branching signal and power cables

[Finale]

Lets say I'm building a diode module which has 4 blue laser diodes. Now lets assume my power supply has one power out port. And I of course have one (two) pin for the blue signal on my ilda connector.
Do I simply twist multiple cables going to diferent diodes to the one signal and power cable and apply heatshrink tubing? Or is this not the right way to go about this?

[catalanjo]

@ "Or is this not the right way to go about this? "

YES .....this is most definitely NOT the right way to go about this !
Cheers

[Finale]

what then ?

[catalanjo]

what then ?

The LDs need drivers (or just one driver if all in series) to limit the current.
Drivers have two inputs (modulation and power) and one output (current control).
The CURRENT which the driver delivers to the LD or LDs should be proportional to the modulation input VOLTAGE.
The driver/s need a PSU.
The PSU connects to the driver/s power input/s, the LDs to the driver/s output/s and the ILDA modulation connects to the driver/s modulation input/s (which is/are high impedance) so various drivers can be connected in parallel to the same ILDA modulation signal.

To avoid diode deaths keep the LDs in short circuit (wires crossed/joined) until they are connected safely to driver outputs (and with each other if in series).
Lasorbs across each individual LD help to protect against ESD spikes even when wired in series.

Choose PSU voltage to be 2-3volts above single LD (or multiple LDs in series adding their voltages) total forward voltage at max current.
In case of multiple LDs make sure that both PSU, and the driver, can handle the voltage required at the current required.
Hope this helps.
Best of luck....
Cheers

[Finale]

Oops, sorry, I wanted to write about cables going from the PSU to the *driver*, not diode. And signal cables going from the ilda connector to the drivers. In both cases you might have one port but need multiple cables coming out of it. How would you physically join those cables? Just twist them together? This is what I wanted to ask, sorry for the confusion.

[VDX]

... for splitting or combining multiple signal cables temporary I'm mostly using common "gender-changer"-kits with additional connectors.

For "problematic" cases, where pin-resistance or current levels may be an issue, I'm soldering Y-cables or even modify the wiring inside of the PS or receiver modules ...

Viktor

[catalanjo]

@ "where pin-resistance or current levels may be an issue, I'm soldering Y-cables"

I do the same as Viktor.

Alternative is an extra splitter board which takes up space.

Cheers