First 445 Build..

[mb300sd]

Here it is, using a hotlight host and this driver

$1.99 - 18V 5W Cree Circuit Board for Flashlights (16.8mm*5.5mm) - Flashlight Parts and Tools

set at stock current, waiting for my NJG-18 to get here... Output power unknown.

 

[Haloid95]

Nice, how much is the total cost to build it?

 

[mb300sd]

Nice, how much is the total cost to build it?

Host: $10.00
Diode: $45.00
Lens: $12.50
Driver: $2

$69.50 as of right now. I already had an old aixiz module. I'm going to replace the current driver with a NJG-18 ($5) tho.

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EDIT- Final Updated list:

Hotlight Host: $10.00
Diode: $45.00
Aixiz 405 Lens: $12.50
NJG-18 Driver: $5

Total: $72.50

 

[anselm]

So what batteries are you using?
Because as I understand it that driver is a buck, and you need at least 1V more
than diodes Vf.
If powered by a single LiIon, it would barely light up at all, no?

 

[mb300sd]

So what batteries are you using?
Because as I understand it that driver is a buck, and you need at least 1V more
than diodes Vf.
If powered by a single LiIon, it would barely light up at all, no?

Currently just using the 3AAA holder. I have a 22600 in the mail, plan is to use that with the NJG-18 driver.

 

[Haloid95]

Can it burn, pop baloons, etc...

 

[mb300sd]

Yeah, I don't have goggles yet, so testing has been pretty much limited to outdoor shots, but I did pop a couple balloons while viewing through a camera... It takes a couple seconds though.

The new driver got here today, and I swapped it in and rewired the 3AAA holder to provide 1.5V in parallel. Power is still about the same with batteries. I set the current to 1.2A (input) at 3.3v in using a computer power supply, that beam was BRIGHT! I had the laser pointing into a piece of 3" PVC pipe while I set the current and there was smoke coming out of it.

I can't wait till the 22600s and charger get here!

Now that I think about it, this could be useful, I can have a low power laser thats relatively safe to play around with if I put AAAs in it, and a high power with Li-Ions, just by swapping out the batteries...