Heat Sinking Requirements

[cfavreau]

Hi Everyone,

I am seeking some advice. I have a 445nm Casio DLP diode in an Axiz housing. I am running it at around 270 mA currently and have tried 370 mA too. I am interested in the blue color and not the insane quantity of light it is capable of outputting. Anything over 100 mW output is good for me.

The diode runs really warm and I would like to put it in my projector. What temperature is a good operating temperature and what it too much? What kind of heat sinking would you recommend?

Thanks!

[MechEng3]

I would TEC cool it for longevity.....say near 30 deg C is fine.

[polishedball]

Hi Everyone,

I am seeking some advice. I have a 445nm Casio DLP diode in an Axiz housing. I am running it at around 270 mA currently and have tried 370 mA too. I am interested in the blue color and not the insane quantity of light it is capable of outputting. Anything over 100 mW output is good for me.

The diode runs really warm and I would like to put it in my projector. What temperature is a good operating temperature and what it too much? What kind of heat sinking would you recommend?

Thanks!

What type mount, I've found them to run pretty cool in a decent mount sinked to plate and a small fan.

[allthatwhichis]

I got mine running in an RF component heatsink... It is what Marconi used for the Maxyz... but it isn't a Maxyz... Mo got it running for me so it looks like my two reds and two blu-rays.

I am only running it at 400mW, 600mA, and it runs cool. I just got my Kvant back so I will run this DIY blue CW for a while and see how warm it gets.

[cfavreau]

Thanks for the replies so far. Would you mind posting a picture of your mounts?

Everyone knows what the Axiz housing looks like. I was planning on running mine clamped with a band clamp type device on 2" 1/4 20 bolt to adjust it up and down. I have run a PHR 405 nm diode at 100 mA like this with out it getting above room temperature... however the 445 nm diode is in a different class.

[cfavreau]

I would TEC cool it for longevity.....say near 30 deg C is fine.

Really? Is that necessary? The diode and housing are at 32 degrees C just sitting not active at all. Does anyone know what they are approximately rated for?

[krazer]

In the projector the diodes are run in the 'hot to the touch' region, so I really wouldn't worry about keeping the diode cool so long as it is below 40C (ie, painful to touch).

Cheers

[cfavreau]

I hooked a thermocouple to the case and got up to 44C which is hot but not too hot to be uncomfortable. I put a heatsink on it and saw 38 C most of the time. Is 40 C what the projector runs them at? At 44 C the diode seemed to drop output noticeably. I don't know if it was just my battery however... I did try it several times and it appeared to come back to full brightness when 40 C or below. I don't have a power meter so there may be some more subtle power differences at different temperatures too.

[rfourt]

From what i have heard they perform absolutely best at 29 C would require some good TEC coolong though

[Things]

Apparently these diodes run extremely hot in the projector! Someone even mentioned how it's a miracle they don't melt themselves. Mounting directly to your baseplate should be fine