Would you like to review for Banggood?

[diachi]

They got back to me too, just haven't got around to picking anything yet. Busy weekend, will sort that out over the next day or two.

Need to type up that Thor H2 review now that I have the pictures and power readings.

 

[CurtisOliver]

I'm sure it won't take you too long to pick something.
I'll look forward to you review.

 

[paul1598419]

Was yours significantly different from the one I got? Looking forward to your review.

 

[diachi]

Was yours significantly different from the one I got? Looking forward to your review.

Output power in full power mode was almost exactly the same as yours at 1646mW. Output power in low power mode was fairly significantly higher than yours at 748mW peak, it actually kept increasing over the course of the 170 second test, with no signs of it dipping. High power mode peaked at around the 50 second mark (probably due to slow rise time of the LPM...) and then started slowly dropping at ~75 seconds, reaching ~1620mW at ~160 seconds. Can't complain about that duty cycle, was only slightly warm after that test. I can't confirm (maybe you can, I don't have any short FL/wide aperture lenses) but I'd expect a fairly noticeable power output increase with a change of collimating lens, something with a shorter FL and wider aperture... looks like the beam is clipping the side of the lens barrel on mine, more on that in the review... I'll see if I can grab raw output power before the lens, not sure if I can get the sensor close enough.

Not sure if you noticed, but low power mode is just using PWM to drive the LD, I'll need to verify when my scope arrives (likely some time next week) but I have a feeling the current will be the same, just pulsed. Noticed when I heard the driver whining in low mode.

 

[paul1598419]

Hmm. That's different from my experience. I heard nothing from the driver in the low power mode, but you could be right. It didn't occur to me because it didn't look or sound like PWM and the photos I took didn't catch it either. I could check into that as i have my scope and it is working fine. I didn't look to see if getting to the driver, or even the diode's pins would be possible without a tear down. I didn't run the power test on low power past 60 seconds as it could be heat build up in and around the TEC and give you an erroneous reading.

 

[diachi]

Hmm. That's different from my experience. I heard nothing from the driver in the low power mode, but you could be right. It didn't occur to me because it didn't look or sound like PWM and the photos I took didn't catch it either. I could check into that as i have my scope and it is working fine. I didn't look to see if getting to the driver, or even the diode's pins would be possible without a tear down. I didn't run the power test on low power past 60 seconds as it could be heat build up in and around the TEC and give you an erroneous reading.

It's fairly high pitch, maybe too high for you to hear?

Give it a wave around, you can see the pulses then, or at least with mine you can.

Driver access is easy, the section containing the diode just screws off, leaving the other section with the batteries/driver. Very easy to get access.

 

[paul1598419]

Yeah, after I read your earlier post I listened very carefully to the host on both power settings. I did hear a very slight sizzle sound on low power, and that confirmed it for me. I don't think the PWM is particularly high in frequency from the sound I heard and also, I found it does have longer pulses than off time when strobed. The only way the power would increase during the low power mode is if the PWM increased with time. Otherwise, it should remain constant. I can test this with my scope to see if the frequency or pulse width increase with time.

Edit: I had a hell of a time trying to unscrew the section that allows access to the driver. It was on there very tight.

 

[diachi]

Yeah, after I read your earlier post I listened very carefully to the host on both power settings. I did hear a very slight sizzle sound on low power, and that confirmed it for me. I don't think the PWM is particularly high in frequency from the sound I heard and also, I found it does have longer pulses than off time when strobed. The only way the power would increase during the low power mode is if the PWM increased with time. Otherwise, it should remain constant. I can test this with my scope to see if the frequency or pulse width increase with time.

Edit: I had a hell of a time trying to unscrew the section that allows access to the driver. It was on there very tight.

Yes, the noise isn't very loud at all, need to listen out for it if there's any sort of ambient noise.

Be interested to see your scope results - perhaps we can compare results and methods.

Mine came apart real easy, it wasn't loose but it really wasn't hard to take apart.

 

[paul1598419]

Yes, the noise isn't very loud at all, need to listen out for it if there's any sort of ambient noise.

Be interested to see your scope results - perhaps we can compare results and methods.

Mine came apart real easy, it wasn't loose but it really wasn't hard to take apart.

Mine took a wrench to get it apart. I didn't even know before I saw yours apart that it was even possible. The driver is now quite accessible, so I'll be testing in the next few days.

 

[Alaskan]

Pulsed for a higher peak power?

 

[diachi]

Pulsed for a higher peak power?

Doubt it, with diodes the peak power increase isn't usually all that large when electronically pulsed like that. Average power is of course lower. I'm betting the drive current on each pulse is the same as the CW drive current. We'll be doing some testing to verify that, I'm just waiting for my scope to show up.

 

[paul1598419]

Pulsed for a higher peak power?

No, what they're are doing is keeping the diode current steady, but in the low power setting, it is PWM to give a lower output power. diachi, said he tested his over a period of ~3 minutes and the power continued to increase. In order for that to happen the frequency or the pulse width would have to increase over time. That is what I will be testing next. :wave: