Got my laser pointer today... interesting power output?

• Feb 15, 2012

• #1

Hiemal

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For $4.87, I figured why not. When I fire it up, the green is REALLY powerful for a few seconds or so, and then it drops considerably INSTANTLY, not like gradual power drop. It seems to happen quicker the warmer the pointer is.

Is this normal, and is there something I could do to fix it? I like it when it's a lot brighter. It practically lights up my basement when it's on "high" mode.

 

• Feb 15, 2012

• #2

sinner

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Re: Got my laser pointer today...

If i were you.. i would have opened it and took the module out.. give it a nice heatsink and power it up with a dc source... if it still drops power then its the cheap driver thats overheating. or the laser diode not heatsunk properly.. usually these are the two culprits of laser flickering / laser dimming.

 

• Feb 15, 2012

• #3

Hiemal

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Re: Got my laser pointer today...

I never said it was broken, or not working on high mode. It just doesn't seem to like running on high for long and then suddenly drops to low.


I've tried different batteries and the problem remains.


Edit:

Wait, I think it's just warm up period. It starts out low, and then gets brighter over a period of like 5 seconds. Then it stays on "high" mode. Sorta. It's hard to tell what it does.

 

Last edited: Feb 15, 2012

• Feb 16, 2012

• #4

mikesnap99

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A picture or video speaks a thousand words. Cheap greens tend to do that. My cheaper greens need to warm up to work also. Depending on the temperature you are using it in many factors come into play.

Mike

 

• Feb 16, 2012

• #5

Hiemal

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well, it definitely likes being warmer. Running it for a while, I can feel the outside of the pen case getting a little warmer than the surrounding air and that's when the output power is at max. It's definitely bright.

 

• Feb 16, 2012

• #6

Benm

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If it works better warm, consider using a proper power supply and heatsink. To get the best results you may need to maintain a module like that at a certain temperature to get good output... but keeping it warm is easier than keeping it cool

 

• Feb 16, 2012

• #7

Hiemal

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I wonder if I'm just over-exaggerating the brightness since this is my first greenie.

And eh, I'm going to keep it in the pen case. I don't have anything else to stick it in.

 

• Feb 16, 2012

• #8

mikesnap99

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Im sure its just because its your first time. Mine seemed wicked bright then i got a 50 and a 100mW and it blows them out of the water. don't get me wrong though 5mW pens are fun!

 

• Feb 16, 2012

• #9

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scorpio1991

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I bought cheap green 5mW laser too from ebay. And I have the same problem. I reach max output when warm up laser but bright beam stay just for a few seconds. I think to try AAA batteries 1.6V eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices maybe its gonna be better, I dont know

Maybe sinner could explain little bit more about heatsink and dc source. I new in lasers so I dont know

 

• Feb 16, 2012

• #10

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sesam

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I read something on this forum some time ago, and it was someone that had discovered that his green pen had some optic feedback that regulated the optic output, perhaps thats the case ?

 

• Feb 17, 2012

• #11

Hiemal

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http://i.imgur.com/rIvYz.jpg

There's the output of the laser once it's warmed up. It looks about as bright as a 50 mW to be honest, based off of other videos and pictures i've seen.

I can see the beam pretty well in a lightly lit room, and very faintly in a brightly lit one.

 

• Feb 17, 2012

• #12

lasersbee

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I bought a few 532nm 5mW pens for an upcoming project
for a client (need the cheap modules only).

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/130489912409?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Once warmed up one outputs 20mW and the other 39mW.

You can't tell the output power of a Laser by eye... much less
by the intensity of a beam on a video or photo.


Jerry

 

Last edited: Feb 17, 2012

• Feb 23, 2012

• #13

Hiemal

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Well, I said screw it, and dismantled the pen pointer into just the green module....

I made a new driver for it, running it at around 560 mA.... the stock driver was around 450 mA to 470 mA, depending on how hot the driver was.

I can see the beam REALLY REALLY well now...I just need to find something to put it in!

 

• Mar 29, 2012

• #14

tsteele93

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Is it still alive?

 

• Mar 29, 2012

• #15

Ghostchrome

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And they say pot modding is dead. Bah!

 

• Mar 29, 2012

• #16

Hiemal

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Yeah, it had died. xDD

I think the original driver for it was overdriving the diode enough as it was actually... unless they use 0.5 watt IR diodes in there.

It's the same crystal set I used in my custom DPSS system actually.