Need help modding "newbie"

inferno838 · Jan 13, 2010

Im a noob at all this laser stuff, and i have just bought a 5mw green laser pointer for about 30 dollars at radio shack. I know its possible to mod it to 30mw because i have seen videos on youtube of it cutting electrical tape, and popping balloons. I have tried to pot mod it and i took apart the circuit board and all that, i also cleaned my lens to be safe. I see the little screw which i am told is the pot. I have changed the pot so it is not as bright because i dont want the batteries dying out, but i have had it on max and it doesnt seem to do any damage at all. It feels a little hot on the skin, the beam cant be seen very well or at all in day light. My question is, what is my problem? i hear some people saying to switch from alkinine to lithium batteries and it will do it, but i dont know if it will yield proper results.

Thanks in advance

inferno838 · Jan 13, 2010

i dont know if this is in the right place or not, sorry about that, this is my first laser

Hemlock_Mike · Jan 13, 2010

The good old days of pot modding are gone. 5 mW lasers are now just what they are. I hope you are watching the current draw as you make adjustments. If you turn it the wrong way, you can damage the pump diode and the output will drop :-(
Some 5 mw pointers can still be turned up a little if you monitor the current and power output. e2 cells sometimes add power but now that you have adjusted the "screw" -- all bets are off.

HMike

inferno838 · Jan 13, 2010

what does the screw have to do with the batteries, i always thought the screw determines how much power goes through and if you add too much power itll mess up the laser. I know this is possible i saw it on youtube and some people on this site have done it. i just dont know how they did it.

daguin · Jan 13, 2010

Hemlock_Mike said:
The good old days of pot modding are gone. 5 mW lasers are now just what they are. I hope you are watching the current draw as you make adjustments. If you turn it the wrong way, you can damage the pump diode and the output will drop :-(
Some 5 mw pointers can still be turned up a little if you monitor the current and power output. e2 cells sometimes add power but now that you have adjusted the "screw" -- all bets are off.

HMike

inferno838 said:
what does the screw have to do with the batteries, i always thought the screw determines how much power goes through and if you add too much power itll mess up the laser. I know this is possible i saw it on youtube and some people on this site have done it. i just dont know how they did it.

:crackup::crackup:Ya gotta love 3 posts telling 3706 posts that he knows better. :crackup::crackup:

Peace,
dave

inferno838 · Jan 13, 2010

im not saying i know better...i just know there has to be a way... ive seen people on youtube and on this site getting 30mw... i dont see how they are doing it thats why i replied like that.. sorry

Hemlock_Mike · Jan 13, 2010

I..838
What we're saying here is that not everything you see on YOUTUBE is real or scientifically correct. Usually, those who mod lasers here are monitoring the circuit so they know what is going on. Those who take the non-scientific approach and report great results are lucky or wrong. You need to learn things like Ohm's law so you understand the relationship between voltage, current and power. Again I ask you -- do you have a multimeter to measure the change in current (power) as you turn the "screw" ??

HMike

OH --- That "screw" is a pot (potentiometer) It is a variable resistor which acts like a volume control adjusting the current to the pump diode and therefore the power. Your first taste of Ohm's law and the power law. Good stuff to know AND " It's the LAW"!!!

inferno838 · Jan 13, 2010

lol thanks hemlock... no i dont have a multimeter. are they cheap and can i find it at my local radio shack? how do they work?

Hemlock_Mike · Jan 13, 2010

Multimeters are at the Rat Shack or DX, Harbor Freight or....... wherever you find them.
"how do they work"? Very well if you know how to use them. Again -- learn basic electronics and read everything about building lasers here. I can't teach you what you need to know with a couple paragraphs.

LEARN -- then post.

HMike

inferno838 · Jan 13, 2010

one last question.....i read about this one comment that said, that the ir filter can be disabled which will increase its performance.....i dont want to do it without learning what it does or what an ir filter is lol

Hemlock_Mike · Jan 13, 2010

Inferno ---

Have you searched any info here? REALLY -- I mean REALLY. The purpose, need and other aspects of the IR filter have been argued for years and the search button is your friend for most of what you keep asking. REALLY -- do some homework on this forum. There's tons of basic info here.

HMike

Things · Jan 13, 2010

1. You cant disable an IR filter, it's a physical optic.
2. Most cheap lasers don't even have them.
3. You may get a slight power increase, but it is IR light, so you can't see it at all with your eyes.
4. Getting to the IR filter means disassembling your laser. If you don't know how they work, then this can render you with a very rolly paperweight.

FireMyLaser · Jan 13, 2010

You want a burning laser? THEN BUY A FIRCKIN BURNING LASER!!! Enjoy your fail.

Nefarious · Jan 13, 2010

FireMyLaser said:
You want a burning laser? THEN BUY A FIRCKIN BURNING LASER!!! Enjoy your fail.

LMAO!

It really gets annoying answering the many 1st time posters that ask for pot mod help... I've decided I will no longer be answering posts looking for pot mod advice

GeGGuli · Jan 13, 2010

buy same looking 100mW green module then replace 5mW one with uoyr brand nwer 100mW module

Need help modding "newbie"

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