot, knocking it down a notch or two. So, I tried to re-adjust it. Having gained some confidence by those that has posted the ultimately bright lasers by shorting the pot to the case - well, I tried that.

Without so much as a pulse of light, it went dark. It was just a momentary short - not even an 1/8th of a second. It did something. Something bad.

Now, when I look into the front of the assembled laser, I see a very, very dim red dot. When adjusting the pot to every possible position, I'm able to spark an ever-so-faint green dot. The pot still works, but the range is from off, to red dot (internally), to extremely faint green light.

I went back and resoldered everything - thinking perhaps a marginal solder point couldn't handle the over-current of the shorted pot, but that didn't make a difference. I've tried re-shorting the pot, but it just turns off the laser all together.

Has anyone been able to revive this? I went ahead and ordered a replacement, but I didn't just want to throw this away with out trying other things.

I'm bummed, but I knew going into it that I would probably break it. It was a risk I was willing to take - and I don't regret trying it...


----------



## Changots

very sad day indeed, i know what you feel like. from the sound of it, your Diode is dead. and there's definately nothing you can do about that. sorry about the loss


Logan


----------



## Montag DP

I too broke a laser trying to do the stage 2 mod, but it was because of my marginal soldering skills/ very cheap soldering gun. In hindsight, I shouldn't have tried the stage 2 mod at all, because the laser was already very bright after the pot mod, but as erkme73 said, my inner geek got the better of me.

I did the mod and had it working after resoldering (although I don't think I actually got it any brighter), but the circuit board must have been slightly off center, because the diode/ circuit board assembly was too tight to fit all the way back in the pointer housing. 

When I tried to take it back out, two of the contacts between the circuit board and the diode pulled out of the diode. There's no way I will be able to fix it. When I get a new one, I'm going to forego the stage 2 mod. 

So, the moral of the story is "leave well enough alone, unless you really know what you're doing."

_P.S. If anyone thinks they could fix my broken laser, I'd be willing to sell it pretty cheap. Otherwise, I'll just keep it as interesting junk._


----------



## LaserNut

Has anyone heard of the Leadlight laser from Z-Bolt (BTG 6 Plus)? If so, can you tell me if it is the Leadlight 105 or 110? I can't tell and am thinking of purchasing one.

Thanks...


----------



## HD58PHD

Hi,I don't think z-bolt sells leadlight. 
More likely Lightvision,as I have one of their modules,and it is the latter.


----------



## buster

the beam of my laser isnt going straight out, its going out ant a slight angle. anyone know how to fix this? ive only dont the pot mod.


----------



## GreenMachine

i recently bought a green laser on ebay, not really knowing which brand was the best. the one i got is a leadlight from luckyduck, and has APC. does this mean that no matter what i do to the pot, it wont get any brighter? i read that the negative feedback circuit that is in these APCs prevents the output from going higher than 5mw....i hope this is not true :\


----------



## Databyter

If you read the modification threads you will see that yes, an apc will limit your ability to do a simple pot mod unless you disable or bypass the apc. 
I assume this isn't really too easily done unless you have some very fine tools and a big magnifying glass and the steady hand of a jewler or laser mod'er

Maybe you could sell the one you got on ebay and get another model?

Or better yet just buy a pre-screened pointer that will provide you with the power you want/need from a reputable dealer.


----------



## Rich_UK

Hi all, first post from laser newbie  I just did the pot mod on my green leadlight (from vital*spirit), after pulling the button off I discovered the hole in the plastic cover was already there, I thought damn it's already been modded so I wont be able to boost it, wrong! using a jewelers screwdriver (covered in black tape) I carefully gave the pot screw a little turn (with the button pressed and watching the dot on a white wall), and was amazed with the instant result :wow: so I carried on turning until it went off, and then back a little, my laser now works way better than before, but just one thing....... for a brief second it's very bright, but then it suddenly dims a little, don't get me wrong I'm still very happy, and it's still loads brighter than before, but it would be great if it would stay at the intital power, according to my battery tester the batteries are still good, but at the moment it's still running on the standard ones that came with it, would rechargable NiMH batteries help? 

