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635nm diode question

pwnstar

pwnstar

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I bought three 635nm diodes off eBay but I want advice on how to run them.
Theses diodes are rated 7mw but some of you run them up to 15mw.
at 7mw they are more like 637-639nm
at 15mw they are more like 640-645nm

My question is, is it more impressive to under clock the diode and get more of an orange color or overclock it for more power.


eBay auction
Data Sheet
 





Long ago, I got three 635 diodes from ebay. I pushed one to 15 mW and it had a short sweet life. I settled at 12 mW and the beam looks red/orange beside a 660 nM Red.

Mike
 
From what i understand 635nm won't look that much more orange than a 660nm laser unless compared side by side, but i could be wrong. As for your question, i personaly would under drive it cuz the extra power given its range really isn't useful for anything. you bought it for its lasing wavelength, and if over driving it changes that, then what would be the point :thinking:
 
Gryphon said:
you bought it for its lasing wavelength, and if over driving it changes that, then what would be the point :thinking:
Click to expand...

Haha very true. Ill have to try them both out. I know the color change will be hard to tell from a regular red, but Ill probably still appreciate it.
 
i have a 635nm pointer and the color difference is very noticeable when compared to 660nm
 
DSCF1213.jpg


sixcolorf.jpg


Those both look about right
 
I run mine with mid 40s mA... I haven't kept it on for more than a minute between cycles (had no reason to), but... it still lases.

Edit: And as for the color, it IS noticeably orange to me, but to other friends and family who are not laser enthusiasts, it looks red to them. When compared side by side though, everyone can notice that it is at least a LITTLE more orange.
 
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Thanks for the input, im probably going to run them around 40mA. I know im probably going to be the only one in my family that will appreciate the difference between 635 and 660. haha

Those are some nice pics quadcam! and a really nice collection. It makes me want to own more colors.
 
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pwnstar said:
Thanks for the input, im probably going to run them around 40mA. I know im probably going to be the only one in my family that will appreciate the difference between 635 and 660. haha

Those are some nice pics quadcam! and a really nice collection. It makes me want to own more colors.
Click to expand...


So what happened to this in the end?
 
Well I ended up making this thread because I couldnt get the darn diodes to light. http://laserpointerforums.com/f50/troubleshooting-635nm-diode-44249.html
The diodes ended up being case positive so I couldnt use them in the case negitive host with the driver that I have planned to use.

After I got that figured out..
Diode #1 - I think I burned it out useing to much current. I will try to use this one again. This one I used for testing case positive/negitive.
Diode #2 - Worked great at 40mA! I love the color and how you can almost make out the red/orange beam. Bright enough for me, but no LPM to test it with. I think there may be a short because this morning I powered it up and it started flickering but now it just seems very dim. =[ altho it still lazes it is weaker than my 2mW HeNe.
Diode #3 - Havent played with this one yet. Might have to use it as a replacement. =/

These diode are very cheap and fun to play with. I didnt get to take any pics before my second diode went dim (only lasted about a day). I really don't think the current you set it at effects the waveleanth enough for you to want to worry about it. The color looked far more like my HeNe laser then the DVD diodes. I would chose the extra few mW's in power over the lower waveleanth. The 3-5nm color change is too small to notice, when you can easaly notice the power difference from about 5mw to about 12. So IMHO with the extra power you still get the nice red color you are looking for.
 
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A bit off topic, but what's the strongest 635nm diode they make in the 5.6mm package? I have a 1/2W here, but it's a 9mm, and that won't fit :(

Edit: Never mind, it seems that the strongest 635nm diodes in 5.6mm is <20mW, and that appears to be a rarety.
 
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pwnstar said:
Well I ended up making this thread because I couldnt get the darn diodes to light. http://laserpointerforums.com/f50/troubleshooting-635nm-diode-44249.html
The diodes ended up being case positive so I couldnt use them in the case negitive host with the driver that I have planned to use.

After I got that figured out..
Diode #1 - I think I burned it out useing to much current. I will try to use this one again. This one I used for testing case positive/negitive.
Diode #2 - Worked great at 40mA! I love the color and how you can almost make out the red/orange beam. Bright enough for me, but no LPM to test it with. I think there may be a short because this morning I powered it up and it started flickering but now it just seems very dim. =[ altho it still lazes it is weaker than my 2mW HeNe.
Diode #3 - Havent played with this one yet. Might have to use it as a replacement. =/

These diode are very cheap and fun to play with. I didnt get to take any pics before my second diode went dim (only lasted about a day). I really don't think the current you set it at effects the waveleanth enough for you to want to worry about it. The color looked far more like my HeNe laser then the DVD diodes. I would chose the extra few mW's in power over the lower waveleanth. The 3-5nm color change is too small to notice, when you can easaly notice the power difference from about 5mw to about 12. So IMHO with the extra power you still get the nice red color you are looking for.
Click to expand...

Hmm... As I have two 635nm diodes from Drew and want to complete my collection I'm looking for a cheap & small host to power it with an AAA/CR2/CR123A. What driver were you using?
 
I was using a rkcstr driver, but because it is regulated on the positive side I couldn't use a case-positive case. I'm not sure that you can make the flex drive go to a low enough current but I haven't tried, there might be a way. I ended up putting mine in a project box to separate the batteries from the diode. =/ My first case choice was a leftover kriton smooth, but that wouldn't work because of the polarity of the diode.
 
flexdrive is common ground too, so its out for any case-positive diode (635nm, IR, any C-mount, probably any 9mm). except if you manage to insulate the diode or aixiz from the host, of course.
the amc7139 is a super easy solution, but comes only in 300mA steps.. worked nicely for my ~700mA green pumpdiode.

manuel
 
Hmm, I knew the flexdrive was common ground. I just wasn't sure if it could go under 70mA at all to drive one of these diodes.
 
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