Making a fibre optic light source

Hi all,

I'm looking at building up a light source for a bunch of fibre optic cable - I need about 100-150W in terms of typical halogen bulb power...

However, I'm not sure about how to focus this light into a fibre optic bunch - some have mentioned torch lenses etc, but will that not simply melt the end of the fibre bunch? Or perhaps a magnifying glass, that focuses the light onto a mirror, which reflects the light into the source - that way, should a large amount of the heat be dissipated in the mirror?

Any ideas / suggestions appreciated.

Cheers

What are you actually trying to achieve?

100-150W is an awful lot of power - why do you need so much?

I have a fibre optic xmas tree and it uses one of these to focus light into the bundle through a colour wheel. Not as powerful as you wanted but maybe a cluster of them would do the job.

I use fibreoptic endoscopes for work, and have just got hold of an older Pentax 'scope for filthy cheap money, as it just needed a few minor repairs but didn't come with a light source.

~150W is the typical power level for halogen light sources for this purpose, but I can deal with less.

I have a fibre optic xmas tree and it uses one of these to focus light into the bundle through a colour wheel. Not as powerful as you wanted but maybe a cluster of them would do the job.

Do you actually focus the light into the fibre bundle, or just point the lamp at the end? My fibre connector has a 3mm diameter opening for light, hence thinking I need a little focus. Just wondering if a high power LED would do the job.

Something like this, driven with a 12V source.

jtw11:

I have a fibre optic xmas tree and it uses one of these to focus light into the bundle through a colour wheel. Not as powerful as you wanted but maybe a cluster of them would do the job.

Do you actually focus the light into the fibre bundle, or just point the lamp at the end? My fibre connector has a 3mm diameter opening for light, hence thinking I need a little focus. Just wondering if a high power LED would do the job.

The LED bundle is about 2" diameter at base so needs no focusing. The dichroic lamp reflects most of the light forward into the fibres but allows the heat to pass out the back. Maybe a high power LED would do the job as the point source is quite small or as you have said a lens to focus a wide light source down.