Advice for a 6xNUBM44 build?

I've been making plans for a 6xNUBM44 build over the past few weeks. Before you ask - yes, there will be a video. Of course, before that happens, I need some advice. I already gutted a Chauvet Hurricane 700 fog machine, which is 107x107x195mm. It will be used as the laser host. Anyways, here we go:

1. Is a 105x105x50mm aluminum heatsink sufficient to absorb the heat from 6xNUBM44 diodes and 4.5A drivers? Or is copper necessary for such a great amount of heat? And who on the forum can machine such a heatsink?

2. I've been looking at batteries as well, and found this LiPo battery pack, two of which should fit perfectly into my fog machine, assuming I use a 105x105x50mm heatsink. Will one of them be sufficient to power 3 NUBM44 diodes?

3. Finally, switches. These switches are rated for 12V, and the aforementioned battery packs are 7.4V. Is the voltage of the battery pack too low? I could not find any useful switches from 7-10V, so please suggest one if this will not do.


Thanks in advance.

Is this going to be a projector style build?
The divergence is rather wide, are you planning to use any beam shaping?

RedCowboy said:

Is this going to be a projector style build?
The divergence is rather wide, are you planning to use any beam shaping?

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I was thinking about beam correction as well. No, it won't be a projector, more along the lines of styropyro's laser shotgun. I don't currently own a NUBM44 - uncorrected, how much worse is it than the NUBM07E? And what kind of optics would be necessary to correct it?

Sta, they are the worst, you should use 209's or 7875's

VirtueViolater said:

Sta, they are the worst, you should use 209's or 7875's

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Are they really that bad that 7 times the power of the 209, and more than twice the power of the 7875, is worse? What I'm trying to do is build a very high power handheld, and sadly 6W/18W won't cut it.

Why not just use a diode block array? Getting the diodes lined up parallel will be extremely difficult if you don't get something very accurately machined, but I'd like to know what you plan on creating exactly. The sitches should have no problem if the LEDs are parrallel. That battery at 30c should be pretty good in terms of current, but youll need a good charger for it.

ElectricPlasma said:

Why not just use a diode block array? Getting the diodes lined up parallel will be extremely difficult if you don't get something machined, but I'd like to know what you plan on creating exactly. The sitches should have no problem if the LEDs are parrallel. That battery at 30c should be pretty good in terms of current, but youll need a good charger for it.

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The problem with diode blocks is the risk of damaging the diode when soldering the driver. And heatsinking of the driver becomes a problem, unless you want to stack weaker drivers like styropyro did (and then you get a wiring nightmare.) I mentioned that I wanted a heatsink machined, I just don't know who can do it. The end goal is to create a laser shotgun not unlike the one created by styropyro, but with a simpler design and smaller size.

Hi sta,
I understand you on the power, you'll have to use some good corrective optics as R/C suggested, and surely able to be accomplished in a rifle sized package. Lots of info in threads here on the correction of the nubm44, not an easy task it seems. Good luck on your build, can't wait for the video! Keep us up to date.

Through a 3 element at 15 feet

A NDB7875 makes a 5/16 line
A NUBM07e makes a 5/8 line
A NUBM44 makes a 7/8 line

Its basically 1x 2x 3x as wide of a line at any given distance. However the 3 element clips, so account for that with a grain of salt.

A NUBM44 through a DTR G2 at 15 feet makes a 2 inch line.
A NUBM06 through a DTR G2 at 15 feet makes a 1.5 inch line.

A NUBM44 trough a DTR G2 with a 6x cyl pair makes a 5/16 - 3/8 line and sets paper on fire pretty quickly, a couple seconds at 15 feet.
A NUBM44 through a SANWU G2 with a 6x cyl pair and a SANWU 3x expander sets wood on fire in 2 seconds at 15 feet. The line is insane tight but has lots of wash.



The burning difference that divergence makes between the 06 and 44 with just a G2 or G7 lens is noticeable.
Even with the 44 being 1 watt stronger at 4.5a the 06 burns better on the desktop.

The NUBM06 is a great diode, I would buy it from DTR with the can off and the lens you want and never take it out, the emitters don't like dust or moisture from humidity it seems.

The NUBM06 with a SANWU G7 and 3X expander sets paper on fire at 15 feet and 20 feet as will the NUBM44.

It seems divergence has risen with power and efficacy, but with the move to fiber transit rather than an optical train and KE set up, new diodes may have more power and better divergence, the NUBM08e is one we are wanting to test.


BUT I DIGRESS, for off the shelf lenses the NUBM06 looks better and burns better on the desktop and across the room than the 44, that's my opinion. Not because of power but divergence.

