Affordable LPM for Beginners

scumbagatheist · May 17, 2013

norbyx said:
Data logging can be achieved with a logging Digital Multimeter, and depending on what multimeter you use, you can get much more accurate readings than any LPM meter.

This forum is the best book you can read. Start from the basics, the stickies, and make research from there. You don't need to purchase any books, it's all here, just a matter of how much time you dedicate yourself to read.

+1 sir

EpicHam · May 17, 2013

Hmmmm.... a bit side tracked here , but so far all I see is thermopile based LPMs .
What if I want to know which spectrum is producing the majority of the power?
Or if my blue-ray laser is producing IR that isn't blocked by my safety goggles?
Is there a sensor for that?

Furthermore ... handheld lasers pretty much overheats in around 30-40 seconds .
I read that thermopile based sensors need at least a minute or so to warm up . Now... by then won't the diode be already outside working temperature and the power starts fluctuating all over the place?

norbyx · May 17, 2013

EpicHam said:
Hmmmm.... a bit side tracked here , but so far all I see is thermopile based LPMs .
What if I want to know which spectrum is producing the majority of the power?
Or if my blue-ray laser is producing IR that isn't blocked by my safety goggles?
Is there a sensor for that?

Furthermore ... handheld lasers pretty much overheats in around 30-40 seconds .
I read that thermopile based sensors need at least a minute or so to warm up . Now... by then won't the diode be already outside working temperature and the power starts fluctuating all over the place?

There is an instrument called a spectrometer to know the wavelength of a laser. The lasers are usually pure in their output, meaning they just have one spectrum of light.
As for the rest of your questions I really would try to read, and stop asking what has being explained all over this forum. Just use the search bar and all your answers are already there.

daguin · May 17, 2013

EpicHam said:
well after seeing Dave's Scientech 365 .
It pretty much blew all the competition CLEAN OFF THEIR FEET!
A true tried and tested disk calorimeter !

However , there is a problem tho .
I just read through the manual , what about the datalogging feature?
Is there something I can do to feed the readings directly into my PC and plot the mW - time graph so I can check the diode stability?

What about repairs?
Who do I go to if something goes KAPUT ?
Do I go to Scientech or do I go back to Dave?

This is all so confusing :cryyy:

As for the Bluefan option. $90 bucks?
Its price is VERY reasonable , but how is he making it so cheap????
Its so cheap it starts to make people think .....

AFAIK, no one has worked with it yet, but I see no reason why you couldn't use Peregrine with a Scientech
There is an interface on the back that has selectable baud rate
http://laserpointerforums.com/f70/peregrine-free-open-source-lpm-interface-80589.html

The 365 is no longer supported by Scientech
If you need that kind of support, with an LPM of this quality, you will be spending literally thousands of dollars for the current tech

That being said, there is very little to "go kaput" in electronics such as these.
Faulty components and/or assembly become evident fairly early in use
My LPM's have all been used in a lab environment
There should be no "surprises"

Peace,
dave

lasersbee · May 17, 2013

norbyx said:
Data logging can be achieved with a logging Digital Multimeter, and depending on what multimeter you use, you can get much more accurate readings than any LPM meter.

That's not quite true if you are comparing dollar for dollar.
A good Data Logging DMM that has better than 16bit accuracy
would run you way over $300.00. And that's just for data logging...
no Calibrated Laser Power Meter... IMO

@Dave... if there is an analogue output from the Scientech LPM
all you would need is a Data Logging module to interface the data
to a PC.

Jerry

Antharak · May 17, 2013

EpicHam said:
as for the Bluefan option. $90 bucks?
Its price is VERY reasonable , but how is he making it so cheap????
Its so cheap it starts to make people think .....

The Bluefan Basic II is 115 Euros-147 USD, that's with shipping out side of Europe and the upgrade for extended range(4 Watts), certification and all. It's what I'm buying.
Ed

norbyx · May 17, 2013

lasersbee said:
That's not quite true if you are comparing dollar for dollar.
A good Data Logging DMM that has better than 16bit accuracy
would run you way over $300.00. And that's just for data logging...
no Calibrated Laser Power Meter... IMO

Jerry

Of course that you need a good DMM.... and the cost would be maybe higher than a simple LPM, BUT you would have two things instead of just one. I mean could you go and repair your stereo with your LPM? While the DMM can help you in other fields other than just measuring the laser. As for callibrated, well the calibration, in the case of the ophir, is already in the head, right?

Gun · May 18, 2013

Thanks LL, I didn't see that. The bluefan looks really good for the price, I think I'll buy/build another laser and then I'll buy a bluefan after that

Livinloud · May 18, 2013

yeah from what ive read the blue fan is a great inexpensive LPM. you can email the contact on the website and have them make a custom LPM with the features you want so thats always a plus

Gun · May 18, 2013

Sounds good

EpicHam · May 18, 2013

Livinloud said:
yeah from what ive read the blue fan is a great inexpensive LPM. you can email the contact on the website and have them make a custom LPM with the features you want so thats always a plus

wait!
So I can customize the Bluefan in anyway I want ?
So basically , with $100USD , I get a complete LPM .
A unknown thermopile sensor that can be swapped out for an OPHIR later if I want , and can be interfaced directly to a datalogging software with minimal investment?

That doesn't sound too bad

Its almost too good to be true
However... there is this nagging feeling that if something is too good to be true , it probably is?
Well I don't know.. just a gut feeling,but the last time I had this feeling I almost bought a phonebook disguised as War and Peace.
SO there.

Livinloud · May 18, 2013

not sure about ANY way you want but i believe a member here contacted blue fan and got some features they wanted. as far as swaping for the ophir, personally i dont know since i dont have one or know the connection of the blue fan LPM.

search the forum for the blue fan LPM. a few members have them here and from what ive read they love them! you can contact ARGLaser for adding datalogging to the blue fan, that doesnt seem like a problem at all.

also with custom work/features comes added $$$ so dont think if you asked them to do some added features, it would come in under $100. the blue fan basic says its 70 EURO on the site so id contact the email on their site for further info. dont know much about this LPM so the builder would be a better source of info

would be interested to know what the builder says though

Antharak · May 18, 2013

Here is a link to a review done by a member.

http://laserpointerforums.com/f52/bluefan-budget-lpm-80213.html

Livinloud · May 18, 2013

that'd be one of the few reviews i was thinking of and ill look for the other ones tomorrow if someone doesnt post them here over night. got 7 hours of driving ahead of me tomorrow so need my rest

Bacon · May 18, 2013

For all the fancy goodness why not try OPEN LPM?
It looks to me like you get a cheapy unit and soup it up with Arduino for usb support and ka-pow! http://laserpointerforums.com/f51/openlpm-free-open-source-lpm-project-68498.html

Worth a try?

ARG · May 18, 2013

Bacon said:
For all the fancy goodness why not try OPEN LPM?
It looks to me like you get a cheapy unit and soup it up with Arduino for usb support and ka-pow! http://laserpointerforums.com/f51/openlpm-free-open-source-lpm-project-68498.html

Worth a try?

It really is that easy

Use a 9V battery or something else with the arduino to take the powering off the USB and give more accurate readings.

Affordable LPM for Beginners

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