Whole line of high power, fast laser diode drivers.

Tomorrows System said:

Another driver which I ended yesterday. This one for sure can not be used in laser pointers, but maybe some of you will be interested.

It is dedicated to the high power (up to 60A) infra red laser diodes. Can power single diode or diode stack.

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Could you send me a price for this?
I've got a FAP diode, and the only thing I have to power it with is my high current variable PSU. Would be nice to get a proper driver for it.

i would like to see if some one could make a ttl analog at 7v at 120ma for ten bucks that what i need

vortish said:

i would like to see if some one could make a ttl analog at 7v at 120ma for ten bucks that what i need

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I hope you realize that's unrealistic. You should build your own if you're looking to spend that little. Most handheld drivers don't even go for that little.

There are already analog drivers that will do that from China (eBay) for about that price. They're not going to have the capabilities of the drivers in this thread, but that's expected.

Actually I made around of 4-5 projects and made PCBs together on one panel. Now I'm mounting them UP.

I'm doing it in Poland and is is quite cheap, 14 days standard, 10 days a bit more expensive, 5 days + 100%. Cost is quite low, because you can also order a prototype PCB then minimum order is around 20 - 30USD for 10 days standard for lets say 100 x 100 PCB

The prototype versions I'm trying to make on one layer PCB and these ones I'm doing myself.

i would like to see if some one could make a ttl analog at 7v at 120ma for ten bucks that what i need

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Chinese drivers can be powered using higher voltage even if they wite 5V max you can use 10 sometimes, problem is power dissipation so if you choose proper supply voltage and diode working voltage, you can buy cheap this kind of driver.

The high current driver is really interesting. I think they'd sell decently if the price is right.

Atomicrox said:

The high current driver is really interesting. I think they'd sell decently if the price is right.

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I also think so, but I'm not sure about the price. Ready driver's cost around 700-800 USD on ebay. But they are automatic and with PSU inside, my are without PSU. For now I put them on ebay for 399USD and I will check the answer. Production cost is for sure higher than my other drivers. It needs lot of copper, milling, the blue epoxy as also quite expensive mosfet and sense resistor.

Any idea what should be the target price ;?

I know very little about high current drivers but was expecting <$100.. if that's unrealistic then I don't think many around here will ever buy one

<100$ I think is almost impossible including hand work. But if market will get no reponse price will drop a lot for sure. The price I took from the prototype I made which I sold for 330USD. Prototype was looking really amateurish, but was working very similar.

Bionic-Badger said:

There are already analog drivers that will do that from China (eBay) for about that price. They're not going to have the capabilities of the drivers in this thread, but that's expected.

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I've tried a couple of those and got burned
(or rather the diode did). They will
adjust down to 120mA or even less, but they
are not designed for it and will spike and
kill the diode.

Please put the DB connectors back on the drivers. The hobbyists who commented to you are obsessed with ultra small, ultra tiny, and cheap projectors. Those of us who actually do shows and labwork prefer the instant repair ability of having connectorized drivers and we don't mind. Even if its a DB9. DB are readily available in the US, as are Molex. Even 2.54 mm spaced pins and KK style connectors are preferable to soldering.

This is why Kvant uses connectors. It is far easier to send a connectorized module then return a projector to the factory or distributer for soldering.

If I have ten to twenty drivers in my projector I do not want to solder during show intermission if I have to repair a projector.

Also please size board holes for #18 or # 20 AWG STRANDED wire, it is insane using undersized wire like most drivers do. Especially when touring and the wire snaps off from shock. It is also difficult to understand why people like running high I2R losses on small wire.

Steve

Steve, thanks for your support. You even don't know how much it means to me

All your arguments were in my mind while making the project of these drivers.

Maybe you are intereseted in some kind of cooperation? I'm now making project of >3W RGB with red corrected.

I hate to say this (and I hope I'm allowed to without getting in trouble, on either end) but you should post a link to this thread over on photon lexicon, because I think a lot of the people over there would be interested in contributing to this thread. It seems up their alley.

I was feeling more comfortable to write here first. I have account also there, and I will probably make similar thread or pass the link . Long time ago I was a total noob in lasers. I was reading LPF and PL forums during my laser studies. And now I would like to "pay off" the debt. Maybe I will help someone, maybe someone will help me. I will try to do my best. This is why I started to read open source driver section. And it even crossed my mind to create similar drivers (of course speaking with you before) and sell them for parts cost + worker cost + shipping. So create proffesional cheapest boost/buck driver for laserpointers without significant profit. I even read whole LM3410 datasheet and found some similar devices. They are really funny I really like that this kind of forum exist.