[Drill] Wen Drill Press Lasers

[eraserhd]

I have a 12” Wen which came with two crosshair lasers. One has been getting dim for years and finally went out. The replacement part is really cheap and got here fast. (yay!). But I either fudged it up or got a dud for a replacement.

Is there some weird laser handling thing I should know? I’m pretty knowledgeable on hobby electronics in general, just seems weird that I’d get a dud…

The lasers are potted in brass barrels with two twenty-something gauge wires, were wired in parallel, and take only about three volts (!!)

They only cost $8, so even if 50% are DOA they might be cool for a project, like my miter saw.

 

[woodchucker]

I have a 12” Wen which came with two crosshair lasers. One has been getting dim for years and finally went out. The replacement part is really cheap and got here fast. (yay!). But I either fudged it up or got a dud for a replacement.

Is there some weird laser handling thing I should know? I’m pretty knowledgeable on hobby electronics in general, just seems weird that I’d get a dud…

The lasers are potted in brass barrels with two twenty-something gauge wires, were wired in parallel, and take only about three volts (!!)

They only cost $8, so even if 50% are DOA they might be cool for a project, like my miter saw.

I don't know anything, but like LED's the key is the direction you wire them in. Did you try changing them flipping the leads?

 

[eraserhd]

I don't know anything, but like LED's the key is the direction you wire them in. Did you try changing them flipping the leads?

I did. I cut the good one off and tried both bad ones wired to the good one’s leads, forward and then backwards (the leads are back and red).

I’m certain it’s dead now, just trying to make sure I didn’t kill it. Or more importantly, that I don’t kill the next one.

 

[markba633csi]

I think they are somewhat sensitive to static and phases of the various planets
Do they run on a battery or is there a power supply? If the latter I would check the voltage- make sure it's stable
It probably makes sense to buy a few of them at that price and keep one or two as spares

 

[eraserhd]

Received the new lasers (four, because free shipping) and it turns out the first one was just a dud. They aren’t shipped with any static protection.