# Modded PGL-IIIA



## Dj_sTyLz808 (Aug 19, 2006)

Herez a vid of my pot modded PGL-IIIA I had trouble lining up the match but once I got it, it lit almost instantly =)

http://www.youtube.com/v/KuAgAJ_xLZU


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## StevieRay (Aug 19, 2006)

Want to share with us how you did the pot mod?


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## Dj_sTyLz808 (Aug 19, 2006)

Sure .It's really simple just push the whole module out and the "screw" that everyone was talking about right under the battery spring is the pot.You just turn it clockwise I tuned mine 2 complete turns clockwise and it is sigificantly stronger =)


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## FNinjaP90 (Aug 19, 2006)

You can go ahead and mess with the laser, but any damage you cause to the laser will be solely your fault. I yanked the A475 capacitor out and the laser doesn't have any more delay. I turned the pot +180deg, and noticed that the laser has a stronger initial output, but that output dims to maybe 10mw or so after a few seconds. I went back and turned the pot only about +30deg, and feel that this is a good compromise.

If anyone finds a better pot angle, let me know. This is my pot in the unturned position, which I designate 0deg. The module is upside down in this picture.






Too bad we don't have cheap power meters to measure the power output =(


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## Yobresal (Aug 19, 2006)

Hi, Has anyone had problems with the button getting caught inside the laser tube, prohibiting the module from coming out?


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## FNinjaP90 (Aug 19, 2006)

Yeah that's gonna be a problem. It happened to me when I tried it the first time. I stated in the take-apart thread to *keep the button pointing down* so that it doesn't get caught. If you wiggle and pull hard enough you might be able to pull it out while breaking the contacts of the switch which you'll have to re-solder.


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## MasterMind (Aug 19, 2006)

Maybe I'm missing something here, but if the pot is exposed, why not just adjust it using a long screwdriver? I can see the pot inside the body of the laser in mine....


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## Yobresal (Aug 19, 2006)

Phew, I managed to get the button unjammed without damaging anything. I them removed the module and adjusted the pot. My laser is now stronger. I also got a penny secured to the tail cap, so I no longer need the jack. 
FOR ALL THOSE FROM GB #1 The capacitor you need to remove to get rid of the delay is marked C475, not A475 like the new ones.


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## FNinjaP90 (Aug 19, 2006)

MasterMind said:


> Maybe I'm missing something here, but if the pot is exposed, why not just adjust it using a long screwdriver? I can see the pot inside the body of the laser in mine....



Well, not everyone has an jewler's screwdriver with an 8" shaft. It's quite a small screw.


Yobresal said:


> Phew, I managed to get the button unjammed without damaging anything. I them removed the module and adjusted the pot. My laser is now stronger. I also got a penny secured to the tail cap, so I no longer need the jack.
> FOR ALL THOSE FROM GB #1 The capacitor you need to remove to get rid of the delay is marked C475, not A475 like the new ones.


Glad to hear you didn't damage anything. Well, mine is from GB#1 and it's marked A475.


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## Yobresal (Aug 19, 2006)

Really? that is weird that our lasers have different caps. I love this laser (post mods). Mine starts out ubber bright flickers for a second or two, then settles down just a hair noticably dimmer that the initial spike. I had this laser tested to be 88mW (thank you Jack), so I am sure now that it is putting out at least 100mW, probably more. Thanks again Ninja.


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## jkaiser3000 (Aug 19, 2006)

If I'm not mistaken, there's no real difference between A475 and C475. I believe the letters are just a description for the tolerances. The real important figure is the numbers. 475=4700000pf or 4.7uf


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## Dj_sTyLz808 (Aug 19, 2006)

FNinjaP90 said:


> You can go ahead and mess with the laser, but any damage you cause to the laser will be solely your fault. I yanked the A475 capacitor out and the laser doesn't have any more delay. I turned the pot +180deg, and noticed that the laser has a stronger initial output, but that output dims to maybe 10mw or so after a few seconds. I went back and turned the pot only about +30deg, and feel that this is a good compromise.
> 
> If anyone finds a better pot angle, let me know. This is my pot in the unturned position, which I designate 0deg. The module is upside down in this picture.
> 
> ...


