Bypassing the 2-second delay on portable lasers

Is there any easy way of bypassing the 2-second delay built into all "FDA" approved portable lasers? I am in Canada so I doubt there are any laws against it. Is there any easy way without having to replace all the electronics? I'm looking into a LG aries or a Nova lasers Alpha series but the delay mechanism is a big turnoff for me...

Re: Bypassing the 2-second delay on portable laser

Yeah... the delay thing is beyond me...
Maybe some all knowing member could enlighten me as to the reasoning behind that "safety feature". :-?

I can just see someone turn ON the laser and nothing happens... he then looks
square into the aperture to see if its blocked and WHAM it turns on right in your
eye...... :'(

Maybe there is a good reason...... I just can't see it.  :-?

Re: Bypassing the 2-second delay on portable laser

If you live in Canada, I don't think you need a 2-second delay...

Re: Bypassing the 2-second delay on portable laser

I would assume they use a capacitor to charge up to a specific level and use
that as the trigger point to turn ON the laser.
If you can find that Capacitor on the PCB and remove it (NOT short circuit it)
then that specific turn ON level will be reached very quickly.

WARNING: Try at your own risk.

Re: Bypassing the 2-second delay on portable laser

my RPL 375 doesn't have a delay either :-?
nor did my RPL 260??????

but my DR Lava leadlight has about a 1 sec delay -flexdrive baby yea

Re: Bypassing the 2-second delay on portable laser

john_lawson said:

my RPL 375 doesn't have a delay either :-?
nor did my RPL 260??????

Click to expand...

The RPL's don't have this. They somehow got the FDA to approve it while not having this safety feature.

Re: Bypassing the 2-second delay on portable laser

I assume yes??????????????? I'm not going to show any cop my laser though just in case

Re: Bypassing the 2-second delay on portable laser

There probably is some sort of 555 or microcontroller timer... I don't mind all the other safety features such as the shutter and interlock keys but a delay is the ultimate PITA. Actually, it's the only thing keeping me from buying an Alpha or Aries laser... Would it be possible to bypass the timer circuit and connect the switch directly to the driver?

Maybe some all knowing member could enlighten me as to the reasoning behind that "safety feature"

Click to expand...

It supposedly allows you time to react before the laser starts "firing" in case you turn it on inadvertently.....

Re: Bypassing the 2-second delay on portable laser

Your bluray driver probably has a circuit to "soften" the startup... I can live with a 1 second delay but a 2(usually about 3-4) is just plain annoying.

Re: Bypassing the 2-second delay on portable laser

Sawt al Hurriyah said:

I have to agree, to me, that seems like the worst safety feature.

Click to expand...

Nonsense, it's the most crucial! In fact, I'm in favor of adding two-second delays to: Car ignitions, Firearms, fire-extinguishers, and tasers. :

Re: Bypassing the 2-second delay on portable laser

lasersbee and others: A start-up delay isn't intended for lasers that are only ever used for "oooo, pretty colors" or pointing at distance objects for the sake of others. The delay is intended for what MOST large lasers are used for, industrial uses and in scientific labs. The delay, when combined with the output indicator, is supposed to be able to give you time to get out of the way if the laser accidentally becomes energized, or someone energizes it without you knowing while you're in a dangerous position. It could also give you time to de-energize the laser if there are other dangerous circumstances, like someone else shouting that they are in the beampath when the emission indicator warns them of impending light emission.

Say you're working in a lab aligning mirrors on a big bench set up, and your 5W 532nm suddenly comes on (maybe someone on the other side of the curtain flipped a wrong switch, or you bump a button). The emission indicator comes on, and the delay in the laser coming on gives you time to avert your eyes or get out of the path of the beam. Or you're in a lab and your 60W CO2 becomes energized, you need that delay to avoid a really dangerous situation.

Remember the rules were written in the 70s and are written for the majority of lasers in use; these handheld portable lasers didn't exist, and are still a tiny fraction of all the 3b and 4 lasers out there in use in the US (less than 1%?). The rule doesn't even say "2 second", it says enough time for a user to realize that the beam is coming on and get out of the way or to turn off the device. For a portable handheld laser, 2 seconds is definitely enough time to go "whoa" and point it away from your face, but in industry the delay may need to be longer if the laser is in some sort of large encasement and the person is actually inside the encasement doing maintenance. That person has to have time to get out of the encasement or to alert someone outside the tool to turn the frickin thing off.

They're not just trying to annoy you, and the rule makes sense for 99% of the lasers out there. For that other 1%, they have a process through which you can apply for an exemption to the safety feature rules when manufacturing the laser. Maybe that's what happened with the RPL: maybe they applied for an exemption from that requirement because of the "oh no, it's broken, let me look in the aperture" and then the laser kicking in and blinding someone, I don't know. But the rule does make sense for lab and industry settings were lasers are mostly used.

Re: Bypassing the 2-second delay on portable laser

The flexdrive doesn't have a 1sec delay only the first time when you turn it on after a relatively long period but it doesn't happen in fast on/off-s.I'm guessing it's a capacitor and a bleeder resistor , to protect from the battery spikes after a long time unused. :-/

Re: Bypassing the 2-second delay on portable laser

The flex drive needs to boost the voltage and current, like an amplifier. Everybody knows that it takes a few seconds for a amp to work because it needs to "build up pressure". And the built up power remains stored in the capacitor for a while, and unlike batteries, capacitors only temporary hold energy so wait a day and the start up delay will be in play.

As far as bypassing the 2-sec. delay, the only way I could imagine is to swap the driver completely assuming the timer circuit is intergraded in the driver.