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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

Self mod laser

Joined
Oct 24, 2008
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Hey I am thinking about buying a couple of good old 5mw green lasers with the intention of trying to self mod them to more power.

Is it possible to remove the old driver, build a new one with a adjustable LM317 transistor circuit and get more power? I know the IR diode is rated a much high current than 5mW due to the power hungry crystals. So by feeding more current into the IR diode how much power do you think I can get? What is the max current and voltage on a IR diode like that. Will I burn out the crystals?

I have never tried anything like this I don't know if it will work. How exactly do laser sellers achieve such high mW levels in a pen laser? I really doubt they swap out the diode and crystals for betters ones.

Thanks guys
-Tony
 





Switch

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Joined
Dec 9, 2007
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Yes they swap diode and crystals for better ones. :p Well not exactly, they don't swap anything, they're directly built with quality crystals and poweful diodes, but you get the idea.A 5mW is usually a 5mW and cannot be safely modded to much more, maybe 10-15mW, but that's not exactly burning power.You see low power lasers are built with tiny and crappy crystals that probably have a power limit that's pretty close to what they're getting in the first place.The diode is also rated pretty close or lower (like some of the DX lasers) than what it's being driven at.I think voltage is typically 2-2.5V for pump diodes and current will depend on power of the diode.
 
Joined
Oct 12, 2008
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Switch said:
Yes they swap diode and crystals for better ones. :p Well not exactly, they don't swap anything, they're directly built with quality crystals and poweful diodes, but you get the idea.A 5mW is usually a 5mW and cannot be safely modded to much more, maybe 10-15mW, but that's not exactly burning power.You see low power lasers are built with tiny and crappy crystals that probably have a power limit that's pretty close to what they're getting in the first place.The diode is also rated pretty close or lower (like some of the DX lasers) than what it's being driven at.I think voltage is typically 2-2.5V for pump diodes and current will depend on power of the diode.
can you mod a 20mW to burning power?
 
Joined
Jun 13, 2007
Messages
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Any green laser these days is usually impossible to mod. You are basically stuck with buying a stronger green.
 




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