CNI PGL-III 400mW is now 200mW...

[Trevor]

Ouch, it's always sad to lose such an overspec laser.

It seems like a lot of people have really good experiences with CNI, and a few have terrible ones. Hard to say how I feel about them nowadays.

-Trevor

 

[aryntha]

Yeah, paying to go from nearly 700mW of 532 down to 464mW or 532 is pretty significant. But I don't think I have any legitimate ground to stand on to complain. A little bit of a bait-and-switch feeling over time but, they're not gonna be too sympathetic.

The only thing I'm hoping on is the 1-2 minute run. Maybe it was still climbing when they ended the test. At this point, I only hope that it wasn't diving when they ended the test. That'll piss me off, if I get it back after all this and it's following the same sort of pattern as before, nose-diving to 250mW or so after a minute or so of runtime.

I wonder how RA_Pierce's monster of a PGL-III-C 532 is doing at this point; (I believe he sold it...)


UPDATE:

This really does not sound good:

After duty cycle, the output power of the laser will be lower than 400mW sometimes, after your turn it on again, the peak output power is 510mW, then it will low to more than 400mW.

So it sounds like it starts at 510mW and then dives. Within 1-2 minutes. This is definitely NOT what I want, but I'm not sure what I can even tell them at this point. I don't have much bargaining room here. Dammit.

I'm telling them I'm not happy with that; I'm not looking for a "flash" above 400mW and then a rapid dive to below spec... I'm not sure if it's time to tell them that this information will be relayed on LPF...

But at this point, they have my laser *and* my money, so they've got the upper hand, obviously...

UPDATE 2: Have told them as such, that I'm not really happy with that result, and the responses are pretty much just re-statements of the above "starts at 510mW and drops" quote.

Maybe it's time to chalk this one out. Was really hoping to post another "CNI repair happy ending" story as was the case with my 473 a few month back, but I can't say I endorse what's going on here. With how short the original one lasted, with very little use, and the condition that they're insisting on shipping the repair back in, this should serve as fair warning. I don't even have it back yet and they're pretty much admitting to me it's barely in spec except for a quick surge when you turn it on.

I continue to tell them that's not what I want, as the laser I sent in was performing far, far, far better than this just weeks before. If it was ~4-5 minutes of 450mW, I'd take it and live with it. But this precipitous drop they're describing (and they've sent me the meter shots) sounds like they might have just turned up the diode current on the PGL I sent in to compensate for whatever was wrong in the crystal set.

I guess I kind of stuck my foot in it by paying them for the repair before seeing the output readings. But their indication was that they wouldn't proceed with the repair until it was paid for. So that ends up being a bit of a standoff. Though they seem pretty adamant that "this is what you're gonna get; live with it." at this point.

How hard would it be for them to just swap it for a better spec'd one and sell this one as a PGL-III-C-350mW ???

I'll keep updating, and hoping that I can post a better outcome.

 

[jakeGT]

That is what scares me do much to pay a Lot of money for a laser like this. Knowing that end the end, you can't really do anything if ur still
Unsatisfied if you have to return or have a laser repaired, and end the end not getting what you thought you paid for

 

[aryntha]

Well, at this point they've stopped responding to my emails... Maybe they just had to leave for the day; (For some reason, they were working on Saturday there.)

But I'm hoping they didn't just ship it; Ava's original plan was to ship it today, and they might have just gone forward with that.

 

[aryntha]

Well, they continue to be pretty adamant to send this one out. This is how they're describing it after "talking to the engineer" for specifics:

"After 10-15 seconds it reaches 510mW, and stays there 30-45 seconds. Then it will go low to 450mW for 1-2 minutes and end at low but above 400mW. Then you have to turn off laser to let it cool down."

This was a backpedal from them saying it would be 'low than 400mW after 1-2 minutes".

I guess, let this be a warning to folks. If you get an overspec CNI laser, and it breaks, realize that your repair has a good chance to not be overspec any longer.

