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**** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld laser

drlava

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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

Ref, does the blue power light turn on?
 





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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

drlava said:
Joe, what is the maximum time that you ran your laser, and with what pause in between?  Even during my 3-5 minute tests I don't recall the head ever getting warm-hot to the touch.

I can check with sky tonight about what they say for shipping yours.


***EDIT***
Everyone, please disgregard any MA reading in this test post if they are below 1.5A draws, as there appearently was a bad wire to the meter.
But the rest of the info should be acurate.
Sorry for any confusion caused by this.
It took a long time to find the cause of those low reading.
But it still doesn't explain why when it showed the lower currents that it would run for much longer without getting hot?
But when showing high currents, it got hot fast?
And it was just a loop to the battery, so if it was losing connection that bad to show 300ma's draw, why did the laser stay lit?
So I still don't really get it?


Hey Dr.L,

Thanks for chiming in. I didn't know if I was to handle this on my own, or if you could/should first?

I have run it for every time increment up to 5-6 minutes there is, with 1,2,3,5, 10, 15, 30 minute pauses for each time run. (have went thru a few batteries-using Tenergy 2200 protected 4.12v-4.18v off the charger)

First day I didn't run it over 5 as it was stable by then and getting really warm.

Every run on each day netted different results. Some high, some low, peaks of 180 to 275mw right up close to the Kenometer. Lows of below 150mw, usually a normal low of 160's right after peak.

Then yesterday after sliding a new bat, it hit 310mw, wow, (the day before a new battery would cause it to lose 50+mw's?)
Held 300mw+ for one second then dropped fast down below 180mw (that it does everytime) and sat below 200mw for over 3 minutes untill it starts to warm up, then by 3-4 minutes, it would break 200mw and by minute 5, sitting at 230mw pretty stable.
Let it sit for a few minutes while still warm, and would spike 275mw and drop below 200mw again for over 2 minutes.

Figured it was just going thru a weird burn-in period, as it seemed to be getting better.  :-/

Ok, so lets test now all hooked up. Got a new dead-mans switch made for draw connection, thermal contact and infra-red thermometers, and my train clock for time, ready to shoot the Kenometer!

Wow, doing better again today, each use seems to net some higher figures, but things I noticed.

TEST ONE:

Draw of 751ma's, temp of 73 degrees at the head, Peak 244mw's, Averaged 235mw over the first 2 minutes, then dropped below 180mw and stayed below 200mw untill minute 6! Then it finally started to climb once the temp went up to 82 where it broke 200mw's at 6:15 minutes.

It started at only 750ma draw and slowly dropped to 450ma at minute 6 when it broke out 200mw's.
Since it was staying cool, I let her run up to 10 minutes. By then it was doing 256mw at 310ma draw and still running at 86 degrees.

Left that battery in and ran it three more 3-5 minute runs and it averaged out at 235mw, w/ 260-270mw peaks, and holding 86 degrees, so pretty good there, but bat draw was down to 290ma's.

But when I picked it up to check the TEM-02 (which is still there) it jumped back to 1.53A Draw!
(remember my previous mention that if I just touched it, it would jump 30-50mw's for a second or two)
Output didn't change much this time wether it was drawing 290ma's versus 1.50A. (maybe due to its already warmed up state?)
So at least stable power is there down to at least 290ma's left in the battery, or so the gages show.
Since it was still doing 250mw+/- I would guess the bat is good down to at least .250ma's draw and still achieve +200mw's.

How does it do this?? I do not know.
All meters and batteries and connections were checked and re-checked and even swapped meters for a run, same story.


Now, since I got it running high in ma's again, this is were all the heat is coming from, mostly from the board I would guess?!

Trying to find the issue netted the Dead-Mans Switch as the problem inside the tail cap!
If I wiggled it around, I could change the draw from 291ma's to 1.63a, but ouput mw's stayed relatively the same on the Kenometer! (I see a contact cleaning spray being necessary, or some other kind of lube/cleaner)

Rotating the head and butt didn't have any effect on it, so the previous question on the lube causing a draw problem is not it, or so I believe w/ mine

TEM-02! Dang-it, I wonder how well it would do if it was doing tem-00???

