Building my first laser

[rileyscool101]

Alright I'm building my first laser and I have a few questions. If I buy 2W 445nm M140 Blue Laser Diode in Copper Module w Leads Three Element Glass | eBay
And C6 JAD kit - $35.00 : Mohgasm LLC, Have you experienced one lately? set at 1.62a I should have a safe laser? Will I have thermal problems? And is there anything special I should do before/after soldering the diode wires to the host to avoid frying the diode? Sorry for the questions i'm trying to make sure I don't mess up

 

[Livinloud]

anti-static mat and wrist strap will help you out when handling the diode. as far as 1.62A and a M140, you will be fine. wont be around 2W unless you get a really efficient diode and have some luck. heat wrap the solder connections to not fry your laser as well

 

[asianjon]

Hey man i'm getting the exact same stuff you're getting. keep this thread updated with how yours turns out and any mistakes or tweaks you made. I am planning on building my first one and want to know exactly what to do before i waste 100 bucks on equipment.

 

[Livinloud]

i suggest that neither of you build this laser if it is your first time soldering or doing any electrical work with HIGHLY sensitive components. you can and will easily fry something and waste $100 to fix it. something as simple as a static shock from your finger will fry the diode and it doesnt even have to be a static shock you feel.

if you do decide to build this i suggest a cheap diode from ebay so that you can practice with these components first

 

[scumbagatheist]

DUTY CYCLES!!!

Your setup will generate a great deal of heat. I haven't seen Moh's heatsink yet, but unless it's a hairy-buttload of copper crammed into that nice little host, you will need to keep your duty cycles to no more than 1 min on/30sec-1min off.

Correct me if I'm wrong, fellas.

 

[joshshermannn1]

You should be fine since all you're really doing is soldering the wires from the module to the host. If you were dealing with the diode directly, it might be a little risky for a first build. Make sure not to twist the wires when you're putting it together. You should be expecting about 1.5W from 1.62A, unless you get a efficient diode. As scumbag said, the duty cycles should be about 1 minutes on, 30-60 seconds off. It should be a relatively easy build with those parts.

 

[rileyscool101]

i suggest that neither of you build this laser if it is your first time soldering or doing any electrical work with HIGHLY sensitive components. you can and will easily fry something and waste $100 to fix it. something as simple as a static shock from your finger will fry the diode and it doesnt even have to be a static shock you feel.

if you do decide to build this i suggest a cheap diode from ebay so that you can practice with these components first

Just because this is my first build doesn't mean i'm electrically illiterate lol, besides I got an a140 diode for 28$, I would rather spend the extra 20$ for infinitely more power...and if I fuck up 28$ isnt really gunna hurt me

 

[Livinloud]

Just because this is my first build doesn't mean i'm electrically illiterate lol, besides I got an a140 diode for 28$, I would rather spend the extra 20$ for infinitely more power...and if I fuck up 28$ isnt really gunna hurt me

never said you were, i was just saying if its your first time you might want to use a cheap diode or practice first. there are many of highly experienced builders who have a whole drawer of dead diodes. Blord has probably built more than 200 lasers and he still kills a diode every now and then, it happens to everyone

 

[rileyscool101]

never said you were, i was just saying if its your first time you might want to use a cheap diode or practice first. there are many of highly experienced builders who have a whole drawer of dead diodes. Blord has probably built more than 200 lasers and he still kills a diode every now and then, it happens to everyone

like i said, for an extra20$ ill take the risk if it means getting a finished product 10x more powerful than i'd get spending 10$ on a diode..

 

[asianjon]

I agree with riley. besides, i'm only gonna be handling the module. shouldnt hurt the diode too much in that case.

sidenote, would anyone suggest using one big battery with this c6 kit or two smaller ones?

 

[joshshermannn1]

Use two 16340's. It wouldn't work with a big one with the driver it has.
If i'm wrong, someone please correct me.

 

[asianjon]

ok, i got two cr123a's. those should work right?
so how much should i expect from a 1.8A driver?
Sorry about all the questions. just wanna get it right the first time so i don't end up buying a shitload of stuff i don't need.

 

[joshshermannn1]

That should work. I would get Lithium Ion batteries so you can recharge them, they're usually 3.7V, which should be fine. 3V would also work, but wouldn't give you as much power. In general, when using a 3 element glass lens, multiply the Amps times .9 and that should be your expected output. All you'll need is the module, host, and batteries. Anything else would just be an accessory.

 

[cheech226]

and don't forget the safety glasses. should be number 1 on your list....