500mw 638nm Mitsubishi ML501P73 Build (w/pics)

[MurphyMurph]

Here is a red powdercoated side-button host made by Lifetime17 (thanks again Rich!)


His host came with the standard 18650 adapter. After I purchased the host from him, I ordered a handful of new batteries from Liion Wholesale. While ordering, I accidentally added 4x 21700s to my cart (thinking they were 18650s). After receiving, I realized they were a perfect fit for all of my hosts that require an 18650 adapter.


This host came pre-wired and ready to drop in a DTR Module (Doesn't get any easier than that!) For this host, I originally had the Oclaro HL63193 638nm 700mw in mind, but I should have taken Rich's advice in that "they do not like to be driven". I ended up burning up two of them in setting the currents to around 900mA, which was below the 1A recommended setting, but that's just not my luck (with Murphy's Law and all )

So I then went with his original advice and got the 638nm Mitsubishi ML501P73. Driven by a Flexdrive V5 and set to 900mA with a G-8 Lens.


On to the beam-shot, night pics.
The first two are Long Exposure with the laser pulsed. (Turn your screen brightness up )




The next three shots are long exposure, laser on for the full duration of around 8 to 10 seconds, which is the maximum that my phone will do. Enjoy

Also, recently I found an app (on android) called "FlightRadar24" which allows you see all flights in real time, based on your location. I started using it to take these long exposure shots so that there is absolutely no chance of getting anywhere near a flight path! I was actually very surprised while taking pictures, (and waiting for a clear area of the sky) aircrafts that i could see way out in the distance, were actually multiple counties away!​

 

[paul1598419]

Yeah, I wiped out two Oclaros when they were first available to us. The ML501P73 is a much better choice. I have one doing better than 1 watt, but don't remember what current I set it for. These have the worst divergence specs. Well, almost the worst. There is the NUBM44.

 

[Jimmy93]

Here is a red powdercoated side-button host made by Lifetime17 (thanks again Rich!)
View attachment 68460

His host came with the standard 18650 adapter. After I purchased the host from him, I ordered a handful of new batteries from Liion Wholesale. While ordering, I accidentally added 4x 21700s to my cart (thinking they were 18650s). After receiving, I realized they were a perfect fit for all of my hosts that require an 18650 adapter.
View attachment 68459

This host came pre-wired and ready to drop in a DTR Module (Doesn't get any easier than that!) For this host, I originally had the Oclaro HL63193 638nm 700mw in mind, but I should have taken Rich's advice in that "they do not like to be driven". I ended up burning up two of them in setting the currents to around 900mA, which was below the 1A recommended setting, but that's just not my luck (with Murphy's Law and all )

So I then went with his original advice and got the 638nm Mitsubishi ML501P73. Driven by a Flexdrive V5 and set to 900mA with a G-8 Lens.
View attachment 68461

On to the beam-shot, night pics.
The first two are Long Exposure with the laser pulsed. (Turn your screen brightness up )
View attachment 68466

View attachment 68462

The next three shots are long exposure, laser on for the full duration of around 8 to 10 seconds, which is the maximum that my phone will do. Enjoy View attachment 68463View attachment 68464View attachment 68465

Also, recently I found an app (on android) called "FlightRadar24" which allows you see all flights in real time, based on your location. I started using it to take these long exposure shots so that there is absolutely no chance of getting anywhere near a flight path! I was actually very surprised while taking pictures, (and waiting for a clear area of the sky) aircrafts that i could see way out in the distance, were actually multiple counties away!​

Thank you for posting this! That's a beautiful host. The "flightradar24" is very useful, thank you for mentioning it.

 

[RedCowboy]

Nice build.
Also like the single mode Sharp 638 @ 250-300ma with a 3ER lens for a nice beam.

 

[MurphyMurph]

Yeah, I wiped out two Oclaros when they were first available to us. The ML501P73 is a much better choice. I have one doing better than 1 watt, but don't remember what current I set it for. These have the worst divergence specs. Well, almost the worst. There is the NUBM44.

Yes the divergence is pretty terrible. There is a but of room left inside the lens adapter, so I may try to experiment with some different lenses to see if I can bring it down any.

 

[MurphyMurph]

Nice build.
Also like the single mode Sharp 638 @ 250-300ma with a 3ER lens for a nice beam.

Thanks, I'll have to check that one out, I just built my first single mode 405nm BDR-209 and I'm very impressed with it (post to come).

