Will an LED driver work for diodes?

[Thorsteenster]

I just got my BD drive tonight and extracted the diode, I'd love to test it but don't have a driver yet. However, I have a few LED drivers I bought for some RC car light systems. It runs on 9v and outputs 3.3v I think. I'm trying to find a 9v so I throw my DMM to it. Maybe the MA is too high, and no adjustment as with the laser drivers. This would just to test, to build I'll get a laser specific driver.
Thoughts?

 

[Thorsteenster]

Okay, forget the 9v, I got a MaxAmps 6.6v LiFe 2200mah 60C battery. It packs some serious punch for brushless motors, I'm sure it can handle a LD!

 

[Thorsteenster]

Oh well, I'm getting fluctuating readings just holding the wires to the battery and I can't find a 9v connector to solder on. Sound like I need some patience at this point lol.

 

[Flaminpyro]

Yep slow down befor you lose you laser diode do things correct or that is what will happen...

 

[Thorsteenster]

True true, I'll have to make an order tomorrow to be ready for the weekend.
Can anyone recommend a source on the east coast that ships fast?

 

[qumefox]

There are VERY few LED drivers that will drive LD's properly. While they are both 'diodes' the I/V curves are entirely different for the two types of devices. LED's tend to have a much more shallow curve than LD's do. With LD's, you get a pretty steep current increase for small voltage changes, and since most LED drivers are constant voltage devices, it usually means a quick death for LD's. You pretty much want to always use a constant current driver with a LD, not a CV driver.