445 1W Spartan with melted lens

[Raiden Gekkou]

Back in July 2011, the satanic humidity in VA melted my Spartan's lens. I would try to fix it, but I don't want to accidentally break stuff by trying to open it, and I'm not a fan of lasers with front openings wide enough to let enough humidity in to melt the lens. I'd rather have an Arctic anyway. The rest of the laser still works though. It'll come with 4 RCR123A batteries and the charger, and 2 extra front caps super glued together, so you can screw an Arctic/Krypton lens cap on it. Shoot me an offer.

 

[cheech226]

explain how the water in the air melted your lens. never heard that one

 

[JLM]

explain how the water in the air melted your lens. never heard that one

http://laserpointerforums.com/f65/damnit-another-one-down-61321.html

 

[Raiden Gekkou]

explain how the water in the air melted your lens. never heard that one

The humidity was so bad that the laser heated up more than usual, and the lens was jello within 10 minutes. What's weird is that the host didn't even get really hot, but the lens got hot enough to liquify. It was the only time it heated up like that, and the humidity was unreal, and since it hans't gotten that hot since, I believe that the thick humidity is the only thing that could've caused it.

 

[JLM]

The humidity was so bad that the laser heated up more than usual, and the lens was jello within 10 minutes. What's weird is that the host didn't even get really hot, but the lens got hot enough to liquify. It was the only time it heated up like that, and the humidity was unreal, and since it hans't gotten that hot since, I believe that the thick humidity is the only thing that could've caused it.

The ambient humidity was not your problem, when you put an laser in your pocket you corporal heat produce vapor and this vapor cloud your lens, one time you turns on your laser all this energy is trapped in your lens and heat it a lot. One time the acrylic is hot lost it's optical properties.

 

[Raiden Gekkou]

The ambient humidity was not your problem, when you put an laser in your pocket you corporal heat produce vapor and this vapor cloud your lens, one time you turns on your laser all this energy is trapped in your lens and heat it a lot. One time the acrylic is hot lost it's optical properties.

It wasn't in my pocket though. I was using it inside earlier in the day and it was fine. It sat on my dresser until night when I took it outside. That's when things got..............sticky.

 

[cheech226]

the laser itself melted the lens. the ambient air temp or humidity had nothing to do with it. if you heat up plastic it will melt, water in the air does nothing to aid or retard this. trust me, i'm an old physics geek

 

[Raiden Gekkou]

the laser itself melted the lens. the ambient air temp or humidity had nothing to do with it. if you heat up plastic it will melt, water in the air does nothing to aid or retard this. trust me, i'm an old physics geek

Hmm, well I guess the laser was just being temperamental that night then. Any idea what caused it to suddenly spike?

 

[plexus]

Using acrylic lenses with >500mw is a bad move. well im not going to get into it too deeply. hopefully someone can figure out a way to replace the lens with a glass one.

 

[hakzaw1]

From What I have read( too bad you did not read it)
what may have happened was this:
Once you run it too long with the WRONG lens. it got a little hot-
may have 'darkened' the lens a little.
then being darker it absorbed more heat and darkened even more-
once this chain of events starts it can only get worse.
The 'melted' lens may have already damaged the die window- and there are VERY few ways to fix that(if any)-- it becomes 'rebuild' time with new diode and a GLASS lens- AixZ sells one for ~$10 -3 element AR coated and good beam shape(sold as 400-450nm glass lens at AixiZ.com)- or for an additionsl 30$ you can go with a G series lens--IRRC more mW but poorer beam shape.

You will need to look at the die window with lens removed and under magnification.. you can see if the die window is damaged. if it is - there is atm no harm in trying to clean it or use it in a build for lumia- maybe as a lab laser in big HS and a cheap fan (Like the four we get as leftovers from the Kasio PJs)
If you think you lack the skillz to rebuild then find a memeber willing to try for you.

Good luck & I hope this has be of help to you..

VR hak

 

[Eradicator]

This has to be a troll thread. I mean really??!! Come on.

 

[hakzaw1]

This has to be a troll thread. I mean really??!! Come on.

Guess you could be right..
but the thread still has value as there may be more out there that think the 3$ plastic stock lenses are Ok for hot 405 0r 445 builds.

so they read this THEN start to search and just maybe they will at least learn how to do that.(search correctly):beer:

 

[RedDart]

So is this laser fully functional (100%) besides the melted lens?

 

[hakzaw1]

I am not so sure now-- would Dragon use an plastic lens in a 447nm Spartan?

Are there any vets here that like to work on these?_I have a 532/100 that has a issue-
my nice tiny dot has been replaced by a big round blob the size of an orange.

The front lens/focus section unscrews easily but getting the module out may not be doable by me.

Nice sleek host tho.. no frills at all..

 

[Raiden Gekkou]

merged consecutive posts

Once you run it too long with the WRONG lens. it got a little hot-
VR hak

How is it the wrong lens? I bought the Spartan from Dragonlasers, and haven't modified it in any way.

Guess you could be right..
but the thread still has value as there may be more out there that think the 3$ plastic stock lenses are Ok for hot 405 0r 445 builds.

so they read this THEN start to search and just maybe they will at least learn how to do that.(search correctly):beer:

When did I say I swapped out the default lens with some cheap plastic one? The lens that melted is the one that comes with all Spartans from Dragonlasers.

So is this laser fully functional (100%) besides the melted lens?

Yep, still works.

 

[Moe Ron]

Guess you could be right..
but the thread still has value as there may be more out there that think the 3$ plastic stock lenses are Ok for hot 405 0r 445 builds.


so they read this THEN start to search and just maybe they will at least learn how to do that.(search correctly):beer:

The lens that comes with the Dragonlaser is not removable as with the Wicked and pretty sure is not plastic. Could be acrylic.

I am not so sure now-- would Dragon use an plastic lens in a 447nm Spartan?

Have a Dragonlaser Spartan myself and it is a well designed laser for it's power. Mine was around 1220mw. It was great till I tried to clean the lens. Had gotten a little dirty and some trash around the dot and used isopropyl to try and clean. Now it has a starburst pattern around the dot. Does still LPM a little over 1w, but just barely.
I would sooner think cleaning the lens the wrong way would have been what messed it up.

Moe