jayrob
0
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2007
- Messages
- 9,862
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I know, sounds like 'this guy must be talking mA, not mW'. Let me tell you first that I have settled on 294mA, using the DDL driver with a 4.3 ohm resistor at the LM317 as being the 'sweet spot' for the MXDL and the Senkat diode...that is, if you have a good heatsink in there as well. This combination puts out over 200mW.
Now, since Gazoo has been having good results with his AMC7135 driver and the open can diode, I decided to try the 7135 driver in an MXDL. This involved drilling out the body of the MXDL on my lathe using a 3/4" drill bit so that it would fit an 18650 battery to run the AMC7135/350mA driver. Once again, at this current, we're talking about the open can diode that Gazoo showed me. (harvested from a Pioneer 112D DVD)
The result surprised me!!! For some reason, this batt/driver combination with the open can diode is putting out over 300mW!
I thought something was wrong because I had the same MXDL/open can running at 324mA using a DDL driver and 3.6 volt batteries x 2 - putting out only 194.5mW. (This is in harmony with Hemlock Mike's graph and I figured it's normal) Yes, fresh charged batteries and I checked the current.
All I did, was change the driver and battery. I want to tell you that I got the (how to) wiring diagram of the 7135 driver ahead of time and followed it correctly. I also checked the current before I connected the diode. I got a reading of less than 350mA and was disappointed...it was 338mA.
But when I connected the open can diode and measured the power with the LPM-1, I got a reading of 314mW peak and it stayed over 300mW! Naturally, I turned it off after about 15 seconds and started double checking everything.
First I checked the setting of the LPM and measured a known red laser as well. Then I took the MXDL apart and measured the current at the diode and got a reading of 338mA. Then I tested the power again with the LPM and got the same 300 plus readings!
At this point, it really doesn't make sense to me that this driver at 338mA can be running the open can at over 300mW. Especially when the other driver at 324mA was only getting it to 194mW?? Everything is the same except the driver and battery. As you can see from the picture, I didn't even mess with the LD. I left the silicon diode and the cap right there and just soldered the wires together with the wire leads that I put on the AMC7135 driver...
Scratching my head...but very happy!
Jay
Edit: Although this project starts out with a single 18650 battery. Later in the thread, I re-designed and went back to a custom DDL driver with 2 x 3.6 RCR123s and a different module as well. The result is an MXDL that puts out over 300mW! Read on and see how...
(nice match burn video on pg. 4 as well)
Now, since Gazoo has been having good results with his AMC7135 driver and the open can diode, I decided to try the 7135 driver in an MXDL. This involved drilling out the body of the MXDL on my lathe using a 3/4" drill bit so that it would fit an 18650 battery to run the AMC7135/350mA driver. Once again, at this current, we're talking about the open can diode that Gazoo showed me. (harvested from a Pioneer 112D DVD)
The result surprised me!!! For some reason, this batt/driver combination with the open can diode is putting out over 300mW!
I thought something was wrong because I had the same MXDL/open can running at 324mA using a DDL driver and 3.6 volt batteries x 2 - putting out only 194.5mW. (This is in harmony with Hemlock Mike's graph and I figured it's normal) Yes, fresh charged batteries and I checked the current.
All I did, was change the driver and battery. I want to tell you that I got the (how to) wiring diagram of the 7135 driver ahead of time and followed it correctly. I also checked the current before I connected the diode. I got a reading of less than 350mA and was disappointed...it was 338mA.
But when I connected the open can diode and measured the power with the LPM-1, I got a reading of 314mW peak and it stayed over 300mW! Naturally, I turned it off after about 15 seconds and started double checking everything.
First I checked the setting of the LPM and measured a known red laser as well. Then I took the MXDL apart and measured the current at the diode and got a reading of 338mA. Then I tested the power again with the LPM and got the same 300 plus readings!
At this point, it really doesn't make sense to me that this driver at 338mA can be running the open can at over 300mW. Especially when the other driver at 324mA was only getting it to 194mW?? Everything is the same except the driver and battery. As you can see from the picture, I didn't even mess with the LD. I left the silicon diode and the cap right there and just soldered the wires together with the wire leads that I put on the AMC7135 driver...
Scratching my head...but very happy!
Jay
Edit: Although this project starts out with a single 18650 battery. Later in the thread, I re-designed and went back to a custom DDL driver with 2 x 3.6 RCR123s and a different module as well. The result is an MXDL that puts out over 300mW! Read on and see how...
(nice match burn video on pg. 4 as well)
