Simpledrive (5) issues.

[Finale]

Maybe I wasn't clear. You said you now get 4.3W after cleaning the housing correct? That is more than 3.4W you got before you cleaned it and applied some paste, correct? Also, at that time, the 3.4W you got was with my lenses, not your G2s, correct?
So please, if possible, check what you get with 2.6A now with G2. Because, if unlike 2W you get somehwere at 3W, that will be similar to what DTR gets (he also uses G2). This will help me a lot because it will
1) show that the diode is likely not partially damaged, as well as my other 5 diodes (as it outputs the same amount of power as stock sold by DTR)
2) show the problem is either/or in the brass housing surface and the collimators.
This will be tremendous help for me an answer the big question of this thread, what "ain't right here".

Also pm incoming.

Thanks again.

[Bbe]

I got 4.3W with G2 lens, not with your lens
After thermal junction improoving I got stable 3.2W at 4A, since before this, the power was rapidly falling due to the diode overheating

This will partially help, but in general, brass is not suitable for powerful diodes. You should look to the side of the copper mounts to ensure a normal thermal modes for these diodes

show the problem is either/or in the brass housing surface and the collimators.
This will be tremendous help for me an answer the big question of this thread, what "ain't right here".

[Finale]

I got 4.3W with G2 lens, not with your lens

I get that. my point is if the reading at 2.6A with (your) G2 will be similar to DTR's, that will be very helpful. So again, please check if you can. I'm in no rush

As for copper mounts vs brass mounts, I've read some conversation about that years ago. I've seen the insides of some 12W Lightspace units, Atenlasers, norty's builds, 30W ECS projectors using 1W green diodes, all use brass mounts. The optical plate and heatsinks are of course aluminum though. The only copper build I can remember is planter's overdriven reds, but he's the mad scientist who also cools them to near zero temp. Anyway, don't disagree that copper will help, just not sure I'd agree that brass is unsuitable.

[Bbe]

2600mA, 30 seconds:
2-element lens - 2211mW
Aspherical "g2" lens - 2875mw (with ugly beam)

[Finale]

Thank you, again. This settles it. You can ship them back with your ordinary postal service, or keep them for future experiments if you need them.

Since the numbers are close with your version of the G2 lens and DTRs (around 100mW difference) and there's a noticeable difference between my lens and yours I think this means all the trouble was because of bad heat transfer surface and lenses. I can safely drive the current a little more to get the 3000mw I wanted, 4A would be overkill but for that much it's okay.

I contacted Techood, turns out there was a misunderstanding, the black barrel lenses I sent you were their 3 element (actually 2 element as you say) lenses and the brass ones they sent me were the "G2" instead. With that black barrel lens and good amount of thermal paste and beefy heatsink I was getting almost the same power output as you do now.
I just bought some G2 lenses from Aixiz, when I get them, I'll compare the results with the chinese G2 (I have) and Aixiz's version. Also, Bbe, if you have a different diode housing sell me one and I'll do comparisons between that and the chinese ones.
But tell me, what did you use to push the diode out of the housing safely when the diode is open can?

But as far as my issue and this thread goes, it's solved. Again thanks everyone for all the suggestions, help and time spent with me.

PS. Looks like we have a new 1W green, 3.5W 465nm and 4.5W 450nm canned diodes in town, wonder if they have usable divergence for use in lasers. https://sites.google.com/site/dtrlpf/home/diodes
Anyway, that's for another topic.

[Finale]

Finally had the time.

Chinese G2 lens gives

3000mW at 2.6A

The 2 element glass lens

2300mW at 2.6A

So techood's G2 quality seems fine.
The diode housing does heat up and power drops, but I haven't polished it yet.

[dkumpula]

So techood's G2 quality seems fine.

Yeah, as my analysis of several single-mode diode showed, I was frequently getting just a few percentage points difference between Aixiz's and DTR's G2 offerings. Aixiz's G2 is much cheaper, but the threads or OD are slightly larger and don't fit into LasershowPart's brass or copper diode mounts. If you are using DTR's 12mm diode modules, both G2 lenses fit just fine (Aixiz's G2 requires more plumbers tape, of course).

The diode housing does heat up and power drops, but I haven't polished it yet.

Polished what? The diode housing should have a bit of thermal paste as should the mount to optic plate contact point, but I don't know what one would polish.

-David

[Finale]

Polished what? The diode housing should have a bit of thermal paste as should the mount to optic plate contact point, but I don't know what one would polish.

I polished the bottom part of the brass housing and optic plate contact point. Both brass and aluminum get dull and generate some oxidation layer and polishing with a very fine dremel tip (but without the dremel, by hand) removes the oxide layer and makes it gold color and shiny again.
https://www.dremel.com/en_US/product...cylinder-point

I polished also the back of the diode and the plate that sandwiches the diode and the brass housing.
But it didn't help much, power still gradually drops because of overheating. I applied thermal paste to the back of the diode as well as between the diode housing and optical plate. it still overheats and drops as much as 1W (from 3W to 2W).
Maybe it's just a bad quality thermal paste. Anyone has experience with comparing different brands?
If I put a large heatsink on the top of the diode housing the power meter immediately starts increasing the power reading and it goes up few hundred mW in just few seconds.

The power loss from firstsurfacemirrors mirror is also a but disappointing, few hundred mW for 2W is not too little, definitely not merely 5% loss, more like 10%+.

[dkumpula]

Interesting. I don't see oxidation in my brass, alum, or copper even after several years exposed to air. Perhaps you have a harsher environment though. It also sounds like you need a TEC or active cooling. I am surprised you haven't blown the diode yet.

David

[Finale]

Interesting. I don't see oxidation in my brass, alum, or copper even after several years exposed to air. Perhaps you have a harsher environment though.

Huh? I only need 10% humidity in a room condition and few days for brass to dull and not shine anymore.

It also sounds like you need a TEC or active cooling.

Don't think so, but there is a fan blowing on a large heatsink though. I'm feeding it 2.6A, the max recommended according to the datasheet is 3.5A, typical is 2.3. I tried 2.3A too, the overheating is still there.
The diode by default comes in a 8 diode brass bar with no active cooling and is extracted from that.
Besides, Bbe just said he could get stable output at 4A after improving thermal junction, and I'm just doing 2.6A.
I've obviously not improven the thermal junction as good as he has though.
The aluminum heatsink is barely getting warm, obviously the brass housing isn't transferring heat to it very well and/or the diode isn't transferring heat to the brass housing very well.

I am surprised you haven't blown the diode yet.

Thank you dude.