WTB: help a poor college student! 445nm diode or groove2 for my first laser build!

my dilda died so i wanna make her into a 445nm laser and only problem is that i have like nooo money because i am a poor college student.

i found the lens cheap but i need a diode

$45 plus the groove2 is way out of my range....i only have 50 to spend

anyone have a 445nm diode or a groove2 cheap?

You can make your own linear driver for less than 5$ worth of parts.
I spend around 60$ to build my first 445nm laser.
http://laserpointerforums.com/f42/diy-my-1st-build-1-5w-labby-60-a-59450.html

If you are running low on money i would not suggest you get a 445nm laser for your first build. You will most likely mess up and be out of 50$. Alot of first builds go good and bad. SO its a what if.:thinking:

Your best bet is to replace the red diode that was in there. Witch coast ~10 shipped to you.

If the driver has also died in your Dilda then you can also replace that buy either build your own DDL driver or buying a similar DDL driver like the Groove 2 or a Rckstar.

Your Gate Key to building a laser is check out modwerx.

Here is the diode you need to get to replace your red one:
LPC-815 20x DVD burner laser lens assembly w/ red laser diode [M0021] - $8.99 : Modwerx Shop

You can even get this sled here but cost more but you can get a 160mW 405nm 6x laser diode and a ~200mW Red laser diode out of this sled. If you go with this choose then you can either re build the dilda with the blu-ray or red laser diode and have another laser diode for another build before you go into building a 445nm laser.

Then for the driver you can get this guy here:
Groove driver v2 protable laser driver [M0050] - $13.99 : Modwerx Shop

Its a Groove2 driver. Or you can build your own buy a simple trip to Radioshack if thats available to you.

Check out this thread here
Laser driver - It can be done

You will also need a test load. That you can also build yourself. No matter what diode you buy you need to set the currant. In that same link above you can see all the way at the bottom the test load.

Or buy one here:
Laser driver dummy load (test red or blu-ray) [M0001] - $10.99 : Modwerx Shop

The heatsinking in that host is very poor and will not do to well with a high power 445nm laser. especially with a DDL driver. It will get screaming hot very quickly.!!!

Its your money do what you want. But IMHO since this is your first laser and have never built a laser before i would just get the LPC-815 sled and replace the red diode with the new one and use the old driver that came with the laser if it still works.

You will need a testload like i said either way to see if it works or not and or set the correct currant. You cant just connect the diode to the driver.

So go check out modwerx.


Just my .02 cents.:beer:

My suggestion:

- See if someone has a zombie 445 they'd send you for some small amount of money. I have a couple, but I don't have the time to ship anything right now (and CanadaPost is pseudo-on-strike anyway). I think a lot of people just toss them in the garbage out of frustration. In reality though, it's kind of silly because they can often still (really inefficiently) produce 300 - 500mW.

- Grab one of Jib77's 1.2 A drivers, assuming he still has some. I think his 1.8A drivers would be too much for a zombie diode. But 1.2 might be doable for a damaged diode, and who knows, you might get a 400mW beam out of it, at least for a little while, at $30 or $40 investment.

rhd said:

My suggestion:

- See if someone has a zombie 445 they'd send you for some small amount of money. I have a couple, but I don't have the time to ship anything right now (and CanadaPost is pseudo-on-strike anyway). I think a lot of people just toss them in the garbage out of frustration. In reality though, it's kind of silly because they can often still (really inefficiently) produce 300 - 500mW.

- Grab one of Jib77's 1.2 A drivers, assuming he still has some. I think his 1.8A drivers would be too much for a zombie diode. But 1.2 might be doable for a damaged diode, and who knows, you might get a 400mW beam out of it, at least for a little while, at $30 or $40 investment.

Click to expand...

The Dilda holds 2@CR2 batteries and has VERY little heat sinking. Running a 1.2A driver in it would not work well

Peace,
dave

Not only that... It requires even more current to get a
damaged 445nm LD to Lase (= more heat)...

Jerry

daguin said:

The Dilda holds 2@CR2 batteries and has VERY little heat sinking. Running a 1.2A driver in it would not work well
Peace,
dave

Click to expand...

No kidding? I've never seen one in real life. I always thought they were a rather large host. I thought the Dilda's size/shape had something to do with it's name ??

lasersbee said:

Not only that... It requires even more current to get a damaged 445nm LD to Lase (= more heat)...

Jerry

Click to expand...

That's why I was careful to say that he might get a beam out of it "at least for a little while"

Remember guys, he wasn't asking for quality build ideas. He was asking how to make something happen on a very specific budget. All too often on forums, someone will ask "How can I do ABC for $X budget?", only to be met with a flood of replies saying "You should really do LMNOP for $Y budget instead"

There might be wisdom to the better approach being suggested, but it's not very helpful from the perspective of the person seeking help. Frankly, I think it's a little bit arrogant - telling someone that their idea of what they can afford to spend is wrong, instead of brainstorming ways to make their parameters work. I'm not referring to anything or any reply in this thread - merely to the phenomena in general.

