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Why not Groove 2 by DrLava ? !

Milos

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I don't see anyone using or talking of Groove 2 driver by Dr.Lava.
http://www.*****************.com/shop/77-groove-2-driver.html
http://hacylon.case.edu/ebay/laser_diode/Groove_2.php

It is linear driver - I think perfect for all our favorite diodes up to 500mA, (405nm, 655nm, 445nm) using two 10440 ( rechargeable Li-ion AAAbatteries) in case of Pen hosts, or two RCR123, or two 18650 - pretty much great for more than one rechargeable Lithium Ion battery.

It has up to 12V input, and 500mA,up to 10V as long as 1.2V dropout from input voltage is respected.

Its half the price of Flex drives. Like $13.
What I'm I missing here??

good to be sort of back :)

cheers !!:thanks:
 





DTR

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I actually ordered two for some LOC builds.

I agree I don't see many users using them and they seem to be a good fit for red. But now with the shortage of flexdrives that can buck the voltage for LOC maybe there will be more interest in these.
 
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hmm...
why didnt i use this for my 405nm build? would it be able to run a 405nm diode with an 18650?
 
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yeah the microboost is what ive been using. i love it but this little groove driver is half the price
 
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I have yet to try the Groove. Might be time to see how well it performs for a 405 driver.
 

DTR

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Sorry guys but the groove cannot boost. It will not drive a 445 or 405 with a single 18650. It will not even come on. The grove must maintain a VOut + 1.2V at all times for full power and it drops current down to nothing when it reaches VOut + 0V. You can see the specs in the user manual http://hacylon.case.edu/ebay/laser_diode/Groove2 manual.pdf

Based on the tests that I have run the 12X 405 requires 4.1-6.4V and the 445 requires 3.9-4.6V and a fully charged 18650 is 4.2V. You could run two in series for 8.4V but that would be a much larger setup and it still would not give very long runtimes because with a 405@6.4V would only give you a drop of 0.8V from the battery before it starts dropping current and three 18650's would be 12.6V over the input current of the driver.

12X 405 diode
mA@V=mW
60@4.1=50
80@4.3=76
100@4.5=109
120@4.7=136
140@4.9=163
160@5.0=190
180@5.2=215
200@5.3=250
220@5.4=276
240@5.5=311
260@5.6=349
280@5.6=372
300@5.7=409
320@5.7=425
340@5.8=462
360@5.9=491
380@5.9=514
400@5.9=544
420@6.0=573
440@6.0=600
460@6.0=638
480@6.1=662
500@6.1=687
520@6.1=720
540@6.1=736
560@6.1=761
580@6.2=785
600@6.2=806
620@6.3=831
640@6.3=842
660@6.3=863
680@6.4=877
700@6.4=894
720@6.4=908


445 diode
400@3.9=249
450@4.0=319
500@4.0=391
550@4.0=450
600@4.1=514
650@4.1=596
700@4.1=646
750@4.1=706
800@4.2=770
850@4.2=816
900@4.2=874
950@4.2=941
1000@4.2=996
1050@4.3=1046
1100@4.3=1077
1150@4.3=1163
1200@4.3=1219
1250@4.3=1268
1300@4.3=1306
1350@4.4=1367
1400@4.4=1434
1450@4.5=1494
1500@4.5=1550
1550@4.5=1597
1600@4.5=1630
1650@4.5=1652
1700@4.5=1670
1750@4.5=1692
1800@4.6=1710
 
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Good to see you posting Milos I was starting to wonder what happened to you.

I've been using the groove2 for over 4 builds in the last week. I also hooked up
12v to the unit and was getting 635mA to a LOC.

I tried 12.27volts from 3 fresh charged 10440 lith and got 734mA out of it.

I wasn't going to post those result untill I talked to the good dr about it, but since you brought it up.

I ran the unit over 600mA untill it started going into thermal protection overdrive
then set the unit down to under the 500mA range.

I have sinced used a pennie under the driver and yanked it back up and had it running about 30 seconds at over 600mA I don't even believe my eyes myself:( what can I do to verify these results.
 

DTR

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I tried 12.27volts from 3 fresh charged 10440 lith and got 734mA out of it.

Hey Jander I see the input is rated at 12V and you said you put in 12.27. Is there any chance of damage to the driver with this small amount of over voltage? I was thinking that If I ran 3x10440's in series that I would have to use a diode in series with the battery to drop the voltage to get it under 12. Since three fully charged 10440's can reach 12.6V when fully charged.
 
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I understand the literature in the groove 2 doc is just that I took a chance and went for it.

I did this for the rckstr driver before he publish that it had a higher tolerance for the voltage and it worked out.

Those 10440 don't keep their voltage for longer than a couple of cycles anyhow so
while I'm not recommending it I"m saying I have done this.
 
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I have been using the groove2 driver in a few builds. I used it in a 405nm, as well as 4 445nm builds as well. IMHO it is the ideal driver for a 445nm pen build. The flex and micro are both a fail for 445nm pen builds.
 

DTR

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Well if 12.6V in would be acceptable I wonder what kind of runtimes I could expect out of a 405 diode in 3XAAA/AA hosts? Probably pretty crappy.:undecided:
 
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haven't seen you around in a while milos. welcome back.

i just picked up a red module from daguin and it has a groove 2 set to 420ma. he swears by it.

michael.
 

DTR

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I have been using the groove2 driver in a few builds. I used it in a 405nm, as well as 4 445nm builds as well. IMHO it is the ideal driver for a 445nm pen build. The flex and micro are both a fail for 445nm pen builds.

Yobresal.
Are you are using two 10440's in series for 8.4V fully charged for these 405 pen builds? If so how long do they last?
 
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Yes, also same battery config for the 445nm diode. I have not calculator nor tested battery run times.
 

Milos

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Apr 22, 2007
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thanks guys, good to see ya all.
I'm glad i didn't miss anything in Groove 2 manual.

It is perfect for pen sized lasers up to 500mA So reds and Violets :) and "conservative" (ONLY ~350mW !) blue pens :)) when used with two 3,7V Li-ions !!

I wish there was higher capacity 10440 battery out there I have only AW 350mAh. I know there are ultrafire 500mAh, but i don't trust their performance over AW
 
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