Recent content by wilheldp

What current are other people driving their LDs? 130mA sounds really low to me, but apparently 294 is way too high. Before I go blowing up another diode, I would like to get some actual current readings from other successful circuits. Then I'll try different resistors until I get that current...

0.98V was measured across the resistor. Where did you get the 130mA rating? I was driving it higher than that earlier with no issues. In fact, 130mA was hardly making the diode lase, much less getting close to 80mW output.

That's weird because I didn't disconnect and reconnect the diode during that time. I was always careful to fully discharge the cap before I connected the LD to the circuit (even checking it with the meter until it made it to 0.00V. I thought that the leads connecting would just drain the...

ZZZZZZZZZAP! I think I fried my diode. I added another 10 ohm resistor to my bank making the overall resistance 3.33 ohms (3-10 ohm in parallel). I cranked the pot all the way up, and the brightness didn't seem all that much more than it was before. While I was getting my multimeter probes...

I'm using a 4-AA battery holder from RadioShack as my power source. I guess that makes a difference since the original circuit was designed to run off of 2-CR123 batteries, eh? I measured that 1.06V drop across that resistor several times, and it never fluctated, so I'm pretty sure of the...

How are you measuring your current? I couldn't get my multimeter to measure the current on my circuit anywhere...I tried putting it in between the positive lead of the circuit and the positive of the LD, but got no reading. I got 212 mA by measuring the voltage drop across my 5 ohm resistor...

Huh...there's an idea. I could just replace the resistors with a wire. That opens the possibility of frying the diode, but also lets me utilize the LD's full potential. I'm also kicking around the idea of replacing one of the 10 ohm resistors with a 3.7 ohm to bring the total resistance down to...

I have the circuit working with the GB diode, but even when I max out the pot, I'm only putting 212 mA through the resistor. I have two 10 ohm resistors in parallel there (so 5 ohm total). How low can I go with that resistor to put a little more power though the diode? Along those same lines...

Awesome...thanks.

I'm sure this has been posted before, but is there a data sheet out there someplace (or even a hand drawn layout) that shows the pinout for the 3-pins on the Sony GB LD (SLD1236VL)? I really don't want to start soldering on this thing until I know exactly which pin is positive, negative, and...

Huh..it comes with a Class IIIa sticker on it, eh? That will be incorrect when it houses a Sony LD pumping out (at least) 250mW.

I had to take a cab from Utrecht to Tilburg one time because the Dutch train workers went on strike when I was coming back from Berlin (my parents were living in Tilburg at the time).

OK, since the OP's plan fell through, let's drive this discussion towards the Sony GB laser diodes.

I still think the original question is a good one. I'm building Daedal's circuit, and I understand that you start with the pot on max. resistance, then dial it down until the LD begins to lase. Then what? How far past the minimum lasing resistance should you go? Too far, and you'll shorten the...

Looks an aweful lot like Starphaser's website.