What the Flex?!

Flaminpyro said:

Are you kidding if you keep saying things that are not true people will stop listening to you, I have driven many 405 laser diodes with a V5 driver, where do you get your info :thinking:
when you say high power 405 you are talking about a 12x correct ?

Click to expand...

Not true?


http://laserpointerforums.com/f38/new-kid-block-12x-bdr-s06j-56017.html

Vf------mA----mW
4.01----50-----38
4.35----75-----81
4.62----100---121
4.88----125---166
5.08----150---209
5.27----175---255
5.41----200---296
5.53----225---337
5.64----250---381
5.73----275---418
5.81----300---462
5.88----325---503
5.93----350---537
5.99----375---579
6.04----400---617
6.08----425---656
6.11----450---692
6.15----475---728
6.18----500---767

Vf------ma----mW
3.96----50-----32
4.3-----75-----71
4.56---100----108
4.8----125----146
5------150----188
5.18---175----228
5.32---200----266
5.45---225----307
5.55---250----345
5.65---275----384
5.73---300----418
5.8----325----457
5.86---350----495
5.91---375----533
5.96---400----564
6------425----595
6.04---450----633
6.08---475----670
6.11---500----701

http://laserpointerforums.com/f38/12x-s06j-blu-ray-heat-72867.html#post1050568
Vf------mA----mW
4.01----50-----38
4.35----75-----81
4.62----100---121
4.88----125---166
5.08----150---209
5.27----175---255
5.41----200---296
5.53----225---337
5.64----250---381
5.73----275---418
5.81----300---462
5.88----325---503
5.93----350---537
5.99----375---579
6.04----400---617
6.08----425---656
6.11----450---692
6.15----475---728
6.18----500---767

My own measurements...


As you can see Vf of 405nm 12x diodes at around 300mA are above the max V that the driver can supply in Buck mode (will be even less in boost) according to flexdrives manual which is currently unaccessible
http://hacylon.case.edu/ebay/laser_diode/MicroFlexDrive_V5_manual.pdf
and this (flexdrives IC):
http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/tps63010.pdf

Sorry to pop your bubble but, IT IS TRUE !

I like to get the answers from my own testing as I have found out over the years that you shouldn't always believe
every thing you read no matter where it comes from this includes data sheets

I'm not saying that every one here can't come up with the correct answer it's just I like to get my info first hand if
I can so I have just done a little testing with a brand new 12x diode and a V5 flex drive and ONE 18650 cell and here are my results.

A brand new 121x sled.


I have removed the 12x diode.


Here it is so you can get a good look at it.


The other side.


OK you can see the 12x is putting out 697mW peak and the voltage coming out of the V5 flex drive is 6.19 volts
and there is 438ma going to the laser diode.


I think that about wraps it up for the fact that a V5 can run a 12x laser diode to full output, will there be anything else :thinking:


Any one needing some of these well known reliable V5 drives can PM me and I will be glad to take your orders.

Merry Christmas :san:

Bionic-Badger said:

Another thing is that the Flexdrives were eventually assembled by a commercial PCB assembler. In addition to testing, the professional assembly ensured that the process was well controlled, and drives were consistent in their quality. Some chips, for example, should pre-heated to remove all traces of moisture or other contaminants before assembly.

In that light, we'll see how these new drivers fare. They're released in such small quantities that their consistency is unknown. Even the photos of the drivers indicate that the ICs and components are not consistently placed on the PCBs due to the assembly. I for one am hesitant to use a driver that's been cooked on a skillet in a dorm room. There might be cold joints, or other problems revealed from long-term operation, where the high-current power-application causes fatigue in the hardware. I might be okay with a PID-controlled toaster oven, but the process would need to be well controlled.

Remember that price is merely a feature of a product, and not always the most important. Spending more for a proven solution, especially when the difference is small at about $5-10, can be worth it especially when it's just a component in a far more expensive system. Hell, people are paying $8 for LASORBs to protect their individual lasers on projectors. Sure there may be alternatives, but people continue to buy them just for the peace of mind.

Good luck to the E-drive and other like it. There's a long road ahead, and hopefully these alternative drivers live up to their expectations.

Click to expand...

That about covers what's been on my mind as well about the
new crop of LD Drivers.
As prototypes for testing in the field I can see the need to keep
costs down by assembling small quantities of these drivers by
hand.

I can also see the problems of perhaps non-traditional and non
professionally controlled frying pan and hand/eye controlled
toaster oven flow soldering outside the prescribed Flow soldering
temperature curves causing some problems that may be solved
by having the Drivers built by a professional PCB assembly
company that does keep tight control over the Flow temperature
and time curves.

I'm glad to see a lot of new drives to take up the slack that
the Doc created but it is difficult to compare a professionally
manufactured Driver like the Flexdrive to a hobbyist Driver.

I'm sure with more field testing these new drives will prove to
do a reliable job in the long run.


Jerry

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

Flaminpyro said:

Sorry to pop your bubble but, IT IS TRUE !

I like to get the answers from my own testing as I have found out over the years that you shouldn't always believe
every thing you read no matter where it comes from this includes data sheets

I'm not saying that every one here can't come up with the correct answer it's just I like to get my info first hand if
I can so I have just done a little testing with a brand new 12x diode and a V5 flex drive and ONE 18650 cell and here are my results.

A brand new 121x sled.


I have removed the 12x diode.


Here it is so you can get a good look at it.


The other side.


OK you can see the 12x is putting out 697mW peak and the voltage coming out of the V5 flex drive is 6.19 volts
and there is 438ma going to the laser diode.


I think that about wraps it up for the fact that a V5 can run a 12x laser diode to full output, will there be anything else :thinking:


Any one needing some of these well known reliable V5 drives can PM me and I will be glad to take your orders.

Merry Christmas :san:

Click to expand...

That's really odd. The IC that the Flexdrive uses can withstand only 5.5 volts max output, at least according to the datasheet.

Though, the flexdrive doesn't have overvoltage protection. I'd just be careful about how much you're making it boost, is all.

That and the caps on the output may not be rated to 10 volts, but may be 6.3 volt caps. Etc.

i thought it was 5.5v max input:thinking:

edit: hacylon's link seems broken...


more edit: hacylon is back up and the sheet does list 5.5v output too, my bad.

that is the "rated" max. But we are only talking about 6/10th of a volt over. Now will that extra voltage shorten the flexdrives life? Probably under heavy use.

Michael.

chipdouglas said:

Now will that extra voltage shorten the flexdrives life? Probably under heavy use.

Michael.

Click to expand...

Will running a 300mw 12X diode at 700mws shorten its life?

You bet! :beer:

Oh, also. I won't be making drivers in my dorm room for a variety of reasons, some of them what BB listed.

That and I just don't feel like explaining to the people here what I'm doing.

"What are you cooking?"

"Circuits!"

So back to the toaster oven in the lab. I'm also talking to Moh about getting them assembled by him.