Why no competitor to the Hercules?

romogracie · Sep 27, 2011

I'm surprised after all these years, the Hercules is still the only handheld greenie with an internal fan to give it a true unlimited duty cycle.

I've always wanted a Hercules but could never afford one. I remember a couple years ago the Hercules 800 was selling for an outrageous $12K.

It can't be that hard for another company in China to design something similar and offer it for a fraction of LG's prices... :thinking:

Wolfman29 · Sep 27, 2011

Why is LG so expensive for all of their lasers? Because they are great at designing

It's not easy to design something akin to the Hercules.

InfinitusEquitas · Sep 27, 2011

romogracie said:
I'm surprised after all these years, the Hercules is still the only handheld greenie with an internal fan to give it a true unlimited duty cycle.

I've always wanted a Hercules but could never afford one. I remember a couple years ago the Hercules 800 was selling for an outrageous $12K.

It can't be that hard for another company in China to design something similar and offer it for a fraction of LG's prices... :thinking:

IMO there is simply no market for it, given the high price. Seems like it was always more a proof of concept laser anyway.

I do question the the idea of "unlimited" duty cycle.

If the price on it were lower... that would be a different story. Hopefully there are new lower priced high powered modules on the horizon.

steve001 · Sep 27, 2011

I can't be certain this is true, but I think the reason why not is because this is a handheld laser of lab quality.

romogracie · Sep 27, 2011

LG is actually only a distributor. CNI designs and manufactures the Hercules.

It's really too bad LPF members can't get discounted Hercules through CNI group buys.

Cyparagon · Sep 27, 2011

InfinitusEquitas said:
I do question the the idea of "unlimited" duty cycle.

Elaborate, please.

InfinitusEquitas · Sep 27, 2011

Cyparagon said:
Elaborate, please.

Not sure which thread I read it on, but I remember reading somewhere that the output dipped after a few minutes.

Could have been due to batteries I guess.

Besides, considering this is a handheld, and not a labbie... that precludes an unlimited duty cycle as batteries would run down, no?

RA_pierce · Sep 27, 2011

InfinitusEquitas said:
Not sure which thread I read it on, but I remember reading somewhere that the output dipped after a few minutes.

Could have been due to batteries I guess.

Besides, considering this is a handheld, and not a labbie... that precludes an unlimited duty cycle as batteries would run down, no?

The Hercules has the option of being powered by a mains power supply.

Cyparagon · Sep 27, 2011

InfinitusEquitas said:
the output dipped after a few minutes.

That just means it has insufficient/no temperature/light feedback.

InfinitusEquitas said:
that precludes an unlimited duty cycle as batteries would run down, no?

And the wall power only stays on as long as I have money to pay the bill.

Duty cycle is the percent on-time; it is set at a point that will not over-heat any of the components.

Eudaimonium · Sep 27, 2011

Hercules is also the only handheld commercial laser that has a forced air cooling (via small fan) that I know of.

Also the option to run it off mains, as Cyparagon said, it also features high temperature indicator LED as well as the rest of 5 FDA standard measures, and you can even adjust the current running into the diode via small pot just above the heat indicator LED.

That coupled by the fact that it's ALWAYS overspec, and made by CNI, and actually holds the Guiness world record for most powerful green handheld laser, pretty much justifies it's price.

I'm also wondering how can you ask why isn't anybody up selling them cheaper yet.
You've got DX selling their "200mW 2x AAA pens" at a fraction of a price of an actual 200mW pen from LaserGlow or Dragon. See how that turns out?

InfinitusEquitas · Sep 27, 2011

RA_pierce said:
The Hercules has the option of being powered by a mains power supply.

Didn't know that

Cyparagon said:
That just means it has insufficient/no temperature/light feedback.

And the wall power only stays on as long as I have money to pay the bill.

Duty cycle is the percent on-time; it is set at a point that will not over-heat any of the components.

Hmm... guess my thinking about duty cycle was kind of off... I was under the impression that unlimited duty cycle meant a laser could operate indefinitely.

Thanks for clarifying:beer:

Now go pay your electric bill:na:

(Just kidding

)

Hemlock_Mike · Sep 28, 2011

I've asked elswhere here. I have a WL Krypton which I am testing for power, stability and beam.
What readings are members getting for Beam divergence / diameter, stability and mode for a Herc?
The Herc was WAYYY before its time but still held in high reguard.

HMike

robertkoa · Sep 28, 2011

Don't the lower power lasers, below 20 milliwatts or so - have 100% duty cycles ?

Cyparagon · Sep 28, 2011

It is dependent on the heat sinking material's ability to move heat from the heat generating components to the air, not the output power.

Hemlock_Mike · Sep 30, 2011

I would still appreciate some data on a high powered HERC. Diameter, divergence and a power graph. That portable is almost a labbie in-hand !! Why is there no data on it?
Many are dissing Steve's Krypton. My review may not be his best hour but what about the HERC? Someone has to have comparable data.
HMike

I'm designing a beam expander to fit this -- hand held lens popped a balloon at 30'.

romogracie · Sep 30, 2011

Hemlock_Mike, here's a 9 minute LPM video of the Hercules...

Why no competitor to the Hercules?

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