how much power 16x dvd READER

[Maven]

i have a 16 x dvd reader here that i have taken apart and it has 2 diodes in it... one appears much longer than the other and is in a heatsink.. i was hoping this is a red with at least a little power

 

[rangedunits]

Reader? 5mW

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

Maven -- If you are new to this, you have the opportunity to gain skills for building a torch. Give it a try -- you will learn how to harvest a diode, mount one and power it up. Best to learn on a cheap diode than a $20 one

Mike

 

[Maven]

well i already have the diode out and did when i posted this... seems kinda odd that they would add a heat sink for a 5mw diode... there is another diode in there that doesn't have a heat sink... maybe the heat sinked one is IR of higher power..

i am going to try and get my hands on an lm317..

are there any other common voltage regulators that i could find in one of the dvd readers or cd rw's i have laying around?

 

[Bionic-Badger]

Probably none that would be easy to reuse. I'd just buy one of those rckstr drivers. They're really quite nice, small, and relatively cheap. You'll end up paying about the same thing to get an LM317-based one. Learning to solder them up is also a good experience. They're surface-mount, but that shouldn't stop you, because soldering SMD is a good skill to have. The dummy loads he sells are handy as well.

 

[Maven]

i have soldered smd stuff before several times... especially when i took that soldering class in electronics ... lol lead-less smd is the hardest i have tried..

 

[Bionic-Badger]

Oh I bet! I probably wouldn't even attempt it without a hotplate or hot air gun.