Tem-02 was there from day one, but with company and all, I thought it was the focus lense causing it, untill I rotated the head and the oval dot didn't rotate, and last night I noticed the two dark lines in the wide beam.- :'(

So there you have it on my test. Given the fiddly switch causing draw issue, I retested a few more time w/ the used batteries and all it did was heat up, but performance was still there.

As long as it has a head temp of at least 86 degrees it will break 200mw's, anything below that nets below 200mw's. If receiving 1.5a or more, it needs to be above 90 degrees to acheive 200mw+ and at 96 degrees it ouputs an average of 250mw's.

I Let it cool down to 80 degrees again and ran a 3 minute run at 1.68A draw and it went from 80 to 91 degrees at the head in those three minutes.
When drawing 1.5A+ while already 86+ degrees, it only stayed below 200mw for around a 30-45 seconds, as by then it was much warmer than it was at test one after ten minutes of runtime at 750 -390ma's.

Now, for IR, this thing is outputting 40-45mw's of IR at 200mw's. Place the filter in front and watch it drop to 160mw! At 225mw's, IR is nearing 50mw's, and at 250mw's output, put the filter in and watch it drop to 198mw's!
That is 50+/-mw's of IR!  :eek:

In conclusion,
If it is drawing what it should, it heats up within 5 minutes to over 95 degrees,
It loves to be above 86 degrees and when up to 96 degrees, it outputs over 250mw's stable at a low draw, or even if is taking the 1.5a+, then it still kicks butt as long as it is warmed above 94 degrees.
If running at a lower current below 750ma's, it will run for ten minutes with a higher outputs and way less heat.
Pushing in on the dead-mans swicth gave me the draws, but at anytime, it would just drop unless I messed w/ it again. (but it didn't effect its output much?)
If at room temp (72-74 degrees) and drawing its 1.5a+ then it stays below 180-190mw's till over 90 degrees.
IR output is way above the 10% or so I would consdier reasonable. With this kind of output, I believe it needs a filter, but then it will never hit 200mw's of green!

So again, mine is very temp sensative and has to be above 86 degrees to perform at all and 96+ to perform with a good battery/draw, and IR is way too high.

Dang that TEM-02!!!!  :mad:

Pictures to follow.

Let me know what to do?

Thanks, Joe
 
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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

Pic of my coffee table in the living room as my work station is a mess! ;D
 

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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

Pic of the dot. Can't see much detail other than the oblonged shape. Laser was at approx. 15ft. from the wall and focussed approx. halfway out. Gets much worse if focused more out, but couldn't get a good shot of it that way.
 

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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

Pic of the beam shot. Sorry for my damaged camera that barely works now, but you can see the two dark lines like in the picture I posted earlier of a TEM-02 beam.
 

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Ref

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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

drlava said:
Ref, does the blue power light turn on?
Nope..

Batteries are at 4.3V.
 
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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

Joenobody said:
Pic of my coffee table in the living room as my work station is a mess! ;D


you've got quite a collection!!

Im sorry to hear about your laser! one question, could the IR being emitted from the laser have an effect of your temp readings?

a recent laser I got to test for a company called "anewstone" is also mode hopping, I know, it sucks. however, yours doest mode "hop" it seems, but it stays at TEM02?

this is beyond anything I could think of... Gazoo and Dr. Lava would be your best bet for a solution.



I also have noticed that my laser stays under 200mW when its cold, and until it gets warm to the touch, it stays there. it also reaches +300mW when its hot, and usually after 30-70seconds.

while its cold however, I can see the beam go from bright, to low power, and then hop back. its like its mode hoping, but I cant tell because the green is just blinding. when it warms up It stops doing this.