P.S. a big thank you to you LaserMod for putting in the effort to make this guide for us newbies, it's much appreciated :twothumbs


----------



## DFiorentino

I too just bought a leadlight "105" from vital*spirit and attempted the pot mod only to encounter a strange result. (Oh, and mine already had the hole beneath the button, but i removed the unit from the tube just to make things easier.) When I initially turned the pot, I got the same result as Rich_UK above. At first bright, then the APC circuitry kicks in (as I'm understanding these more recent "Vital 105/110s" have?) and the laser dims back to _almost _ stock brightness. Frusterated, I hooked up a amp meter and adjusted the pot to the very edge of my maximum power reading which was 300ma. This took several press on-turn the pot-read the meter cycles, so that I could get a reading before the laser dimmed. Now, when I turn it on, it comes on bright, then dims as before within @5sec....but after @30-60sec. on it goes very dim to almost off then brightens back up and then  back to the initial full brightness. :huh: If I press the button again in a short period of time, it does the sames thing, but all in a matter of @1-2sec. :thinking: However, if I let it sit and cool, it'll go back to the 30sec. wait deal.  Its at the brightest almost immediately once it warms up.

Kind of wierd. Kind of frusterating. Yet, kind of cool that I seem to have one of the few newer Vital Leadlights lasers that have some sort of positive effect with the pot mod. ...or I'm just setting my laser up for a short lived life  .

-DF


----------



## Corona

Sounds like a Vital 110, not a 105. The Vital APC ("110") driver circuit is really unstable, especially if you turn the pot up past the point where the laser can actually deliver the power that the pot setting corresponds to. The APC circuit "wants" to see more green than the assembly can actually make, so it tries to increase the LD current to get there, and can't...there is a horrible current oscillation that can kill LDs if you take the trouble to mod the driver so it can exceed about 350mA (or happen to encounter one that responds to the pot mod, as you have). Be happy that yours caps at about 300mA. The result of this current oscillation is the intensity modulation that you see. Thermal response/drift of all the interrelated laser parts (LD, Nd:YVO4 crystal, KTP doubler) all affect the green output - and the poor APC design is not compensated for these effects.

The Atlasnova 110 is a slightly better APC circuit, but all over-simplified APC designs such as these are subject to the runaway condition. It works fairly well at a reasonable level above the laser diode threshold (~200-250mA), but once the overall system enters into a non-linear response condition, all bets are off.

Simple as


----------



## Hack

Hey, I to am very new here. I've done mods 1 and 2 and ready to do the resistor mod. I know where the resistor is to be replaced but don't know what size of resistor to put there. Can you guys help me out?


----------



## Athoul

Also the initial power fluctuations are caused by the crystals reacting to the sudden activity. The laser then dims to it's actual output ability. Note that heat is a factor as well. As the laser gets hotter the crystals start to perform differently, this also occurs when they cool down...and you can notice increase/decreases in beam brightness. Most, if not all DPSS lasers are known for this :/


----------



## blinkest

I recently bought a black/gold-colored Leadlight 110 laser pointer off of eBay and attempted the "pot" mod. First, I removed the button, but instead of the whole there was only thick black plastic. I then drilled through this but when I got through I realized the pot was about 1 cm out of reach!

Now no matter what I try -- using the sharpest knife I can find, using pliers, scissors, and about everything else that comes to mind -- I can't get the pointer disassembled! All I managed to do was to severely scratch the aperture cap and completely wreck the paint job.






Does anyone have any hints for me to defeat this mysterious unbreakable force?


----------



## Databyter

My dad has always maintained that there is nothing that a 4 pound hammer can't fix.

I'm not sure his defnition of fixed is the same as ours however..
Sorry about the paint job and difficulty. It sounds kind of frustrating. You can always refinish it though once you get it modded.

Personally I would think a pair of rounded jaw vise grips would do the job of getting the cap off. Don't grip it too tightly or you will defeat the purpose.

If nothing else the 4 pound hammer would be satisfying for a few moments.

Good luck


----------



## Hack

Hack said:


> Hey, I to am very new here. I've done mods 1 and 2 and ready to do the resistor mod. I know where the resistor is to be replaced but don't know what size of resistor to put there. Can you guys help me out?


 

_I guess not!! _


----------



## Robban

Hack said:


> _I guess not!! _


Dude... It's only been a couple of days since you asked. And even if it was a week ago no one here has any obligation to answer any of your questions. We're all regular people around here sharing a common interest. No need for that kind of attitude, even less so when asking for help.


----------



## Robban

Ok. Today I became the proud owner of my first green laser. I got it at day time and of course ripped the package apart and turned it on. OOooh I thought to myself that's pretty darn bright. Came home now tonight at dark and tried it again. This time I went WOW, this thing is crazy it lights up my entire room.

Now... it didn't take long before I decided to do the pot mod. I slowly turned the pot and this time I went HOLY [email protected]! the spot on the wall was too bright and I stopped turning before I reached the max, this thing scares me  I measured the output using the green led method before doing the mod and after. I measured an output 8 times higher than before, and I haven't maxed it out yet... Is that normal?

