The difference in diodes.

[jtroutt19]

So I had some dvd burner drives that have a class 3b laser sticker on them. The motors are out in them so I decided to crack one open. This is the diode that was in it. Why does it look so different than all the ones you see on this site. Is it possible to use this diode? Why does it have four pins on the back? the two middle pins are soldered together but the question remains. Thank for any help!

 

[Alien Laser]

This looks like an IR laser check if you find 1 more in it

 

[jtroutt19]

Here are two more. I know one is a Red and one is a IR. Now sure which is which though is there a way to tell. What is so amazing to me is that so much power and light can come out of one of these little things. These 2 came out of a DVD RW burner as well. Glad I found a can though instead of the other kind. Now just to get the things to turn it into something usable. I guess the main question would be how do I know how much power to throw at this little guy? The only markings on the one can is
5LML
E036
Printed just like that. A quick google turns up nothing

 

[jtroutt19]

This looks like an IR laser check if you find 1 more in it

I hooked it up momentarily and it produced a weak read dot. It seems though this guys would be difficult to use so I am going to use the other one. I am not going to check which one is red though until I get a proper drive to do so. I am still amazed at how small the thing is!

 

[jtroutt19]

Here is the Green DPSS out of the heat sink. I would love to find a way to put this in a flash light housing now that I have it out of the heat sink. I also want so badly to take it apart. Would I need a clean room to do this in? I have access to one at my place of employment.

 

[Lifetime17]

I hooked it up momentarily and it produced a weak read dot. It seems though this guys would be difficult to use so I am going to use the other one. I am not going to check which one is red though until I get a proper drive to do so. I am still amazed at how small the thing is!

Hi,
Get your self a PSU you can get one for around 60.00 on Ebay so you can test these diodes without buying a driver. The one with the four pins are a flat package red diode, i modded one into a CU module and it put out around 200mA there fun to play with.
With a PSU you can find the sweet spot for the diode before it starts dropping off the efficiency curve. This way you will know what driver setting the diode will perform best at without killing it and throwing all that time away harvesting the diode.

Rich

 

[OVNI]

Hi,
Get your self a PSU you can get one for around 60.00 on Ebay so you can test these diodes without buying a driver. The one with the four pins are a flat package red diode, i modded one into a CU module and it put out around 200mA there fun to play with.
With a PSU you can find the sweet spot for the diode before it starts dropping off the efficiency curve. This way you will know what driver setting the diode will perform best at without killing it and throwing all that time away harvesting the diode.

Rich

This 18V/3A Mastech is a common model. If you need more amps, PSUs are all over eBay and perhaps locally. I found this used Sorensen (aka Xantrex) at a local swap meet that runs every month for $40 in mint condition. You can get them as low as $100 (+s/h) on eBay (my example was very high) but $40 was an outstanding find. And for swap meets, no tax, no s/h. Sometimes no worky but not in this case.

Just make sure you limit the current in addition to setting the voltage before you test. Then you can slowly bring up the current to whatever you want and watch the brightness, heat, etc., and decide where you'd like to operate it.

 

[Pman]

I would get a power supply with at least 5A. As others have stated they are cheap.
Don't hook up any power to diodes without a way to control the current to them.

 

[jtroutt19]

I would get a power supply with at least 5A. As others have stated they are cheap.
Don't hook up any power to diodes without a way to control the current to them.

I have been using the one on my bench at work. The past few years I have always taken what I needed to test or whatever into work. I was gonna buy one for the home bench but with such easy access to a really nice one i made the decision to wait. I might be rethinking that soon

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi, thats goody have one at work but you have to keep transporting them back and for and for the price of a NDB 7875 diode you can have one at home in comfort in a relaxing atmosphere . hey thats how i would look at it a cup of joe and testing diodes nice !!

Rich