The Little Diode That Could

[BobMc]

That's amazing, can't believe that little diode is still up and running after all this time. That is diffidently, " the little diode that could " '!!

 

[Benm]

It could actually hold a record for the longest continously powered laser diode by now - not sure if there is any previously documented record for this.

This might also give you a bit of a problem in the future if you want to keep it up. The longest working incandescent lighbulbs known at the moment have been lit for a century or so.

There is no intrinsic mechansim this laser diode -must- fail at some point, it might outlive you, and even your grandchildren.

I guess with laser diodes and led's we get a new perspective on how long something can emit light - perhaps some equipment installed already will make a 1000 years if preserved.

 

[Antharak]

I remember when you started this and completely forgot about it. :yh:
I think it's just going to keep on running until you give up and turn it off.
+ rep
Ed :beer:

 

[Javalin]

Benm, I hope it makes some kind of record but as of now I can only claim second longest continuously run diode. Styropyro has a thread with a much nicer diode that lasted 54,000 hours. It was just shy of 6 years. But since his experiment has come to a close, maybe this could hold the record for longest surviving continuously run laser diode? The biggest difference here (the one that still surprises me) is that this fasttech diode uses only a resistor as its "driver" and cost me about $0.25. It would be neat to see if there is any other experiment that's been run. I did preliminary Google searches but I could find anything at all. Surely the laser manufacturers are doing tests like this... right?

Antharak, I read your post aloud and my wife said "Well, it's been this long, we can't give up on it now." Haha, the whole Javalin gang is in on this one. In fact I read Benm's post too and my son said "It's okay dad, when you die I'll make sure it keeps going!" I think we're in this for the long haul. I haven't been around in the forums as much, but I'm trying to remember to post every 6 - 12 months on this little diode.

I've since acquired a UPS to transfer the wall adapter to. I live in tornado alley now and thunderstorms are a serious threat to the power. I haven't lost power but some people are calling for a particularly active tornado season this year. So here soon I'll be making the switch. The UPS battery ought to be enough to power the diode for weeks.

 

[Benm]

Manufacturers generally don't do tests like those, they use accelerated ageing putting the diode in elevated temperature, temperature and humidigy swings and things like that to simulate what would happen over a longer period. That way they can give some spec on expected lifetime without actually waiting that long. This is fairly imporant if you want to sell something with a 5 year warrantee but want to bring it to market a lot faster than that.

As far as how long these things can potentially run: There is a clock powered by atmospheric pressure change that has been running since the 1860s. It's never been rewound, but has been stopped for cleaning since that time.

I'm not aware of any lasers or even leds that have been running for record times, but i reckon there might be some out there. I can imagine there are leds sitting in control panels that have been lit continously from the 70s, as well as laser diodes that must have been running all the way from the 80s. Finding and documenting them is another thing though...

 

[Crazlaser]

I'm guessing 65 thousand hours. Then lights out. Could go for 400 thousand or more though.

 

[Javalin]

It hasn't been quite 4 years yet, but if I don't update the post now I'll forget. As of now, the diode has been running for 34,893 hours!

I did have a scare a few months ago. There is a vase with faux flowers in it that sits next to the diode. It had gotten bumped and the petal of one flower obscured the light causing a very led like glow to be cast on the wall. But alas, the diode lives, and the experiment continues!

 

[Encap]

It hasn't been quite 4 years yet, but if I don't update the post now I'll forget. As of now, the diode has been running for 34,893 hours!

I did have a scare a few months ago. There is a vase with faux flowers in it that sits next to the diode. It had gotten bumped and the petal of one flower obscured the light causing a very led like glow to be cast on the wall. But alas, the diode lives, and the experiment continues!

4 years that is about 35,000 hours---good luck on the 5th year.

Check in and visit LPF more often and make a few posts---we need returning members

As far as how long these things can potentially run: There is a clock powered by atmospheric pressure change that has been running since the 1860s. It's never been rewound, but has been stopped for cleaning since that time.

I'm not aware of any lasers or even leds that have been running for record times, but i reckon there might be some out there. I can imagine there are leds sitting in control panels that have been lit continously from the 70s, as well as laser diodes that must have been running all the way from the 80s. Finding and documenting them is another thing though...

"The world's longest lasting light bulb is the Centennial Light located at 4550 East Avenue, Livermore, California. It is maintained by the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department. The fire department claims that the bulb is at least 116 years old (installed 1901) and has only been turned off a handful of times. The bulb has been noted by The Guinness Book of World Records, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, and General Electric as being the world's longest-lasting light bulb." ~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial_Light

The Centennial Light

 

[BowtieGuy]

It hasn't been quite 4 years yet, but if I don't update the post now I'll forget. As of now, the diode has been running for 34,893 hours!

I did have a scare a few months ago. There is a vase with faux flowers in it that sits next to the diode. It had gotten bumped and the petal of one flower obscured the light causing a very led like glow to be cast on the wall. But alas, the diode lives, and the experiment continues!

That's amazing, that damn diode is going to outlive me!
As Encap mentioned, stop by more often, always nice to hear more from our returning members. :yh:

PS - Thanks for the update!

 

[Javalin]

Here we go again. Another year (almost), and another update!

This diode refuses to die. We are at 42,625 hours and counting!

 

[Antharak]

outstanding,, many more to come.

 

[jnrpop]

Unreal! , LPF’s longest running experiment indeed, great work Javalin
You will be using this thread as proof of a world record in the future

J

 

[Javalin]

Unreal! , LPF’s longest running experiment indeed, great work Javalin
You will be using this thread as proof of a world record in the future

J

I thought this little diode would have popped years ago. It is annoying at times because I would really like to use that socket! But when i really stop to think about that familiar glow in the kitchen going dim... I get mixed emotions. It has become a member of the family at this point!

It would be really cool to have a world record. I cannot for the life of me find any information on similar experiments other than styro's that lasted around 6 years.

 

[BowtieGuy]

Wow, glad hear that your "little diode" is still going strong!
Now, if I could only get my ordinary light bulbs to last this long.

Thanks for the update, Javalin!

 

[Javalin]

Wow, glad hear that your "little diode" is still going strong!
Now, if I could only get my ordinary light bulbs to last this long.

Thanks for the update, Javalin!

You know, I have replaced all the bulbs in the house to led. Only had one so far fail prematurely. The rest have been going strong for around 3 to 4 years now.

 

[bdgreenb]

Thanks for the update! I was actually telling someone about this a little while ago.

Four more years!