5 amp driver for nubm44

[Pman]

That's the MX I purchased and didn't realize it could come apart. I have 2 built and 3 not but with heat-sinks. I'll have to look at all of them and see if any of the others come apart.
Have you tried the King Kong 26650? I'm wondering about voltage sag on those. They used to be pretty much what all of us used. I have a couple pair waiting for me to build.
REP for Red

Red, is Flam still making heat sinks?
Speaking of red, I just ran into a weird LPC-826 which is a huge freak. Set a driver at 600MA and somehow it was putting out over 550mW. Makes no sense. I powered it twice yesterday and it didn't blow. Don't know how it's possible. I'll check it further today. I've set many higher than that and with the right voltage they will hit just over 400mW. Using a different driver but that shouldn't matter. Something is strange in River City.....

 

[RedCowboy]

this winter I was out one night with one that was low enough power with cold enough temp outside to allow continuous use on one that would otherwise over heat. like a cigarette smoker who freezes their butt off for a fix, I'm freezing mine off to get unlimited use. I hate the summer for lasers, my DPSS hates it too.

wow. I'm always unlucky with this stuff. I'm running @ 4.5 and I dont think I've gone over 2 minutes, And mine is degrading. it is in a heatsink bigger than yours that is copper. I'm just gonna run it till it dies all the way, it still does over 5W, but am wondering if I should replace with the 06 or another 44

Hey red, could I convince you to make a slip over of correctives for my unit? I have some ideas about how to do it. if not, know anyone else who might? like maybe CDBEAM777?

I have an idea that would allow the slip over to be removed which would allow focus of the uncorrected g2 beam for max power for close range stuff, yet still allow quick and perfect alignment when the slip over is added. I think I might prefer such a setup to my expander, as it takes a substantial amount of power away. it does allow long distance stuff, but ~25% is actually quite the power loss to me

I would go with the NUBM44, it's usually a tough diode and is noticeably more powerful than the 06, the 06 has a little better divergence but you have to remove the Gball and I just can't keep them alive as long un canned, but my nubm44's that I hammer on regularly live on and on.

CDBeam777 is your man, I just tinker and need a lathe to do things right, I make use of things that are already close to a fit and lap and polish the surfaces to get a good fit.
I am thinking about getting a lathe then I can make all kinds of stuff, I have worked in machine shops so most of the learning curve I have already been through, but for now CDBeam777 is making a shelf for the Maglite to accommodate cylindrical pairs and he has an adjustable cylindrical pair setup too. :beer:

http://laserpointerforums.com/f39/aluminum-unit-mount-cylindrical-lenses-94918.html

^LINK ABOVE^

This is CDBeam777's cool slide adjuster.

 

[RedCowboy]

This nubm44 has been in another host and has many hours in it, always at 4.5a via an SXD, a heavy heat sink has saved it many times because I run it hard.

Survivor and material ignitor for the moment the 44 is still the king, but I am ready for one 5 times as strong, heck 10 times as strong, I will come up with batteries and cooling to make it work, but I do like going heavy on the heat sink, it seems to make the difference as far as longevity.

p.s. That's Sandra Bulloch in Gravity on the tv doing that heavy breathing, it's not a dirty movie.

 

[Shakenawake]

thanks. think I will go with another 44

 

[RedCowboy]

My 06 is really strong, but I don't have a LPM, however ABarnett got 7.75W out of one and 7.92 out of a chilled diode.

Alien laser said he got over 7 watts from an 06.

I just put a new nubm44 into an old sink just to test it against my recent 06 burn videos, but the 06 has better divergence and that makes it seem stronger, but now I hear another report of them reading well over 7, 7.4w I think Alien said.

Anyway I forgot how bad the 44's divergence is when using it at 5 to 10 feet through off the shelf lens and I will correct all of them from now on, the divergence is 1/3 again as much as the 06 and that makes the 06 seem like a better burner with off the shelf lenses.
The 06 makes a 1.5 inch line through a G2 at 15 feet and the 44 a 2 inch line, that's a 33.3% increase. However thickness is about the same. So area percentage wise the 44 has 16.7% more spot area and that about offsets the power advantage.