 

[RedCowboy]

BDR-209 is a favorite but here lately I have really enjoyed the 505 and 488 from sharp, I drive them both @ 250ma and get 100mw with a G8 from the 488 and about 85mw from the 505 with a G8 and both make a nice beam of unique color, kind of a teal and aqua-marine which are colors I hate in paint on a car but are fantastic laser beams, so pretty I had to break out some of my spinning mirrors to play with while I'm sheltering in place now.

As for your mistsbishi red 1w divergence you already are using a long FL lens so really you will need beam shaping optics such as a c-lens pair if you want to square up the beam although for making a better spot the 3X beam expander works well.

 

[MurphyMurph]

Nice! That is definitely a unique color to have, and I agree I wouldn't want to have a car that color..
It's a good hobby have and experiment with while everything is shut down.
Do you have a site in mind as to where you would get a set of c-lenses,? I'll add them to my wish list. The 3x BE is already on there.. lol

 

[aaronnoraa]

Do you have a site in mind as to where you would get a set of c-lenses,? I'll add them to my wish list. The 3x BE is already on there.. lol

If you desire to follow the path of The Way, there is only one choice of C-lenses. They are the OPT (the Polish OPT Lasers not the Chinese OPT Lasers, you would think there was plenty of room in the laser world for unique company names but whatever, I guess) C-lens 6X Pair with Brass Mount. 99.7% transmission from 400nm to 700nm and much more physically pleasant to work with due to their more "square" profile (rather than the playing card deck standing on it's end profile usually seen). Game over. Get the mounts with them. All the money in the world doesn't pay for the heartache and life lost getting the lenses aligned perfectly. The 15 dollars for the mount might as well be free.

Opt Lasers 6X Cylindrical Lens & Brass Mount (AR 400-700 nm)

Opt Lasers' Cylindrical Lenses 6X Magnification (AR 400-700 nm) With Brass Mount offers anti-reflective coating for extraordinary light transmittance of >99.7% for 400-700 nm spectrum.

optlasers.com

Of course you could choose.. poorly... wander astray from The Way.. perhaps the temptation of PeckWood or whatever his name is over on Ebay.. his C lenses.. the OPT cylinders have pity on their inferiority.

Or something like that.

Also, recently I found an app (on android) called "FlightRadar24" which allows you see all flights in real time,

FlightRadar24 is nice... you should check out https://www.adsbexchange.com/ it's the same idea but has even more data sources than flightradar and I really like the options it gives you to quickly find interesting aircraft.. plus it's completely free To get to the main map from the homepage it's just ADSBX menu -> Tracking View
voilà, awesome.

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi Murph,
Glad you like the hosts great job with the Mitsu, They are very durable compared to the Oclaro.
Cant wait to see the other builds with great pics.
Thanks for sharing..
Rich

 

[dylpicklechip]

Nice build.
Also like the single mode Sharp 638 @ 250-300ma with a 3ER lens for a nice beam.

I have a Sharp 638 (GH0637AA2G) that should be arriving this week. Any reason not to drive that at 600+mA?

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi
1A gives you 900mw and at 1.1/1.2 A gives you over 1W from a Mitsubishi 500 diode
Just make it it has a good heat sink and thermal compound on the 12mm module when you set it in the heat and
Rich

 

[paul1598419]

I haven't yet seen the Sharp GH0637AA2G, so I don't know what the maximum current might be on one. If you have a CC power supply and heat sink and an LPM you can figure this out for yourself.

 

[RedCowboy]

I have a Sharp 638 (GH0637AA2G) that should be arriving this week. Any reason not to drive that at 600+mA?

I don't have that diode ( GH0637AA2G ) but the spec sheet posted by techhood says 1A...........I can't guarantee that's accurate or not but that's what it shows.

Sharp GH0637AA2G 638nm 700mW Red Laser Diode/5.6mm/Brand NEW | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Sharp GH0637AA2G 638nm 700mW Red Laser Diode/5.6mm/Brand NEW at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[paul1598419]

Yep, Chinese sellers on eBay often print out their own data sheets on diodes like this. I wouldn't trust it either.

 

[aaronnoraa]

I have a Sharp 638 (GH0637AA2G) that should be arriving this week. Any reason not to drive that at 600+mA?

Run it around 840ma, much more than that seems to actually reduce the output. I'm not sure if it's actually outputting less power or if the wavelength is increasing and making it appear dimmer but either way they seem to have a hard limit on brightness. Someone did a power test on either LPF or PhotonLexicon and reported the same, hard limit on output. Much less divergence, about half that of a P73 but larger beam waist at output, about double the cross section size. Less beam trash than a P73 as well. Definitely the nicest looking beam of the high power multimode 635's just would be nice if you could overdrive the crap out of it like the p73 and get big power.

Edit - GH0637AA2G Datasheet