I'M DONE FOR NOW

[GoRdOn_B]

I have been there... I have a nice little collection of diodes that are now LED's. I felt like giving up a couple of times. i have killed a lot of phr's & every single red i have tried to build (Man are those open can reds fragile or what), some because i didn't know how to solder very well, others because i wasn't gentile enough. All together i have probably killed 10 or more diodes. My problem is i mess with things too much. the first 4 blu rays i made i killed because i messed with them after they were working fine. Others i ran too high of current. I have learned to stop that. I'm sure i could have bought a nice build from somebody here on the forums with all the money i blew on mismanaged projects, but then i wouldn't have the satisfaction of building it on my own. I think that is more important to me. My current laser that i have is a romisen host with a phr @ 120Ma. I use it nearly every day & its about 6 months old. So hang in there. Just don't let a few mishaps from the past have an effect on your hobby.

Good Luck

 

[iskor12]

@iskor12.. the reason you're blowing so many diodes is that you're pushing them much too hard. If you run a PHR at 135mA, of course it will only last a few hours.. I understand that it frustrates you, believe me I've been there.. You'll find that is you're a little more conservative with your current settings, your diodes will really last. Instead of pushing a PHR to 135mA, buy a 6X and run it at 135mA. If you want a good life from your PHR, don't exceed 100-110mA.

i just hate to see people get so frustrated when it's their settings that are the problem. It's an easy fix, just don't run these things so hard. You can't just push however many mA you want through a diode and expect it to live very long. These things have limits.. Pushing your SF-AW210 to 185mA is also much too high. On the datasheet for the o-like diode it clearly states 115mA as the maximum operating current.. you may be able to run it harder, but certainly not at 180mA (or anywhere near that).

If you want to run your diodes that hard, that's fine, but you can't really complain too much when they die. And if you're lucky enough to have a datasheet for a diode (like the o-like diode) it really helps to look it over before you hook them up..

I understand what you are saying, but I was simply basing my current levels according to what some of the member on here say, is a safe level for a decent life. I never once expected my PHR to last a very long time at that current level, but according to other users on here, the Nichia diode was plenty safe to run at 180mA for a decent life.

Unless there are people on here that believe that a long life for a diode is an hour or less, then I don't understand what it is that I could be doing wrong and it is driving me nuts. Maybe I miss interpreted what some people are saying on here?

 

[iskor12]

I have been there... I have a nice little collection of diodes that are now LED's. I felt like giving up a couple of times. i have killed a lot of phr's & every single red i have tried to build (Man are those open can reds fragile or what), some because i didn't know how to solder very well, others because i wasn't gentile enough. All together i have probably killed 10 or more diodes. My problem is i mess with things too much. the first 4 blu rays i made i killed because i messed with them after they were working fine. Others i ran too high of current. I have learned to stop that. I'm sure i could have bought a nice build from somebody here on the forums with all the money i blew on mismanaged projects, but then i wouldn't have the satisfaction of building it on my own. I think that is more important to me. My current laser that i have is a romisen host with a phr @ 120Ma. I use it nearly every day & its about 6 months old. So hang in there. Just don't let a few mishaps from the past have an effect on your hobby.

Good Luck

It's not just the mishaps, I'm out of money.

 

[ElektroFreak]

[quote author=ElektroFreak link=1239711085/0#14 date=1239725436]@iskor12.. the reason you're blowing so many diodes is that you're pushing them much too hard. If you run a PHR at 135mA, of course it will only last a few hours.. I understand that it frustrates you, believe me I've been there.. You'll find that is you're a little more conservative with your current settings, your diodes will really last. Instead of pushing a PHR to 135mA, buy a 6X and run it at 135mA. If you want a good life from your PHR, don't exceed 100-110mA.

i just hate to see people get so frustrated when it's their settings that are the problem. It's an easy fix, just don't run these things so hard. You can't just push however many mA you want through a diode and expect it to live very long. These things have limits.. Pushing your SF-AW210 to 185mA is also much too high. On the datasheet for the o-like diode it clearly states 115mA as the maximum operating current.. you may be able to run it harder, but certainly not at 180mA (or anywhere near that).

If you want to run your diodes that hard, that's fine, but you can't really complain too much when they die. And if you're lucky enough to have a datasheet for a diode (like the o-like diode) it really helps to look it over before you hook them up..

I understand what you are saying, but I was simply basing my current levels according to what some of the member on here say, is a safe level for a decent life.  I never once expected my PHR to last a very long time at that current level, but according to other users on here, the Nichia diode was plenty safe to run at 180mA for a decent life.