But if beam shaping I would still go with the 44, but if using say a G7 lens only.......Tough call, honestly, painfully the 06 is more fun with a bare lens only, as I tested lighting things with both and that 06 divergence really plays in once off the desktop.

I still prefer the 44 but everyone I build will have correction, I want to do this one with the G2 adjustment left open before the cyl pair and play with adjusting it into the set up cyl pair. it should change the sweet spots distance, I may extend the focus ring with an up reaching lever to make tiny adjustments to the G2 as it's range of adjustment will be about 1/4 turn from near to far, maybe a 1/2 turn, I will find out but I am going to try to get the best of both.

This is kind of like shakenawakes idea that I have had before too, but I want to prove it out, cyl adjustments can be quite critical and lens thread slack may come into play.
The idea below is to set the cly pair on the floor and cover the cyl pair but leave access to the G2 for adjustment, maybe a lever that reaches up attached to the lens ring....... Or better yet a wider adjustment wheel that sticks through a slot in the bottom for the G2 adjustment, then I can close the top to keep dust out.

 

[VirtueViolater]

UOrdered 1' of 1 1/2 aluminium rod stock today, also a lab power supply. Looked at 1 1/2 cu barstock, geezzz, $70 for 2" length. Gotta make sure I can use that one, lol
Sent
Also found out i sent my nubm44 to the wrong address, seems I sent it to Jordan's old address or something. Been there over a week, lol. Should be getting it back by the middle of the week

 

[RedCowboy]

Well as I was afraid just the fraction of a mm in the module to lens holder threads is enough to throw out the angular alignment, it is very critical as the bar will turn sideways and look like a flag in the wind.

I just finished this one out as a nice mid range burner, it's always fun to have one for each hand and a couple spares for while they cool down.
Actually it has a steam punk, built from scrap look, but its a pyro's delight.

This is one of my more funky builds, but the beam burns good.

I don't usually do stuff with gaps and glowing holes, but it is kinda cool for pics, I will keep my safety glasses on and this one away from other people, actually I keep all my lasers away from other people. Safety first.

The way to do it is use the beam shaping to bring that wide bar back to a small rectangle then use a beam expander, that would give even more reach and adjustability. I'm just going to hold one in each hand. :eg:

Sorry if I hijacked this thread, but I love these beam shaping optics, they make a huge performance difference, much more than 4.5 or 5.0 amps and it works better to tune one tool for short, medium and medium/long range....really long range is not applicable with these crude MM diodes, but being able to get smoke at 100 yards is a real challenge, and adjusting the G2 on the fly was an interesting experiment, but the side to side and angular changes are even more critical than fore and aft, and those are pretty critical as well.

Beam shaping is fun and rewarding and in conclusion I recommend it over squeezing in an extra half an amp as the results are enormously better.
Next I am going to double up the diodes and streamline a bit, but the heavy heat sinking is worth it once the fun starts.

 

[VirtueViolater]

Hi RedCoboy, I ordered an mx900 off that link you shared, is this the one that breaks down to 1 18650? The one I ordered hasn't come in yet but I'm wanting to order another if it's the one that does

Also ordered 1 1/2 aluminum rod stock, thanks for the tips, you are a blue burners fountain of knowledge

 

[RedCowboy]

It's luck of the draw and most are identical, but sometimes a different manufacture may use a different thread count, so I buy 3 or 4 at a time.

This is an easy light to make a host out of and the switches are sturdy, so far I have not killed a single switch, but those slide focus host switches popped like Orville Redenbacher.

The LED and heat sink is (((( Reverse Threaded )))) if it has no holes drill one on each side.

The spring board has the flashlight driver on the back, I just cut all the parts off with flush cutters or you can unsolder but I chop it all off, drill a hole in the center and widen the edge notch then I solder on my own wires.

Be sure to check for shorts, there never are any, but check it good. Make sure your positive wire has insulation pushed up through the center hole you drill in the board so nothing can short out, there's a generous center pad to solder to with the spring, it's a nice spring board.

Sometimes I use heat shrink, it's really just common sense but always protect your eyes and keep your laser pointed in a safe direction, even when it's turned off. Safety first my friend.

