637 nm Red Guidesman - 201mW Build

[rhd]

EDIT: I'm getting greedy, just pushed this to 375mA current, and got 201mW peak output after acrylic lens!

This build was a long time in the making, and cost a pretty penny. It took two diodes to get a working unit, but I'm quite pleased with the results!

Basic details:

- HL63133DG Opnext 637 nm "170mW" diode
- 1085 DIY Driver, powered by 2x 16340s
- Red Guidesman host with momentary cliky mod
- 340 mA Current Output (EDIT: Pushed to 375 mA)
- LPM of 179mW (EDIT: now at 201 mW) Optical Output using RED coated acrylic lens (from Qumefox)

My thoughts:

- Compared to every LOC build I've done (including a 330mW), this HL63133DG is clearly brighter. You don't have to struggle to see the difference, it's obvious and clear (would be to a layman off the street)

- It doesn't push red pointers into the realm of highly visible beams like a 445, or 532. In many situations, you still need to be on-axiz to see the beam. However, at night, or inside during the day, you can see the beam of the HL63133DG in a lot of situations where you just plain can't see a typical 660 LOC.

- The color is not substantially different than a LOC. You can tell them apart, but this is NOT orange. This is absolutely RED.

- I got the diode from Avnet. They charged $22 for shipping to Canada. However, it arrived in 1 day. It wasn't *quite* the overnight shipping they claimed, but I ordered it on the morning of a Wednesday, and it arrived on the morning of that Friday.

In the following photos, the 637nm is being compared to a 275mW LOC pointer:

 

[Cyparagon]

Re: 637 nm Red Guidesman - 180mW Build

Yes, 640 is still very much red. Red LEDs often peak at 630 or 625, and the red fluorescent I have peaks at 610.

 

[Helios]

Re: 637 nm Red Guidesman - 180mW Build

AWESOME! Been waiting on one of these builds. Do you have video capabilities? I think a video would be a hit!

+ rep

 

[jakeGT]

Re: 637 nm Red Guidesman - 180mW Build

I wonder what wavelength it's really at right now. just because it says 170mW at 635nm and 200mW at 637nm does that mean yours is doing 636nm?

 

[rhd]

Re: 637 nm Red Guidesman - 180mW Build

No, it's almost certainly up around 642 once it heats up

 

[Elektrotechniker]

Re: 637 nm Red Guidesman - 180mW Build

This build was a long time in the making, and cost a pretty penny. It took two diodes to get a working unit, but I'm quite pleased with the results!

Why? :undecided: What happened?

 

[jakeGT]

Re: 637 nm Red Guidesman - 180mW Build

No, it's almost certainly up around 642 once it heats up

How do you know that?

And silvershot, he had one arrive doa

 

[rhd]

Re: 637 nm Red Guidesman - 180mW Build

True ^

I don't want to go into any more depth on that point. If I sold someone a diode and they said it wasn't working when they got it, I wouldn't believe that they hasn't fried it themselves This seller's reputation is unquestionably good (it's not a source on LPF but absolutely reputable), so I think the reality is that this diode was problematic, and they just didn't know. I'd like not to say any more on that point.

Jake: 635s are known to increase in wavelength as they heat. I'm sure somewhere I read the wavelength to temperature curve and came to the conclusion that once it got hot, it would hit 642. But that's normal (and true of LOCs too). I believe as LOCs heat up, they exceed their 658 avg starting wavelength.

 

[chipdouglas]

Re: 637 nm Red Guidesman - 180mW Build

that red host with that front end is flippin nice!!! i've never seen a front end that clean. is that large diameter tip the focus ring too?

michael.

 

[rhd]

Re: 637 nm Red Guidesman - 180mW Build

It is

It's one of the focus rings Moh used to sell for $10 - I really wish he still did!

 

[jakeGT]

Re: 637 nm Red Guidesman - 180mW Build

I'm fairly sure he is gonna sell those again, he at least mentioned it in his hotlights thread I do believe

 

[LaZeRz]

Re: 637 nm Red Guidesman - 180mW Build

Hopefully he does, il need some for my 445nm build, i wouldnt like to burn my fingers off using a stock aixiz one, anyway Awesome build! the 637nm wavelength is awesome goodjob

 

[jakeGT]

Re: 637 nm Red Guidesman - 180mW Build

or rhd, you know...we could make that community focus knob group buy happen

 

[laser_freak]

Re: 637 nm Red Guidesman - 180mW Build

Considering that the Opnext diodes are usually well packaged and are individually tested for threshold current, operating current, wavelength, and divergence for the stated output power, I think it is a greater probability that the diode death is the fault of the user. You probably knew all of that, but I wanted to add that I have heard these diodes are easy to kill with improper handling (ESD in particular).
The above is all assuming you bought your diode from the source I think you bought it from and the diode came in the original opnext baggy.

I almost forgot, great build!

 

[LaZeRz]

Re: 637 nm Red Guidesman - 180mW Build

or rhd, you know...we could make that community focus knob group buy happen

Well hopefully! Steviedezie said that his friend is opening up a CNC shop and he could machine them

I really hope that GB happens

 

[Ray J Neal]

Re: 637 nm Red Guidesman - 180mW Build

Machining? What machining? I like to do machining :beer: