Hello,
I need to generate a wide beam laser line and found this would probably suffice:
Line Laser Diode - 5mW 650nm Red
https://www.adafruit.com/products/1057
My question is, what kind of power supply do I need to get it working (links?)? I want to keep it simple. I can plug the power supply into a switch to just turn it on or off. And, is that all I need? Just a power supply wired directly to the diode?
Thank you!
What Power Supply for Line Laser Diode - 5mW 650nm Red
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Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
- sledgeweb
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 1:07 pm
- adafruit_support_mike
- Posts: 67446
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm
Re: What Power Supply for Line Laser Diode - 5mW 650nm Red
The laser diode will work from supply voltages between 2.8v and 5.2v, and only consumes about 25mA of current. A LiPo battery, a 3-pack or 4-pack of AA or AAA batteries, or even a CR2032 coin cell should work.
If you want to use a wall supply, pretty much anything that produces 5v DC will work.
If you want to use a wall supply, pretty much anything that produces 5v DC will work.
- jkcrbn
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2014 11:54 pm
Re: What Power Supply for Line Laser Diode - 5mW 650nm Red
So there is some sort of current limiting circuitry built into the laser?
When I look at this page:
http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/laserdps.htm
it seems like it is easy to fry laser diodes, including just having a spike in the power supply as you power up/down. As I would like to run it using a wall wart, I don't really want to break it. (was going to use an Apple iPod cube that outputs 5DCV @ 1A and a simple rocker on/off switch)
When I look at this page:
http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/laserdps.htm
it seems like it is easy to fry laser diodes, including just having a spike in the power supply as you power up/down. As I would like to run it using a wall wart, I don't really want to break it. (was going to use an Apple iPod cube that outputs 5DCV @ 1A and a simple rocker on/off switch)
- adafruit_support_mike
- Posts: 67446
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm
Re: What Power Supply for Line Laser Diode - 5mW 650nm Red
The laser module you linked above has a built-in driver module, and that handles the current limiting.
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.