 
Hey ninja so did you also turn it clockwise?


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## FNinjaP90 (Aug 19, 2006)

Yeah, clockwise 30deg


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## Yobresal (Aug 19, 2006)

I too turned mine clockwise about 360. I just put new batteries in it. This thing is amazing now. Lights matches instantly, burnes holes in paper, burns wood, lit a cigarette, burns skin instantly. Seeing this laser now after these few mods is really making me regret only buying one of them. I am guessing it is putting out 150mW. I was wondering though what would happen if you tried to unscrew the second ring connected to the module. Maybe we can fix up some divergence problems?


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## Lips (Aug 19, 2006)

Cleaning the lens also improved my beam. (Used air and wet) It had lent on both sides seen by mag glass. Most definitely a learning curve for a laser novice... Switch is rather fragile on the way out. 

Cheers


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## FNinjaP90 (Aug 20, 2006)

150mw? Be careful, too much power can burn out the diode. Then.....$200 down the drain. But if you want the be the guinea pig to test the laser's limits...be my guest.


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## Yobresal (Aug 20, 2006)

I don't mind messing with this one. I honestly haven't really used it much at all since I bought it. It is great now though and I will be using it a lot more. After the first 2 seconds this laser is very stable still and there isn't any mode hopping so I am not going to try and push it any further.


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## Madz (Aug 20, 2006)

All I got to say is DAMN! I too did the mod. The laser is far easier to get apart then it sounds. Took me about 8 minutes on my first try. To test the pot I have pulled the laser apart and put it back together a few times in less then a minute. I turned the pot 360 degrees total. I did a few turns at a time till it got to 360 degrees. The duty cycle I like to keep at around 15 seconds - 30 seconds tops and let it chill for a minute or 2 before lasing again. I dont know if its getting hot or not all I know is I dont wanna be the guy to tell you if it does. Anyway back to the story, I shot it at my wall to see the brightness. Does not seem THAT much brighter but it IS brighter. So i shot my hand at about 1.5 ft (0.4572 meter) and it didnt sting instantly but it stung within about a second or 2. So i decided to shoot my leather belt. It started smoking instantly (not even joking). So i shot the back of my cell phone for .5 seconds to see if anything would happen and there was a tiny dot that quick. So right before writing this long and hopefully entertaining post I decided to shoot my cupboard. At about 1ft (0.3048 meter) I started lasing and after about 1.5 seconds it too started smoking leaving a tiny brown dot.


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## Madz (Aug 20, 2006)

I used a thick not so clear piece of glass to unfocus the beam onto my wall. Theoretically that should make it easy to detect mode hopping right? or do i have to see the beam without any optics (aside from the crystal)? Also how long should it take to see mode hopping if any is occuring?


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## Dj_sTyLz808 (Aug 20, 2006)

Im glad see that it worked out for all of you =).


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## StevieRay (Aug 20, 2006)

Well, I was able to get the cap off with a strap wrench. Came off very easily.

What are those two little wires for inside the cap?


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## FNinjaP90 (Aug 20, 2006)

StevieRay said:


> Well, I was able to get the cap off with a strap wrench. Came off very easily.
> 
> What are those two little wires for inside the cap?



Don't know. They don't serve a purpose though.


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## Whitelitee (Aug 20, 2006)

Do you push it out through the top or the battery cap end?


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## StevieRay (Aug 20, 2006)

Whitelitee said:


> Do you push it out through the top or the battery cap end?



I haven't taken the module out yet.


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## Whitelitee (Aug 20, 2006)

K got it out of the top end. On my board there are 2 resistors that are marked A475 its one from the first group buy do I remove both of them?


