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- Jan 14, 2011
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Hey everyone. I thought I would record my build of another Cree torch, this time with a 1A 445 in it!
So first, the components:
- Cree Aurora C6 host
- LED Buck Driver (see here: 3.0~9.0V 9W 1-Mode Regulated LED Driver Circuit Board 20mm - DinoDirect.com)
- Custom made copper heatsink
- Batteries, of course (2* RCR123s)
- 445nm diode!
And here are the components in picture form!
So it's a fairly simple build... just been waiting to do this for the longest time (expensive for me
).
Here's a picture of that copper heatsink up close. It's not that polished, but it's a press fit into the head of the host, has a set-screw for holding the Aixiz module in place, and is, well, copper.
Now, a little bit of improvisation had to be done in order to get the negative connection to the driver. First, I needed to get a wire from the driver's bottom side (the ring) to the top side so I can feed it through. So that was easy enough - just solder a wire to one of the negative lead pads. Second, I had to drill a hole in the pill in order to accommodate said third wire (battery minus). Now, I realize I could just hook up the casepin of the diode to this wire, but that means more soldering near the diode and more chance of diode death. So, instead, I made a flat little solder thing attaching to the wire (see picture) which is then squished down between the pill and copper heatsink, thus giving me a battery minus contact. So a bit rednecky...
Anyway, here is that picture I promised.
As you can see, the green wire is connected to the host via compression.
Now, I am getting the diode tomorrow! So... wish me luck! Maybe I will have some assembly/beam shots for you guys!
So I got my diode. I was doing some final tests of the driver to make sure that everything was safe, and I think something short circuited, because the driver immediately started smoking after testing it (I think the positive lead of the testload touched the bare host?). Anyway, so I had to rip apart my 405 build to get to the driver in there (it's the same driver, just modded, so I just unmodded it) so I could use it for this build. Unfortunately, the PHR did not survive the transplant... but I am okay with that, because around 1W of 445 is cooler than 80mW of 405. And anyway, having two lasers, one much more powerful than the other, be identical in every way, is not a good thing. And I will get another PHR again another time and stick it in another host.
Anyway, so I finally got it all put together, running at around 900mW. Anyone want to give me an estimate on the power it may be putting out, for curiosity's sake? I estimate it to be around 1W, but I am not certain. Anyway, here are some pics of the completed assembly and beams!
So first, the components:
- Cree Aurora C6 host
- LED Buck Driver (see here: 3.0~9.0V 9W 1-Mode Regulated LED Driver Circuit Board 20mm - DinoDirect.com)
- Custom made copper heatsink
- Batteries, of course (2* RCR123s)
- 445nm diode!
And here are the components in picture form!
So it's a fairly simple build... just been waiting to do this for the longest time (expensive for me
).Here's a picture of that copper heatsink up close. It's not that polished, but it's a press fit into the head of the host, has a set-screw for holding the Aixiz module in place, and is, well, copper.
Now, a little bit of improvisation had to be done in order to get the negative connection to the driver. First, I needed to get a wire from the driver's bottom side (the ring) to the top side so I can feed it through. So that was easy enough - just solder a wire to one of the negative lead pads. Second, I had to drill a hole in the pill in order to accommodate said third wire (battery minus). Now, I realize I could just hook up the casepin of the diode to this wire, but that means more soldering near the diode and more chance of diode death. So, instead, I made a flat little solder thing attaching to the wire (see picture) which is then squished down between the pill and copper heatsink, thus giving me a battery minus contact. So a bit rednecky...
Anyway, here is that picture I promised.
As you can see, the green wire is connected to the host via compression.
Now, I am getting the diode tomorrow! So... wish me luck! Maybe I will have some assembly/beam shots for you guys!
So I got my diode. I was doing some final tests of the driver to make sure that everything was safe, and I think something short circuited, because the driver immediately started smoking after testing it (I think the positive lead of the testload touched the bare host?). Anyway, so I had to rip apart my 405 build to get to the driver in there (it's the same driver, just modded, so I just unmodded it) so I could use it for this build. Unfortunately, the PHR did not survive the transplant... but I am okay with that, because around 1W of 445 is cooler than 80mW of 405. And anyway, having two lasers, one much more powerful than the other, be identical in every way, is not a good thing. And I will get another PHR again another time and stick it in another host.
Anyway, so I finally got it all put together, running at around 900mW. Anyone want to give me an estimate on the power it may be putting out, for curiosity's sake? I estimate it to be around 1W, but I am not certain. Anyway, here are some pics of the completed assembly and beams!
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