Tiny red laser

[GatoX]

Hi everyone! I'm here for show you my new build, is a lpc-826 powered by a 10440 lipo with a amc7135 driver, all hosted in a tiny hugsby xp-1 flashlight host, set at 350ma have a nominal power of 230, here a few photos! (sorry for the size of the pictures)

 

[Pi R Squared]

Your photos are not showing.

Alan

 

[GatoX]

Sorry, solved

 

[LuxorLasers147]

Nice pocket laser this one is pretty close to the first one i built, but i had to use a flexdrive instead of a linear like the amc... how did you insulate the module?

 

[GatoX]

Nice pocket laser this one is pretty close to the first one i built, but i had to use a flexdrive instead of a linear like the amc... how did you insulate the module?

I have put non conductive glue for attach the module to the host

 

[Benm]

Very cute little laser!

And i think the AMC is actually a good choice here as it is very compact and low drop, limiting the current for that laser diode to an acceptable value as long as the battery can provide it.

The thermal aspects of this would be a bit of a concern, but then again this doesnt look like something you'd normally keep running continously until the battery runs out.

 

[GatoX]

Very cute little laser!

And i think the AMC is actually a good choice here as it is very compact and low drop, limiting the current for that laser diode to an acceptable value as long as the battery can provide it.

The thermal aspects of this would be a bit of a concern, but then again this doesnt look like something you'd normally keep running continously until the battery runs out.

Yep, very poor duty cycle, and worst thermal contact with the host xD. It warms near to 15 seconds of continue use. However, the battery lasts longer than expected. This host, with low power 520nm and a boost driver could be an amazing laser.

 

[Benm]

Absolutely, put in a low power laser diode of any attractive color and you'd have the prima example of a 'laser pointer' right there. If there is enough room for a boost converter and you pair it with a good low power diode it'd be capable of continous operation and make a great pointer for astronomy and such.

 

[AMooMooCow]

Nice laser. I didn't realize you did it first. I just stuck my diode on the original flashlight driver, and it seems healthy enough so far
my thread

 

[APEX1]

Nice laser. I didn't realize you did it first. I just stuck my diode on the original flashlight driver, and it seems healthy enough so far
my thread

Not for long lol! well depending on the current! still not a good idea

 

[CoherentRays]

Thanks for showing your work. +rep.

Ed

 

[APEX1]

I forgot to say nice build dude.

 

[Pman]

Nice little unit. I've built a lot of lasers with those 826 diodes and in fact have 3 more awaiting some attention. +REP
I've found the 826 to be quite robust when you push it hard up to its limit and have some builds in Altoid or similar boxes that hit just over 400mW with a G2 lens running off one of those cheap Aixiz drivers with the pot turned past it's stop. The driver will then output directly according the voltage input and give up into the 650mA range with 2 LiFEPo4 cells fully charged for about 6.7 or so volts. Any more than that you will blow the diode (as in don't use 2 10440 or 14500).
I just got a few cheapo drivers that I had read about from an old post that RHD had talked about for something else that I am probably going to use for the diodes I have left. They are tiny 3 mode that are supposed to be for a flashlight. You get a lo, hi and strobe with hi I think in the low 200 range. I messed around with it a couple weeks ago but don't remember the specifics. I'll have to look at my main computer to get the driver link.

 

[GatoX]

I just got a few cheapo drivers that I had read about from an old post that RHD had talked about for something else that I am probably going to use for the diodes I have left. They are tiny 3 mode that are supposed to be for a flashlight. You get a lo, hi and strobe with hi I think in the low 200 range. I messed around with it a couple weeks ago but don't remember the specifics. I'll have to look at my main computer to get the driver link.

I think that multimode drivers are interesting and more if you can control it with bluetooth (I throw the idea to arduino lovers ). Would be great if you can post these drivers

Oh, and thanks to everyone, this is my first build but not the last :thanks:

 

[Evans]

Really a tiny flashlight , and could you offer which color light it will offer? And it's accurate wave length

 

[Benm]

I've found the 826 to be quite robust when you push it hard up to its limit and have some builds in Altoid or similar boxes that hit just over 400mW with a G2 lens...

You may have to be lucky there though.

I have seen these diodes fail with limited current supplied to them and proper heatsinking in place. You can push them to 400 mW, but certainly not every single one of them.

One thing i noticed when pushing these hard is that they often failed at power-up, so i added a bit of a soft start to the drivers after that.

These are not expensive diodes, but replacing them still is a fair amount of work. Since adding the soft start i haven't had any fail on my using reasonable drive currents, though only time will tell how reliable they really are.

If you power them from a microcontroller you could perhaps inplement a soft start in that with very little additional component count, so this could be interesting for those that want lasers with selectable power levels, strobe modes etc.