10 >1mW Laser Modules

[ttjarrett]

Hi Guys,

I am a very occasional poster, but I have been lurking around for a while.

Lets just say I had 10 >1mW laser modules that require 3V and 400mA to operate, if I connected these in series, would I need 10*400mA current supply to run the modules? If so and my calculations are correct, wouldn't I need 4A to run these modules?

Thanks,

Toby

 

[Cyparagon]

You're thinking of parallel. In series it would be 400mA at 30V.

Application?

 

[ttjarrett]

You're thinking of parallel. In series it would be 400mA at 30V.

Application?

Thanks Cyparagon!

I posed a while back about creating a laser "circle" that could be projected onto a surface and visible in bright sunlight. This is for a consumer product I am developing, and due to the nature of the laws here in Australia the best I can do I believe is use multiple laser modules to create a dot circle. I'm pretty sure a >1mW laser through a diffraction grating isn't going to be visible enough for my application.

30V at 400mA is a tall order I think as I need to drive the modules with commonly found (and smallish) batteries. I'm thinking that this application may not be within the realms of possibility given the laser power restrictions.

 

[lasersbee]

Hi Guys,

I am a very occasional poster, but I have been lurking around for a while.

Lets just say I had 10 >1mW laser modules that require 3V and 400mA to operate, if I connected these in series, would I need 10*400mA current supply to run the modules? If so and my calculations are correct, wouldn't I need 4A to run these modules?

Thanks,

Toby

I assume they are RED Laser modules...

If so... I find it difficult to see how a ~1mW or a bit greater
can draw 400mA at 3Volts...:thinking:

40mA sounds a bit more logical...


Jerry

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

 

[ttjarrett]

I assume they are RED Laser modules...

If so... I find it difficult to see how a ~1mW or a bit greater
can draw 400mA at 3Volts...:thinking:

40mA sounds a bit more logical...


Jerry

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

Hi Jerry,

No, it's a green laser (532 nm). I've attached the data sheet for the module I'm looking at purchasing. From what it says the "LD Operating Current" is 400mA.

I can see what you're saying, but I don't have enough knowledge about laser modules to agree or disagree. :yabbem: If a laser module acted just like a resistor (which I'm sure it doesn't), a 1mW module running at 3V would only need 0.33mA to run. There is a big difference between 400mA, 40mA and 0.33mA!

Perhaps my best bet is to buy some of these modules and whack a multimeter in between one and a power source.