Hi,my first wanna build :)

[arcad3]

Hi i harvested 2 diodes from a 16X dvd writer.I tested the diodes with a 3.6v 1020mAh nokia battery directly and they work.The first emits low light and the other one emits more powerfull red light.
I guess i shall use the one who emits more light but directly from the battery the light is weak.I have all necesary pieces for the driver but i cant find LM 317
i have the lens and all.Directly from the battery the diode light is poor if i use a driver it will get stronger?Can i use LM358N instead of LM317?

 

[Eudaimonium]

You broke the first rule already. DO NOT, ever, EVER, connect diodes directly to batteries.

If they would work that way, we would not use drivers.

How strong is the light emitted by the red diode now? More or less than LED from an optical mouse?

You can use any chip that is designed to be used as current regulator. LM317 is just one of many.

 

[Coherent Light]

Your red diode has most likely gone LED on You from connecting it directly to a battery, so that even with a proper driver now it won't get any brighter.

 

[arcad3]

The light is less than LED from an optical mouse.The diode is dead?
I have 2 more diodes not tested with battery.Can you suggest an alternative way for driver without LM317?

 

[anselm]

Can you suggest an alternative way for driver without LM317

LM1117
LD1085

or

Microflex Drive
FlexMod
Die4drive
rckstr groove
jib's driver
.....

 

[midias]

Could the low light red be the near IR diode? If that is the case watch your eyes

 

[Coherent Light]

yes the weaker one is a IR 708nm IIRC. Don't ever look into a laser diode!!!

 

[midias]

yes the weaker one is a IR 708nm IIRC. Don't ever look into a laser diode!!!

That is what I thought. The low light red is a strong IR diode and our eyes don't know to blink so DO NOT look at it.

 

[arcad3]

I searched what anselm said.But i need a simple driver from what i have on hand.A pc motherboard a videocard.A tv sattelite receiver...I have where to get parts.

 

[anselm]

I never found any LM317 dismantling electro-junk. I got my first from a local electronics shop,
then I got some more for way cheaper:
NEW 5 x L317 LM317 Voltage Regulator 1.2V To 37V 1.5A - eBay (item 220648385399 end time Mar-31-11 22:45:42 PDT)

 

[Zenador]

I never found any LM317 dismantling electro-junk.

Older ATI cards (Radeon 9000 and lower) have LM317's, usually in TO-263 package, and I found one on an Nvidia card, once. Most PC motherboards have 1 LM1117/AMS1117, typically around the ATX power connector. I have 4 mobo's from old PC's (Pentium 4 boards) waiting for me to remove the 1117. I had to look hard, with a good light to see them.

Most DVD drives I've gutted also have tiny 16v 10µF (3mm dia. x 4mm) good for soft-starting the LD...

Zen

 

[arcad3]

i found a lm 393 is it good?

 

[midias]

i found a lm 393 is it good?

You could use that to make a lowside opamp / N fet driver