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## Whitelitee (Aug 20, 2006)

Damn broke one of the soilder contacts on the switch, from slidding it in out twice. And on one of the A475 capacitors. Guess I better start freshing up on my soildering, or maybe try to get one of the techs at my work to help me out tommorw. Just a FYI ... be carefull doing this and its hard to line up the switch in insertion.


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## FNinjaP90 (Aug 20, 2006)

You should have only removed the capacitor marked A475 in this picture, on the back right part of the circuit board.


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## Whitelitee (Aug 20, 2006)

Damn I removed the wrong one


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## FNinjaP90 (Aug 20, 2006)

Whitelitee said:


> Damn I removed the wrong one


Which other one did you remove? I don't see another one marked A475?


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## Whitelitee (Aug 20, 2006)

In the picture you posted its under the wire on the top left.


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## FNinjaP90 (Aug 20, 2006)

Ah, didn't see that one. I just followed the instructions on this post:
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1549185&postcount=306

Well, try to solder the right one back on I guess.


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## senecaripple (Aug 21, 2006)

you guys must be rich and brave!
i'm not smart or brave enough to mess with either of my lasers! i'm happy with it just the way it is!


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## Whitelitee (Aug 21, 2006)

Well im not rich, my laser is from the first groupbuy I have had it forawhile and its never been perfect either, it stays in a bad tem mode. I was feeling pretty brave yesterday now wishing I didnt do the operation on it. But I got the switch soilderd back on, and the one capacitor I screwed up on. Im just too affraid to put it back in the tube/housing thoe. The last 2 times I tried I couldnt get it lined up right. And the switch and capactior I fixed seem very weak. So I just put it on the shelf above my desk to mess with when I feel brave again..


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## Yobresal (Aug 21, 2006)

It really isn't difficult at all to disassemble this unit. As a matter of fact it is probably easier to disassembly, modify, and reassemle this laser than a leadlight. This has got to be the easiest laser to modify I have ever owned. It really doesn't take too much bravery. And If having $215 to spend on a laser makes one rich, consider me Bill Gates. J/K. If you have two, you really ought to modify one. It is so easy, and so rewarding. The only thing you need to be careful with is the button. Like Fninja said already,make sure the button doesn't get cought on the module as you are pushing it out. The module pushes out pretty easily, but if the button gets jammed you will notice resistance, don't push it harder, slide the module back in and try again. The button stays inside the laser tube, when you pull the module out.


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## Madz (Aug 21, 2006)

Ya its easy to mod. I lowered the pot back to the original setting though on mine. Since im gonna be leaving it on for longer lengths of time I dont want to kill it just yet lol. I didnt notice any Mode hopping and the unit didnt seem to be getting hot when I only did 30 second cycles. So, as far as I can tell turning the pot up doesnt do too much to it as long as you dont over do it.


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## Whitelitee (Aug 21, 2006)

First for me moding a leadlight was alot easyier. Part of my problem is that my module has a very tight fit in the tube. I takes a good amount of force to get it out and in, maybe I can lubercate it alittle..


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## MasterMind (Aug 21, 2006)

FNinjaP90 said:


> 150mw? Be careful, too much power can burn out the diode. Then.....$200 down the drain. But if you want the be the guinea pig to test the laser's limits...be my guest.



Isn't it a 1W diode, though? I suspect the only limit is based on the internal power circuit.


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## emrbrtn (Aug 21, 2006)

Its a 500mw diode.


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## Yobresal (Aug 22, 2006)

If you are talking about the pot mod alone on the leadlight then I would have to agree with you. If you performed stage 2 and 3 modifications on your leadlight though you would probably agree with me. Getting the module out of a leadlight isn't very easy, and then you have to do some soldering as well.