I am also using the tenergy 2200mah batts from batteryjunction.

hope you get yours fixed :'( :'( ....

good luck,

amk
 
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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

yobresal said:
Joe- Our warranty is for the 200mW average output only. So if you are going to return yours do it based on your power measurements not the mode issue. My laser is in tem01 and the dot is actually two dots side by side. This is probably why mine has such a huge divergence problem and can't pop a balloon from more than 10 ft away. My laser does however stay above 200mW so I am going to keep it as is. I recommend you contact sky and get a new laser based on the lasers output being under spec. Sorry to hear your laser is so crappy. I hope they take care of you.


HMMMM<
I know I read a gaurantee of at least a 220mw output for a period of time which I don't recall, first 20 seconds I think and hold above 200 average during the first 2 minutes, and if it couldn't, then it wasn't supposeto ship?? As for tem modes, nothing but 00 is acceptable and a tem-00 is what they show on their site as well for specs, and a one week thing for being satisfied, and 6 months for general warranty. That is what I recall. OH, plus I thought it was to come w/ an IR filter????
If I knew there was nothing but a power warranty, I would have NEVER bought this. I know I read that stuff before buying. I will go back thru and look as long as it hasn't been changed now for some reason. ::)
But in any event, IT DON"T WORK RIGHT.
What to do?????
Thanks...
 
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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

Ref said:
[quote author=drlava link=1196846233/375#384 date=1205869036]Ref, does the blue power light turn on?
Nope..

Batteries are at 4.3V.[/quote]


could be from your interlock (AKA dead mans switch)

screw the little silver part off, and check to see if the solder joints are OK.

(to screw off, take it out of the laser, hold the jack part (the part that goes into the tailcap) and twist off the cylindrical silver part (the part you hold when you put it in and out of your laser))

regards,

amk
 
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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

Joenobody said:
[quote author=yobresal link=1196846233/375#381 date=1205864441]Joe- Our warranty is for the 200mW average output only. So if you are going to return yours do it based on your power measurements not the mode issue. My laser is in tem01 and the dot is actually two dots side by side. This is probably why mine has such a huge divergence problem and can't pop a balloon from more than 10 ft away. My laser does however stay above 200mW so I am going to keep it as is. I recommend you contact sky and get a new laser based on the lasers output being under spec. Sorry to hear your laser is so crappy. I hope they take care of you.


HMMMM<
I know I read a gaurantee of at least a 220mw output for a period of time which I don't recall, first 20 seconds I think and hold above 200 average during the first 2 minutes, and if it couldn't, then it wasn't supposeto ship?? As for tem modes, nothing but 00 is acceptable and a tem-00 is what they show on their site as well for specs, and a one week thing for being satisfied, and 6 months for general warranty. That is what I recall. OH, plus I thought it was to come w/ an IR filter????
If I knew there was nothing but a power warranty, I would have NEVER bought this. I know I read that stuff before buying. I will go back thru and look as long as it hasn't been changed now for some reason. ::)
But in any event, IT DON"T WORK RIGHT.
What to do?????
Thanks...
[/quote]


my conversation with S_KY:


***REMOVED BY REQUEST OF S_KY***
 
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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

amkdeath said:
[quote author=Joenobody link=1196846233/375#386 date=1205879929]Pic of my coffee table in the living room as my work station is a mess!  ;D


you've got quite a collection!!

Im sorry to hear about your laser! one question, could the IR being emitted from the laser have an effect of your temp readings?

a recent laser I got to test for a company called "anewstone" is also mode hopping, I know, it sucks. however, yours doest mode "hop" it seems, but it stays at TEM02?

this is beyond anything I could think of... Gazoo and Dr. Lava would be your best bet for a solution.



I also have noticed that my laser stays under 200mW when its cold, and until it gets warm to the touch, it stays there. it also reaches +300mW when its hot, and usually after 30-70seconds.

while its cold however, I can see the beam go from bright, to low power, and then hop back. its like its mode hoping, but I cant tell because the green is just blinding. when it warms up  It stops doing this.

I am also using the tenergy 2200mah batts from batteryjunction.

hope you get yours fixed  :'( :'(  ....

good luck,

amk[/quote]

Thanks AMK,
Yes, it stays in tem-02 as soon as you turn it on and stays that way till the bats die.
I suppose given this issue, that is probably the cause of the high IR and high Temps it reaches when it is drawing the way it should and its radical behavior.
Make sure to check your dead-mans switch. It could be your power issue? Thanks for your support.