One other thing. I'm now scared to use this thing without squinting and kinda looking the other way (or covering my eyes and admire the beam). Is it safe to look at the spot as it is reflected off a light colored wall? Or should I be getting some safety glasses? (I'm thinking I should get them anyways though).

Thanks for the excellent tutorial!


----------



## Athoul

As long as the reflections are off of a non glossy surface you should be ok, just be careful of reflections from shiney objects, glass and mirrors. Sounds like you got a good one, It's possible you tweaked your laser up to 15-40mW, if it's in the higher end of my estimate you might want to buy some goggles. I would say around 30mW is getting risky for the eyes, I read the US army uses 25mW and considers them to not cause permanent damage, although I personally think the chance of eye damage is greater then they are claiming.


----------



## Robban

Athoul said:


> As long as the reflections are off of a non glossy surface you should be ok, just be careful of reflections from shiney objects, glass and mirrors. Sounds like you got a good one, It's possible you tweaked your laser up to 15-40mW, if it's in the higher end of my estimate you might want to buy some goggles. I would say around 30mW is getting risky for the eyes, I read the US army uses 25mW and considers them to not cause permanent damage, although I personally think the chance of eye damage is greater then they are claiming.


So a whiteish wallpaper should be ok then. And a carpet for example should not pose any problems either I suppose. I will still refrain from looking straight at the dot though, but it's good to know I'm not gonna go blind just by catching a glimpse of it here and there  Now that I'm not feeling quite so worried (still have a huge amount of respect for it though) I'm going to try to crank it up a wee bit more, just to see if it'll go any higher and then turn it back down again.
edit: Turns out I was pretty darn close to the max as it was. I however took a little drive out into the woods and tried it out in the snowfall. OOooh pretty!  But of course, the one car I met had to come just as I was trying it out in a clearing, so I had to pull out my flashlight and pretend to fix my wipers


----------



## Robban

Ok guys... I think I've messed up  I was trying to pot mod today again. Pulled off the button as usual and used a small screwdriver (it has a magnetic tip but that shouldn't be a problem right?) that is taped all the way except for a tiny tiny bit at the very end (less than a millimetre). I was turning the pot and it got a little brighter, brighter still and then it went dim. That's what I was expecting by reading the instructions. So I turned it back a bit, but it didn't seem to get back to full brightness again. I've now tried to turn it a couple of turns in each direction and it now goes from dim -> little brighter -> dim and then repeats. It's not even putting up much of a fight against a 5buck red one now.

Why can't I ever leave stuff alone! I hate myself right now :/

Have I destroyed my pointer? 

edit: How can I test if it's broken or not? Can I bypass the pot by putting a resistor in the whole and connecting it to the side of the button opening? If so, what resistor value should I be using. Anything else I can try? I reeaaally don't feel like throwing out another 60 bucks...


----------



## Corona

Sounds like you have damaged the laser diode, alright. The pot has no stops at the ends of travel, so your description of the brightness variation makes sense. Unfortunately, once you had adjusted it past the LDs maximum allowable current (the driver board is capable of applying far tooo high a current, yes), and operated it, the LD was internally damaged. Either the die was damaged, or more likely, the tiny mirror facets are ablated/cracked from the excess infrared power. It still lases, but the output power is way below spec. 

I don't recommend adjusting *any* stock pointer above about 300mA, and tweaking the pot without monitoring the current - that is like playing Russian Roulette. You need a new LD, almost certainly. Ouch.

Now you have what can affectionately be called a "parts laser". Welcome to the club


----------



## Robban

Well that royally sucks don't it  I thought I would be ok as according to the guide it would never go over spec by just doing the pot-mod (I'm not blaming the author for what happened here though, you didn't turn the pot, I did).

So I guess I'm SOL then? This sucks. It's not that I can't afford another one, it just feels stupid to waste money I could've spent on a tank of gas on getting another toy (yeah, gas is expensive over here...).


----------



## Corona

Ja...det er meget dårlig, kanskje du vil være mer heldig og kjøpe en med meget kraftig!!

LOL Norsk is as close as I can get to Swedish - and mine is pretty bad!

Yes! Buy another, and modify with more care, you will be OK

vennlig hilsen


----------



## Athoul

Damn  I was about to say you should be ok aiming it at the carpet, etc.. but yeah it sounds like the diode has been over driven, unless somehow you damaged the POT(but unlikely). I know what it's like to have to try and get that extra little kick out of something...but sometimes it's better to stop while your ahead :/

Anyway give it a try again, but this time use a multimeter so you don't over drive the diode.


cheers,


----------



## Robban

You live and learn I guess. I'm just glad I didn't learn on a blue one :O

Now, when I get the other one (already ordered it  Although this one was in silver, oh well) is this about right:
Remove end cap
Place one lead of the multi to the positive contact of the battery sticking out
Place the other lead between battery and case (touching the metal threads).
Hold down button, turn slowly on the pot and watch the multi.
Keep it at or under 300mA

I'd like to avoid pulling it apart as I wasn't successful with the first one. There is NO gap at all to get into on mine.

