Freak IR Laser

[laserman55]

hello everybody,

I was kinda bored the other day when i found my old burnt out DX 50 green module. The strange thing is it happened to be laying next to a very old CD-RW drive (not a burner.) So i got the idea to take apart the drive and hook it up to the modules driver. I started at about 100 mA and it ran for about 10 mins barely getting warn so i went up in increments of 20. Around 150 mA it started to burn my multi meter and it was still barelly warm. Finally i got all the way to 210 mA and it burns like crazy. From my estimations its around 100 mW.

And again this is from an old CD-RW drive?!?!?!?!?!? Is this a freak diode or something.

O and yes i do have safety goggles and its near IR thats why i posted in the RED LASER section also because this is wear the cool people hang out.

So any thoughts on this would be appreciated?!?!!?

 

[xmas one]

CDRW is a burner

 

[digital_blue]

If I were you, I'd be careful. The IR in CD players/burners is 780nm, many goggles aren't rated for it; you should check before continuing...

 

[laserman55]

the ones i borrowed from my freind are like deep red to near IR 700nm to 850nm i think

 

[laserman55]

UPDATE: Laser burnt out!! It wasn't from over drive but from the reflection of the crystal i had in front of it. I think it wasn't hot or anything

 

[mfo]

hello everybody,

I was kinda bored the other day when i found my old burnt out DX 50 green module. The strange thing is it happened to be laying next to a very old CD-RW drive (not a burner.) So i got the idea to take apart the drive and hook it up to the modules driver. I started at about 100 mA and it ran for about 10 mins barely getting warn so i went up in increments of 20. Around 150 mA it started to burn my multi meter and it was still barelly warm. Finally i got all the way to 210 mA and it burns like crazy. From my estimations its around 100 mW.

And again this is from an old CD-RW drive?!?!?!?!?!? Is this a freak diode or something.

O and yes i do have safety goggles and its near IR thats why i posted in the RED LASER section also because this is wear the cool people hang out.

So any thoughts on this would be appreciated?!?!!?

1) CDRW is a burner.

2) You started at 100mA, and you said you raised the current in 20mA increments. 150mA is not a 20mA increment, and neither is 210.

3)

Just like all other diodes, IR diodes are also capable of burning.