WANTED: Blu-Ray Flashlight

[raccoon]

I'm looking for a flashlight using Blu-Ray diodes instead of UV-LEDs. Laser diodes have a tighter wavelength and would make for a more stunning / dazzling UV flashlight, and I'm happy with this specific frequency of near-UV.

Before people start commenting about "what are you going to do with a flashlight that puts out lots of little 'dots'?" The answer is simply collimation -- focus is what you make it.

Eric

 

[Eudaimonium]

Simple answer - Nowhere.

Something like that does not exist, you'd need to either build it yourself (fun), or have somebody custom make that for you (fast).

Personally I'd go for do-it-yourself.

 

[raccoon]

I'll accept quotes for such a custom build.

Also kind of curious if multiple laser diodes in a flashlight would cause cancellation and prohibit an increase in brightness.

 

[rhd]

To even create a 100 lumen "flashlight", you'd need about 6,600 mW of 405nm laser light. (citation)

That's an arrangement of maybe nine (9) 405nm 12x laser diodes doing 750mW a piece. That's a hell of a lot of heat dissipation for a portable handheld, not to mention a lot of current (6A) to be supplying at ~6V. You'll need a battery setup that can handle outputting perhaps 40W even with an efficient driver.

It's also going to be costly. You're looking at ~$350 for the laser diodes alone. Add some cost for the driver setup (probably dual FlexModP3s) and you're above $425. With a host that can handle that heat and battery setup, plus the very custom heatsink you'll need, your costs will hit over $500 just for materials.

You could be looking at double that when labour and design costs are factored in. This could be a $1,000 flashlight without much stretch of the imagination.

Wups - to be clear - that's not a quote. I'm not offering to do this Just giving you an idea of likely ballpark cost.

 

[Eudaimonium]

Who says he wants 100 lumen flashlight?

Two or three PHR diodes running 100mW each should still give damn good, impressive effect. Which should NOT cost anywhere near $1000.

Probably more around $100-150.

But for that money, you can get much better, powerful, and prettier lasers.

 

[rhd]

I suppose he never said he needed 100 lumens. But he did say he wanted a flashlight.

300mW of PHR is 4.5 lumens. I'm not sure that's what he had in mind. Those coin cell keychain UV money detectors that are 3 for a buck at a dollar store put out more actual light than that, for 33 cents.

I can't imagine he JUST wanted the collimated effect, and not for this to still actually be a flashlight ... ?

 

[chipdouglas]

i am going to say he means flash light host. think about it... have you ever seen a super bright uv flash light. uv flash lights were pretty much invented for leak detection. so a super bright one would drown out the dye.

1 phr just out of focus will work just fine.

michael.

 

[rhd]

In that case - maybe what he needs is just a basic 405 laser... take the lens out? (or like you said, unfocus it significantly)

You could get that for almost nothing. A $50 DX option would be just fine.

 

[anselm]

maybe he meant something like this
http://laserpointerforums.com/f63/3860mw-445nm-dtr-61861.html#post879392

 

[raccoon]

rhd: May I see your two 12x jobbers? And what would it take for widely adjustable focus? Could you say, fluoresce a blacklight wall poster from across the room, or search for scorpions with something of that magnitude?

Btw, what is a 'phr'?

And, speaking of "100 lumen" benchmarks, are there _any_ UV/Near-UV flashlights of that brightness for less than those figures you suggested? No, I wasn't looking for 100lum brightness; just a brightness one would expect from a reasonable number of 405nm emitters.

 

[rhd]

Hey,

I don't have photos of my 12xs. I'm only selling one of them though - and it's up on eBay (not available to the US). But you could certainly find some 405s for sale in the Buy/Sell forum on this site I'm sure.

PHR is 405nm diode. It's not terribly bright compared to the 12x diodes. Maybe 1/4 the brightness - but also cheap.

I'd say yep to fluorescing a poster from across the room with a 12x at least.

 

[chipdouglas]

but to light up a uv poster across the room you don't need much power at all.

i use my 100mw unfocused outside and around my house. if you have too much power, the laser overbears what you are trying to floures

michael.

 

[raccoon]

On aside, how would this compare?
P60 Style UV UltraViolet LED Drop In

 

[Toke]

On aside, how would this compare?
P60 Style UV UltraViolet LED Drop In

I have it in a 501b host from DX, the florescence is a bit disappointing.

You could start with a $10 5mW 405nm pen from ebay, they tend to be 40-50mW, and if you pry off the tip you should be able to unfocus it.

 

[rhd]

Actually - I have something that might be perfect for you - I'll shoot yo ua video in a few seconds

 

[rhd]

This might work:
YouTube - 405

It's a 12x in a waterproof host, which means that even without a lens to focus the diode, there's still glass protecting the diode from dust. As you can see, at about 10 feet distance, with full lights on in the room, it's fairly bright. It causes my white wall switch to fluoresce (it's a non-standard wall switch that has always fluoresced for some reason)