REF, Look into the dead-mans switch! Maybe you will luck out?

And does anyone else remember the 220mw gaurantee and a week satisfaction buy-back and such?????

I need to go eat, so I will be gone for a while. Be back later.

Take care,
Joe
 
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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

Joenobody said:
[quote author=amkdeath link=1196846233/390#390 date=1205880789][quote author=Joenobody link=1196846233/375#386 date=1205879929]Pic of my coffee table in the living room as my work station is a mess! ;D


you've got quite a collection!!

Im sorry to hear about your laser! one question, could the IR being emitted from the laser have an effect of your temp readings?

a recent laser I got to test for a company called "anewstone" is also mode hopping, I know, it sucks. however, yours doest mode "hop" it seems, but it stays at TEM02?

this is beyond anything I could think of... Gazoo and Dr. Lava would be your best bet for a solution.



I also have noticed that my laser stays under 200mW when its cold, and until it gets warm to the touch, it stays there. it also reaches +300mW when its hot, and usually after 30-70seconds.

while its cold however, I can see the beam go from bright, to low power, and then hop back. its like its mode hoping, but I cant tell because the green is just blinding. when it warms up It stops doing this.

I am also using the tenergy 2200mah batts from batteryjunction.

hope you get yours fixed :'( :'( ....

good luck,

amk[/quote]


And does anyone else remember the 220mw gaurantee and a week satisfaction buy-back and such?????

[/quote]


sure do. check the graph Dr. Lava sent you. if his tests were over 220mW, then I guess thats why it was shipped to you. also, it may have been damaged during shipping. USPS SUCKS at handling packages. my package came to me AS IF IT WAS RUN OVER BY A CAR!!! it was in BAAAD shape, but the peanuts Dr.Lava had put in there saved the laser, and no visible damage was seen on the presentation box, or the laser itself.




regards,

amk
 
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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

joenobody, your current readings seem odd, you mention your laser running at around .300ma (i assume you meant 300ma) which seems strange to get that kind of power output as that's about how much current my 35mw green pen uses. Maybe you could go back and fix your current ratings so they make sense
 
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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

well, I used pen and paper, and using my LPM, I recorded the mW readings every 5 seconds, for 120 seconds. I then fed the data into a program and got my own power graph.

I cut it off at 120 seconds, but thats where the laser starts to go up in power.

here is the graph Dr. Lava sent me. they are preety similar:
EG3.PNG


BTW, Dr. lava, I donno if I told u this, but my mom went to case...
 

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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

MarioMaster said:
joenobody, your current readings seem odd, you mention your laser running at around .300ma  (i assume you meant 300ma) which seems strange to get that kind of power output as that's about how much current my 35mw green pen uses. Maybe you could go back and fix your current ratings so they make sense


Sorry about that, I think I put a point in front of everyone of my MA reading by accident as that is how it appears on my meter. (you know, .300 for 300ma's)
I will go fix that in a second.
Why did it run so nice at such low currents???
I do not know. :-/
But the only time the high current helped it any was when it was over 95 degrees, and only by 10-15mw's extra maybe.
I checked and double checked the connections and batteries in the meters and even used a different meter for one run, and when that dead-mans switch was playing games and I didn't know it, that is what came up for the readings.
Maybe it gave me just a false reading to the meter thru that switch?
But I don't really see how, as it is just a loop to the battery.
Then again, when showing the low currents, it didn't get warm at all, when showing over 1.A it didn't take long to get pretty darn warm.
But I believe anything is possible, especially if it is mine.
I just seem to have that kind of luck lately?
Going to go fix that now.

Thanks...
 
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Re: **** True >200mW 532nm S-KY PGL-200 handheld l

it just seems odd because to be getting that much green from so little current input would mean at that point the crystals in your laser becoming crazy efficient - like way more than they should be

strange
 




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