Also, do you guys think anyone would be willing to pay a few bucks for the broken one?


----------



## Chiel

Why don't you order a new 808nm pump diode at www.roithner-laser.com ? I replaced a broken diode with the S808200MG, 808 nm, 200 mW, mm, 50 um, 5.6 mm (€ 21,00 excl. VAT & shipping). Pointer works 100% okay again !


----------



## Hack

Don't feel too bad, Iv'e gone through 3 diodes now and just got my hands on a 1.2 watt 808nm diode. Hopefully I'll get this to work without too much of a headace and no more dents in my wallet!


----------



## Robban

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*

Alright, got my new laser from Vital today  Tried it once more, this time keeping a close eye on the amps. It started out at 160mA and I stopped tweaking it at 290mA to keep it nice and safe. It is no were near the output of my old unit, no comparison really. And it seems to start out bright, and quickly (less than half a second) dims back down a bit, the current is a stable 290mA through this though. It doesn't have an LED indicating when it is on and Vital has informed me that they only ship 105's so it shouldn't be any protection kicking in. This is starting to get annoying hehe.

I guess I'm gonna have to get in contact with Mr. Beland and get a tried and true performer. Problem is that I live in Sweden so the call itself would probably be worth more than the pointer


----------



## abeland1

*Re: How to Modify 5mw Leadlight Green Laser upto 45mw+*



Robban said:


> Alright, got my new laser from Vital today  Tried it once more, this time keeping a close eye on the amps. It started out at 160mA and I stopped tweaking it at 290mA to keep it nice and safe. It is no were near the output of my old unit, no comparison really. And it seems to start out bright, and quickly (less than half a second) dims back down a bit, the current is a stable 290mA through this though. It doesn't have an LED indicating when it is on and Vital has informed me that they only ship 105's so it shouldn't be any protection kicking in. This is starting to get annoying hehe.
> 
> I guess I'm gonna have to get in contact with Mr. Beland and get a tried and true performer. Problem is that I live in Sweden so the call itself would probably be worth more than the pointer


Send me an email with your phone number and a good time to call for both of us. I'm in the Pacific Time Zone and I'm at work at 7AM. We get really cheap rates for overseas calls here.
[email protected]


----------



## Bangstrom

FYI if anyone made it to my reply here, congratulations. You might be the kind of person who reeeeaally wants to do their homework before attempting this mod. Well, it worked for me. The pot mod, that is. Haven't tried the diode mod (I'm still at work..)

For me, turning the pot was a little stiff- it took a little concentration to feel it turning. Also, the sticky used to hold th ebutton down to the switch remained on the plastic, so I didn't want to touch the tape to turn the beam on while tuning the pot. So I would turn a bit, then take the screwdriver out and tap it on with that to test the beam and repeat if necessary. It got scary when it wouldn't turn on, but backing it off a bit it came back on and was very bright. 

I just want to warn anyone out there that this really does make a laser pretty bright- I'm considering turning it back down. My eyes see spots, and I've only looked at the reflected dot. Seems to have gone away at least a little in the past 20 minutes. Can't wait to try it tonight, tho......


----------



## comozo

Does anyone know the dimensions of the bare leadlight module?


----------



## Athoul

Yeah it can get very bright! even if you got it up to 15mW or more it's noticably much brighter then 5mW. Looking at the dot on a non reflective surface might not cuase you eye damage, but it can give you a headache or temporary flash blindness..like that of a camera flash. If you find that somehow it increased to around 30mW you might want to get goggles, at this range it is starting to get dangerous to the eyes. Can't hurt to be too safe anyway/


----------



## Impyboy

i did this mod last night on my 105. this is brilliant!
i actually did stage II first (after turning the pot so it dims the laser) so it would be easier to see the difference in brightness.

when i got to stage I, i only turned the pot about half turn. after the half turn, i can keep going another half turn, but doesn't go any brighter. mind you, at this point, it's about 3-4 times brighter than original. Should i keep turning, or should i be content with this amount of power now?

i don't wanna risk breaking it, but you know how tempting it is to fine tune these to get the most of of them. i'm sure many a laser have been destroyed in mans quest for more power... which usually also drives us to stage II after doing stage I of this mod, doesn't it? ;-)


----------



## Robban

If you're not seeing any real increase in brightness I see no reason to risk frying it, like I did with mine. Had I known what I know today I would've just contacted Mr. Beland from the start and saved myself a hundred bucks... (first one burned out and the second didn't respond very well to the mod) oh well, you live and learn.


