How to turn power DOWN on cheap greenie?

tsteele93 · 06-07-2012, 11:57 PM

I bought a couple of cheap (New Wish) <5mW greens for my (3 & 5 yrs-old) kids. They already have a 3mW and 5mW 635nm but I wanted to get them some greens to play with as well.

Unfortunately, it is hard to find on-spec greens. These came in at 12mW and 15mW.

What would be the easiest way to detune them down around 5mW.

I have thought about trying to get a cheap neutral density filter and install it in the aperture.

Any other easy ways to do this.

I tried running 1.3v eneloop rechargeables to see if that might work, but they still put out the same mW.

Thanks!

Wolfman29 · 06-08-2012, 12:01 AM

Err. Open 'em up and turn the pot the other way? XD

jeffreythe00 · 06-08-2012, 12:04 AM

A ND filter is all i can think of. The only other method I can think of is just turning the current down on the pot. IF there is even one. Alot of the greens i took apart (especially the really cheap ones) did not have a pot.

InfinitusEquitas · 06-08-2012, 04:57 AM

The new "newish" pens don't have pots anymore.

TBH there isn't really that much difference in danger between a 5mW and 15mW.

If you're concerned (as I would be too with young kids), you should maybe grab a couple of these?

Link.

Btw, I ended up spending $50 myself on a radioshack pen, just to make sure that when I go out, and if someone wants to see a laser, I can give them one to play with, without being paranoid. I lpmed them to confirm they weren't overspec.

Edit: I need sleep so this could be retarded... but it could be an option... what's the min input voltage needed for them? Try with a spacer and a regular AAA, or a spacer and a nimh for even less?

tsteele93 · 06-08-2012, 01:58 PM

I haven't tried a single AAA or an AAA Li-ion, good idea.

I did try the ~1.3v eneloop rechargeables and it didn't make a difference vs ~1.7v alkalines though.

Sigurthr · 06-08-2012, 02:28 PM

Just insert a high value resistor in series with the battery to limit current to the driver. It's a cheap green so there won't be any switchmode circuitry inside. Just limit battery current.

InfinitusEquitas · 06-08-2012, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsteele93

I haven't tried a single AAA or an AAA Li-ion, good idea.

I did try the ~1.3v eneloop rechargeables and it didn't make a difference vs ~1.7v alkalines though.

A lithium would provide more power if anything, I mean nimh AAA, like the eneloops. One of those with a spacer. I imagine if the laser still runs, the power will be reduced.

06-07-2012, 11:57 PM	#1
tsteele93 Class 3R Laser Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: South Cackalackey, USA Posts: 2,065 Rep Power: 93	How to turn power DOWN on cheap greenie? I bought a couple of cheap (New Wish) <5mW greens for my (3 & 5 yrs-old) kids. They already have a 3mW and 5mW 635nm but I wanted to get them some greens to play with as well. Unfortunately, it is hard to find on-spec greens. These came in at 12mW and 15mW. What would be the easiest way to detune them down around 5mW. I have thought about trying to get a cheap neutral density filter and install it in the aperture. Any other easy ways to do this. I tried running 1.3v eneloop rechargeables to see if that might work, but they still put out the same mW. Thanks! __________________ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Tom Steele Why I'm Here 405nm tsteele93 12x build @ 545mW 445nm Survival Laser @ 1.25W - GIFTED 445nm Stainless Steel Monster with H140 diode @1.62A - 2.15W! 450nm rhd single mode @ 190mW 532nm O-like 50 mW pen from Cajun Lasers - small dot, tight beam! 532nm O-like Crown, rated @ 400mW, metered @ ~450mW with AW battery! 532nm O-like Crown rated @ 500mW, not yet tested 532nm RPL-165 @ 204mW 532nm RPL-375 @ 427mW 635nm rhd Lipstick Tube @ ~485+ mW 638nm Fat Boy @ 825mW - custom build 650nm Bolly BL-8006 @ 319mW Laser Safety and Eye Injury

06-08-2012, 12:01 AM	#2
Wolfman29 Class 3B Laser Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 3,191 Rep Power: 106	Re: How to turn power DOWN on cheap greenie? Err. Open 'em up and turn the pot the other way? XD __________________ Personal Collection: 405nm: Kryton Groove - 400mW 445nm: Solid Silver - 2.4W - Click Here! 532nm: O-like - 400mW - Rayfoss; 200mW 543nm: 1.52mW HeNe 589nm: PGL-III-C-589 - avg. 74.5mW, pk. 100mW 632.8nm: 5" HeNe Steampunk Raygun 660nm: Chrome Leadlight DIY Build - 225mW DIY LPM! Looking for a cheap, powerful buck driver? Check out the BlitzBuck at CajunLasers! With efficiency higher than that of a linear at approximately 90%, it's the best two-cell solution on the market! /shameless plug

