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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

Hi from South Australia - laser veteran but LPF newbie.

Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Messages
1
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Hi everyone,

Just posting a quick hello as my first post.
I'm a musician and electronics tech from Australia and have been using lasers now since the late 80s. My first lasers were a pair of 5mW Hughes HeNe tubes which I still own and they both still work.

In the 90s, I had access to medium powered, air cooled green and blue argons and first started experimenting with galvos and animation, combining the argons with a medium powered HeNe for full colour.

Over the next decade, I focused more on my music and let the lasers sit on the shelf until the recent crop of decent powered diodes again peaked my interest.

My current main laser is a 1 watt RGB which has analog modulation. I purchased this only a couple of weeks ago and am planning to build it into an ILDA light show.

I also popped my first laser diode earlier today. I had it running in a temporary setup from a current limited power supply and all was good for a few hours. My heatsink worked well and the diode never went over 36 degrees C (at roughly 1 watt output at 445nm). I had some fun burning matches and cutting through cardboard boxes.
Then I decided to take some photo's comparing the beam with the red beam from my RGB laser. While setting up the shot, the camera tripod got tangled around the power supply leads to the blue diode and shorted it out, causing a spike which burnt it out! Doh! :oops::cryyy:
It still works but at much reduced output.

I did get the chance to take the photo which is my current avatar before that mishap though.

Lesson learned... use a proper driver and not just a current limited supply.... and DON'T use alligator clips to wire it up!

Anyway, I look forward to joining in the discussions here.
 





Joined
Sep 5, 2013
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Welcome Doc to the laser forums! There are tons to learn & great people to meet on here :)

-Alex
 
Joined
May 14, 2013
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Welcome LaserDoc, we have many members here from Australia. The restrictions on lasers in your country must make people want them more. +rep for making your first post in the welcome section and having your location in your profile.

Alan
 

SteveT

0
Joined
Jan 20, 2015
Messages
252
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Welcome to LPF; sorry to hear of your mishap; if it's any consolation I burnt out a fresh driver on my 405 module yesterday owing to a faulty click switch and a stupid mistake on polarity...luckily it wasn't the 1.4 W 520 I completed just moments before!
 
Joined
May 20, 2013
Messages
358
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Hello! Mistakes happens! ;)

I burnt a totally brand new NDB7412T 1W 445nm diode that I had just received in the mail, I was anxious to see the cool blue light, then I connected it with the polarity inverted to the driver and powered it on, nothing happened, when I tested again I had a U$40,00 LED LD. :cryyy: Then I bought a PL TB450 and learned to triple check all before turn on.

Welcome to LPF! :yh:
 
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