----------



## Impyboy

ok, so i re-did the pot adjustment again, trying to turn it back to 5mw again.
i was turning the pot in half turns clockwise , but it remained just as bright each time i tested it. 

so i kept the laser on while i turned the pot, and realised what was going on. There is no end to the pot. it just keeps going round in circles changing the power in a loop (i think someone metioned something about this in a previous post). so now, i have it set right on the edge of absolute minimum, so if it turn it slightly clockwise, it goes to full power. just gotta keep my little adjusting tool with me to switch from high to low power. 

And i've kept the button off coz i feel it's a little safer, i find the button a little too easy to push accidently. although it's gonna start collecting dust thru the hole.

this is so cool! gotta get another one!


----------



## JDJ

Well, my brother gave me one for X-Mass. Within 2 hours, I stumbled upon this mod and completed the Stage 1. It is definitely brighter!


----------



## wondergimp

Ok, I've had my leadlight for a few months now, and decided to do this mod. However, when I tried unscrewing the POT, a small ring came off.:scowl: It still works, but now I cant complete the mod. I then decided to take the laser out of the casing so it would be easier to do..(if at all possible)..When I tried to take the laser out of the casing, I could only get the brass cap and the brass part that contains the lens. I cannot get the rest of the laser out. Could there be glue or something holding the rest up inside the casing? I'm thoroughly puzzled.:thinking:


----------



## Impyboy

no, there's no glue holding it down.
my one was so loose, inserting the batteries in it pushed it out.

are you able to screw the endcap into the end? if so, you will be screwing it onto the body, and then you can just pull the whole module out.
otherwise, you might need to get something to push it out from the other end, making sure you avoid damaging the PCB.


----------



## mccavazos

Rich_UK said:


> Hi all, first post from laser newbie  I just did the pot mod on my green leadlight (from vital*spirit), after pulling the button off I discovered the hole in the plastic cover was already there, I thought damn it's already been modded so I wont be able to boost it, wrong! using a jewelers screwdriver (covered in black tape) I carefully gave the pot screw a little turn (with the button pressed and watching the dot on a white wall), and was amazed with the instant result :wow: so I carried on turning until it went off, and then back a little, my laser now works way better than before, but just one thing....... for a brief second it's very bright, but then it suddenly dims a little, don't get me wrong I'm still very happy, and it's still loads brighter than before, but it would be great if it would stay at the intital power, according to my battery tester the batteries are still good, but at the moment it's still running on the standard ones that came with it, would rechargable NiMH batteries help?
> 
> P.S. a big thank you to you LaserMod for putting in the effort to make this guide for us newbies, it's much appreciated :twothumbs



I am having this same problem. It is initially very bright, then it dims down quite abit. And I think it gets bright again, its hard to tell if its reaching back to its intitial brightness. Is this normal? and would the rechargeables help? or is it the crystals reacting to a sudden change?

Thanks in advace!


Chris


----------



## MMXER

Although I dont have a Leadlight ( some china brand 2 years old ) it did have a pot under the switch. The pot was to the left of the switch, instead of to the front as with the leadlights.

Results.... Well its at least 5x brighter. It will burn right through black trash bags, even from a distance. Folded it back over itself like 6 times and the beam ate through it in a few seconds.
Painted a black dot on a plastic cup, and it was smoking almost instantly at 3-4' away.....
Now I have to get a green LED so I can have some idea of the power level...


----------



## SuperNinja

erkme73 said:


> Now, when I look into the front of the assembled laser, I see a very, very dim red dot. When adjusting the pot to every possible position, I'm able to spark an ever-so-faint green dot. The pot still works, but the range is from off, to red dot (internally), to extremely faint green light.


This sounds like those stories you hear about people checking on "dud" firecrackers, or looking down a gun barrel for some goodies. :huh:


----------



## mccavazos

I was preforming stage 2, and the pad for the two leads that are soldered together popped off.  I had my iron set at 550 degrees and it seemed like the second that I touched the pad it popped right off.  I had the laser working so nice with just the pot mod, but i had to keep tinkering.... :mecry:


----------



## raven2004ecw

i just bought a green laser from geeks (it looks like the 110 model?), i have never modified anything before and want to but am wondering if anyone know if this is the same model that luckyduck was/is selling for about $47 shipped and if this can be modified (thinking of trying the stage 1 but am alittle nervous and want to be sure if it can/should be modified, thinking it's the same one as luckyduck with that apc maybe?) any help would be appreciated, thanks......

it has a light right under the button that lights up when you turn the laser on to let you know it's on i guess? like you won't see the laser? lol anyway, here is the link to the pics on geeks.........

