30mw Green from laser light show box

[jtroutt19]

So I was able to harvest a good green laser from this box. The 100mw red was bad. Anyway I would like to build this laser into a homebrew pointer. I have some prebuilt dc-dc converters that work nice and can power this little guy just fine. The issue here is it is in a square heatsink and it seems like the diode is pressed into it. Was wondering if you guys could give me your opinions on how best to build an enclosure around this thing. Thanks a lot!

 

[thebouljello]

Lasers on this forum are usually in flashlight hosts and have a cylinder-shaped heat sink. I would recommend using a project box for this diode because it is in a square heat sink. Can you upload pics of the driver?

 

[jtroutt19]

I dont mind using a project box I have a few extras laying around waiting for something to go into them. This driver is a small DC-DC converter adjustable from 0 to 12 volt per the blue pot. I bought a whole bunch of these things about a year ago. They were on sale for $1 a piece so I couldn't pass it up. Anyway, I have put it all together and the laser works. But the lens that is in the heatsink is shit does nothing for focusing the beam.

 

[jtroutt19]

I should correct myself here. It does focus the beam somewhat. I am pushing 2 volts to this guy right now and if I put a convex lens in front of it it will burn black items. Electrical tape and plastic. Without the convex lens it is fairly narrow but widens after about 20 feet. Does anyone have any links to learn about optics with these things. Also would it be better if I could get the diode out of the heatsink.

Thanks for any info guys. A little not for you guys. While I dont have any experience with lasers i do have a degree in electrical engineering technology.

 

[thebouljello]

Did you get the boxes or the drivers for $1 a piece? If you don't like the lens, we have a forum on here for optics where you can read all about lenses. I usually use aixiz lenses such as three elements or g2 so I don't have any experience with actually making lenses. If you take the diode out of the heat sink, what will you put it in?

 

[jtroutt19]

I got the DC-DC converters for a $1 a piece. Where i bought them from was having a sale going on. The only reason I was thinking to take the diode out of the heatsink it is in is to put it in something a bit more easier to handle. Something like a round heatsink that could be mounting in the head of a flashlight body or vape pen........

How can i figure out the max voltage I can push to this thing. Where it is at now, 2v, doesn't even cause the diode to get warm. It will also pop red and green balloons with a convex lens in front of it.

 

[Isaac Clarke]

the driver that you got is a Chinese mass produce driver that boost voltage while leaving the current un check.... laser require constant current... as dpss laser use IR diodes so roughly around 1.8-2.2 volts...

 

[jtroutt19]

So how would you add current limiting. What is the best for laser use? Is this particular lase a dpss laser. Do laser optics need to be close to the laser aperture or are they best when positioned a few inches in front of the laser aperture? Lots of questions here, sorry. Is it possible to have a low wattage laser like this still produce a focused small dot at a distance but still be able to burn?

 

[thebouljello]

So how would you add current limiting. What is the best for laser use? Is this particular lase a dpss laser. Do laser optics need to be close to the laser aperture or are they best when positioned a few inches in front of the laser aperture? Lots of questions here, sorry. Is it possible to have a low wattage laser like this still produce a focused small dot at a distance but still be able to burn?

Your laser is a dpss laser. I have one and they usually max at about 100mw but that can vary because these lasers are mass produced and are not sorted according to their actual power. You can buy a constant current driver for about $20 or make your own driver if you know how. I am not sure how many ma this particular diode should be driven to. If you keep the laser in a project box, it would be easier to attach a lens to use for burning. Dpss lasers are not only a diode; they contain crystals that change the wavelength of the infrared emitted from the diode. I am not sure how the dpss module would fit into a heat sink and I have never taken apart a dpss laser.

 

[jtroutt19]

Alrighty then thanks for the info looks like I have some reading to do. How do you tell the difference between dpss and just the diode? The red 100mw laser that was bad in the box was just a really tiny PCB inserted into a really small metal can. On the board was an upside down shaped "T" type thing which is where the laser light emanated from. I need to read how laser optics works so I am off to learn something. Thanks!

 

[thebouljello]

Alrighty then thanks for the info looks like I have some reading to do. How do you tell the difference between dpss and just the diode? The red 100mw laser that was bad in the box was just a really tiny PCB inserted into a really small metal can. On the board was an upside down shaped "T" type thing which is where the laser light emanated from. I need to read how laser optics works so I am off to learn something. Thanks!

532nm lasers are usually dpss. In your picture, there is an infrared filter, and dpss lasers usually have infrared filters because they contain an infrared diode. Although there is a filter, some infrared still passes through.