3W full diode RGB (re)builds - 462, 520, 638

[norty303]

Ok, so a bit 'ho-hum' in build terms, nothing you won't have seen before, but people showed an interest.
Most interesting part is probably the module itself which was built by logsquared here, and uses a single pair of broadband prisms to correct both the 520 and the 462. Thread below...
http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/...me-with-prisms

This 'project' came about because I'd been sent a couple of wrong cases last year by Goldenstar, and they'd sat around for a while. And then I'd got ever more tired of lugging my 2x 2W projectors around which were now actually my (physically) biggest projectors (even than the 8W RGB). So I decided to rebuild the lasers into the spare cases.
Then one of my Laserwave reds PSU/driver went bad, and almost completely destroyed the head by the replacement (incorrect) driver, so I decided to get new reds and blues (I was still running the original A140 diodes in my first ever module builds bought from Briggs to give an idea of the vintage). And then following a price drop on the 700mW 520 diodes decided to go full diode, and let Chris see what he could do in the space limits....

It uses the M462 5.6mm 2W diode, the 700mW 520 and a P73. I've got them dialled to produce roughly 1.6W blue, 700mW green, 800mW red.

Boards used are DZE's breakout board V3, Guido's safety board V2.1 (with my own design relay board piggybacked to drive the optocoupler interlock from David's board) and a DS3+ colour correction board from Stanwax.
"Colour correction on a full diode build???" I hear you cry! Well yes, Dave's drivers don't like being driven directly from Guido's boards (nor do Laserwave DPSS), so i needed a buffer, and this was the easiest way of getting one quickly to be integrated. Steve Mixedgas did very kindly supply me a buffer schematic, which i subsequently decided I didn't have the time to build.

Galvos are DT30's because thats what i had spare (and the beam is a bit too big to fit the 'darth' mirrors on the 506 set I could've put in there)

You will see in one of the later pictures my 'amazingly technical solution' to cleaning up the red beam a bit... a bit of BlackTak (blacked aluminium [aloominum for our US cousins] tape) stuck on the correction optics at an appropriate height. One projector has it on the first lens, the other on the second to see if one solution is 'better', but it works very effectively at cleaning up the top wing. the bottom ones aren't nearluy as bad on these so i left them as they are.

Power is as simple as I could get it, using 2 less PSUs per projector than previously. It uses a galvo amp and a single Meanwell 5V supply turned up to max (~5.9V) to drive the module. I used a small variable voltage DC-DC converter from Banggood to provide 5V to power the safety board and relays.

Ok, so here are the pics (note that these will be added over time as I'm typing this on my PC, but I'll need to upload from my iPhone for the images... please be patient. I'll try and reflect some sort of chronological order)

So, despite me promising myself this year that I wouldn't build anything new, I have done some reasonable work. But its not totally new (more like recycling) so I'm good on my promise, right...?

[dnar]

Nice norty. Nice pr0n.

In 13 it looks like red needs a little shift.

I miss the build process. In reality I need to do more shows.

[norty303]

It did need a shift, but it wasn't finished at that point
Shifted now.

Doing 2 at a time is so much better than individually, and you get much better consistency between units I find. And 2 is better, because its bigger than 1.

trufax

[logsquared]

Projector looks good. Glad the modules fit!

Whats the word on the color mix? I know just from static beams the blues looked awesome. Curious to how the RGB mix looked on graphics and beams. I Haven't had a chance to put mine together yet.

[norty303]

Wait until after the weekend, I'll hopefully be able to post/link a whole load of pics and video from an event

[helium]

That's a nice tidy build Norty, the 462 cyan colour is something else. Is that a 'size H' Goldenstar case?

[jors]

Thanks for share Norty, great work! Are diodes tec'ed? if not...what about P73 power stability @1A for 800mW and 'only' convection cooled?
Many thanks

[norty303]

They're not running at 1A, they're running at 850mA which is only 50mA over data sheet spec. No issues at all with power stability because for laser show use we don't run diodes anywhere close to CW. The base plates are very thick and solid too.
Whilst it's nice to see the complexity of some peoples builds, I prefer a simple engineering solution if I can and I just don't think TEC cooling is necessary for how a lot of people drive their diodes.

Helium, I'd have to go back and check the cases. I ordered the Box I originally but these turned up by mistake so I never actually specified them. It is likely it is the H

[helium]

Thanks Norty, they seem like pretty good cases.

[nain-nain]

Very interesting ! How is the white balance ?
I plan to do the same kind of RGB module, with a NDG700 700mW 520nm. For blue, I would prefer 462nm but
NDB7675 or M462 ? Same hesitation between HL63193MG and ML501P73 for red.