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=GRN-LASER-POINTER


----------



## dr_lava

pic or link to a pic?


----------



## LASERSforLIFE

hey guys,
i've turned the pot on my leadlight and it works amazingly and now i can pop balloons and all that.

but now something's bothering me, i have like.. a haze around my center dot...
maybe it's dust and i just need to clean my lens or something. 
anyone have suggestions for cleaning it without having to take it apart?

[edit]
okay here's a few pictures of my laser...
and if anyone knows how to get that front cap off, please tell me.


----------



## raven2004ecw

raven2004ecw said:


> i just bought a green laser from geeks (it looks like the 110 model?), i have never modified anything before and want to but am wondering if anyone know if this is the same model that luckyduck was/is selling for about $47 shipped and if this can be modified (thinking of trying the stage 1 but am alittle nervous and want to be sure if it can/should be modified, thinking it's the same one as luckyduck with that apc maybe?) any help would be appreciated, thanks......
> 
> it has a light right under the button that lights up when you turn the laser on to let you know it's on i guess? like you won't see the laser? lol anyway, here is the link to the pics on geeks.........
> 
> http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=GRN-LASER-POINTER


 
well i popped my button off but i don't think it's the same laser and since I don't know what to do without seeing the pot, i guess i'll leave as is, maybe i'll have to buy a new laser to modify, if/when i do i'll ask you guys what to buy and where to buy it from (i'm still happy to have a green laser, i was just hoping to burn thru a garbage bag or something cool like that  but for now, i'll just have fun with what i got) great site, thanks again everyone


----------



## spideyfan

How bright did you gets get stage 1 to go? I think I did stage 1 right...I can see the beam at night but still cant burn thru trash bags.

Can anyone confirm burning thru bags after stage 1 mod.

I am scared to do a stage 2 so I wont bother


----------



## LASERSforLIFE

well after stage 1, i can pop balloons and burn bags, but not sure if i can go through them. anyways, can anyone answer my question right up there ^^


----------



## mccavazos

With stage one I can burn through trashbags and pop baloons (with a blask marker dot).


----------



## Fried Chicken

That's damn bright for a stage 1 mod... I highly doubt I can do anything to a balloon with my laser, even after a stage 1 mod.

Maybe after my warranty runs out I will dare to do the stage 2 mod..


----------



## mccavazos

Just tested my laser with the green LED power meter (http://sbk.phalkin.com/PowerMeter.htm), and with just stage one I get a constant 124uA, with is ~ 44.286 mW .


----------



## mccavazos

After a few minutes of use the pointer drops down to ~ 19mW . Its strange though, because the output looks almost exactly the same. :shrug:


----------



## Lyzdog

I just receive my 105, however, when I initially tried the POT, it got VERY bright, but then it when extremely dim. Now, no matter which way I turn it, it is very, very DIM. What am i/did I do wrong? thx in advance


----------



## Dormanin

Sounds like you shorted the pot to the case and damaged your diode.... you may be SOL dude.


----------



## Athoul

Sorry to hear :/ It really sounds like you blew out the diode :/ Even blown the diode will produce light as a dim LED, however it won't lase any longer 

Doing a pot mod is at best risky and will result in a shortened overall life of the diode. In many cases though you end up blowing them out either from to much current, or from closing the circut by touching the case and bypassing the pot entirely. If you are going to attempt it, you need to make sure you are using a non conductive scewdriver(or one wrapped in tape) to turn the pot.


----------



## Corona

LASERSforLIFE said:


> well after stage 1, i can pop balloons and burn bags, but not sure if i can go through them. anyways, can anyone answer my question right up there ^^



Sure. It's probably pocket lint that has found it's way onto the output lens surface. Another possibility is airborne moisture or condensation deposits. It doesn't take much and might not even be visible on the lens (laser OFF!!).

The best way to clean it is to remove the end cap and clean it gently with a lint-free cloth meant for optics, and a little window cleaner or isopropyl alcohol. 

After removing the cap, file down the knurling so it's an easy disassembly "next time" - you can just unscrew it, rather than pulling it out and unscrewing it. I do this to mine, and it works great.

Be careful to follow the disassembly directions the first time - remove the button, etc. so you don't damage the innards...


