*plink* Oops! (A tale of sad green...)

[norty303]

So, last night, having completed my 2 latest 3W full diode builds (might do a 'look and see' thread if people care for such mundane subject matter) I thought I'd deal with one of my CNI MGL-H 532nm heads that had gone TEM11.

Popped the lid, IR goggles on, low power, loosened the screws holding the primary lens slightly and got 2 flat bladed screwdrivers in to start levering the lens mount around.

All going really well, got TEM01 really easily, just getting the other axis dialled in and *plink* (I swear I heard it!) - out goes the light.

Turns out I'd managed to just touch the soldered connections on the diode with the screwdriver blade (they stick out a bit) and shorted it to the base.

Thankfully I had 2 spare MGL-H heads in the drawer from the projectors I'd just finished rebuilding as full diode models, and I surprised myself with a 2 hour switch out and rebuild of the projector.

I'm going to miss the 'ping' of the 532 but not the hassles of maintaining them! Probably not even worth replacing the blown diode now sadly.

[helium]

By all means post the 'look and see' full diode build thread!!

[Draco]

what does something like that sell for these days? i still sometimes like looking at all the bits in my 532nm lasers running(with eye wear) one time i "kidnapped" a coworkers toy from charlie and the chocolate factory worker being held ransom and a gruesome death James bond style with the laser and it's cover off to make it look more deadly, i did get a candy bar for the ransom

[White-Light]

Sorry to hear that Norty.

I must admit, I couldn't live with 520nm green. I just re-pallette trained my laser this afternoon, and the colours now, especially the yellow are fantastic - so bright and clean. I can't imagine having custard!

Roll on 530-540nm green diodes!

[norty303]

TBH with you Al, I haven't really noticed any issues with the yellows, and the cyans and aquamarines are very special with 462/520.
In some respects the 520 is nicer because the beams are all the same size (by design) so the mixing is much 'purer'. Certainly, these will become my new graphics projectors now. Just a shame the 506's I could transplant haven't got quite big enough mirrors, as they're running 50k really nicely.

what does something like that sell for these days?

The MGL-H? No idea, these are 500mW rated heads but I bought a load of them a year or 3 back and graded them into matched pairs and sold the remainder off. The one that popped was doing about 750mW. I would imagine it would've fetched £100 if i was lucky and I was going to sell the spare pair. As it is, I think I'll keep the spare as a backup until I get 2 more 520 modules later in 2015, then sell all 4 for whatever they go for. Can't accumulate any more odds and sods on the basis I might get a use for it. Got an ever growing graveyard of modules here, some working, some worth repairing (with the parts required) and some just 'in case' I might need a part. Got 10 DT amp notch filters I kept for some reason!!

[Draco]

yeah right now i cant afford the new green diodes as the ones i see are at power levels too high for me needs, god i never thought i would ever hear my self say that, but that was when 1 watt was very pricy, i have a cheap 200mw 532 on the way after i blew the diode by a crappy buck converter, that was 300mw, i guess when i do build an RGB projector i will need more power but i don't do public shows at this time

[White-Light]

TBH with you Al, I haven't really noticed any issues with the yellows, and the cyans and aquamarines are very special with 462/520.

Maybe it's the 462 / 520 combo that works better rather than 445 / 520.

Could do with a source of cheap green as I still think my projector would be better 1.1:665:1 (instead of 1.1:665:500). That said, got a really nice palette tune this afternoon that got me icy white and colour mixed shades I've never seen before but that exactly matched all of the cues. Lovely pure yellow as well as a decent cyan.

[absolom7691]

Maybe it's the 462 / 520 combo that works better rather than 445 / 520.

I've stated many times how garish I find 445~450nm to be. I have a few 462 diodes and I love them. A nice blue. Still deep, nothing like 473 but also nothing like 445. I am still waiting (probably hopelessly) for SM 462nm diodes to replace my 450s. The cyans are fantastic when mixed, 462/520, almost argon-ish. About the yellows and oranges, yes, weak but passable. Maybe in the future we'll get some 530 greens or maybe even a 580 diode!

[edison]

I've stated many times how garish I find 445~450nm to be. I have a few 462 diodes and I love them. A nice blue. Still deep, nothing like 473 but also nothing like 445. I am still waiting (probably hopelessly) for SM 462nm diodes to replace my 450s. The cyans are fantastic when mixed, 462/520, almost argon-ish. About the yellows and oranges, yes, weak but passable. Maybe in the future we'll get some 530 greens or maybe even a 580 diode!

I managed to make a good picture to see the difference. 462nm is much more blue then i expected. My next projectors will have a 2+2 mix in them that,s for sure

[absolom7691]

I managed to make a good picture to see the difference. 462nm is much more blue then i expected. My next projectors will have a 2+2 mix in them that,s for sure

One of the best renderings I have seen. Yep, the 445 is quite violet/deep blue. I am curious about mixing 405 with 445 for V/DB. I am still looking forward to someone building a 405, 445, 462, 520, 532, 638~642, 660 projector. No doubt the dichros would be ridiculous, not to mention the PBS cubes for the bands that are only a few 10s of nm apart.