Max Current Draw when you mod a pointer.

[DaFiend]

What is the maximum current you can draw on a pointer before you blow/ wreck the Diode, well maybe not the max. But so you can get a reasonable life from your laser and have pretty good power? i hope everyone gets what i'm trying to say......... i understand that the more mW you get out of it, the less the life of the laser. And more or less the less time you can actually can have the laser on.

Any info much appreciated! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

i'm still pretty fresh in the laser world. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/stupid.gif

 

[shadow_of_chaos]

Yo! lol.. im sure like i said, that 400MA is not a problem for most pointers.. not a clue over that, will have to wait for other peeps to reply /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

I wouldnt have thought that more MW = less laser life, it is more than likely the higher amps that cause it to heat up taking more power from the diode etc that makes its life shorter.. keeping it cool means more life? perhaps..

 

[The_LED_Museum]

Heat is always the enemy of solid-state componenents.
That's why larger DPSS lasers have peltier coolers, and why there is a duty cycle recommendation for high-powered laser pointers that have no active cooling of their own.

That duty cycle recommendation is usually 30 to 60 seconds on, and 60 to 120 seconds off to allow for adequate cooling.

 

[Myx]

I think SBK was saying that with around 500mA current draw, he gets close to 100mW green light (Leadlight GPP-105)... but I wouldnt want to put that much current through mine. Id probably say 460mA ish (from the judgements I made based on reading info at this site).

I think my 10.9mW Atlasnova Leadlight was pulling 270mA last time I measured it. This was before any modification.

 

[sbk]

I think first it depends on your laser diode nominal power.
For example the 200mW Sony SLD302V operates at typically 350mA, and the max rating current is 500mA.

Then, all the lasers havn't the same laserdiode. If anyone knows a technique to know the type of laserdiode I take it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

All I can say is my diode is certainly a 350mW, and the max current I have tried is 600mA.

I think you have to worry about the handling capacity of your laser crystals rather than the diode current.
I never heard that somebody broke his diode...

 

[The_LED_Museum]

I've heard of laser diodes that burned out, and laser crystals (NdYV04 and KTP) that cracked from too much heat.