My RGV is Alive!

[ossumguywill]

Great info, thanks guys. This place is awesome for learning stuff, lots of knowledgeable people on here it seems. I'm a Wicked Lasers Arctic III Epic disaster refugee lol. After 2 months of waiting I canceled and waved goodbye to that mess for good.

Now I'm tempted to try my hand at a PBS cube setup. I'd like to try two 1 Watt 445 nm lasers and combine them into one 2W beam. One problem is my Lasercheck power meter only goes to 1W max! Course I bought that thing when 1 Watt seemed absurdly huge and unreachable! lol

A single a130 or a140 diode can put out over 2 watts. If you really wanted a big labby build with a polarized beam splitter cube, you might as well just push it to 4 watts total and include some better cooling systems.

 

[ludwigfan]

A single a130 or a140 diode can put out over 2 watts. If you really wanted a big labby build with a polarized beam splitter cube, you might as well just push it to 4 watts total and include some better cooling systems.

Over 2W? For how long? Those diodes are usually run at around 1W with just heatsink cooling right? I'm thinkin at 2W each diode, they would not be 100% duty cycle without active cooling.

 

[ossumguywill]

Over 2W? For how long? Those diodes are usually run at around 1W with just heatsink cooling right? I'm thinkin at 2W each diode, they would not be 100% duty cycle without active cooling.

The diodes won't have 100% duty cycle at 1 watt either most of the time. It comes down to how you want to use it. My handheld is run at about 1.2 watts, but that's not because it would get too hot otherwise, the limit is current driver technology (however, it gets hot very fast!). These diodes go up to about 2.3 watts, but you need good cooling to keep them there. Are you planning on making a lab build or a handheld?

 

[ludwigfan]

The diodes won't have 100% duty cycle at 1 watt either most of the time. It comes down to how you want to use it. My handheld is run at about 1.2 watts, but that's not because it would get too hot otherwise, the limit is current driver technology (however, it gets hot very fast!). These diodes go up to about 2.3 watts, but you need good cooling to keep them there. Are you planning on making a lab build or a handheld?

Lab build. I think handheld would be a little too tricky as my first build.

I don't understand why the limit is current driver technology, are you saying we can't build a stable supply of 2 amps of current from a driver?

 

[ossumguywill]

Lab build. I think handheld would be a little too tricky as my first build.

I don't understand why the limit is current driver technology, are you saying we can't build a stable supply of 2 amps of current from a driver?

There are no portable boost drivers (yet) that will deliver 2 amps. 2 amps would be easy with a lab power supply though.

Also, you have to take in to consideration whether you really want a labbie. I made the mistake of doing that for my first few builds, but I ended up selling them all at a loss. They're bulky and not as usable as a handheld, and not nearly as fun. You can't go star pointing with a labby. If I were you, I would make a PHR blu-ray labbie build as practice without spending much cash, and then moving up to a handheld 445.

 

[ludwigfan]

There are no portable boost drivers (yet) that will deliver 2 amps. 2 amps would be easy with a lab power supply though.

Also, you have to take in to consideration whether you really want a labbie. I made the mistake of doing that for my first few builds, but I ended up selling them all at a loss. They're bulky and not as usable as a handheld, and not nearly as fun. You can't go star pointing with a labby. If I were you, I would make a PHR blu-ray labbie build as practice without spending much cash, and then moving up to a handheld 445.

Good point, can't go star pointing with a labbie. And my GF sure does love star pointing with my 45mW greenie. Might be more fun with a 1W 445nm bluie. And I could give her the greenie. She has laser envy lol.

So my plans now are 445 1W pointer then a 2W 445 labbie later.