10 >1mW Laser Modules

Hi Guys,

I am a very occasional poster, but I have been lurking around for a while.

Lets just say I had 10 >1mW laser modules that require 3V and 400mA to operate, if I connected these in series, would I need 10*400mA current supply to run the modules? If so and my calculations are correct, wouldn't I need 4A to run these modules?

Thanks,

Toby

You're thinking of parallel. In series it would be 400mA at 30V.

Application?

Cyparagon said:

You're thinking of parallel. In series it would be 400mA at 30V.

Application?

Click to expand...

Thanks Cyparagon!

I posed a while back about creating a laser "circle" that could be projected onto a surface and visible in bright sunlight. This is for a consumer product I am developing, and due to the nature of the laws here in Australia the best I can do I believe is use multiple laser modules to create a dot circle. I'm pretty sure a >1mW laser through a diffraction grating isn't going to be visible enough for my application.

30V at 400mA is a tall order I think as I need to drive the modules with commonly found (and smallish) batteries. I'm thinking that this application may not be within the realms of possibility given the laser power restrictions.

ttjarrett said:

Hi Guys,

I am a very occasional poster, but I have been lurking around for a while.

Lets just say I had 10 >1mW laser modules that require 3V and 400mA to operate, if I connected these in series, would I need 10*400mA current supply to run the modules? If so and my calculations are correct, wouldn't I need 4A to run these modules?

Thanks,

Toby

Click to expand...

I assume they are RED Laser modules...

If so... I find it difficult to see how a ~1mW or a bit greater
can draw 400mA at 3Volts...:thinking:

40mA sounds a bit more logical...


Jerry

You can contact us at any time on our Website: J.BAUER Electronics

lasersbee said:

I assume they are RED Laser modules...

If so... I find it difficult to see how a ~1mW or a bit greater
can draw 400mA at 3Volts...:thinking:

40mA sounds a bit more logical...


Jerry

You can contact us at any time on our Website: J.BAUER Electronics

Click to expand...

Hi Jerry,

No, it's a green laser (532 nm). I've attached the data sheet for the module I'm looking at purchasing. From what it says the "LD Operating Current" is 400mA.

I can see what you're saying, but I don't have enough knowledge about laser modules to agree or disagree. :yabbem: If a laser module acted just like a resistor (which I'm sure it doesn't), a 1mW module running at 3V would only need 0.33mA to run. There is a big difference between 400mA, 40mA and 0.33mA!

Perhaps my best bet is to buy some of these modules and whack a multimeter in between one and a power source.