12x BR DIODES

Thanks for all the positive remarks people. It's greatly appreciated.

Oh, HMike, I asked Kenom to look for a "warm-up" period in the power output. his response:

Kenom said:

As to your earlier question about ramping up. Or as you called it a warm up period. It does start at 450mw and slowly climb up to it's peak, then kind of drop down a little bit...

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So apparently it doesn't start off at the 545mw either. I'm not certain how long it takes to reach it's peak. However it's almost a 100mw change from startup to peak power. Running it with a flexdrive at 380ma

Franco ---
My fiasco into 1 Watt was done to see what happens and how much. I didn't use much science since I ran it up there 7 times for 5 to 8 seconds each.
All I can say right now is "750 mA -- Don't go there!" It simply went open circuit, dark, like it blew a connecting wire off like a fuse.

HMike

Hemlock_Mike said:

Franco ---
My fiasco into 1 Watt was done to see what happens and how much. I didn't use much science since I ran it up there 7 times for 5 to 8 seconds each.
All I can say right now is "750 mA -- Don't go there!" It simply went open circuit, dark, like it blew a connecting wire off like a fuse.

HMike

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:bowdown::bowdown:

I can imagine that's the least it would do!

peace & thanks
-cmak

"All 12x Owners" datasheet updated with the entrance of bug373 and the last info relevant to Hemlock Mike!

Hemlock_Mike said:

Just a note --- I was running TEC cooling...

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Guys, a silly question perhaps, but sincerely meant; how does one take the results of bench testing and then apply it to portable solutions? Let's just say, for the sake of argument, you could run a 12x @1000mW using TEC cooling; what would that tell us, exactly and how do we take that info in order to determine appropriate operating levels for portable solutions?

Traveller said:

Guys, a silly question perhaps, but sincerely meant; how does one take the results of bench testing and then apply it to portable solutions? Let's just say, for the sake of argument, you could run a 12x @1000mW using TEC cooling; what would that tell us, exactly and how do we take that info in order to determine appropriate operating levels for portable solutions?

Click to expand...

It is possible to build hand-helds with TEC. However, for most of us these bench test really are just pure science. They help us learn about the diodes available so others (and we) can know the characteristics and limits of a diode.

Peace,
dave

I just picked up two more of these 12X drives last night from Newegg. They had an open box sale again. You have to be fast though man, they only last a couple of hours. Looking forward to reporting some values.

LarryDFW said:

Exerd;

Great job on the heatsink. That should easily handle the heat.

I like the diode clamping arrangement from Thor.

Is that clamp their part #LM9F ?

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Yes sir, LM9F. Costs about $25.

I was confused for a minute, because a web photo I found first on Google showed no table mounting hole for the LM9F part number. I looked it up in their catalog however, and the photo in there confirms it is the one and only mount like it which they sell in 9mm size.

By the way, Thor's catalog will have any laser enthusiast drooling for hours on end. I'm not kidding; this book is huge. I was wondering why my ounces of parts I ordered from them showed a package weighing 10lbs when tracked. The book weight explains it all. Just don't be surprised if you cannot afford 99% of the stuff in the book.

Traveller ---
You post an interesting question. There always has been testing of new diodes here as they become available mostly starting with the 16x reds.
We now have testing of the "new" 12X BR diodes on a couple fronts not to mention SmOC and flat Paks.
IgorT is doing life testing at predetermined values established from data derived from graphs made of the first diodes. This data is important for use in projectors and long duty cycle applications.
Others are running step current testing to study the efficiency, Vld, and power of these diodes as they become available. Without this data as collected and graphed by Franco, we may not have seen the two efficiency slopes shown.
Then, there's the few of us who get bored and ask "Why Not?" What is the limit, how do they die at high power etc etc. We're the ones who at great personal expence, look for the max and we use whatever we have to try it. This info can open doors for others to approach.

That's what good it is! All data found in all the methods is applicable and it's up to the individual to determine what is wanted in a build.

HMike

I got my new Pioneer 205 today. I will now be more careful.
I now know where to stop on mA !!!!!! I'm not sure whether TEC cooling is all too important now.

HMike

Hemlock_Mike said:

I got my new Pioneer 205 today. I will now be more careful.
I now know where to stop on mA !!!!!! I'm not sure whether TEC cooling is all too important now.

HMike

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Woo hoo! Good luck with the experimentation!

-Jeff

I have a 12X now that is doing 820mW. It uses the 405-G-1 lens, Flex drive, Pioneer 12X diode, and the current is less than 600mA. Sorry guys, I didn't bother testing the current on this one. I know it is below 600mA and would guess above 500mA.
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/6674/img0441.mp4

Okay, I have my 12x built and metered... here are the numbers (I took three readings with increasing amperage):

350mA - 470mW
380mA - 500mW
430mA - 560mW

Equipment: FlexDrive V5, 3.6v RCR123 battery, Dorcy Jr. Host with DarkHorse Aluminum HS, Pioneer BDR-205BKS 405nm diode, 405-G-1 lens

I'm not sure who makes the power meter as Rossco purchased it off eBay (it's not a Laserbee and it can read well over 1 watt - I shined both my 10x and 12x at it and it read 1060mW!!!)

Ceno ----

Matching my data with yours puts your LD close to the lower line in Franco's graph.
That's assuming your power meter is close to "ours" in this hobby. From my destructive test, you won't get 1Watt at that current. I had to go much higher and with TEC to get that reading.
Remember that power meters often display overshoot on initial power up. We would appreciate more data with test conditions provided as you get it.

HMike

Hemlock_Mike said:

Ceno ----

Matching my data with yours puts your LD close to the lower line in Franco's graph.
That's assuming your power meter is close to "ours" in this hobby. From my destructive test, you won't get 1Watt at that current. I had to go much higher and with TEC to get that reading.
Remember that power meters often display overshoot on initial power up. We would appreciate more data with test conditions provided as you get it.

HMike

Click to expand...

Mike,

The one watt measurement was from me shining both my 10x and 12x at the meter at the same time (I just noticed I didn't specifiy that both lasers were hitting the meter at once in my first post so it does read like I metered one then the other - sorry for the confusion). I was just playing around to see how high the meter would go

So 560mW is my actual final measurement for the charts.

Hopefully my next 12x will be a little more efficient... I was really wanting to see 600mW from this diode at 'lower' current levels.