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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

are there different standard module diameters?

Joined
Dec 29, 2009
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3,136
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I bought a typical green ebay 3v module for use in one of my drop-in hosts. After looking around, I'm starting to wonder if there are multiple sizes of common "modules." You all know the ones I'm talking about, they are just brass barrels, in two or three sections, with the IR driver board and a spring, button, and/or leads. Well, they all look the same size in pictures.

My question is, do higher powered ones come in bigger brass barrels, or are the outside diameters usually the same and they just have bigger innards? Mine is the same diameter as an aixiz, but is putting out around 150mW tested by seller. Also curious if the parts in larger hosts like rayfoss, cni, and the like, if they are custom made, or if they are the same type of modules. Would be nice to get a bigger beefier more stable module, but if all of them are the same size, then that's cool too, I guess. It is going into an aluminum heatsink.
 





Joined
Oct 24, 2009
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2,555
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It does not matter the power of the laser to its size.
I have seen 200mw be 12mm and my 50mw be 13.35mm
Its a manufacturing thing, they tend to use the same size and host for them.
So my 50mw has is bigger than some 200mw but like you said there all get put into heatsinks no matter what size they are, and the cooling difference between them in negligible.
 

Morgan

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Joined
Feb 5, 2009
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I think you'll find that most common modules, bought just as modules, will be close to the 12mm mark. I'm sure there are others, (a cheap 20mW green I had was closer to 9mm and not the best build quality by far!), but standardising makes sense from a manufacturer's point of view. It allows anyone to buy their modules, and host manufacturers know the dimensions they can build to, to accommodate most modules.

Modules are also built by the batch process so the innards are often identical, (from any one manufacturer). All the same but this one may be 5mW and that one may be 100mW.

If you look on O-like's site the noticeable change is the 250mW module and I've seen this elsewhere. Much bigger. Although I don't know the precise reason for this, I'm betting that heat and a large pump diode have something to do with it.

M
:)
 




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