Unless there are people on here that believe that a long life for a diode is an hour or less, then I don't understand what it is that I could be doing wrong and it is driving me nuts.  [highlight]Maybe I miss interpreted what some people are saying on here?[/highlight]
[/quote]


No. You didn't misinterpret them.. just don't necessarily believe them. Just because they have a certain amount of luck does not mean you will. In general, people here run their diodes WAY too high.. It's up to to them if they don't mind continuously replacing them. If you want to take things out of the realm of luck, and into the realm of physical fact, just be a little more conservative about what you expect from these diodes.

 

[jander6442]

@iskor12.. the reason you're blowing so many diodes is that you're pushing them much too hard. If you run a PHR at 135mA, of course it will only last a few hours.. I understand that it frustrates you, believe me I've been there.. You'll find that if you're a little more conservative with your current settings, your diodes will really last. Instead of pushing a PHR to 135mA, buy a 6X and run it at 135mA. If you want a good life from your PHR, don't exceed 100-110mA.

i just hate to see people get so frustrated when it's their settings that are the problem. It's an easy fix, just don't run these things so hard. You can't just push however many mA you want through a diode and expect it to live very long. These things have limits.. Pushing your SF-AW210 to 185mA is also much too high. On the datasheet for the o-like diode it clearly states 115mA as the maximum operating current.. you may be able to run it harder, but certainly not at 180mA (or anywhere near that).

If you want to run your diodes that hard, that's fine, but you can't really complain too much when they die. And if you're lucky enough to have a datasheet for a diode (like the o-like diode) it really helps to look it over before you hook them up..

If that is true Elecktro then if I remember right the first kink came in at at 190mA this is looking at Daves chart on these. I belive that these are still pot luck depending on how much hammering the sled went thru.

Edit: never mind you where basing these off the factory spec sheet. I understand now. @ Elecktrofreak

 

[john_lawson]

my experiance with phr 803-t 's

please note the first couple went great then the very first one i sold to iewed failed immediatly at 77 or 86 ma i cant remember  i think the replacement one may still be working  :-?

several @ 70-150 ma most still alive  about a 25-30% failure rate though
I dont know -well actually I have an Idea  

1) static discharge from improper harvesting

2) bunk soldering gun causing overheating of the diode

3) improper heatsinking  i only have heatsinks in my kryton

4) bad luck -everyone can get this one

but the reward is great a working laser putting out 405 beam of power

 

[Elektrotechniker]

Hey all, I forgot to say I quit for a while because of school. I hasn't played with my lasers for a while though. My first and last built went fine. The BR is running at 100mA and still lives. Sorry that I have been inactive but, as you know, school first Anyway, I 'll come back after some time
I hope you understand :S

 

[iskor12]

[quote author=iskor12 link=1239711085/0#12 date=1239724628][quote author=jander6442 link=1239711085/0#11 date=1239723136]I know to some people will think this is off base but, for me I stop when I reach this wall and tie a knot. I have blown as much money/diodes as the next guy. I like to stop and say a prayer when this is happening to me after I'm full with the word and such I feel inspired to try again. Just a little advice from my neck of the world hang in their and just order and keep with the PHR's
offerd by Drew they will give you practice and if sucessful your left with the joy of the build and the very worth while feeling that
the Big Man is on yourside...................


If that doesn't work go to church it can't be to bad for ya...............

this has worked for me and is just advice so there.

HAHA  
I am a religious guy as well and I do go to church.  Maybe the Big Guy isn't on my side for this one.[/quote]I hear you on that, maybe you should look at your offerings If you have put the diodes before the offerings not good I did that. Put in the ty first and in the long run you will
be rewarded. I know that sounds like a rebuke it's not just experiance
[/quote]
I hear what your saying and the truth is, I have put my diodes first. It is something that I need to work on.

 

[iskor12]

[quote author=iskor12 link=1239711085/0#17 date=1239726065][quote author=ElektroFreak link=1239711085/0#14 date=1239725436]@iskor12.. the reason you're blowing so many diodes is that you're pushing them much too hard. If you run a PHR at 135mA, of course it will only last a few hours.. I understand that it frustrates you, believe me I've been there.. You'll find that is you're a little more conservative with your current settings, your diodes will really last. Instead of pushing a PHR to 135mA, buy a 6X and run it at 135mA. If you want a good life from your PHR, don't exceed 100-110mA.

i just hate to see people get so frustrated when it's their settings that are the problem. It's an easy fix, just don't run these things so hard. You can't just push however many mA you want through a diode and expect it to live very long. These things have limits.. Pushing your SF-AW210 to 185mA is also much too high. On the datasheet for the o-like diode it clearly states 115mA as the maximum operating current.. you may be able to run it harder, but certainly not at 180mA (or anywhere near that).

If you want to run your diodes that hard, that's fine, but you can't really complain too much when they die. And if you're lucky enough to have a datasheet for a diode (like the o-like diode) it really helps to look it over before you hook them up..