06-08-2012, 12:04 AM	#3
jeffreythe00 Class 3R Laser Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: USA, Plains, Pennsylvania Posts: 2,042 Rep Power: 147	Re: How to turn power DOWN on cheap greenie? A ND filter is all i can think of. The only other method I can think of is just turning the current down on the pot. IF there is even one. Alot of the greens i took apart (especially the really cheap ones) did not have a pot. __________________ Want to be a part of the member map? Pm me! Personal lasers 800nm 40W PressTek INC Fiber Coupled Diode 660nm >100mW Newwish 635nm 500mW 501B 532nm 130mW Wicked Lasers Executive Pro: Nexus 532nm >150mW Jetlasers Ti B 532 532nm 100mW Aixiz TTL Tunable Lab Laser Click for more info 3x 532nm 20mW Newwish Laser's 445nm >1W 1st Gen Kryton Groove 445nm 800mw Wicked Lasers Arctic 405nm >50mW Newwish 473nm 7mWB&W Tek Labby 1064nm Passive Q-switch ND:YAG SSY-1 Multi KW Pulses. 10600nm 13W Air Cooled RF Excited Co2 Multiline >40mW 8 line JDSU Uniphase Small Frame Argon Wicked Lasers Torch 20W Coherent 200 LPM

06-08-2012, 04:57 AM	#4
InfinitusEquitas Class 4 Laser Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: 20 Minutes from NYC. Posts: 10,965 Rep Power: 307	Re: How to turn power DOWN on cheap greenie? The new "newish" pens don't have pots anymore. TBH there isn't really that much difference in danger between a 5mW and 15mW. If you're concerned (as I would be too with young kids), you should maybe grab a couple of these? Link. Btw, I ended up spending $50 myself on a radioshack pen, just to make sure that when I go out, and if someone wants to see a laser, I can give them one to play with, without being paranoid. I lpmed them to confirm they weren't overspec. Edit: I need sleep so this could be retarded... but it could be an option... what's the min input voltage needed for them? Try with a spacer and a regular AAA, or a spacer and a nimh for even less? __________________ REQUIRED READING; Sam's Laser FAQs STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? SEARCH FIRST ASK QUESTIONS LATER! LPF Search Tips Link: SHIPPING TIMELINES BY COMPANIES AND REGIONS Link: REVIEWS DO'S and DON'TS YES YOU DO NEED TO GET GOGGLES! YOU ONLY GET TWO EYES, SO GET SOME SAFETY GOGGLES NOW! OEM Laser Systems Laser Safety Industries Thor Labs Suvival Laser Better Than Nothing: Cheap Safety Goggles Last edited by InfinitusEquitas; 06-08-2012 at 04:58 AM.

06-08-2012, 01:58 PM	#5
tsteele93 Class 3R Laser Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: South Cackalackey, USA Posts: 2,065 Rep Power: 93	Re: How to turn power DOWN on cheap greenie? I haven't tried a single AAA or an AAA Li-ion, good idea. I did try the ~1.3v eneloop rechargeables and it didn't make a difference vs ~1.7v alkalines though. __________________ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Tom Steele Why I'm Here 405nm tsteele93 12x build @ 545mW 445nm Survival Laser @ 1.25W - GIFTED 445nm Stainless Steel Monster with H140 diode @1.62A - 2.15W! 450nm rhd single mode @ 190mW 532nm O-like 50 mW pen from Cajun Lasers - small dot, tight beam! 532nm O-like Crown, rated @ 400mW, metered @ ~450mW with AW battery! 532nm O-like Crown rated @ 500mW, not yet tested 532nm RPL-165 @ 204mW 532nm RPL-375 @ 427mW 635nm rhd Lipstick Tube @ ~485+ mW 638nm Fat Boy @ 825mW - custom build 650nm Bolly BL-8006 @ 319mW Laser Safety and Eye Injury

06-08-2012, 02:28 PM	#6
Sigurthr Class 3R Laser Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Michigan's U.P. Posts: 1,953 Rep Power: 105	Re: How to turn power DOWN on cheap greenie? Just insert a high value resistor in series with the battery to limit current to the driver. It's a cheap green so there won't be any switchmode circuitry inside. Just limit battery current. __________________ High Voltage Equipment 2.25kW Solid State Tesla Coil 225W Spark Gap Tesla Coil 125W ZVS Royer 10kV 10mA PSU 500W Class-E Resonant Flyback 52kV 8mA Plasma Speaker My Lasers: Current Lineup: 405nm - 130mW PHR-805T C6 Groove2 DIY Build. MULTILINE 80mW Uniphase CU-2214-40MLA Argon Ion Laser. 457.9nm 465.8nm 472.6nm 476.5nm 488nm 496.5nm 501.7nm 514.5nm 473nm - 74mW B&W Tek Labby. 532nm - 27mW & 55mW LasersMan Handhelds DIY IR Filtered. 532nm - 60mW CTL-G5 Beam Show. 593.5nm - 9mW LaserGlow Rigel-6. 632.8nm - 2.5mW Melles Griot HeNe Lab Laser & several tubes/heads. 658nm - 209mW Laserlands Waterproof Handheld. 780nm - 4.5mW DIY Handheld. 10600nm - 15,000mW CO2 Laser. Amateur Radio Lasers: 2.5mW 658nm DIY "CW" Morse Code Laser Tranceiver 12mW+ 658nm DIY AM Voice Laser Tranceiver

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