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Infrared Lasers

Connor9195

Connor9195

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I've been looking at infrared laser pointers, and I have a question about them. I've been told that their beams are dangerous, but what danger can they promote?
Is it that their beams are invisible to the human eye, and you can't see where you are pointing them? Or is there more to it, like they are emitting more radiation than other wavelengths do?
If anyone could supply me an accurate answer that would be great.

Thanks in advance,
Connor9195
 





lordoflasers

lordoflasers

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Infrared lasers are somewhat more dangerous than other coloured lasers because if you do accidentally flash yourself in the eye, you won't have the natural blink reflex that you would have if you could see the light. If it is a 5mW infrared laser, this isn't as much of an issue. Anything higher than that, safety goggles are a must. As far as power is concerned 100mW of red is the same power as 100mW of infrared. You just don't want it in your eyes. You need to be more careful with infrared because if it reflects off of something, you're not going to notice it, until it's too late.

What is the application you want to use infrared for? Perhaps you can get away with less than 5mW.

Sorry, but I have to be honest with you. If you need to ask these kind of questions, you're probably not ready to use infrared lasers. If you're going to go ahead and use them anyway, invest in a pair of infrared safety goggles. You only have two eyes.
 
MarioMaster

MarioMaster

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IR is usually labeled as dangerous because it's a component of cheap green laser output. The green laser emits IR along with the green and is invisible, but spreads out more than the green, so you may catch a stray reflection to your eye and not know it.

Now with an IR only laser, the light is no more dangerous than any other wavelength. IR diodes are usually high powered though and goggles should be worn when dealing with just about any IR laser. You can't see the dot, and your eyes do not react to it (no blink reflex)

edit- i was too slow =P
 
Connor9195

Connor9195

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I wasn't looking to purchase an infrared laser, as much as I was just wanting to learn a little bit about them, and you guys just taught me what I wanted to know.

Thanks,
Connor9195
 
Connor9195

Connor9195

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I don't actually have an infrared laser, nor will I purchase one in the near future. I just posted this thread because I wanted a question about them answered.
 
hugo999999

hugo999999

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hi i also had a question somewhat like connor9195s. is the above link to draghonlaser goggles good enough for 808nm light and up to how many mw? the OD seems quite low compared to others.
p.s. are there any other places to get IR goggles for around the same price as dragonlasers?
thanks
 
photonaholic

photonaholic

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Now here is one time digging up an old post is not such a bad thing.

IR lasers should be "reserved" for more advanced users, There is too many things that can go wrong, already discussed above.

Unless you have a specific application in mind that mandated using IR, just avoid getting one until you really know what you are doing.

I often wonder what use a IR "pointer" would serve aside from military targeting???

The number one hazard is that IR being invisible, you have no warning that you may make eye contact with the beam until it's too late.
 
Devil_Master

Devil_Master

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I often wonder what use a IR "pointer" would serve aside from military targeting???
Click to expand...
I wonder if yours is a rhetorical question, given your number of posts and reputation: in that case, my answer will be rhetorical as well. Powerful IR lasers are cheaper than visible lasers of equivalent power, so, if someone wants to use a laser to cut and burn stuff easily, an IR laser will be the ideal choice.

And about IR lasers, I wonder if anyone here tried the 2.4W IR laser from O-Like. Is its diode multimode or monomode? Does it run on rechargeable batteries?
 
MarioMaster

MarioMaster

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You won't find a single mode IR diode much above 300-400mW. And he asked for the purpose of an IR pointer, not an IR laser. Sure IR lasers have lots of applications but IR pointers have almost none. High powered IR pointers are a pretty bad idea, especially if a laser noob gets a hold of one.
 
lasersbee

lasersbee

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Devil_Master said:
I wonder if yours is a rhetorical question, given your number of posts and reputation: in that case, my answer will be rhetorical as well. Powerful IR lasers are cheaper than visible lasers of equivalent power, so, if someone wants to use a laser to cut and burn stuff easily, an IR laser will be the ideal choice.

And about IR lasers, I wonder if anyone here tried the 2.4W IR laser from O-Like. Is its diode multimode or monomode? Does it run on rechargeable batteries?
Click to expand...
I have the 2.4 Watt 808nm IR froim O-Like... It comes with a Driver that
works off a 5Volt supply.. The Laser is a C-mount multi-mode with FAC lens.

The convex lens on the Labby housing allows you to focus the beam
to some extent..:cool:

BTW... if you go to EDIT and then to Go Advanced... on the top of that
page... you can DELETE a double Post...


Jerry
 
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T

TJSurvival

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IR lasers are invisable to the human eye. The human eye has a blink reflex of .25 seconds to protect the eye from bright light. With IR the eye can't blink so there is no protection offered by the blink reflex. You can theoretically keep the beam on an open eye until permanent damage is done. This is why Class 3b lasers are illegal to sell without certain FDA safety requirements. You must have a remote interlock, visible or audio ON indicator, key to disable/enable unit. Just look at the high power WICKED LASERS. They incorporate the safety features. I've learned this through extensive research during the last couple years. For an IR Laser to be safe it must be Class 1 or Class 2 EYE-SAFE. These are lasers with a power output of .7mW or less.
 
kingdave2357

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TJSurvival said:
IR lasers are invisable to the human eye. The human eye has a blink reflex of .25 seconds to protect the eye from bright light. With IR the eye can't blink so there is no protection offered by the blink reflex. You can theoretically keep the beam on an open eye until permanent damage is done. This is why Class 3b lasers are illegal to sell without certain FDA safety requirements. You must have a remote interlock, visible or audio ON indicator, key to disable/enable unit. Just look at the high power WICKED LASERS. They incorporate the safety features. I've learned this through extensive research during the last couple years. For an IR Laser to be safe it must be Class 1 or Class 2 EYE-SAFE. These are lasers with a power output of .7mW or less.
Click to expand...

BS, any wavelength laser is dangerous to your eyes above that mW not just IR, and FYI my IR laser peaks near 300mW class IIIb and has the above mentioned saftey features, still not safe but close if operated in a sensible manner. Seriously dude, im not trying to be nasty to you, but coming here with 4 posts restating stuff already posted here and NECRO posting? And dont get so amazed with WL every noob loves WL
 
HaloBlu

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I must say I was never all that impressed with WL even when they were new. WL just cost too much for the mW they offer IMO. I will say i did & still do like the look of some of their hosts. Only the ones that have designs more interesting then "I'm your standard pen laser" with WL stamped on it. The Spyder III Pro is a fun looking host to me.
 
kingdave2357

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Some of their hosts are attractive, but ive read a few threads about those WL pen designs just falling apart not long after arrival, literally falling apart, button comes out, module falls out, ect.... for all the money they want for that stuff.....and it falls apart. Ive never really been impressed by anything they sell, but I would buy 'the torch' if it was LED and not halogen, it gets hot enough to fry eggs, cant safely carry it around, but still 4100 lumens....
 
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Cyparagon

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It uses a 100W incandescent bulb. To give off 4100 lumens after the reflector, it would have to give >45lm/W. Most incandescents offer no more than 20lm/W, so it's either magical, or BS. The only way to increase efficacy is to drastically lower lifetime. And their claimed 2000hrs lifetime is comparable to that of a typical halogen. the capacity of the battery is supposedly 1.4AH at 14V which is 20W/H. That gives a lifetime of 12min TOPS (15min is claimed) assuming you can drain the batteries completely that quickly without them blowing up.

It just doesn't add up. More than one of the specs must be lies.
 
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