I understand what you are saying, but I was simply basing my current levels according to what some of the member on here say, is a safe level for a decent life.  I never once expected my PHR to last a very long time at that current level, but according to other users on here, the Nichia diode was plenty safe to run at 180mA for a decent life.

Unless there are people on here that believe that a long life for a diode is an hour or less, then I don't understand what it is that I could be doing wrong and it is driving me nuts.  [highlight]Maybe I miss interpreted what some people are saying on here?[/highlight]
[/quote]


No. You didn't misinterpret them.. just don't necessarily believe them. Just because they have a certain amount of luck does not mean you will. In general, people here run their diodes WAY too high.. It's up to to them if they don't mind continuously replacing them. If you want to take things out of the realm of luck, and into the realm of physical fact, just be a little more conservative about what you expect from these diodes.[/quote]
Then I guess the questions is, who and or what should I believe? :-? :-/

 

[jander6442]

[quote author=jander6442 link=1239711085/0#15 date=1239725689][quote author=iskor12 link=1239711085/0#12 date=1239724628][quote author=jander6442 link=1239711085/0#11 date=1239723136]I know to some people will think this is off base but, for me I stop when I reach this wall and tie a knot. I have blown as much money/diodes as the next guy. I like to stop and say a prayer when this is happening to me after I'm full with the word and such I feel inspired to try again. Just a little advice from my neck of the world hang in their and just order and keep with the PHR's
offerd by Drew they will give you practice and if sucessful your left with the joy of the build and the very worth while feeling that
the Big Man is on yourside...................


If that doesn't work go to church it can't be to bad for ya...............

this has worked for me and is just advice so there.

HAHA  
I am a religious guy as well and I do go to church.  Maybe the Big Guy isn't on my side for this one.[/quote]I hear you on that, maybe you should look at your offerings If you have put the diodes before the offerings not good I did that. Put in the ty first and in the long run you will
be rewarded. I know that sounds like a rebuke it's not just experiance
[/quote]
I hear what your saying and the truth is, I have put my diodes first.  It is something that I need to work on. [/quote]
You did the right thing in open confessing. Mark my words and if you challenge him to challenge you the prize will be provided.
PM me if you need further consult. Just stick to the plan and order the phr's for now if you send me your postal code in a PM I'll send you some goodies in his honor.

 

[ElektroFreak]

[highlight]Then I guess the questions is, who and or what should I believe? :-? :-/[/highlight]

Use your discretion, and try to only use data that has hard proof behind it. Also, averaging several people's results will help you.

For example, I've had a PHR powered up for 4 1/2 Months nonstop at 90mA and it is still alive. That indicates that at 90mA, most PHRs should last for a few thousand hours (more than enough for a long life in a pointer). In my experience, it helps to take the values that most people here agree on as being good and subtract 10-15%.

 

[iskor12]

I just want to thank everyone for all of their input. I am simply just going to take a break for a little while. I love lasers to much to give up on them.

Thanks again,
Heath

 

[Mohrenberg]

1x phr   @ 135mA 6 hours
2x AW210? 6x    @ 185mA 10 min run time and @170mA 1 min run time
1x O-Like Nichia @ 180mA for 40 min run time

whats considered the safe current for AW-210 6x diode?

these seem like very low run times for the current you have them set at....there something else wrong with your builds?

 

[BrewCityMusic]

[highlight]whats considered the safe current for AW-210 6x diode?

these seem like very low run times for the current you have them set at....there something else wrong with your builds?[/highlight]

IIRC, there are several answers to this in the BR threads, the SF-AW210 actually (other than the initial few tests) has been performing rather miserably (and generally failing altogether) at anything more than 4X specs (and in most cases, they aren't any stronger than a PHR) - DEFINITELY nothing like the original GGW-H20L 6X diodes... And DEFINITELY not worth the $$$ some people are asking.

 

[iskor12]

[quote author=iskor12 link=1239711085/0#0 date=1239711085]
1x phr   @ 135mA 6 hours
2x AW210? 6x    @ 185mA 10 min run time and @170mA 1 min run time
1x O-Like Nichia @ 180mA for 40 min run time

whats considered the safe current for AW-210 6x diode?

these seem like very low run times for the current you have them set at....there something else wrong with your builds?  [/quote]
I don't know. I did do everything to the book....or at least I thought I did.

 

[ndrew2505]

I have had

1x phr   @ 135mA 6 hours
2x AW210? 6x    @ 185mA 10 min run time and @170mA 1 min run time
1x O-Like Nichia @ 180mA for 40 min run time

Die on me. :'( :'( :'(

thats all youve had die on you? i remember when i first started i blew about 6-8 of aixiz red diodes at 40$ a pop. if your worried about the money side of it just run them at a lower current so they last longer. remember what we run diodes at is usually way above the CW rating for diodes and we're not pulsing them...