greenies don't make good burners

sportcoupe · Aug 30, 2008

I just received my Nova x125 today. It came with a label on the box stating 150mw maximum power and 141mw average. I quickly put a fresh set of AAA batteries in and give it a test. I was rewarded with a very bright spot on the wall. Cool. now, lets burn something. I grab a wooden match and attempted to light it from 6 inches away. No good after 20 seconds. I move farther back to maybe 1 foot, still no good after 20 seconds. I back way up to 3 feet, nothing. This is weird because the blu ray I just bought from kai burns a match from 3 feet away in 5 seconds. I can focus the blu ray though, not the Nova.

I move on to my skin. Yep, I get a small tingle when I leave the Nova in one spot. Still, the blu ray will make you flench it stings the skin so much.

Next up, ballons. I have some blue balloons. The blu ray pops them in a second. I test the Nova x125, more dissappointment. Nothing happens unless I use a black marker on the balloon with the greenie. Why? Is it because I can focus the blu ray and the Nova is fixed?

diachi · Aug 30, 2008

Use a black or red balloon, they absorb more green light

Blu-Ray will always be better for burning for many reasons:

1) Higher energy density, which means more energy to absorb.
2) Wavelength is absorbed well by most colours
3) High refractive index means smaller spot for better burning

You won't find that green pointers burn as well as blu-rays, or even focusable reds, but stick a lens infront of that green to focus down the beam, and it will burn extremely well

RA_pierce · Aug 30, 2008

My X105 (now a G105 ;D) averages 118mW (before mods, probably more now) and it pops balloons instantly, lights red tipped matches in a couple seconds, and really really burns skin.

It's odd that lately people have been having issues with their NOVAlasers.

What is the divergence like?

diachi · Aug 30, 2008

Yeah, nova does seem to be going down hill a little :-/

G105, do I want to know ? :

RA_pierce · Aug 30, 2008

Diachi said:
Yeah, nova does seem to be going down hill a little :-/

G105, do I want to know ? :

It's the guts of my X105 stuffed in a Galileo body.

And I don't know if they're going downhill. Probably just minor user errors.

Check the batteries.
Freshly charged 1000mAh Duracell NiMH batteries worked best for me.
And lithiums.
It ate up alkalines in a couple minutes.

sportcoupe · Aug 30, 2008

You people are so smart and I am so dumb. I did grab new batteries, they were the kind that come with a home dvd players remote control. You know the kind, shrink wrapped together with a brand name you never heard of. I did find the words 'heavy duty' in tiny letters on the batteries. LOL!

Well, I swapped out those and put in good new duracells. What do you know, the beam in much more intense and it will burn a red tipped wood match in 2 seconds.

WOW! Oh and don't let me point it at your skin now either, it will sting good. ;D

Did I mention I was dumb? Check the easy stuff first before blaming the product. Sometimes when you are in a hurry or exicted it's easy to miss something. Today I was excited as I got my first true "high power" greenie. All I had before were ebay greens. :

RA_pierce · Aug 30, 2008

sportcoupe said:
You people are so smart and I am so dumb. I did grab new batteries, they were the kind that come with a home dvd players remote control. You know the kind, shrink wrapped together with a brand name you never heard of. I did find the words 'heavy duty' in tiny letters on the batteries. LOL!

Well, I swapped out those and put in good new duracells. What do you know, the beam in much more intense and it will burn a red tipped wood match in 2 seconds. WOW! Oh and don't let me point it at your skin now either, it will sting good. ;D

Did I mention I was dumb? Check the easy stuff first before blaming the product. Sometimes when you are in a hurry or exicted it's easy to miss something. Today I was excited as I got my first true "high power" greenie. All I had before were ebay greens. :

Well it's good to know it's working well.

These lasers seem to be picky with batteries.
I tried Walgreen AAA's and they were empty after I lit 15 matches.
If you can, get the Duracell rechargeables I mentioned.
A lot of people like Sanyo Eneloops too.

The first batteries I fed my X105 were E2 lithiums. I was so excited I almost threw away the free diffraction grating

.

sportcoupe · Aug 30, 2008

Rechargeable NiMH batteries are only 1.2volts and fully charge to 1.4volts. A new duracell alkaline will read 1.6volts. To me it takes volts to make more current. It would seem the NiMH or other rechargeable would be a bad choice. Remember this is a newby speaking aloud. Go easy on me.

Lasercrazy · Aug 30, 2008

The problem is that as soon as a heavy load is applied your 1.6v alkaline drops to 1.3 or lower and rapidly drops from there. It's always better to use nimh or lithiums in high draw lasers.

sportcoupe said:
Rechargeable NiMH batteries are only 1.2volts and fully charge to 1.4volts. A new duracell alkaline will read 1.6volts. To me it takes volts to make more current. It would seem the NiMH or other rechargeable would be a bad choice. Remember this is a newby speaking aloud. Go easy on me.

GooeyGus · Aug 31, 2008

Energizer lithiums are GREAT in those lasers. I cant speak for NiMH or NiCd as I've never used them in a laser

moond0ggie · Aug 31, 2008

So how is the beam in the night sky?
My DX 30mW shows a nice pencil size beam,
I'd like to know if a 100mW + beam is like a light saber?

sportcoupe · Aug 31, 2008

I was playing with both my 30mw ebayser and the nova 125mw last night for s side by side compare but I was having so much fun I forgot to snap a few pics. The beams are both thin but the nova's beam was more green if that makes sense. I will get pictures tonight and post here.

RA_pierce · Aug 31, 2008

sportcoupe said:
I was playing with both my 30mw ebayser and the nova 125mw last night for s side by side compare but I was having so much fun I forgot to snap a few pics. The beams are both thin but the nova's beam was more green if that makes sense. I will get pictures tonight and post here.

Yeah, 100+mW is a lot more saturated at night. 5mW and even 25-30mW seems pale. Especially when compared to three times the power.

100mW will give a pretty solid beam.

mikeeey · Aug 31, 2008

as long as you can focus it I would say greenie's make GREAT burners, as long as you can focus it, and being that it has a shorter wavelength. my KD 150mW green focusable laser was ALMOST as good as my 283mW red MXDL. I'd say it was equal to 230 - 240mW of Red.

sportcoupe · Aug 31, 2008

AFAIK the nova x series are NOT focusable (is that a word?). In fact i don't recall seeing any pen style greenie that is focusable.

mikeeey · Sep 1, 2008

sportcoupe said:
AFAIK the nova x series are NOT focusable (is that a word?). In fact i don't recall seeing any pen style greenie that is focusable.

your right about that. but i think i remember seeing on dragonlasers a pen style that you can attach the beam expander on, making it focusable. it looks very strange, since the beam expander is much larger than the pen.

greenies don't make good burners

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