I have a bunch of short clips on YT.
Just click my name at YT if you want to see them.

RedCowboy said:

Through a 3 element at 15 feet

A NDB7875 makes a 5/16 line
A NUBM07e makes a 5/8 line
A NUBM44 makes a 7/8 line

Its basically 1x 2x 3x as wide of a line at any given distance.

A NUBM44 through a DTR G2 at 15 feet makes a 2 inch line.
A NUBM06 through a DTR G2 at 15 feet makes a 1.5 inch line.

The burning difference that divergence makes is noticeable.
Even with the 44 being 1 watt stronger at 4.5a the 06 burns better on the desktop.

The NUBM06 is a great diode, I would buy it from DTR with the can off and the lens you want and never take it out, the emitters don't like dust or moisture from humidity it seems.

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Thanks RCB. I'll probably use a 3-element or a G7 with either the NUBM44 or 06.
And where did you find the 6x pairs? Would it be easy to install them onto modules that are very close together?

I got mine from Laser Show Parts, but they may not have any in stock, also you can get some at OPT lasers.

I just read you are using 6 diodes.

YOU WILL HAVE A TON OF WASTE HEAT.

I put 3 NDB7875's with 2.4a drivers in a big 2.5 round sink 2 inches long and it was hot in 150 seconds.

6 x 5 waters. You put 4.5a @ 5V in that's 22.5 watts in for 6.5 watts out so you have 16 watts x 6.......96 watts of waste heat.

You will need fins and a fan for extended runtime, it's doable, but not with just a heavy heat sink, not if you want to really enjoy it.

A Barnett has some big finned sinks and some heat piping he has salvaged.

Fins and a fan.

Have you thought about using a whole block? You could build a big expander to go in front of it.

The NUBM07e with Gball makes a huge 25mm x 50mm spot at 15 feet, but the NUBM06 makes a 25mm x 6mm line that makes smoke on wood at 15 feet with it's Gball intact. Actually it's better for the burning part, 6mm is with the splash around the 3mm thick center/hot line.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NICHIA-NUBM...986231?hash=item3d094c1577:g:iSoAAOSwgQ9V0w5X

RedCowboy said:

I got mine from Laser Show Parts, but they may not have any in stock, also you can get some at OPT lasers.

I just read you are using 6 diodes.

YOU WILL HAVE A TON OF WASTE HEAT.

I put 3 NDB7875's with 2.4a drivers in a big 2.5 round sink 2 inches long and it was hot in 150 seconds.

6 x 5 waters. You put 4.5a @ 5V in that's 22.5 watts in for 6.5 watts out so you have 16 watts x 6.......96 watts of waste heat.

You will need fins and a fan for extended runtime, it's doable, but not with just a heavy heat sink, not if you want to really enjoy it.

A Barnett has some big finned sinks and some heat piping he has salvaged.

Fins and a fan.

Have you thought about using a whole block? You could build a big expander to go in front of it.

Nichia NUBM06 445nm 32W High Power Multi LD Bank Blue Laser Diode Array | eBay

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Thanks RCB. Fortunately I don't plan on using it for more than 30-60 seconds at a time, so a fan probably won't be necessary. If it turns out it is, it shouldn't be too hard to install.

I have indeed thought about using a whole block, but heatsinking that is going to be even more of a nightmare than 6 separate modules. And adding the drivers will probably be problematic. Remember, I'm trying to put this into a hollowed-out fog machine!

This is the NUBM06 at 15 feet with the Gball on, it's actually not bad.




Here's my 06 with a G7 lens at 6 feet. I do like the 44, but the 44's divergence is the worst.

RedCowboy said:

This is the NUBM06 at 15 feet with the Gball on, it's actually not bad.

Here's my 06 with a G7 lens at 6 feet. I do like the 44, but the 44's divergence is the worst.

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Hmm, the fact that the Gball is okay pushes me a little closer to just buying a diode block. However I don't know of any heatsink that would fit inside the fog machine. Any suggestions?

ABarnett has a bunch of salvaged big fin sinks from projectors, one from the V series or the factory V setup could be used, same size block, see if he has an entire V1 sink and fan, just bolt it in the hole.

RedCowboy said:

ABarnett has a bunch of salvaged big fin sinks from projectors, one from the V series or the factory V setup could be used, same size block, see if he has an entire V1 sink and fan, just bolt it in the hole.

Click to expand...

Thanks, contacted him. Do you know if the batteries I referenced will be enough even for a full NUBM06 block?