----------



## tobjectpascal

I bought a leadlight APC (one with the green LED on the side) drilled the hole, did the mod and it's now 2 - 3 times brighter..

and as someone else pointed out, when you press the button it starts a little brighter for about 2 seconds then dims a little, still, i bought a 5MW and now it's closer to 18mW (with a peek of around 20mW) so i'm not going to complain , but the point is, it's an APC unit and it worked just fine.


----------



## cy

hmmmm


----------



## SuperNinja

Corona said:


> Sure. It's probably pocket lint that has found it's way onto the output lens surface.


Yeah, I just had a laser that had an odd artifact around the dot that it shined on the wall.
It looked a little like a 4 pointed star effect, and I thought the laser may have been slightly damaged (possibly from modding it). But after I wiped the front end of the laser on a cloth, it cleared the dot a little bit. I then gave it a short blast with a little bit of compressed air, and that totally cleaned up the dot. :sweat:


----------



## raven2004ecw

i checked out my laser again, I'm not sure what to do (or if I can do anything) because when I take the button off there is like a black plastic thing in my way (I can't see the pot at all), i'm not sure what i'm supposed to do, can someone help me out?  thanks


----------



## SuperNinja

raven2004ecw said:


> i checked out my laser again, I'm not sure what to do (or if I can do anything) because when I take the button off there is like a black plastic thing in my way (I can't see the pot at all), i'm not sure what i'm supposed to do, can someone help me out?  thanks


The answer is in the original post.


----------



## tobjectpascal

Both dots are coming from an APC 110 Leadlight unit, both have the green LED both the new models..

This is using just the pot mod trick.

I bought the second one because i liked the first one so much lol..

What i have found out about these units.

Yes, the pot mod does work, however the little green LED on the modded one is actually quite a bit dimmer than the none modded, identical unit, when you press the button it starts off a little brighter then gets a little duller, maybe from about 14mW to about 11mW...

It's not strong enough to burn black plastic tape, i feel no heat output at all from it, the pot just goes round and round, it's either at bright or off, i can't get it back to how it was before.

but as you can see, it is brighter even on APC units even though i was lead to believe otherwise.


----------



## tobjectpascal

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/High-Power-5...ryZ14954QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

That unit there.


----------



## comozo

Got a question that's not answered in this thread.
Is there a positive focal lens mounted to the 808nm diode?


----------



## thetick

Great guide; I just potted my new Leadlight 105. I don't know what the output is, but it's definitely too bright too look at after it's reflected off a white wall.

A couple questions though:
If the glue that holds the button on comes off, what should you use to replace it?

How is the aperature cap supposed to come off? Is it supposed to be pried off or screwed off (my Leadlight doesn't have any grooves on the aperature cap like the one in the picture)?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## Corona

little bloodsucking insect said:


> If the glue that holds the button on comes off, what should you use to replace it?


 j/k on that abuse of yer nick ;-)
You can try rubber cement (a spot on the button and the plastic sleeve, allowed to skin over before mating) or the snotty goop sometimes encountered in magazines to attach a glossy advertisement section. The latter seems to be the same class of adhesive as the original spot of goo, it's a bit tricky to transfer it from publication to pushbutton, but it works well.


----------



## VERbAlist216

if i have a 5wm lead light and i do the pot mod whats my highest output mw's coudl i get out of it ?


----------



## Jaffa

Some prick is selling Leadlight mod instructions on ebay, and i think they are most probably the instructions here. The link is here: http://cgi.ebay.com/LEADLIGHT-Green...ryZ47103QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


----------



## pixar

Someone / many have been doing this for ages - that's what happens, people try and make a buck on ebay selling almost anything these days. Perhaps if it can be proved they are almost word for word, then someone can sue


----------



## Edwood

What outputs are people getting with Stage 1 mods with newer 110 Leadlights?

-Ed


----------



## biscuitbarrel

I just got my Leadlight from the Laser Community - the one they are advertising for $39 shipped. How do I tell if it's a 105 or a 110? Also how long is the warranty? I want to wait for the warranty to expire before I mod it.


----------



## dr_lava

well, if it has the green 'on' light, it's probably a 110, although the 'leadlight' designation of these lasercommunity lasers has been called into question. I have yet to see a good picture of the driver board of one of these pointers. If you can post that, we can say for sure.


----------



## DAN-802

Hi !! I'm a newbe...I have read all of the mod pod posts & they all refer to the rubber on/off switch...My 5mw has a metal round button that cannot be removed. I can see down the tube to the battery spring etc...but how do I get the button off to access the pod?? this might be a newer version to avoid the mod pod...can anyone advise, I would appreciate it...Thanks: Dan Stannard...PS .. Great site...!!!


