Greetings all,
This is my first post here, i will try not to be a total newb! And please excuse me if this question has been asked 100 times, i couldnt find any useful information when doing a search of your forums.
Anyway, i had a GPL-105 leadlight pointer whose internal current regulator failed (output was dim, and adjusting the pot did not change the current draw). So i got ambitious and mounted the diode head on a TEC planning on running the diode a bit hot. All was working great until my friend disconnected the power supply (simple current limited bench supply) and then reconnected it. The supply was stupidly set for too much voltage (we were letting the limiter control it) so its output charged up to 12V or so, then he reconnected it to the laser and... nothing! great, there goes $50.
Anyway, im looking to either replace that diode with a stock diode (btw, does anyone know the REAL output of one of these stock diodes?) or go to a beefier diode since it is all mounted on a TEC for cooling anyway. I read on www.ifixlasers.com about an infinion 350mw diode that fits this leadlight setup. Anyone know where to get one?
So to make my long story short, i need a replacement 5.6mm 808nm diode, preferably inexpensive. Now where do i buy them?
I did find one supplier of a 200mW diode for about US$28, but im hoping i can find them for less somewhere else.
Thanks,
Steve
EDIT: I got curious and tried putting the diode back in and powering it up. Its still putting out *something*. It looks like IR and the camera pics it up ok. See these pics:
http://www.stevehv.4hv.org/laser/
Im assuming thats not just a little diode die getting red hot but that its actually lasing. Perhaps the frequency doubling crystal is cracked or no longer works for some reason??? The diode still pulls 250mA at about the right voltage, it still reads as a diode on my meter (1.5V drop). The photo diode reads open circuit (maybe there isnt even one in there).
Any ideas???
This is my first post here, i will try not to be a total newb! And please excuse me if this question has been asked 100 times, i couldnt find any useful information when doing a search of your forums.
Anyway, i had a GPL-105 leadlight pointer whose internal current regulator failed (output was dim, and adjusting the pot did not change the current draw). So i got ambitious and mounted the diode head on a TEC planning on running the diode a bit hot. All was working great until my friend disconnected the power supply (simple current limited bench supply) and then reconnected it. The supply was stupidly set for too much voltage (we were letting the limiter control it) so its output charged up to 12V or so, then he reconnected it to the laser and... nothing! great, there goes $50.
Anyway, im looking to either replace that diode with a stock diode (btw, does anyone know the REAL output of one of these stock diodes?) or go to a beefier diode since it is all mounted on a TEC for cooling anyway. I read on www.ifixlasers.com about an infinion 350mw diode that fits this leadlight setup. Anyone know where to get one?
So to make my long story short, i need a replacement 5.6mm 808nm diode, preferably inexpensive. Now where do i buy them?
I did find one supplier of a 200mW diode for about US$28, but im hoping i can find them for less somewhere else.
Thanks,
Steve
EDIT: I got curious and tried putting the diode back in and powering it up. Its still putting out *something*. It looks like IR and the camera pics it up ok. See these pics:
http://www.stevehv.4hv.org/laser/
Im assuming thats not just a little diode die getting red hot but that its actually lasing. Perhaps the frequency doubling crystal is cracked or no longer works for some reason??? The diode still pulls 250mA at about the right voltage, it still reads as a diode on my meter (1.5V drop). The photo diode reads open circuit (maybe there isnt even one in there).
Any ideas???
