Peak power?

[grovenstien]

Hi,

I have a blue diode in second hand laser i am slowly reconditioning. (Managed to upgrade the Galvos with success although cramming an extra power supply and two amps where there was one has been a challenge!)

Anyway my question is this: the blue diode states that it has a peak power of 500mw although the projector is rated at 250mw, is peak power the consumption or the output of the diode? Also is it possible that the blue diode has been throttled to make it more suitable when mixing white compared to the green and red diodes? Sorry i dont have any pics.

I am toying with the idea of upgrading the diodes to make a 1w mixed white so wondered about the power output of the blue, The red is not very powerful and has a very wide 6mm+ beam, obviously if i had a meter i could find out.

Thanks peeps you are a real help.

[tocket]

Peak power in this case probably refers to radiant peak power under pulsed operation, which is the maximum amount of light it can produce for very short periods of time. The 250 mW is for continuous use.

If you want to calculate how much power the laser diode consumes you multiply the voltage over the diode with the current that passes through it. It's typically about 4 times the radiant power.

[krazer]

Where did you get the peak power of 500mw from? The power on the warning sticker is always higher than what the laser puts out, so in that case i would assume it was actually lower than 500mw.

Also, are you sure it is a diode laser? It is much more likely that it is a DPSS laser, is there a wavelength stated on it?

[grovenstien]

Thanks for the responses.

The RGB projector is rated at 250mw maximum light output (white). The red and green modules have no information on them whatsoever. The blue is a new module (i don't think its the original one)

I think that the blue is 50mw although the warning sticker says 500mw peak power i think that refers to the maximum draw of the laser. No wavelength, no more information, useful!

The projector itself is a NeoLaser NLD250 Disco series. Wonky and slightly shoddy construction

If money where no option I would like to build my own!

[grovenstien]

Ohh definitely a DPSS. Terminology is King!