First 660nm in progress

[Wolfman29]

Unfortunately, my guess is your laser will only go up to about 200mW. The measurements made by Dr. Lava are actually pre-optics, and because optics always introduce a loss of power, you are probably getting, at most, 200mW. I have mine running at 424mA (barely above safe zone), and I am using a qumefox acrylic 650nm coated lens (less power loss than the glass because it's single element), and I am just barely hitting 250mW (have had it tested with a calibrated LPM).

 

[Gofilord]

Umm... what if I'll use 6V? I looked at a diagram and it showed I'm getting about 300mW with 6V and 350mA..

 

[yzer]

You can't run the LPC-815 laser diode and the rkcstr Micro-Drive on only 3VDC. The diode requires 2.35V to 3V+ and the driver needs another 2.25V. Look at the Dr. Lava red roundup chart again. 350mA will get you about 210mW with LPC-815.

Yes, optics will cost you significant power on a LPM: the more elements in a lens group the more power loss unless you minimize loss with the highest quality fully multi-coated ED glass (and I don't see anyone using that level of optics on LPF, yet). OTOH, a good glass multi-element lens may cost you numbers on an LPM and reduce effectiveness in burning but it could very well offer less beam divergence than a single element lens.

I'd love to see someone compare the spot diameter from the same 660nm diode with properly collimated beams from 3-element glass, 3-element acrylic, and single element lenses at 250 meters. See which one has the smallest spot. Depends on what you want: burning power or a long throw spot.

 

[Gofilord]

I learned with my green laser that the smallest dot isn't neccecarely perfect burning.
when I focus it to the smallest it burns nothing.
for my burnings, it works with a thick (not to much) dot.

acording to a graph somone gave me by puting 6V and 350mA on the diode it will get to 300mW
also, can I have a link for a decent lens for my aixiz module? (a focusable one that fits it) and not the one that comes with it.

yzer, you are really really helpful. while all other members here tell me to go read some stuf you answer all my questions, even though my English is not the best. I aprriciate (soory) it alot. thank you.

 

[Carl Witcombe]

Check out the AVI clip attached,

This is my Purely home made laser torch. The Laser pointer in question has an updated Home Made Driver using an AMS1117 Regulator which can supply upto 1 Amp, An LPC-815 LOC Laser Diode, The target is a single peice of Black Electrical Insulation Tape.

The images are of a similar driver as the one in the clips host.

Enjoy