The center part with the 2 side holes knocks out the front, hammer + screwdriver = smile.

Drill a 12mm hole and thread a couple set screw holes in a length of 1.5 rod, sand the inner lip if needed and jam it in, couldn't be much easier.

The reflector unscrews.

Here's some pics:

That last pic was of a 1.25 inch bar, use the 1.5 inch.

 

[VirtueViolater]

Thanks Red, got my fingers crossed for one that breaks down, want more capacity, been looking at a light that holds 4 18650 but I'd have to send it to FP for a heatsink

 

[RedCowboy]

I am going to start using 4 x C cell Maglite's because C cells are 26 mm wide just like 26650 but not as long. You can get them for 20 dollars on flebay.
Otherwise I have to combine two 15 dollar MX-900's unless I want to use the left over single cell shorty or use 2 x 16340's or resell it.... naw I will just use the Maglite.
So with a small spacer with a button to act like the top of a C cell you can use 3 x 26650's in place of 4 x C cells and tear out the top of the switch that holds the bulb and connect wires for drivers.
I want to do some double builds and 3 cells are needed, 2 good quality 26650's or 18650's will work for the SXD and one NUBM44 but you will have to recharge a lot more often.

For two 44's 3 cells are needed.

You can find them for 20 dollars with free shipping, just have to search a bit, here's one for 25 with free shipping.

Maglite S4C016 4 C Cell Maglite Flashlight Black | eBay

 

[VirtueViolater]

I am going to start using 4 x C cell Maglite's because C cells are 26 mm wide just like 26650 but not as long. You can get them for 20 dollars on flebay.
Otherwise I have to combine two 15 dollar MX-900's unless I want to use the left over single cell shorty or use 2 x 16340's or resell it.... naw I will just use the Maglite.
So with a small spacer with a button to act like the top of a C cell you can use 3 x 26650's in place of 4 x C cells and tear out the top of the switch that holds the bulb and connect wires for drivers.
I want to do some double builds and 3 cells are needed, 2 good quality 26650's or 18650's will work for the SXD and one NUBM44 but you will have to recharge a lot more often.

For two 44's 3 cells are needed.

You can find them for 20 dollars with free shipping, just have to search a bit, here's one for 25 with free shipping.

Maglite S4C016 4 C Cell Maglite Flashlight Black | eBay

What ya gonna do for a heatsink?

 

[RedCowboy]

I will make one, I like the 4 x 18650's all side by side for a 16 volt, well the SXD will take 16v but they could float at 16.8, I think it's ok as it will drop straight away.

Alaskan found a quality holder but I like being frugal, I also would like to shorten my units a good bit, so 4 x 18650, the good brown LG INR's are solid, yes they would carry a pair of SXD's to power 2 NUBM44's and I will build my own head, but HEAT will be an issue, the sink and slip cover will need to be substantial, fins would be nice for faster cool downs.....I keep hoping for a 12w diode to pop up.

But you know we will want to double those up too. :eg:

 

[VirtueViolater]

I will make one, I like the 4 x 18650's all side by side for a 16 volt, well the SXD will take 16v but they could float at 16.8, I think it's ok as it will drop straight away.

Alaskan found a quality holder but I like being frugal, I also would like to shorten my units a good bit, so 4 x 18650, the good brown LG INR's are solid, yes they would carry a pair of SXD's to power 2 NUBM44's and I will build my own head, but HEAT will be an issue, the sink and slip cover will need to be substantial, fins would be nice for faster cool downs.....I keep hoping for a 12w diode to pop up.

But you know we will want to double those up too. :eg:

Cree makes a couple nice 4 cell (18650) lights, all side by side, been thinking of getting one and sending it to FP for a heatsink

I hear ya on the 12watter

Been bidding on con/conv pair seems everybody else has also

 

[VirtueViolater]

The mx driver pill in the pics you posted are the same as the one in the utilitech flashlight mod im doing for the 35mm cu modules. Ordered a diode for it today

 

[VirtueViolater]

Saw you mentioned wanting a lathe in a thread today, been looking at mini metal lathes and mini milling machines, man they're proud of them suckers, still need an lpm, gonna procure one then save a bit for a lathe