How to tell bad heat from good heat?

[IsaacT]

Okay, so I have heard people talk about their hosts heating up in a positive way, meaning that the heat is being wicked away from the delicate bits of the laser. But how do you know if the heat your laser is producing is good heat or bad heat?

I hope my question makes sense....
Isaac

 

[ARG]

All heat is bad heat, the colder the laser the better (just not so cold that condensation forms).

Are you trying to ask how do you know if the heatsink is taking the heat away from the diode? I usually test this with the thermocouple attachment on my DMM.

Your question really doesn't make sense to me :thinking:

 

[Elyas]

good question, but I don't think that there is a good or bad heat, if correctly built, a laser should only produce heat from diode or the driver. If its producing a lil too much heat or in shorter time. Than I would think the diode is being pushed! or the driver.

 

[IsaacT]

Okay background time, cuz I am trying to trouble shoot this issue. I am using a Cree Q5 host fit for a copper Aixiz module. I am running a 9mm 445nm Diode with a 2.1A X-Drive. Do I need to add thermal compound between the module and the heatsink? Is heat always going to be an issue with this host? If so, I am currently talking to Eudaimonium about getting a Phobos so maybe that will have better heat dissipation?

Are there any other causes of heat/bad heat transfer?

Thanks,
Isaac

 

[ARG]

The Phobos does have good dissipation since the heatsink is exposed to the air. You should always use thermal compound between the module and the heatsink to fill in the microscopic imperfections.

Heat is a major issue with any handheld laser, especially when running them at high currents. The bigger the heatsink the better.

 

[lasersbee]

Bad Heat is when you blow a $350 LD caused by thermal runaway...
Good heat is when you're freezing in the middle of the Winter...

If you feel the heat of your Laser on the host that is a good thing.

1) it lets you know that the heat produced by your LD is moving
to the outside.

2) it lets you roughly know about when to shut off your Laser
because the duty cycle ON time is coming near.


Jerry

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