Which one lasts longer? blue ray or green?

[primary.Sequence]

Hi guys, I've decided to buy a custom build laser, at 50mW to 100mW, and I want it to have a long and happy life. My question is:
Which diode/optical set up will last longer? ie, which is more resistant to use and "abuse"?

Thanks!

 

[GooeyGus]

A good green usually has a pump diode that is ran UNDER it's rated maximum power output and therefore should meet it's rated hours. Usually between 5,000-10,000 hours. Almost every blu-ray built here is driven up and beyond it's rated maximum by quite a bit. This results in lifetime on the order of a few hundred hours. Now, even 200 hours when we're talking about pointers is a long long time. On the other hand, if you build a blu-ray and drive the diode at less than it's rated max, it should also meet it's rated life expectancy.

 

[primary.Sequence]

so a phr pumping out 120mW is pushing it too far?
how about ~100mW at 110mA ?

 

[frogger]

They are rated for about 40mw IIRC, so the best you could do is buy a more expensive diode, 4x 6x 8x and run IT at 100mw, then you may be closer.

 

[GooeyGus]

buy the nichia diode from o-like and run it at 120mW. It will last a long time

BUT i'm telling you, in the world of pointers, I doubt you'll ever use it for more than 500 hours even if you own it for 10 years.

 

[ElektroFreak]

^That's definitely true about pointers.. they tend to rack up hours very slowly.

I've said this on another thread already, but I have a PHR that I've been running at 90mA continuously for over 4 1/2 months now. That equates to approx. 3450 hours. That's a pretty good stretch, so I'd say that's very close to the right current to allow for a full lifetime. I run all my PHRs at 90mA and haven't lost one since I started.