The OP here wanted to make a 445nm laser happen, on a budget of UNDER $50. I can't think of any better way to do it than my suggestion. If he's buying single diodes, he'd have to pay ~$50 for a new 445 pressed into an Aixiz module. Add a driver, and he's over-budget. So that suggestion doesn't address the scenario he actually inquired about.

What should I do if I wanted to build a 445nm Laser
for $10.00... or $5.00...

As you said... a 445nm LD pressed in a Housing is already
too expensive...
The next step would be to modify the OP's criteria...

He could build himself a brand new undamaged ~100mW
405nm (PHR 803-t) Laser on his budget...


Jerry

lasersbee said:

What should I do if I wanted to build a 445nm Laser for $10.00... or $5.00...

As you said... a 445nm LD pressed in a Housing is already
too expensive... The next step would be to modify the OP's criteria...

He could build himself a brand new undamaged ~100mW
405nm (PHR 803-t) Laser on his budget...

Click to expand...

Yes! See that's a good suggestion. If he wants blue, a violet might be close enough, and affordable within his biggest constraint (price).

I'm sorry for the rant - I think it's just a pet peeve of mine when I see people giving advice that doesn't actually address what the OP is asking about, and instead just reflects what we think someone's priority should be, based on how we view the hobby. I can't count the number of times I've seen someone (usually fairly new) ask a question like "How does the 100mW green 532nm laser from Rayfoss compare to this other one from O-Like? Is either one particularly better or worse?", only to be met with responses like "A better alternative would be to look at CNI" Really? How many of us actually buy all of our lasers from CNI versus other sources? Stuff like that is just frustrating IMO.

I'm always irked by responses that patronize new users. Sure, we get a lot of stupid inquiries from "newbs". But our most interesting new users all had a first post too, and if we patronize everyone with basic-level inquiries, instead of treating their questions with honest consideration, we'll miss out on future quality users in the process. Some of the coolest innovation I've seen on this board recently has come from new(er) users - whether that's driver design, creative host ideas, etc.

I sold him a 445nm diode at a discount. He should now have just enough for a Groove drive. If he sets it at max current he should be good. It won't be anywhere close to 1W (unless I'm mistaken about the max current output of the groove.)

Doesn't the groove do 800mA?

rhd said:

Yes! See that's a good suggestion. If he wants blue, a violet might be close enough, and affordable within his biggest constraint (price).

I'm sorry for the rant - I think it's just a pet peeve of mine when I see people giving advice that doesn't actually address what the OP is asking about, and instead just reflects what we think someone's priority should be, based on how we view the hobby. I can't count the number of times I've seen someone (usually fairly new) ask a question like "How does the 100mW green 532nm laser from Rayfoss compare to this other one from O-Like? Is either one particularly better or worse?", only to be met with responses like "A better alternative would be to look at CNI" Really? How many of us actually buy all of our lasers from CNI versus other sources? Stuff like that is just frustrating IMO.

I'm always irked by responses that patronize new users. Sure, we get a lot of stupid inquiries from "newbs". But our most interesting new users all had a first post too, and if we patronize everyone with basic-level inquiries, instead of treating their questions with honest consideration, we'll miss out on future quality users in the process. Some of the coolest innovation I've seen on this board recently has come from new(er) users - whether that's driver design, creative host ideas, etc.

Click to expand...

Did i not also offer blu ray in my write up.:thinking:

The Groove Does ~500-600mA in my experience. But i have had 2 on me do 720mA.

lazeerer said:

Did i not also offer blu ray in my write up.:thinking:

Click to expand...

I wasn't ranting in connection with any particular post here - no worries. Just defending the fact that I had actually answered his question

Wow, I didn't realize the groove went up so high. In a dilda I would recommend 500-600mA

rhd said:

No kidding? I've never seen one in real life. I always thought they were a rather large host. I thought the Dilda's size/shape had something to do with it's name ??

Click to expand...

Those are CR2 batteries by it (for scale)



http://laserpointerforums.com/f52/dilda-v1-dilda-v2-review-37911.html

yobresal said:

Wow, I didn't realize the groove went up so high. In a dilda I would recommend 500-600mA

Click to expand...

The Groove2 will go up to ~750mA. However, it overheats rapidly at those higher currents.

Once it overheats, it begins to blink to limit the heat.

I just did this conversion on a couple of Dildas. They are running ~500mW and burning for ~90 seconds before overheating.

Peace,
dave

yobresal said:

Wow, I didn't realize the groove went up so high. In a dilda I would recommend 500-600mA

Click to expand...

You are correct. I made a mistake sort of. They are rated for 500mA But i have had a couple do 720mA on me and thats what i was think of. I think DTR also had said something to like this. Cant remember I corrected earlier post.