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## Nisei

If it's got a metal switch it's not a Leadlight. You could post a picture and maybe someone recognizes your laser and be able to tell if it's possible to mod.


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## Snipermang

i think i got the one hes talking about its <5mw and it does have a metal button, i too cant figure out how to remove it.
here is a pic.






and here is the product page.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.91


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## stevetexas

This isn't a leadlight but it can be modded. It is VERY hard to disassemble. The silver cap has to be removed and the whole module pushed/pulled out. You risk severe cosmetic dammage if you try to open this one. 

Personally, I wouldn't waste the effort on it - you may have one that you can't do a simple pot mod on then it is a whole other matter to improve the power.


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## IcedZ

I think mine may not be a leadlight. It was sold as a leadlight glp-105.
here is a link to the pic: http://3.5inchfloppy.com/green_laser.JPG

It has a round metal button, not an oval one like the others. It doesn't seem to be removable. And so far, I haven't been able to get the diode out.

Help! =(

Edit: just saw the posts above. Apparently mine isn't a leadlight. =\ I'll post more updates if I get it apart.


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## cbfull

Hey guys, haven't posted in a long time, been working on other projects.

One thing I want to mention about the "turned too far" pot and then intermittent/weak output, the diode MIGHT be just fine. I ran into this problem with a really cheap pot. On these cheap ones, if you turn it forcefully past it's endpoint, it damages the the little contact or "brush" that sits on the carbon track.

To fix this, I had to carefully unsolder and remove the old pot and measure it's total track resistance, and then ordered a micro-pot with surface solder contacts. It was very tricky soldering that tiny thing in place but it worked beautifully and has continued to do so for the last 5-6 years.

Thought you might like to know.

Craig


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## juvaknin

i have few short questions.. please help if you can...
i have the same laser pointer that you guys mod.. (the Leadlight black pointer) my questions are..
1. if i'm just doing the "Pot Mod" the laser will burn like i saw on some videos?
2. if yes, what it the max distance for pop baloons?
3. what value of Resistor you guys found that it's good to use for good power but won't kill fast the laser Diode?
4. if i'm doing the Resistor mod.. i need to calibrate the Pot? or just leave it as is (on max as you guys doing the Pot-Mod)??

Thanks for your time guys.. :thumbsup:


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## Corona

1.) Yes, if you are EXTREMELY lucky and get a high-efficiency unit that has not been identified by the manufacturer, distributor, or street dealer as "the good stuff" and sold for big bucks. Good luck with that, in today's green laser market. A year or two ago, it was a whole 'nother ballgame.

2.) A couple feet away is about all a human can manage; it's all about holding it steady as a rock. And you need a black or dark red balloon. With focusing optics, you might be able to pop a balloon with a lower power, but the distance is critical and a few inches is all you can reasonably expect.

3.) Read up some more - any mods you do need to be undertaken only after you fully understand the "why", not only the "what" regarding a mod. And put together some sort of power monitoring device; a green LED, etc. so you can tell if what you are doing is making any difference (and when to STOP increasing the drive current). Search the forum, all this is old news.

4.) See above


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## juvaknin

Many Thanks corona 
about that if i ordered the "high-efficiency unit" we can't know until you get it...:thinking:
i ordered mine from e-bay for arround 50$...
i also have the "simple" one that cost only arround 25$ and it's nice.. but not someting powerfull......:shakehead
as i read.. this "Leadlight 105" should be good... i'll keep you posted...
Thanks!

Yuval.


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## dubois928

Hey all. I just tried the 1st modification on a laser that is most likely a ledlight, it looks exactly the same. However in taking the button off the pot was somewhat farther down the tube so I had to turn it at an angle. I tried turning it in both directions, and it turned completely off after some turning in both directions. The power seemed to peak somewhere in the middle, which is odd, and even so it seems barely brighter than what it was. I might try getting a green led and ampere meter to see how much power it is giving out. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Kenneth Anderson


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## brodieboy143

ok so now im the proud owner of my 1st green laser pointer. so i quickly grab some batteries, install them and guess what....nothing.

same old symptoms of a really dim red dot emitted from the diode...

THE SOLUTION: ALKALINE BATTERIES

yes it sounds simple but a small note in the instructions says alkaline batteries provide higher performance, and in some cases, any performance at all


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## Athoul

In some cases it takes about 2.6V or so for the pump diode to lase properly. In the case of NiMH, the 2.4V is sometimes not enough, or if it is, there is sometimes a noticable difference in output. You should find that Lithium (Energizer e2's) will work just as well as Alkalines and will last longer (though more expensive).


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