Author Topic: Working voltage  (Read 1097 times)

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Offline fixit7Topic starter

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Working voltage
« on: May 21, 2019, 06:37:35 pm »
I bought a Industrial 650nm 5mw Red DOT Laser Module.

It says the Working Voltage DC3V-5V.

I am currently using two aa batteries and I want to use a wall power supply.

Can I use anything outputs in the 3 -> 5 volt dc range?

 
 

Offline chriswebb

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Re: Working voltage
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2019, 06:47:43 pm »
I am not an expert, but no one has answered yet. So I may take a stab.

I dont want to answer your question about anything that can output 3-5V DC, because I do not know enough about power supplies to know their traps for new players. But I would imagine if a wall powersupply states that it outputs between 3 and 5V with at least 1.7ma - 1ma of current, then I would think it would be viable for your setup.

edit: Also by answering this question and being corrected if I am wrong, I will be able to learn more :)
« Last Edit: May 21, 2019, 06:51:12 pm by chriswebb »
Always learning. The greatest part of life is that there will always be more to learn.
 

Offline DDunfield

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Re: Working voltage
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2019, 07:53:23 pm »
You need to be careful if using an unregulated supply.

A regulated supply should put out pretty close to it's rated output voltage, but an unregulated supply typically puts out it's rated voltage only when loaded to a significant portion of it's rated current. At lower currents the voltage tends to rise often reaching 1.5x the rated output voltage.

For example, the common 6V "wall wart" often puts out nearly 9V when lightly loaded.

3V and 5V are common "regulation required" values, so supplies rated 3 or 5v are more likely to be regulated, but I'd measure to be certain. I have seen 4V wall-warts which were not regulated.

Dave
 
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Offline viperidae

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Re: Working voltage
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2019, 04:56:54 am »
Make sure it's not expecting a current regulated supply. That's pretty common for laser diodes.
 
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Offline james_s

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Re: Working voltage
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2019, 05:16:46 am »
Diodes yes, but a module will have internal current limiting. In the case of these cheap low power ones it's just a resistor. As long as the supply voltage is within that range under the small load that the laser provides then it will work fine.
 
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Offline magic

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Re: Working voltage
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2019, 09:37:26 am »
Some modules have a tiny PCB with a few SMD transistors which use the diode's built-in luminosity sensor to maintain constant light output from 3V to 5V and possibly even more.
 
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Offline fixit7Topic starter

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Re: Working voltage
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2019, 11:12:26 am »
You need to be careful if using an unregulated supply.

A regulated supply should put out pretty close to it's rated output voltage, but an unregulated supply typically puts out it's rated voltage only when loaded to a significant portion of it's rated current. At lower currents the voltage tends to rise often reaching 1.5x the rated output voltage.

For example, the common 6V "wall wart" often puts out nearly 9V when lightly loaded.

3V and 5V are common "regulation required" values, so supplies rated 3 or 5v are more likely to be regulated, but I'd measure to be certain. I have seen 4V wall-warts which were not regulated.

Dave

Voltage was 4.33 with no load and 4.32 with the laser on.

Andy
 


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