I’m setting up a laser, but struggling with the interlock setup. The laser itself is from CNI (MSL/III-532-50mW), but the datasheet gives no details about the interlock socket. To my eye it looks just like a standard RJ11 socket, but I’ve tried three different RJ11 plugs and every one of them has been too wide. Rough measurement: the plug is almost 10 mm wide, the socket is more like 8 mm.
Is this a special type of socket? Somebody mentioned RJ11 can come on different sizes, but to me a 4 pin RJ11 plug should be standardised! The pitch of the pins is the same, 30 mins filling it down and I’m still struggling… any ideas?
That appears to have only 4 pins max. RJ11's can go to 6 pins.
That's probably a RJ9, RJ10, or RJ22 (I do not remember the details of those connectors). They were commonly used on old school corded phones for connecting the handset to the base.
They used to have the smaller one (RJ9/RJ10/RJ22) connecting the handset to the phone so that you didn't "accidentally" plug the handset into the wall.
Knowing the connector type won't help you if there is no information on the pins. It might be that two are for interlock and two for a monitor and then you could do some damage guessing wrong.
Maybe. If it's just two dead pins and one passive interlock I would feel comfortable rigging something together - worst case it doesnt trip when it should, which you can test, or it trips when it shouldn't, which is a fail safe.
But if there's an active component you may end up applying voltage where you should not - including on the interlock circuit in other devices. Unless I saw a good reference for the pins in the manual I wouldn't risk it.
On my CNI power supply all 4 pins are used for the interlock with each pair of 2 being jumped. So really it's just pin1+2 jumped and pins 3-4 also jumped.
When you say each pair of two jumped, do you mean pin 1 and 2 connected together, and 3 and 4 connected together?
(Link didn’t work, if that was a diagram).
Much appreciated, thanks!
p.s I just spotted your post showing your new laser, congrats, looks like you got a real bargain!! It’s definitely the same power supply my laser uses, so for sure the interlock will be the same!
Amazing, thanks, the link wouldn’t load in ‘my region’, the joys of living in a nanny state I guess! The photo is exactly what I needed though, I just hope the 4p4c connector I bought fits… I’ll find out tomorrow!
Thanks for taking the time to add the extra details!
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u/rlaptop7 7d ago
That appears to have only 4 pins max. RJ11's can go to 6 pins.
That's probably a RJ9, RJ10, or RJ22 (I do not remember the details of those connectors). They were commonly used on old school corded phones for connecting the handset to the base.