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About 10 years ago, i bought a cheap 5mW laser from china (my first such laser). Only some time later I was reading about these cheap lasers that had no IR filters installed (this was made by new wish laser in china). Even though they put out 5mW of visible green light, some potentially produce...

Thanks for asking this question, I was about to ask the same question. Im in the process if building my own 2W laser with an M140 diode. Im still waiting for my goggles arrive so i can test the jolly thing. At what point does looking at the dot become dangerous with such a laser? If i pointed...

OK, sweet, so at least I know the astral driver is OK. There were some other buck drivers I had seen from a US seller but not showing any more on ebay.

This looks like what im after? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Astral-SuperDrive-V-5A-Adjustable-Buck-Constant-Current-Driver-w-1-kHz-PWM/323450505414

OK, how much current does an M140 typically draw at 2W? I probably am happy to run this thing around 1.6W anyway.

I thought it was a buck driver because it cuts the voltage down and regulates it at around 5V im assuming. 500mA of current should be more than enough for a 2W module I would have thought? .5A * 5V = 2.5W so this means that this would over power the diode if i had it running at its maximum...

Is this driver any good? Reviews seem OK, and its a buck driver. My calcs say that it should easily power up to 2W if I want. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Adjustable-current-laser-diode-driver-80-500mA-w-TTL/362595655014?epid=1132781644&hash=item546c629d66:g:S5wAAMXQWuRQ-Ane#rwid

Would this fixed buck driver be OK? its rated at 2W https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-445nm-520nm-2W-Laser-Diode-6-14V-Power-Supply-Driver-Circuit-PCB-Board/263744762496 or the 1.6W version might be a bit safer on the diode...

yeah im looking at buck drivers now. I see some fixed ones at 1.6W which might be all i need?

ok thanks. will take a look.

Yes i was not planning to run it at 2 watts anyway, as i would probably need extensive heatsinking to cool it at that power. I had about 1.6W in mind to run it at. My host can take 2x18650 cells if i keep the extension tube on, so perhaps a buck driver is better as you say. One other question...

Im wanting to use an M140 diode with this driver here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/191903871453 Specs for the M140 are 2W max output and max current is 1.3A After reading the specs for the driver it says 5.5V max boost circuit, and the working voltage is 3-5V Since with Ohms law, Voltage *...

yes it was, only 5mw from memory too.

Yes, ive been doing some calcs, and for most high end 18650 cells, you would get that much operation easily. I just see a fair few lasers that are less powerful that run on 2 18650 cells, and not sure the exact reasons why. Regarding overheating, im not sure how long is the ideal operation time...

Perhaps i am thinking of something entirely different, basically these cheaper pointers would turn the diode on and off many times a second in pulses, but at a higher voltage than what the diode specs were if it was left on continuous.

Ive had cheap laser pointers many years ago where they would pulse the diodes at higher power to make them more powerful than the specs of the diode without killing it, thats how i understand it anyway. Maybe it was more cost effective for those cheap lasers 10 or so years ago when the diodes...

OK, thats helpful thanks, ill check those guys out. I was asking about CW because i know alot of the cheap chinese lasers are usually pulsed, so im skeptical on what im getting off ebay sometimes. Would you recommend a single 18650 in this configuration, or should i look at going with 2 of them...

are these drivers continuous wave or pulsed drivers? Any form of current regulation?

Been reading a few threads on drivers for M140 diodes and have been looking on ebay and found this: Item number 273198784157 I have no idea on its quality, but obviously its more ideal to use a CW driver than a pulsed driver? I probably plan to run it around 1.5-1.6W Also saw item number...