Batteries?

[originallymasked]

I have a 100mw 532nm green laser pointer, running on "Panasonic Evolta" alkaline batteries which were like 10$ and so i expected them to be decent... they ended up not even lasting a day... i put them into the laser pointer, tested it out for a few minutes and played around with it, then an hour or so later i tried it out again and the batteries were pretty much drained... it still worked, but the dot was very weak and didn't nearly have the strength it used too.

I then didn't touch it for a few days, and the batteries seemed to get back its power, but that again only lasted a few minutes...

What are best longest lasting AAA batteries out there for my laser pointer? I want them to be strong so i can see the beam nice and clear, and also last a long time, possibly even re-chargeable (i heard rechargeable ones aren't as strong though?)

I'd like to order them online if possible too

*edit* I live in Canada, so preferably a Canadian site, or one that ships to Canada

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

Sanyo Eneloop 4 AAA Cells

Or a 10440 battery and a spacer.

Please while you're shopping for batteries also pickup goggles. There are links in my signature.

 

[originallymasked]

That site doesn't ship to Canada, i found the same ones on Batteryjunction but the shipping prices cost more than the batteries themself... am i able to find these sort of batteries in a Wal-mart or superstore or anything you think?

This question is a little irrelevant, but i don't think i should start an entirely new thread to ask this, but... why is it that my laser beam isn't very visible at all? Is it because of the batteries? Even when the batteries where fresh out of the package the beam wasn't amazing. Outside in daylight there is no beam at all, in a very dim room there is a very very faint beam, and in the pitch black there is a visible beam but it's very thin and not that bright.

Is that as bright as a 100mw will get? or is it just the batteries?

 

[Gryphon]

It could simply be your laser is not truely 100mW, or the conditions you're in arent idael for seeing the beam. A little smoke, dust or even steam in the air can really help bring out the beam. Remember, you wont see the light if theres nothing in the air for it to reflect off of.

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

Most likely your laser is nowhere near 100mW. 100mW is clearly visible at night, and in a dimly lit room. In the dark it's rather bright.

You would be better off ordering a new laser.

 

[originallymasked]

It could simply be your laser is not truely 100mW, or the conditions you're in arent idael for seeing the beam. A little smoke, dust or even steam in the air can really help bring out the beam. Remember, you wont see the light if theres nothing in the air for it to reflect off of.

how many mw would a laser have to be in order to see a nice beam in daylight? Say if i were just outside during the day and pointed the laser, would i be able the see a very visible beam at 200mw?

This 100mw is decent for now, once i get some better batteries it will be more fun.

It's just that when i bought the laser i was under the assumption that batteries would last for months just like the little 1mw lasers i was used too lol

 

[originallymasked]

Most likely your laser is nowhere near 100mW. 100mW is clearly visible at night, and in a dimly lit room. In the dark it's rather bright.

You would be better off ordering a new laser.

But the site i ordered it from along with the packaging it came in said 100mW, it can't just lie like that, can it?

I've only played around with it twice so far though. The first day i got it i messed around with it a little bit outside around dusk, it was in the evening as the sun was setting so it was still light but not too light, and i could see a very faint beam that shot off pretty far into the distance. But that was using the extremely cheap batteries it came with! Then i tested it in the dark with the same batteries and the beam was a bit brighter, except it was in a small room and the laser dot itself was so bright that it lit up most of the room so the beam didnt show to well...

Then the second time i tested it out was with these new batteries, except it drained the batteries so quickly it was pretty much dead by night time so i never got a chance to test them in the dark, but i saw a faint beam in a dimmed lit room.

So possibly it is 100mW and i just need to try it in the dark with some good batteries? Although it only cost about 25$

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

Chinese dropshippers lie the time.

Well maybe not lie so much, as have no clue what they are actually selling.

You definitely don't have a 100mW green considering you paid $25 for it.

From what you're describing, it's probably 10-30mW at best.

 

[Blord]

Alkaline batteries are not so good for lasers. The laser will drain the batteries very fast. Rechargeable batteries like Ni-MH are better suited for this job. And in the end you are cheaper with a set of rechargable AAA and charger than a bunch of alkaline batteries.

 

[originallymasked]

Chinese dropshippers lie the time.

Well maybe not lie so much, as have no clue what they are actually selling.

You definitely don't have a 100mW green considering you paid $25 for it.

From what you're describing, it's probably 10-30mW at best.

That's disappointing... especially since the packaging it came in said it was from Hong Kong, but i'm satisfied with this laser for now, it's decently bright and can burn through black garbage bags and pop balloons and whatnot, so i'm assuming its 50mW or higher. And if i shine it into the night sky it can go as far as the eye can see.

I live on the top floor in an apartment and so i over see all the other apartments, and when i shine it off into the distance at night it goes on endlessly with a nice clear beam, so i think it has some decent power, possibly not 100mW though

Also i just picked up some rechargeable batteries as well, that should help.

What website do you recommend i buy from then? A site that is completely honest with what it says a laser is? That also sells for a decent price

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

In order from best to decent;

Laserglow, Optotronics, Jetlasers, CNI, Lasever, lazerer, o-like, and rayfoss.

 

[Benm]

how many mw would a laser have to be in order to see a nice beam in daylight? Say if i were just outside during the day and pointed the laser, would i be able the see a very visible beam at 200mw?

Not likely, unless it was coming straight at you.

Daylight is a very broad term though. On an overcast winters day it can be as low as 100 lux, and on bright summers day it can be 10.000 lux in the shade. Direct sunlight goes as high as 100.000 lux the equator under bright skies.

You may be able to see 100 mW on a 1000 lux day if there is some dust in the air, but otherwise don't count on it. On a maximum sunny day its hard to find the dot of a 100 mW laser in sunny spot - you can still see the dot once you know where it is though.

 

[originallymasked]

I'll be sure to check out those sites, i have another battery question though

I bought these rechargeable Duracell 800mAh batteries, but they don't last long at all! When they're fully charged they only last about 5 minutes of use, then if i put it away and come back later they're be pretty much dead or only last for a minute or so... so, my thought was that the laser drains the batteries even when i'm not using it, am i supposed to be taking the batteries out when i'm not using it?

I'm unsure if this is normal or if it's some issue with my laser, i'm going to start taking the batteries out when i'm not using it from now on though and see if that helps...

 

[tsteele93]

Can you tell us more about the laser? Can you post pictures or a link to where you bought it?