can a 5mW be PotModed without shortening lifespan?

[mikeeey]

hey everyone im new to the forum and getting into the green laser thing.

im thinking of buying a cheap ebayser 5mW green laser. i do know that it can be Pot Modded but im worried about over powering the laser and shortening the life span. is there something else i can do to avoid this? for Ex adding a different resistor? or is there others mods besides the Pot Mod? i wanted it atleast to "burn" and/or you can see the laser beam.

well thanks for any info you guys can give me. this seems like a great forum.

 

[SenKat]

Re: can a 5mW be PotModed without shortening lifes

Instead of carving up a possibly bad pointer to begin with - take a look at www.dealextreme.com

They have LOTS of greenies, at reasonable prices, too !

 

[mikeeey]

Re: can a 5mW be PotModed without shortening lifes

thankyou for the quick response SenKat.
i like the 30 dollar 30mW one im seeing here. can this one be pot modded? if so how much can i pot mod it without causing any damage to it at all? i dont wanna lower the life span at all.
also, what's an IR filter do? without it can it burn things easier? is there a way to remove this if that's what its for?

 

[SenKat]

Re: can a 5mW be PotModed without shortening lifes

Any time you do a pot mod, you risk blowing it up - it is guarranteed that it WILL shorten the lifespan - so my advice ? Buy the power level you want/need ! Yes, you can remove the IR filter - but it then makes it very dangerous, and will only be good for burning stuff at very close up - take a look in the multimedia section under the title of "dangerous demo" or something like that - in it, I show a 1.2Watt 808nm diode package, and the power of it. The power of uncollimated IR is pretty low - you REALLY gotta get close up, and then you risk damaging the laser or lense due to heat, smoke, etc.... I am not certain exactly where on the DX 30 he IR filter is - but I do advise against it.

 

[mikeeey]

Re: can a 5mW be PotModed without shortening lifes

Any time you do a pot mod, you risk blowing it up - it is guarranteed that it WILL shorten the lifespan - so my advice ?  Buy the power level you want/need !  Yes, you can remove the IR filter - but it then makes it very dangerous, and will only be good for burning stuff at very close up - take a look in the multimedia section under the title of "dangerous demo" or something like that - in it, I show a 1.2Watt 808nm diode package, and the power of it.  The power of uncollimated IR is pretty low - you REALLY gotta get close up, and then you risk damaging the laser or lense due to heat, smoke, etc....  I am not certain exactly where on the DX 30 he IR filter is - but I do advise against it.

so will removing it keep it just as bright? and reach as far? and u say very close up? that means it wont work further back anymore. well in that case i will leave the IR filter on.

anyway thanks for the fast replys and making my first posts here so easy

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

Re: can a 5mW be PotModed without shortening lifes

Mikeey --

I believe SenKat is telling you that you will gain NOTHING by removing the IR filter and will probably damage the pointer in the process. A tripple negative. Damage the laser, no gain and maybe damage your eyes.

As for pot modding --- IF you know what you're doing AND have the meters, you might get a little more BUT it will shorten the LD life.

Mike

 

[mikeeey]

Re: can a 5mW be PotModed without shortening lifes

Mikeey --

I believe SenKat is telling you that you will gain NOTHING by removing the IR filter and will probably damage the pointer in the process. A tripple negative. Damage the laser, no gain and maybe damage your eyes.

As for pot modding --- IF you know what you're doing AND have the meters, you might get a little more BUT it will shorten the LD life.

Mike

o lol ok. i will neither do the pot mod or remote the IR filter.

 

[WatchDragon]

Re: can a 5mW be PotModed without shortening lifes

hmm, i would be weary about what they say they are, in my search for a new greenie, i'm thinking i still want a Viper Series 35mW, even though for the same price on that deal extreme page you get a 200mW, i donno..

As for removing IR filters, it wont do anything but damage your eyes maybe, i work with arc lamps and such, IR filters are a good thing.

 

[Things]

Re: can a 5mW be PotModed without shortening lifes

a 30mw will not burn anything :'(. you need over 50mw to even start burning anything

 

[Kenom]

Re: can a 5mW be PotModed without shortening lifes

Nah, you can pop balloons with a 30 at close ranges. I do it all the time cept you have to make sure they are black balloons or sharpie them. it's fun to show people even a smaller wattage laser can do fun stuff.

Like sear out your eyeballs from too much looky at the beamy. Kidding. Getting rid of the IR filter is an all around bad thing. I am not going to risk my eyeballs and everyone around me by playing with ir. Spend the extra money. Get a higher powered laser. don't waste the money and time to mod a perfectly good laser trying to make it better when you will most likely fry it in the process. I tried it to begin with and got a really bright laser for a couple of weeks. THEN POOOOF. Now I own some higher power lasers that are designed to be high.

 

[mikeeey]

Re: can a 5mW be PotModed without shortening lifes

well today ive made a deal with my friend. basicly weve put out money together (but he put in more). and were both getting green lasers. il be getting a 50mW and hes getting a 30mW. then some money he owed me from a another time will be decreased a bit.

so, im getting a 50mW =). can they light matches?

 

[Things]

Re: can a 5mW be PotModed without shortening lifes

sometimes dx lasers can be all over the place with their ratings, but if you get a good one then i guess you could?

 

[pseudonomen137]

Re: can a 5mW be PotModed without shortening lifes

Just to clarify: You CANNOT pot mod any laser by even 0.00001mW without shortening its lifespan. A laser made to higher specs like a good leadlight may take it without affecting the lifespan much, but either way you are affecting it.

 

[aaron_inc]

Re: can a 5mW be PotModed without shortening lifes

it basically just depends on the laser you get, i would think that the 50mw would at least pop balloons, i have a 10mw ebayser that pops balloons.

 

[mikeeey]

Re: can a 5mW be PotModed without shortening lifes

ok so, thanks everyone, i will not PotMod my laser.


and i guess il just have to see if it lights matches when i get it.