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FrozenGate by Avery

List of 445nm diodes

My first 445:

Diode: A140
Driver: Micro Boost @ 1120mA
Lens: AixiZ 445
Power: 954mW
Host: Jayrob 18650, Copper heatsink
 





Sorry if this was answered already, but basically: A130 diodes are usually a little better than the A140 diodes, and although they handle 1000mA, it's unrealistic to expect anything more than a couple hours of diode life at those currents? For running 500-650mA, would it make a big difference having an A140 vs A130? And is there a noticeable price difference between the two diodes?
 
Bearded_Galaxy said:
Sorry if this was answered already, but basically: A130 diodes are usually a little better than the A140 diodes, and although they handle 1000mA, it's unrealistic to expect anything more than a couple hours of diode life at those currents? For running 500-650mA, would it make a big difference having an A140 vs A130? And is there a noticeable price difference between the two diodes?
Click to expand...

A140's are considered the better diodes, I believe, though there is no good data to back that claim. The assumption comes from the XJ-A140 projector having a higher lumen output, and thus is driving the diodes at a higher current/duty cycle.

With proper heatsinking, even at 1000mA, the diode should last hundreds of hours I think. The projector is specced to last for 20,000 hours, and the diodes are being driven at higher currents (pulsed) than we have been using in builds.

Here's a quote from HIMNL9's thread, testing the A140 projector:
HIMNL9 said:
the total "ON" time was around 60% of the duty cycle, with a peak current of 1,84A ..... that in eco1 , this means a medium current of 1100mA ..... out from the eco function, it was drived around 80% of the duty cycle, this give a medium current of 1470mA, and in eco2 mode, the signal was approximatively the 40 - 45% of the duty cycle, giving a medium current of 820mA.
Click to expand...

So you see, in the actual projector they are being driven at an average current of 1100-1470mA, though they are probably heatsinked quite a bit better than the average flashlight host.

Again the verdict hasn't really been found, but if the A140 diodes were more efficient, they would produce more light for the same current/less heat for the same power output. Really, it shouldn't make much of a difference. Pricing between the two has been pretty close, or the same it seems.


Anyways, my build:

Diode Source: A140
Driver: MicroBoost
Current: 1200mA
Battery: AW 2600mA 18650
Lens: Aixiz 445 Glass
Power: ~1000mw (Not verified, no proper LPM to use, it can light candles)
Host/Heatsink: Jayrob SS 18650 (Aurora SH-032) w/Copper Heatsink
Run Time: ~1 hr
Status: Alive

I can only run it for about a minute straight before the driver overheats and starts flickering.
 
Did I do the 'Hot' option?

If I set it at 1200mA's, it was only by request to set the 3 jumpers...

Because I do not set them to the 3 jumper position due to the overheating issue...

They have no problems at the 540-1000 range per the documentation. And in that range, they will max out over 1 Amp. Usually around 1100mA's with no overheating issues...

Just wanted to mention that for those who may be considering a 'Hot' option from me...
 
No I set it myself. I can't speak for the life of the driver, but it works fine for me, it just about cuts out at the rate of the diode/heatsink heating up, so it's a bit of an indicator to me to turn it off and let it cool down for a while.
 
jayrob said:
Did I do the 'Hot' option?

If I set it at 1200mA's, it was only by request to set the 3 jumpers...

Because I do not set them to the 3 jumper position due to the overheating issue...

They have no problems at the 540-1000 range per the documentation. And in that range, they will max out over 1 Amp. Usually around 1100mA's with no overheating issues...

Just wanted to mention that for those who may be considering a 'Hot' option from me...
Click to expand...

So there's an unofficial mod for the BoostDrive to do more than 1A? Why not use the FlexDrive? (Sorry if this seems a noob-ish question, I haven't spent much time on the forums in several months.)
 
Because it looks like I didn't do my research correctly when picking a driver. I wasn't aware that the FlexDrive could handle more current. I had read about a couple improvements that the MicroBoost offered, like PWM and a better potentiometer, didn't really think to check the current output.
 
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Oh, OK. I wish there was some thing like the BoostDrive, but less expensive and doesn't go up to 13V output...anyone know of such?
 
The V5 FlexDrive gives a ton of current with a 445 (up to 1.4 Amps) if you use a heatsink for the driver on the 5 pin chip...

The documentation does not say that it can handle a 4+ volt diode at this high current, but several people are doing it anyway.

So far, the driver has done very well. DTR has run one of his 445 builds at 3 minutes stable. (1.4 Amps - driver heatsink)

I have tested mine only at 1 minute. Very stable. See here:
http://laserpointerforums.com/f65/solarforce-l2p-445-maxed-blue-blaster-54050.html
 
i have a bunch of single ram memory heat sinks would one of these suffice at cooling the flex drive?
 
Did some testing on my new bench supply with a 445 in preparation for my 405 12X Lite On from Rayfoss. Thanks Flaminpryo the MAXSINK works great at keeping the diode cool. The diode is being direct driven from the bench supply no driver.

Here is the setup.
20100903220712.jpg


Here are the numbers I got out of a fresh 445 with a G-1 lens. It is a new diode so I did not test it past 1.8A.

mA@V=mW

400@3.9=249
450@4.0=319
500@4.0=391
550@4.0=450
600@4.1=514
650@4.1=596
700@4.1=646
750@4.1=706
800@4.2=770
850@4.2=816
900@4.2=874
950@4.2=941
1000@4.2=996
1050@4.3=1046
1100@4.3=1077
1150@4.3=1163
1200@4.3=1219
1250@4.3=1268
1300@4.3=1306
1350@4.4=1367
1400@4.4=1434
1450@4.5=1494
1500@4.5=1550
1550@4.5=1597
1600@4.5=1630
1650@4.5=1652
1700@4.5=1670
1750@4.5=1692
1800@4.6=1710

Here is a little beamshot action.
20100904001020.jpg
 
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How long did the test take?

I'm wondering because if it was a one hit test then the top optical output may be skewed because the diode was hot by then?

Just curious.

M
:)
 
I did the test like this. I turned it on and got a reading at the setting that it is on then turned it up to the next power setting and turned it off for 45 seconds or more. And repeated the process which gave the diode some time to cool between readings. This little MAXSINK work pretty good as well.
 
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