** BluRay Diode GB **

[SenKat]

I zoomed in at 400% and looked at the center "stripe"...it has a very VERY faint red look to it (maybe ?) but nothing that jumps out and screams "red " !

 

[busterhax]

in person theres definitely 2 colors. it drives me crazy how visible the 2 colors are in person and how the other color doesnt show up on camera. and yes that pic is of the output shining on a piece of paper. what causes the COD and why does it project in a "rectangle"?

 

[Gazoo]

Too much current will cause COD.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catastrophic_optical_damage

 

[busterhax]

awesome wiki. oh well. its all part of the fun i guess.

 

[Gazoo]

Tell me about it..I have blown or ruined over 15 diodes.. ;D But not my blu...at least not yet.

 

[busterhax]

i was treating mine like crap. im just wondering if it was the setup, droping it, or it possibly being on in my pocket that ruined it. i guess ill find out when i finish my next build.

 

[Gazoo]

You need to use a regulator with these. I am using a 5 volt regulator with a 50ohm precision trim pot in series with the diode. I have a 10uf 16volt capacitor soldered directly across the diode. It will easily run off a 9 volt battery. This is simple and it works. You can see the circuit posted in the following thread.

http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1193705297/45

 

[yes8s]

I fried my first BR diode... I was testing it on a breadboard with the LM317 circuit @ 12V input when the Vin wire came loose and touched the flat pad on the IC for just a split second and then.. poof!! It stopped lasing.

When I tried it again there was no more light output at all. Unconnected the diode measures 15ohms across the violet pin and gnd. Must be completely fried.

I'm glad I ordered more than one - no big deal (well sorta )

As for the red you guys are talkin about I can see it in the middle of the picture. Although i'm a little colour blind too, i'm sure it is there. When mine was working with a small current say 5-10mA's I could see red and violet coming out of the diode - Wierd.

 

[danielbriggs]

Zarniwoop - {sorry for the threadjack, folks !} I LOVE your avatar !  Sharks with frickin laserbeams !!! LOL !!!

Lol!!!!

Nice one Zarinwoop, that's been my 'custom text' since I joined.
I love the expression on the shark! ;D ;D ;D

 

[Daedal]

No red that I see... But I'm not colorblind (not that I know of at least)... :-?

Yes8s... it seems that you over-powered the diode abruptly... if the diode is in fact still alive, then what would have happened is that the excessive power must have over heated the wires connecting the pin to the dye and it would have split... Happened to one of my red diodes

If you open up the case (in the name of science) you'll be able to snatch a picture of the cut wire

GL;
DDL

 

[rog8811]

in person theres definitely 2 colors. it drives me crazy how visible the 2 colors are in person and how the other color doesnt show up on camera. and yes that pic is of the output shining on a piece of paper. what causes the COD and why does it project in a "rectangle"?

I have posted a drawing of the output of my blueray here:-
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1194212115/3#3

Does yours look anything like that?

If you read the thread you will see that at the moment mine is underpowered, is it possible that you are not pushing the volts and ma that you think you are?

Regards rog8811

*Edit....I took my blueray module out of the housing and connected it to my bench PS @7.2v, it cleans up the output no end....I was beginning to worry that I had damaged it somehow.....

 

[yes8s]

*Edit....I took my blueray module out of the housing and connected it to my bench PS @7.2v, it cleans up the output no end....I was beginning to worry that I had damaged it somehow.....

I just had the same scare with my second diode. But with a bench supply it's ok.

I just saw some awesome effects with this thing...try this guys - take the collimating lens off and shine the light at your teeth and check it out in the mirror. Then shine it towards but not directly in, you eyes (from a safe distance of ~40-50cm) MAKE SURE THERE IS NO COLLIMATING LENS, then check out your pupils in the mirror.

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

DDL --

I thought my Dorcy boost failed but with more testing, the diode is still running 45 mA but Po is only 5 mW. It is still a laser but weak. I think my cap may have broken loose and ZAP !!

Mike

 

[drlava]

Mike, what was the size of the cap? did you measure the ripple current from the boost or just the RMS?

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

DrL --

I never put a scope on the LD. Just read DC volts and current. The boost and regulator show about 2 volts of high frequency ripple but with a 22 mfd tant cap across the LD leads, it is clean DC. 44 to 46.5 mA. I may have been too hard on it. I'm going to drop to about 38 mA on the next diode.

Mike

 

[chimo]

Just posted a new thread with the results of my mod for this GB diode.

http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1194303946/0