Sainsmart 5.5W - Very low power

A couple of months ago I spent £117 on a Sainsmart 5.5W laser, on advice from a FB group :frowning:
No o/p at all.
After being advised to swap wires etc. I did my own research and decided the laser is TTL controlled, whereas the ManaSE board (Eleksmaker) is PWM. I bought a PWM-TTL interface board and I now have a beam.
However the beam is very weak. The ‘Fire Laser’ control in LightBurn (fantastic software btw) switches on the beam but it is barely enough to focus. Also when I switch on the beam comes on - very weak again. My 2.5W burns wood when switched on.
In Device Settings I have S-Value Max = 255 and Max Spindle Speed ($30) = 255
I have tried altering these figures but no joy.
I hope someone can come up with a solution before I dump the module in the sea. I am unemployed and the £125 I have spent so far is a right kick in the teeth.
Thanks in Advance

Hi Roy - it sounds like you’ve done the right things so far. The fire laser button is really only supposed to be used for focusing, but if you set it to 20% you should be able to get a mark on paper or cardboard before long. Have you focused the beam?

With the PWM / TTL board, is there any information on what kind of range it’s expecting, or what frequency of PWM it’ll handle? Have you tried running a small series of cuts at increasing power values, like 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 just to see if the output is linear or not, or kicks in somewhere higher?

I haven’t used a PWM to TTL converter, and don’t know much about the TTL diodes, but trying to suggest ideas for troubleshooting here.

Hi Oz,
Sorry for the delay. We’ve been struggling with power cuts due to 70+mph winds and have only just got out to my container.
If I set fire to 20% I can focus - as long as my workpiece is within 30mm of the lens.
I have tried the cuts as suggested but never get anything as high as the beam I get when I use the ‘Fire Beam’ button??
As for information …
I don’t think these ‘sellers’ know or are willing to share information. Emails either get ignored or I’m told they cannot help with technical issues.

I’ve just fed the laser with 3.5v dc and can burn a hole, so the laser diode is okay. It still looks like a control problem, even though the system works okay with my original 2.5W.
I might have to invest in some more PWM/TTL interfaces?

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