I'm on the hunt for a constant current circuit to power a laser diode, but I really want something that minimizes power loss through heat. I've come across Project 450, but unfortunately, the chips for that project are out of stock. Does anyone have suggestions or alternatives?
2 Answers
Just a heads up, there’s no such thing as a circuit with absolutely no heat loss. That’s just basic physics—every circuit has some resistance, so current flowing through it will generate heat. However, if you're looking for efficiency, you might want to focus on minimizing heat waste, especially since you need it to be battery powered.
Instead of a constant current setup, think about switching to an adjustable voltage regulator! You can use feedback from a shunt resistor to tweak the output until you hit 5A. Pairing that with PWM control will help refine it further.
Can you show me what that circuit would look like?