Hi Deez,.
Welcome aboard
Yes..you do want that cap in the circuit..
Also..do NOT put a short in place of it...that will totally disable
the regulation and adjustability .
Also..it shorts out the output of the Op-Amp causing undo stress to it..
Making the whole thing draw more current..
And makes the only current limiting factor the Pass transistor..BAAAD.
I have bought a few of these 110's and found some to use different
boards in them ..all were LeadLights.
But they all seem to use the same basic circuit with just a few changes.
If you really need to mod the circuit.. the best place is at the Op-Amp..
Also...
There is one Pass transistor and another transistor in series with it..
this second one is the limiting factor...
its kind-of a neat see-saw circuit but not well implimented..
Another..done on the cheap circuit for obvious reasons.
Get rid of that one and you will find the circuit will respond very well..
You will NOT need to piggyback any resistors..
However.. start at the lowest pot setting first..
Or, better yet,,..use a variable power supply and slowly bring the voltage up (about a little over 2 volts) and watch the current being drawn..
You can save yourself a LOT of grief just by watching the current and know what to do before a catastrophy happens.
Please do not run the diode past 325ma of current ..
That is the absolute maximum that the diodes will tolerate and still have some life to them..
And , If they are using 350mW diodes in them (REd Dot)
Remember.. all laser diodes last the longest when run at as low a current as possible...
Otherwise you'll blow the facet right off the front of them and FAST.
I speak from considerable experience on these..
I have spent prolly way more on diodes then anyone ever should
and have blown up enough to buy a house..No BS.
Good Luck and Dont blow them up...
Be carefull .. we want you back...
*^_^*
"My signature has been taken, so Insert another here"
http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/sam/laserfaq.htm
*^_^* aka PhiloUHF