46mw 635nm pointer lots pictures

[midias]

I got my 635nm diode in the mail today and could not wait and as the wife was at work I decided to build my first 635nm laser. I bought on the the pen kits form jayrob they are the same as the ebay kits. I spent a lot of time thinking about this build because the case on this LD was LD+ and I wanted to build it without having to isolate the aixiz module from the case. I used a LM337 regulator as a constant current source.

Items used

**************************
LM337L TO-92 package driver
2 x 10440 li-Ion batteries
Pen host
Aizix module with acrylic lens
Spring board
Foam
**************************


Here is the schematic and pics of the driver. Note the pinout of the TO-92 and TO-220 are different.

Here s the back side

And the front

The driver was set to ~106ma using a 12.1 ohm resistor

Here is the diode because the case was LD+ I nly had to connect the LD- pin so I trimmed the others

Now with the driver attached

I did not want the spring to short so I made a foam spacer

The spring board as it came in the kit

Now modified to make more room in the host

Here is where I soldered the after switch contact

And now one big happy family

Here is how the press cap came

I had to cut it down to make it fit

Here it is all done

Vs my 200mw 660nm

That is it all done and enjoying the 635nm goodness

 

[Braddubya]

Very clean build! Nice work

 

[reginak]

Very nice and good pics too! 635nm color is so nice isn't it?

Cheers

 

[Blord]

Nice build from components. Was that the 40mW diode from Ebay ?

You should reinforce the minus pin of the diode. The whole pressure in the pen is on this single pin. Or you did it with that blue thingy.

 

[midias]

Nice build from components. Was that the 40mW diode from Ebay ?

You should reinforce the minus pin of the diode. The whole pressure in the pen is on this single pin. Or you did it with that blue thingy.

Yes that is the ebay 40mw diode. Thanks for the compliments I spent a lot of time thinking about this build, I did not want an other flex drive build and this was my first use of the LM337.

Thanks for the tip on the pin, I was careful about that. I cut the pin short so it would have less of a lever arm then I heatshrunk it. After heatshrinking it I butted the driver against the diode then taped them together as strain relief and heatshrunk the entire thing.

 

[Braddubya]

Whats the deal with the tapped cooler?! Does that work?

 

[midias]

Whats the deal with the tapped cooler?! Does that work?

YES it does there is about 30 feet of 1/4 inch copper line in that cooler and I fill it with ice and water let the line get cold for about 10 minutes and it pours 4 or so 12oz beers in a row nice and cold before you have to give it a minute to recover.

 

[Braddubya]

YES it does there is about 30 feet of 1/4 inch copper line in that cooler and I fill it with ice and water let the line get cold for about 10 minutes and it pours 4 or so 12oz beers in a row nice and cold before you have to give it a minute to recover.

What do you fill it with? (beer obviously but from what) Connect to a keg or just a tank inside? is it pressurized?

Awesome idea

 

[midias]

What do you fill it with? Connect to a keg or just a tank inside? is it pressurized?

Awesome idea

I sit the keg off to the side with pressure regulator and a CO2 tank.

 

[LtKernelPanic]

Nicely done! That's worth a +1 for sure. I like seeing people using DIY drivers like that.

Looking at your driver I'm a bit confused and have a couple questions if you don't mind. If I read the data sheet for the LM337L TO-92 the pinout is the same as the LM317 so from the top to the bottom I see:

12.1ohm resistor across Adj and Vout to set current
2 caps across Adj and Vout to catch any spikes coming off Vout

What I'm confused about is your last cap which is usually across LD+ and LD-/GND to protect the diode at power on and off that seems to be connected between Vin and Adj? How does that work when you are using a case positive/negative build when you don't have it between the LD+ and LD-/GND leads since one lead is the case?

I'm also curious (if there's a quick explanation) what the difference between the 337 and the 317 that I used is. I looked at the data sheets but they may's well have been written in Chinese. That stuff confuses the hell out of me.

 

[midias]

That extra cap is just to keep any spikes off the adj line as that is my reference voltage.

The main difference between the LM 317 and the LM 337 is the 337 is designed to be an adjustable negative voltage regulator. That is why I am using the ports backwards from what you expect and Vin is my ground. Basically it functions in reverse.

The entire reason I decided to look into it was to make a case where Batt+ and LD+ were the same pin. BTW that driver is small enough to fit inside an Aizix module.

 

[midias]

What do you fill it with? (beer obviously but from what) Connect to a keg or just a tank inside? is it pressurized?

Awesome idea

Check the pic it is the only one I have but it is not bad because it is laser lit

 

[Braddubya]

Thats pretty awesome. Id for sure put something like that together but I dont want to fork out the dough for the pressure system. I have a friend who has a DIY kegerator made out of an old full size refrigerator. They mounted a tap coming out of the front and it even has a drip catcher and drain.


Back to the 635nm....sorry for the derail

 

[Grix]

How is the divergence and beam profile?

Also how does it compare brightness wise to the 200mW red? hard to see which is which on the picture.

 

[midias]

How is the divergence and beam profile?

Also how does it compare brightness wise to the 200mW red? hard to see which is which on the picture.

Divergence is good the beam / dot seem very similar to my other diode lasers. As far as brightness it is very similar to my 200mw 660nm but slightly less bright. The beam is visible as low as 32mw in a dark room. All together this is a very good laser.


635 is the dot on the right.

 

[Blord]

I wander how far the diode can be push if it has a decent heatsink. At 140mA it should equal the brightness of a LOC red diode.