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FrozenGate by Avery

What would you put into this?

405nm is not blue its violet bro. Blue lasers are 445nm or 450nm.

A single mode PL450B at >250mA should give you a nice little tight beam. An M140 would take more power to make a visible beam since the beams they make are wider. So it depends on the diode and the diameter of the beam.
 
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ApexProxy said:
A 1.4W 445nm isn't all that bad on heat generation. You get the real heat when you start to approach 2W.

Also, even if it doesn't feel very hot it may be that the heat isn't being conducted to the outside of the host very well. That would mean the diode is getting quite a bit hotter than you know and could kill it much faster. I just would not advise a 2min+ duty cycle. That host flat out does not have enough heat sinking ability for that to be a long term laser.
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I agree with heat conduction but I have operated it without the front part (12mm copper module exposed) so I have an idea on how hot the diode/module gets with respect to outside temp of the host. I've been playing with it daily since I built it and seems to be holding up fine. I would also agree that I wouldn't want to go any higher than 1.5A in a host like this. I just liked the key switch, side button and "rod"-like shape of the host.
 
djQUAN said:
I agree with heat conduction but I have operated it without the front part (12mm copper module exposed) so I have an idea on how hot the diode/module gets with respect to outside temp of the host. I've been playing with it daily since I built it and seems to be holding up fine. I would also agree that I wouldn't want to go any higher than 1.5A in a host like this. I just liked the key switch, side button and "rod"-like shape of the host.
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My god you are basically running it with no heatsinking. You will kill your diode. I would not expect it to live long at all. That is exactly how you aren't supposed to run any diode... Also, degradation of the diode isn't always apparent until its dead. I would not recommend anyone build without the diode module itself securely mounted within a heatsink that is sufficient.
 
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I don't really run it very long so I'm not having any issues. Peak output remains high so it doesn't show any degradation in my case but I wouldn't recommend it for others though. YMMV
 
You just said that you run it regularly and for lengths of rime exceeding two minutes. That's many times longer than I would suggest knowing the diode is little to no heatsinksing. Also, output isn't always directly effected by degradation. I have seen diodes holding strong and steady right up until they just die, several times. You really should look for ways of properly heatsinking it.
 
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ApexProxy said:
You just said that you run it regularly and for lengths of rime exceeding two minutes. That's many times longer than I would suggest knowing the diode is little to no heatsinksing. Also, output isn't always directly effected by degradation. I have seen diodes holding strong and steady right up until they just die, several times. You really should look for ways of properly heatsinking it.
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I did say I use it regularly. But I didn't say I use it regularly for more than 2 minutes at a time. ;) I usually light it up for less than a minute or so. 1.5minutes at most then let it cool down before another run.
 
That's still much longer than it should run with the heatsinking that it has. TBH, if you want it to live very long you shouldn't even run it at all until you improve its heatsinking drastically. The heat that is transferred through the threads at the back of the module and through the cap would not be even close to enough to protect the diode. The entire reason we heatsink lasers at all is to preserve them.
 
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Just get a mace of doom, i think there will probably be just enough heat sinking ;)
 
ApexProxy said:
That's still much longer than it should run with the heatsinking that it has. TBH, if you want it to live very long you shouldn't even run it at all until you improve its heatsinking drastically. The heat that is transferred through the threads at the back of the module and through the cap would not be even close to enough to protect the diode. The entire reason we heatsink lasers at all is to preserve them.
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I still have two extra diodes though incase it pops. ;) I do have a finned heatsink on the way that I can machine to fit the front part that will replace the front cap as additional heatsinking that will be directly attached to the copper module which will help heat dissipation. As is, it works just fine since I built it three months ago but time will tell. I do agree with you though that heatsinking could have been better but I just worked with what I had at the time.
 
I guess if replacing the diode at will is fine with you then just about anything goes. I just want to make sure that people know that under normal circumstances that's far from a sustainable building method.

That host is designed for DPSS module where the diode sits at the far back of the module and the heatsink is perfectly positioned to surround the diode. If you were to modify your build and remove the back aluminum metal cap on the module you have you could move the diode module back into the heatsink. At least that way you would be able to get some kind of heatsinking. I do not know how your drive is set up though so that may be a problem.
 
Yeah, that's the way to do it. Not having it in a heatsink at all is just... not how to do it lol.
 
Mine came with a heatsink....but not the other ring that is used to put the tailcap together...I'll have to make one or have one made. I'm still debating on what to do...there are so many options! Does anyone know where to get a good 100mW or so blue 445nm module/driver for a decent price?
 
ApexProxy said:
DTR sells a single mode 445nm diode that sounds like what you may be looking for.
https://sites.google.com/site/dtrlpf/home/diodes/450nm-pl450-diodes
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This is exactly what I was going to suggest. I think you can have him set the current on the driver, if you get the diode/driver/lens option.

I would suggest sending DTR a PM and ask what current would get you ~100mW. IIRC, the power chart shows setting it to ~125mA will get you around 100mW.

EDIT: just checked the site, his lowest option is 150mA. He recommends 200mA, and if you get the 3-element lens, which is cheaper than the G2, that should work. I would still ask DTR just to make sure.
 
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