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question, pot modding a laser

S

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Hi, I know that the cheap lasers like from ebay, you can pot mod them turning a screw on the driver, my question is, if this a signal that indicates the laser isn't high quality, because you know you supposedly buy a high quality laser, you measure it and yes its spec or even over spec, but its because the laser was pot modded
 
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photonaholic

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No not all lasers have this screw.

Some lasers have fixed resistors mounted in them for preset levels.

Pot modding is not really a good idea anyways, manufacturers tend to max them out from the start, so turning it up greatly reduces the life of your laser.
 
Meatball

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You can no longer pod mod any lasers... a 5 minute lifetime doesn't bother you.

Not only is the diode going to be in a world of hurt, but the pumped crystals aren't meant for such high powers either. Its a huge risk, definitely not worth it to most.

The screw is just a pot, which is sometimes replaced by fixed resistors. Either works fine, and does not mean anything about the laser itself.
 
S

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Thanks for the answers, i know pot modding it reduces the laser life, but i want to know if this a signal that indicates the laser isn't high quality, because you know you supposedly buy a high quality laser, you measure it and yes its spec or even over spec, but its because the laser was pot modded
 
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hakzaw1

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Meatball said:
You can no longer pod mod any lasers... a 5 minute lifetime doesn't bother you.

Not only is the diode going to be in a world of hurt, but the pumped crystals aren't meant for such high powers either. Its a huge risk, definitely not worth it to most.

The screw is just a pot, which is sometimes replaced by fixed resistors. Either works fine, and does not mean anything about the laser itself.
Click to expand...
HUGE risk?? see http://laserpointerforums.com/f45/dx-true-5-a-42294.html check out all and see post #177 and the last two.-- potmodding 'can be done'--HZ
 
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BKarim

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all chinese lasers are poor or medium quality. and all laser pointers are made in china...
from what i have read high output lasers (let's say >10mW) have already the pot to the maxixmum position that will not burn the diode or crystals
 
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D

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I think what he wants to know is if there's a way to know if the laser you bought was pot moded by the manufacturer.

Pot moding means that an user turns the screw further than the manufacturer did. This screw regulates the current, and manufacturers put it in the optimal position, so obviously all the pots have been turned to some point, but that's not a bad thing!

Now, if what you want to know is if the pot has been turned too much, that's not something you can deduce easily. The only way would be to desolder the diode and to check the current on it.

Anyway, avoid ebay and go to dealextreme. Buy the 50mW true green laser pointer there, it's the best bang for the buck ;)
 
S

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Maybe I didn't explain myself correctly, I thought the high quality laser didn't have a pot or screw to regulate the voltage and they were fixed to one voltage, but looking at your answers, it looks like, it doesn't matter if the laser is a high quality or a cheap one both can have pots, is that correct? Thank you
 
D

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Exactly. It's true that some high quality lasers use fixed voltage, but that isn't a sign that the laser is great quality anyway, many high quality lasers use pots too ;)
 
lasersbee

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Yeah... and Dollar store Red Lasers don't have Pots either...
so you can't judge quality by the pot being or not being there...


Jerry
 
mfo

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BKarim said:
all chinese lasers are poor or medium quality. and all laser pointers are made in china...
from what i have read high output lasers (let's say >10mW) have already the pot to the maxixmum position that will not burn the diode or crystals
Click to expand...

I don't even know where to begin at telling you how inaccurate this is.
 
D

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All chinese lasers are crap and all lasers are chinese -> all lasers are crap.

Nice, very nice xd
 
photonaholic

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denton808 said:
so i can make chinese lasers :) just need lots of fiber
Click to expand...


couldn't resist this one.....

super-colon-blow.jpg
 
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