How will I know if my 400mw O-like is on spec?

I don't have a LPM.

I am looking for indirect indications that can imply whether my O-like 400mW green laser torch /focusable/waterproof is over spec or under spec.

People who own this laser and measured its power with LPM, please share your experience and tell what it can do in a way that if it does X, Y, Z than it's got to be of a certain mw.

This way I'll be able to get a general impression of my laser, although inaccurate, until I get a LPM.

It's important for me because I don't know if I should keep it or contact Susie and send it back for a replacement.

TIA

You really can't tell without an LPM.
The best you can do is compare it to something that is of known power in a similar range.
Even then, you will only notice a difference if the laser is significantly over or below specifications.

The only way to get exact is to send to a trusted member with an lpm to test. You could also search YouTube or this forum for images or videos to compare. Without an LPM it is not an easy task!

That laser is what finally drove me to get an LPM.

I sent mine back, but it was definitely way under spec (couldn't burn through CD case, or light a match easily, also had an annoying tendency to not turn on, or flicker once on, or lose power and die).

LPMs aren't that expensive, the way I see it, they are a must if you want to sell your lasers at some point.

I've seen it from other members all the time, they buy a cheapie if it works for them they keep it, if not, they post what it is and usually sell it for exactly what it is, so everyone is happy. Personally I don't need to have a ton of lasers, but I don't see myself being able to sell anything on here without an LPM. So to myself I'm justifying it as a way to sell lasers I don't need in the future.

I ordered a Laserbee USB, and there is another version of the Radiant Alpha coming soon. Only other option is to find someone nearby who can measure it for you.

Based on hours of reading on this topic RA_pierce is exactly correct, unless the laser is significantly under or overspec there is just no way to tell. There are some tutorials on the forum on how to build some thermal meters though. Any DIY are not too reliable either though since the build will vary so much from person to person.

As others have said, you really should try to have it measured with an LPM.

I got one of the crap units of this model, and it is on it's way back to O-like now, for a refund or replacement. It was not really obvious that it was a crap unit by looking at it (I initially thought I had a good unit, based on visual observations) but upon measurements, what I learned was

My OL-405T-400: 590 mW (yeah, you read that right; I really like this $105 laser...)

My OLNGL350: 485 mW

This Green "400 mW" Unit: 130 mW

This was measured with two different brands of fully-charged batteries (one of which was the battery included with the laser).

And, all three above measurements were done twice, in different orders, on two different days, one week apart.

So. this seems to be a very uneven batch of lasers, with some real crap units in the mix. I would not trust one of these units without actually measuring it with a calibrated LPM.

Just off of observation, the 200mW transformable I got from o-like is a lot brighter than the "400mW" torch ever was.

Thank you all, understood.

It's about time to move forward and get a LPM.

Which LPM is recommended based on proven quality, accuracy, reasonable price and availability?

And one more, how will I know that the LPM is well calibrated and not giving too high or too low readings? After all I am not expected to buy another one for a comparison...

snoutke said:

Thank you all, understood.

It's about time to move forward and get a LPM.

Which LPM is recommended based on proven quality, accuracy, reasonable price and availability?

And one more, how will I know that the LPM is well calibrated and not giving too high or too low readings? After all I am not expected to buy another one for a comparison...

Click to expand...

You can get a Laser Power Meter for near 1/2 the price of your
400mW O-Like Laser....
Or for about the price of your Laser you can get a higher end
LPM...

We calibrate our LaserBee LPMs to a Lab quality Newport 1825C
using a new Newport 818T Thermopile... We have been selling
LPMs for over 3 years...

There are other LPMs available from other sources at different
prices.... but the choice is ultimately yours...


Jerry

lasersbee said:

You can get a Laser Power Meter for near 1/2 the price of your
400mW O-Like Laser....
Or for about the price of your Laser you can get a higher end
LPM...

We calibrate our LaserBee LPMs to a Lab quality Newport 1825C
using a new Newport 818T Thermopile... We have been selling
LPMs for over 3 years...

There are other LPMs available from other sources at different
prices.... but the choice is ultimately yours...


Jerry

Click to expand...

I am familiar with your LPM's and seriously considering buying one of them.

The thing is that I am interested with a portable unit.

I saw the LaserBee II Deluxe on your website and I like it, but its price is high for me not to mention that shipping and handling for me as a non US/Canada resident will be 67$ (why are shipping fees so high?).

The LaserBee II Standart is also expensive and comes pre-assembled and Pre-Calibrated which I don't want to mess with.

What left is the your USB LaserBee which probably is a good product and relatively cheap (120$), but not portable. And still I don't know what are the shipping fees for the USB LaserBee. If the fees are 67$ like in the other ones it increases the price of the deal substantially.

The other seller, Radiant Electronics, sells a portable LPM in a relatively low price, but it has one big con which is (non) availability.

snoutke said:

I am familiar with your LPM's and seriously considering buying one of them.

The thing is that I am interested with a portable unit.

I saw the LaserBee II Deluxe on your website and I like it, but its price is high for me not to mention that shipping and handling for me as a non US/Canada resident will be 67$ (why are shipping fees so high?).

The LaserBee II Standart is also expensive and comes pre-assembled and Pre-Calibrated which I don't want to mess with.

What left is the your USB LaserBee which probably is a good product and relatively cheap (120$), but not portable. And still I don't know what are the shipping fees for the USB LaserBee. If the fees are 67$ like in the other ones it increases the price of the deal substantially.

The other seller, Radiant Electronics, sells a portable LPM in a relatively low price, but it has one big con which is (non) availability.

Click to expand...

Have a look on eBay....
We always have some discounted LPMs there...

Anything that you can put into a bag and carry with you
is portable.....
All our LaserBee products are portable... They all weigh
less than 300 grams.
We sell the OEM standard version so that you can save
some $$$ and mount it into your own box.. but the OEM
models still have rubber feet underneath so that you can
use it right out of the box...
Or you can pay us to build you an identical LPM in a box
with a label that we call the Deluxe versions.

All Laserbee products work with a standard 9Volt battery
except the LaserBee 2.5W USB which gets its power right
off the USB port of a computer... That's also portable...

I can't' see how you can think the LaserBee 2.5W USB is not
portable...:thinking:

BTW..... we have no idea where you live on the globe...
and you never sent me a PM to ask for shipping costs...
You are falsely assuming the amount of shipping a LaserBee
2.5W USB LPM if you don't live in Canada or the USA...

With all the choices of inexpensive LPMs available to the
hobbyist from different suppliers... I can't see why we all
don't have one if we own more than one Laser...

Stop guessing and get a Power Reading...

Like I said.... the choice is yours...............


Jerry

^^^Jerry also ships out the LPMs very fast.

Shame that canada post seems to be on permanent vacation though.

Canada Post is off on Friday Apr 22 and Apr 25 for the Easter
Holidays.. They will be back to back to work tomorrow...:yh:

Jerry

Yeah I know. I just didn't expect that much a delay, was kind of hoping to LPM a friends lasers this weekend, but there isn't really a rush. I just hate being patient

Interesting side note, my faulty 400mW was delivered to O-Like today! Can't wait to get the replacement.

I would say ask someone with a LPM to time how many seconds it takes them to burn through a certain brand of cd case, then you try the same?

Not sure, just a thought?

^^^Next time please READ the thread before posting. Question was already answered 3 months ago.

UPDATE:

Got a LPM already and measured all my lasers.

One of them (the O-like 400mw green) traveled back to China since it was undrespec and was replaced with an up to spec laser.