Another one of those days… had to go to the Dr. this morning, it got kinda rough, took meds and was feeling like I was about to fall out of my chair when I spotted this little green laser module that I’ve had for probably over a year now. Hmmmm, so I waltzed out to the shed and found the Aluminum battery tube I’d originally made for my EDC, the one that looked like 2 thread spools end to end? And off I went!
Now, this tube was originally made for an 18350. I wanted to use an 18500 and I wanted to use brass or copper around the laser diode to help keep it cool. So I used brass and simply fitted it to the battery tube with an extended portion for the longer 18500. Then I finned it deep and made the focusing lens work, voila!
(I know, my pics stink. Still feel like I stink, so it’s all good. )
Found a contact board in my stuff, glued the diode in with Arctic Silver, used a spare switch from a Lucky Sun light. Just threw parts together wherever I found em and made a neat little 100mW laser that’s a solid little beasty, not one of the cheap chinese ones but bought from the laser guy in the forums.
My son’s velociraptor doesn’t quite know what to think of it…
So that’s what I do when I feel like crap… Make something!
Thank you. It did make me feel some better, so I bored the tube on an old Convoy C8 and stuffed the new 20700 cell into it to feed the XP-L W2 2B. I settled for the “B” version with higher capacity, so it only does 6.01A and 1704 lumens, on a top 18650 it makes 6.67A and 2032 lumens but at least it’s now got substantially more run time. This particular C8 is one of the first to have RyanSOh’s copper pill, and the new W2 2B emitter, and is probably also the first to be fitted for the new 20700 cell, so it’s kind of an epic little C8. I like it, a lot.
the Osram PLP520 B1 is the only legal rated 120mW Diode run up to 150mW healthy
if you run those on I fmax from datasheet they last maybe a couple of hours or pop right away from a spike in current regulation
best is to take the typical drive current if you cant measure laser power, which is the limiting thing destroying the laser diode turning it into a dim LED after the reflective coating on the facet got vaporised
It’s pulling 0.48A from the Efest 18500 cell as measured by my clamp meter.
Edit: I have no idea about lasers, I bought it from DTR’s Laser Shop as recommended from Laser Power Forum. He builds the drivers for these himself, it’s recommended to use 2.5V-6V power supply and it says input 1A. The assembly was $100, plus $25 for the glass G2 lens. He rates it as 120W.
sounds good for a single cell laser torch
like slightly overdriven for a boost driver
I got here a 120mW one thats output dropped to about 50mW before I pulled if off my stock laser projector
they ran it at 400mA
was running in there only a couple dozen hours on analoge driver so not too often at max current
Some dandy work there. I wish I had the skills to do something on the spot whenever I feel like it. And great job on a 2000 lumens xpl off a single cell.
He says this on his webpage… PL520B 3.8mm 520nm green laser diode.
Max rated current is 300mA. 275mA for 120mW with a G-2 lens.
For details see the testing at the bottom of the listing.
He has a slew of pics of several readings as the laser shines into a measuring device, beats me what it all means or where mine falls in that list of pics.
Same as my 15 years of laser expience say, see my post Another one of those days... - #4 by Lexel
he states 275mA for 120mW which is a typical figure but it varies from each single LD you get one does it at 260mA the other on 300mA
but if you cool it to –20°C in winter and turn it on with 275mA will lead to 170-180mW,
which is not good if the cheap driver has no ramp up and produce ugly spikes when turned on
he also states the power behind optics which I reffer to in my overdriven range as well
for LEDs cooling is good, for LD not as the laser power kills it not the current,
no mater how good you heat sink it the LD emitter will take damage from the optical laser power at its Output Couple facet
which has a partial transparent mirror coating on it
the only safe way to measure if the LD runs on a safe level
Hand spinner? I want to make a Titanium knurled knob for my monopod head, haven’t taken apart the head to find out just how the assembly is made.
Thought about making a top for my son from a combination of metals, partly for the coloration and also for the wear characteristics of the contact point. I like putting different metals together then machining them for shape, it seems to be one piece that changes colors.
Great idea with the top, I can imagine that would look pretty cool.
If your son likes tops, he would probably enjoy a hand spinner.
Hand spinners are fidget toys that house a ball bearing center to spin around.
They come in all different shapes and sizes and materials.
)
