Recent content by barthchris

Just an update from my diode I bought almost a year ago. Still pushing hard with gball removed. Settled on a 2 element lens with the popular beam expander here(forgot it's name). I do have a bad habit of changing lenses(I have a lot!) frequently. I suppose its just for the off chance I get...

Has the updated version been tested yet?

I love MX900 hosts! Rick Trent used to make some nice heatsinks for it but I recently asked him and hes out so Lifetime it is. Rick had both copper and AL heatsinks. I've only used the Al but think a copper HS would work best for soldering a PCB W a spring contact. AL is almost...

Good diode! Ive been running it at 4A for a week or two with lots of relatively long duty cycles. 60-90 seconds. Rick Trent AL heatsink barely gets warm. I really need power meter so I have no idea what its output is. Using a two-element lens with a Sanwa beam expander. Can burn a birch...

Divergence is much better for the 470nm (without the gball lens) it will appear brighter than the 445nm as well. IMO the 520nm will blow your mind!

Thanks for the warning fellas! No issues yet.... I do realize I'm chancing it without a properly scoped/designed driver. I really need to invest in a decent scope one day and learn how to use it. No modes, just on- off. Remember they were supposedly good to 15V. Just running them on two lion...

Yes I did.. Wouldnt connect without measuring first. No oscilloscope so not sure about spikes. Diode seems tough though.

Well I switched out the driver for a inexpensive 2.3A round LED driver. Wanted the Black buck for another build. Simple on off, no modes. Still alive and works great. Used A LOT and no signs of degradation. A MUST have diode!!!

Looks nice really nice. Im almost to the point that working with a headlight is a necessity. Using one that takes 3 aaa. I use rechargable but they still have short life. 18650 is awesome. Have tons of good cells.

Agreed. Decanned (when not scanned) they are by far my favorite diode ever. Wavelength is super visable and impressive! I can't remember what I set my current to but I think it's either 1.8 or 2.4A, opting for 1.8A. I think I even went to 3.5A with my PS before any noticeable knee with raw...

Just use three good 18650's. The current capacity of those nimh will be limited.

My peepers suck as age, especially night vision(only 46, look young, feel old). Laser damage ---maybe but I do have an eye doc friend who I met in a drone racing club that looked at my retnias with specialized equipment and saw no damage. BTW the eye doc is a laser nerd. Got his start in...

Ive heard Mars atmosphere has the conditions prime for a natural laser. This was MANY years ago though.

Now that Ive totally derailed this thread..... Sorry fellas!! You were right Paul it was an ACS500SE (assume SE is SEPIC) driver not the buck driver. Yes, attention to rapid heat removal is essential. Im anal about diodes being pressed in straight and level with as much package contact as...

Same just happened to me yesterday after last post. Lol!!. Maybe a few min of short duty cycles. Was kinda bummed I saw such little light but just for $hit$ & giggles I connected diode to my PS and voila, it was fine!! Brand new ACS5000 set to 900mAh., used 1 really good lion cell(yes...