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- Apr 16, 2010
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I am a total laser noob so please be kind! I will be reading a bunch more on this site to improve my knowledge, but I thought I would throw a question up to hopefully get some advice. I was recently in China and picked up three green lasers, two marked as 200mw and one marked as 300mw. They are total knockoff/noname/whatever units and I bought all three for about $70 USD but I was hoping to find out more about their true specs and if they are hackable, since I have some electrical/electronics background and generally like to tinker.
The 300mw unit has a much larger diode assembly (and a much larger battery, not sure what type but it's about the size of two CR123's stacked), so I think it's stronger but the beam doesn't look much brighter than the 200mw units (that use CR123 batts). Also, the sticker on the 300mw unit is in red, and the other two stickers are in green so I think it may have been mis-labeled. Of the 200mw units, one looks a bit brighter than the other but it appears that it is just scattering more light; when I shine it at a wall it makes a faint green cloud around the point for a good 15 or 20 degrees away from center. So, they are probably pretty close aside from this difference.
Is there any good way to benchmark their power without a genuine measuring tool? Maybe making a test stand with a target of thin black plastic, and seeing how long it takes for each to burn a hole clear through it? Also, is it OK if I put up a few pics of the pointers and the diode assemblies for advice from the crew? Finally, there any other noob-grade observations you guys can share? I am open to all information. Thanks!
The 300mw unit has a much larger diode assembly (and a much larger battery, not sure what type but it's about the size of two CR123's stacked), so I think it's stronger but the beam doesn't look much brighter than the 200mw units (that use CR123 batts). Also, the sticker on the 300mw unit is in red, and the other two stickers are in green so I think it may have been mis-labeled. Of the 200mw units, one looks a bit brighter than the other but it appears that it is just scattering more light; when I shine it at a wall it makes a faint green cloud around the point for a good 15 or 20 degrees away from center. So, they are probably pretty close aside from this difference.
Is there any good way to benchmark their power without a genuine measuring tool? Maybe making a test stand with a target of thin black plastic, and seeing how long it takes for each to burn a hole clear through it? Also, is it OK if I put up a few pics of the pointers and the diode assemblies for advice from the crew? Finally, there any other noob-grade observations you guys can share? I am open to all information. Thanks!