I know folks like RA_Pierce had units that'd do 7-10 minutes at 650mW; and my previous one did 690mW at peak.

Does anyone here have any recommendations as to whether or not I should tell them to go ahead and send it back, at this 510-464-400mW 3-minute run; or if otherwise, if I should ask Ava for anything else? (I already asked if I could pay for an upgrade - she said no, please buy another one.)

 

[scopeguy20]

Kind of shows us all how hard it must be for LaserGlow to get CNI product they can stand behind... -GH

 

[Trevor]

Kind of shows us all how hard it must be for LaserGlow to get CNI product they can stand behind... -GH

It certainly puts the higher price in perspective.

-Trevor

 

[aryntha]

It does. And honestly, my Aries, while ~180mW, is **rock solid**, the thing behaves like a freaking pure diode... Turn it on, 179-180mW. 10 minutes later, 179-180mW.

Unfortunately, this looks like it'll be the last communication I'll get from CNI on the matter:

Thanks for your email, I have enquired our engineer about this laser, now it is at best status. Please believe that we will try all our best to provide you the best laser. We hope that you will buy more and more lasers from us, next time, if you will still buy laser from us, we will provide you best price and best quality.

If it were really that much of a concern I'd figure they'd just send a new PGL-III-C; but they're not going to do it.

I also remember the one I sent in, while looking identical to my PGL-III-C 532 50mW, was distinctively much *heavier* than that one. I wonder if when I get this one back, it'll be as light as the 50mW. Just seems like this 1-2 minute duty cycle starting and dropping thing; that doesn't seem like the output I've seen from PGL-III-C-400's before around this forum. "Flash bright and then dim down" is never a good sign with lasers.

The whole thing just feels to me like they're phoning it in.

So, yes, Laserglow must have their work cut out for them. If I had any way of affording a 500mW Aries or a Hercules, I would. But I think for that range, going forward, I'm going to have to go with something lab, and tec'd.

..Time to reduce the power rating of that one on my signature. (Salutes solemnly.)

 

[DJNY]

Really sorry to hear...

You may sell this one and get a 600mW JETLASERS PL-D instead. Gray is better to speak with.

 

[aryntha]

And, laser arrived. (Figured, it arrived hours after I left for the airport...)

I'm currently out of town right now due to work, but, my GF tested it and she said it was doing ~520mW or so on startup, then settling into ~495-510 and hanging out there. She also said there was a brief peak at 666 (yes, 666) to begin with upon turn-on for no more than a second, but I'm not going to count that as 'peak' so much as the old unit climbed to 690 and stayed there for a while.

I'll test it more extensively when I get home. But I'm looking on the bright side:

-At least it works.
-At least it wasn't snagged at Customs.
-At least it's doing better than it was after it broke.
-As the last return I had, it took about 1 month all told. (Almost a month TO THE DAY from my door, and back to my door.)

Here's the crazy thing, and read this twice:

They shipped it on Friday 6/3 from China. It arrived today, Monday, 6/6 in Colorado.

Are the Chinese investing in time machine development or FTL travel???

...No, it's no 690mW beast anymore, but a 500mW 532 isn't exactly something to shake a stick at. I just shouldn't have paid $1000 over a year for the privilege. (Hak, how's Gray with JetLasers doing these days )

So, another entry in the books for CNI experiences. I really hope they do get their high-powered PGLs under control; or perhaps they're backing off on the 600-700mW overspec ones because of shorter lifetimes. If this one lasts years, I suppose that could turn out for the best as well.

 

[jakeGT]

Your girlfriend tests lasers?
SHE is the man.

 

[aryntha]

Your girlfriend tests lasers?

Doesn't everybody's?

 

[jakeGT]

Lol, I wish that were the case. I have been trying to get mine to do a lingerie laser photo shoot.

 

[madog]

Man, what a PITA! How is the blue lab treating you?

 

[aryntha]

Man, what a PITA! How is the blue lab treating you?

Just fine! Thing runs for 30 minutes easy never breaking TEMoo and never dipping below 50mW. Rock solid 473!