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## Dj_sTyLz808 (Aug 23, 2006)

Ok guys something is wrong now. I know my PGL-IIIA's average output is around 120mW's but for some reason I cant light matches anymore. It still can slice electrical tape and pop balloons with ease but for some reason I cant light matches anymore. Do you guys think that it's the matches or what? I know it aint the batteries cause I already tried some fresh e2's. Just wondering what type of matches you guys use and if you guys can light matches ALL the time. Hey by the way my laser peaks at 180mW's!!! pretty insane. Well any help is appreciated.THANKS in advance.


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## jtice (Aug 23, 2006)

The matches will matter.
I was lighting matches with my 100mW GBS-100 module,
and noticed some matches wouldnt light at all.
Marking them with a black marker helps.


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## Madz (Aug 23, 2006)

When overpotting the module. If the module is staying completely cool and there appears to be no mode hopping. Then, is there any damage being done?


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## bootleg2go (Aug 23, 2006)

Madz said:


> When overpotting the module. If the module is staying completely cool and there appears to be no mode hopping. Then, is there any damage being done?



Yes, it is still being aged at a much accelerated rate. Just because it doesn't mode hop and seems only means it is working well visually right at this point in time; tomorrow, next or next month...who knows.

Jack


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## btcomm (Aug 23, 2006)

I've got a question. At what mw rating does the laser not become more visable and just able to burn things quicker? Or does it always get more visable the more power it puts out?


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## Athoul (Aug 25, 2006)

Roughly 4x the power will give you 2x the visible brightness (aprox). So for example, you would not really notice a visible difference between 140mW and 180mW. There would be greater burning ability in the 180mW though.


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## abeepak1 (Aug 26, 2006)

Man U guys Just have the guts to try the mod!! If I were u I would not risk boosting the PGL-IIIA because I just dont want to risk throwing the $200

Down the drain.Suggestion----Always think before you do anything and you must know what u are doing,otherwise the $200 dollar just goes bye bye for nothing







Check Out This LiNk!
http://world4.monstersgame.co.uk/?ac=vid&vid=47010408


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## Lips (Aug 27, 2006)

What exactly is Mode Hop...


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## Dj_sTyLz808 (Aug 27, 2006)

ok I just noticed something about my laser dot.When I turn it on the dot kinda shifts a half a second after its on.Is this mode hopping? If so how should I fix this? Turn the pot back down?


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## Dj_sTyLz808 (Aug 30, 2006)

Ok so I guess no one can help me


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## FNinjaP90 (Aug 30, 2006)

I don't know.

What I do know is that turning your pot two full turns probably had something to contribute to it.


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## Yobresal (Aug 30, 2006)

Sometimes this sort of thing is related to the amount of power in the batteries. I've noticed that after modifying mine, the battery power goes really fast, and when it does go, the power and dot change a bit when i turn it on. Try using fresh batteries, if that doesn't work and it really bothers you just trun it back down a bit.


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## Dj_sTyLz808 (Aug 30, 2006)

Yobresal said:


> Sometimes this sort of thing is related to the amount of power in the batteries. I've noticed that after modifying mine, the battery power goes really fast, and when it does go, the power and dot change a bit when i turn it on. Try using fresh batteries, if that doesn't work and it really bothers you just trun it back down a bit.


Ok thanks!


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## abeepak1 (Aug 30, 2006)

emrbrtn said:


> Its a 500mw diode.


 
Ummmm its a 1.2Watt Diode


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## FNinjaP90 (Aug 30, 2006)

abeepak1 said:


> Ummmm its a 1.2Watt Diode



Nope. 500mw diode.


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## N8YWF (Aug 31, 2006)

Dj_sTyLz808

What kind of batteries do you use? You might want to use NiMH batteries with the highest MAH raiting that you can find.

I use MAHA Powerex 2700mah batteries in my PGL-IIIAs. After playing with them for a while the lasers start to dim down. But the brighten up once I stick a fresh charged pair in them. This is what I use.
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/maha_2700_rechargeable_batteries.php

As for my Newwish lasers. I use Sanyo 1000mah NiMH. But I see that MAHA now makes a 1000mah.
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/maha-1000-mah-aaa-rechargeable-batteries.htm


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