I was once driven a 445nm diode to 2.8A !! I wasn't paying attention about the lab powersupply but I was looking at the dot. When I look back at the digital scale it was already at 2.8A :banghead:
The diode has taken no damage or effects.
I've had several running around the 1A mark that are still going strong after 100+ hours with no observable degradation. I would expect them to last quite some time at 1A, probably a full lifetime (5000-10000 hours). I haven't pushed them much further than that myself since I use them for laser shows. I'm not interested in having to change out diodes frequently, so I'm a tad conservative.
I currently have a lab style build that is being run at 2A.
it probably saw the net of maybe 4 hours total ON time, no degradation yet.
Currently I'm working on my first projector (single color), so I will be using one of these diodes at around 1A or less. I agree with ElektroFreak on that one, I wouldn't want to be changing out diodes all time time due to failure.
All my 445nM diodes are A-140s and Ive yet to fry any. So Id have to give it to these diodes, they are fairly noob friendly, and have a fairly wide operating current range.
Someone on here was running a torture test on one for quite some time. If I remember correctly it was at 1.5A turning on and off automatically for set durations to simulate hard use and the diode held up remarkably. For more info someone will have to find the thread as I cannot.
but why push them till 2 amp or so if they don't even shine brighter after 1 - 1.2 amps....... useless to ram so much amps trough them ( there is 1 video where you can see that after 1 amp they don't shine much brighter dunno from who that was DTR i belive )
In regular ambient air, this is slightly true, the 2W appears the slightest brighter, yet not too significant.
However, once you add smoke or haze.. thats a different story, the difference from 2W and 1W is very clear IMO.
My camera can never do it justice, but in person you can see it.