Any ideas about Digital SANWA LP1 Optical Laser Power Meter

[moh17]

I found this LPM. its cheap and portable. The most important to me is the seller offers Express shipping by FedEx . Any ideas about this LPM. I contacted the seller and he told me he will ship it Today as soon as I place an order. I'm not sure if it is good or not. I do not care if its 100 % accurate or not. I only care about the range of output. For example, I will not care if my 5mW shows 6 mW; it is still safe and accepted. I need your suggestion before placing an order.

Digital Sanwa LP1 Optical Laser Power Meter 40mW 400?1100nm Range Optical Sensor | eBay

 

[andrewb]

That meter is meant for measuring very-low-power lasers (e.g. for optical communications), as the maximum rated power is only 40mW. Likely not very practical for our hobbyist needs.

For $30-40 more, you could buy an Ophir sensor (like the one below), and with a DMM and two 9V batteries build your own meter, which can measure well over 5W, with a very fast response time (<1 sec).

Ophir 1706111 Laser Power Meter Head Sensor 20c A 1 Y | eBay

-Andy

 

[moh17]

That meter is meant for measuring very-low-power lasers (e.g. for optical communications), as the maximum rated power is only 40mW. Likely not very practical for our hobbyist needs.

For $30-40 more, you could buy an Ophir sensor (like the one below), and with a DMM and two 9V batteries build your own meter, which can measure well over 5W, with a very fast response time (<1 sec).

Ophir 1706111 Laser Power Meter Head Sensor 20c A 1 Y | eBay

-Andy

I found a cheaper ONE and within the price range. What is your suggestion ?


Free Shipping New 2 Watt Laserbee? A Laser Power Meter Thermopile | eBay

 

[RYDorDIE278]

I found a cheaper ONE and within the price range. What is your suggestion ?


Free Shipping New 2 Watt Laserbee? A Laser Power Meter Thermopile | eBay

It depends what you want really, that LPM might not show true power until about 25-30 Seconds,
maybe Email Laserbee and tell him your from LPF and see if he will discount you a bit..Worth a try

 

[moh17]

It depends what you want really, that LPM might not show true power until about 25-30 Seconds,
maybe Email Laserbee and tell him your from LPF and see if he will discount you a bit..Worth a try

Thanks, 25-30 Seconds is fine to me. I just want be sure that my low power laser pointers are truly less than 5 mW as I use them indoor without wearing safety goggles. I relay on the fact that my blink reflex will save me from direct or reflected exposure. I trust my 5 mW lasers since I measured them at the university lab; however, I'm buying new lasers and want have a permanent LPM.

 

[andrewb]

The Laserbee will likely not be a very good solution for measuring lasers below 5mW. Because of the sensor it uses, it will take 25-30 seconds to heat up the sensor, and this will not work well or accurately for low power lasers (which can't heat the sensor much).

If you truly want to measure <5mW, the first one you posted will probably be better, as long as you are aware that it can't measure anything above 40mW. If you ever get into higher power lasers, you will need another meter.

An Ophir sensor (like the one I posted) can technically measure 5mW and below (probably not as well as the one you posted), but can also measure higher power lasers as well. It's a good compromise, in my opinion, for roughly the same $200 price tag.

Also note that the Laserbee folks are probably not watching this thread. (They used to be members of this forum years ago, but aren't anymore, after some negative interactions occurred on the forum.) Personally, I don't think their meter that you posted is worth the money. For $200, you'll be better off with an Ophir sensor (which normally sells for many hundreds of dollars more, if you were to buy it new from Ophir).

 

[moh17]

The Laserbee will likely not be a very good solution for measuring lasers below 5mW. Because of the sensor it uses, it will take 25-30 seconds to heat up the sensor, and this will not work well or accurately for low power lasers (which can't heat the sensor much).

If you truly want to measure <5mW, the first one you posted will probably be better, as long as you are aware that it can't measure anything above 40mW. If you ever get into higher power lasers, you will need another meter.

An Ophir sensor (like the one I posted) can technically measure 5mW and below (probably not as well as the one you posted), but can also measure higher power lasers as well. It's a good compromise, in my opinion, for roughly the same $200 price tag.

Also note that the Laserbee folks are probably not watching this thread. (They used to be members of this forum years ago, but aren't anymore, after some negative interactions occurred on the forum.) Personally, I don't think their meter that you posted is worth the money. For $200, you'll be better off with an Ophir sensor (which normally sells for many hundreds of dollars more, if you were to buy it new from Ophir).

Thanks so much for clarification. I believe there is no need to measure high power lasers since,I will always be wearing protective glasses for them; however, I will not wear protective glasses for 5 mW or lower even at 10 mW common sens will protect me. I mean by common sens never shine the laser at reflected surfaces like mirror or look directly at the beam and I shall be safe. At 10 mW it is class 3B and from reading about this class. It is obvious that reflection from non reflecting surfaces are safe. :thanks:

 

[ARG]

Ophirs 20C heads are rated at a 20mW minimum.

All thermal based power meters perform poorly at low powers, laserbee's, radiants, even ophir 20C heads. Heat from the surroundings can throw off a reading by a few milliwatts.

Optical power meters are far better at low power measurements.