How hot does it get next to the diode?

[yathern2]

So my 3 element glass lens didn't thread with my aixiz module exactly right, making it shake about 5mm when trying to focus my laser. Needless to say, this posed some annoying problems when trying to get my laser focused to burn stuff more than 5 feet away. I fixed this problem by using teflon tape (aka plumbers tape) which is thin enough to go between the two parts, essentially making the threads much tighter. From what I can find online, the melting point of this tape is ~500 farenheight.

I have a very generic 445nm laser, riding at 1.8 amps in a C6 host. The host gets very warm very quickly. So, even though I could probably get away with a duty cycle of 30s/30s, I generally am paranoid enough to keep it at most 20s/45s. Even still, by the end the heatsink feels pretty warm to the touch.

My question is how hot will the Aixiz module get, being right near the diode? I really don't want the tape to melt, even though it wont probably cause much damage if it does.

If I get a G1/2 lens, it will increase the output by ~30%, which will decrease the energy going into the heatsink significantly right? Does this mean it will run a lot colder? If it makes a big difference, I guess I'm willing to shell out the cash for one.

 

[MadEye]

A 445nm Diode will take about 8W of energy to produce 2W of Light. So if you use a glass lens which is 6W heat and 2W light the difference to G1 with about 5.5W heat and 2.5W light wouldnt be "a lot" colder... (no exact values, but an example... )

I actually always use the spring that comes with the Aixiz modules which also holds the lens in a fix position... But I dont think you will be able to hold your laser in your hand with more than 500 fahrenheit, so I dont think you should care about this...

 

[T_Warne]

Under normal usage the lens housing will never get anywhere near hot enough to melt Teflon tape.

.

 

[justinjja]

Your diode would be dead from overheating long before you melted the tape 500f is realy hot

Also, I have never noticed a difference in heat going from a 3 element to G1,
Im sure there is one, but it is not significant enought to feel it.

 

[yathern2]

Okay thanks for reassuring me. I figured it would be absolutely crazy if the diode reached 500f, but just wanted to know for sure. Another question- how far away should I be able to light your average red tipped match, assuming I have it focused as well as possible?

I can go about 10 feet away if I hold it steady, and even then it takes a few seconds. I only ask this because my laser gets so hot so quickly that I feel it's having too much energy become heat, and (though this laser is awesome in every way) it seems to lack the power to burn matches that are more than 10 feet away.

 

[justinjja]

ya at 10ft your laser beam will probably be larger than the match head.
That is just how it works with multimode lasers.

For long range burning a sj06 violet laser will be better.

 

[yathern2]

ya at 10ft your laser beam will probably be larger than the match head.
That is just how it works with multimode lasers.

For long range burning a sj06 violet laser will be better.

Ok That's relieving too. At about 10 feet away the beam is (on the long side) about 2 cm already, as focused as I can get it.

Luckily for me, I have an S06J build planned for this summer (or maybe with a new 14x bluray burner)! But first I need to get a laser power meter, and I also want to get a small HeNe laser, maybe make it a lamp... and I also want to finish this 638nm build I started years ago but never knew how to do it... Also have to make a 445 in an airsoft pistol.

I have a lot planned for this year

 

[BShanahan14rulz]

yathern, have you seen the glow-in-the-dark airsoft mod? You could use a laser diode inside the loading mechanism to charge the pellets right before they are shot.