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COMPLETE* 1/7 Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Review

Re: **UPDATE**Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Review.

Did I miss something ???

I've been gone (Fishing trip)...What's Up Siska???

LarryQ
 





Re: **UPDATE**Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Review.

Small Update.

I found this e-mail this morning:



Hi Larry,

Thanks for sending it in so quickly. I can confirm that your package has been received.
I am glad you are doing such a detailed review because one of your details stood out to me and I wanted to confirm it's not a typo.
Did you say you were testing it in an 85 degrees room?
If there is a problem with a laser it is great to know all the surrounding details.
We do not test at 85 degrees.
Did you happen to try it in a more normal indoor environment (75)?

I will get back to you ASAP about the replacement.

Thanks,

Teping Chang
Destructive Gear








Here Is My Reply:



Part of the testing takes place in my "Lab".
It happened to be a warm evening, and giving all of my servers and other systems running, the Ambient air was 85'.
However, other tests were conducted in cooler conditions @68-72'F
Outdoors (Nighttime) it was @ 65'F, and there were plainly 2 seperate side by side beams.

As a matter of fact...Outside at night, if you slowly rotated the laser, the beam would get Brighter, then dimmer.

As the 2 beams side by side came around it was plain to the eye, however as you continued to rotate the
laser so that one beam was "Hidden" behind the other, the beam was MUCH dimmer.

Basicly, the beam looked rectangle, or more precicely, like a figure "8".

Hope that helps...

Please let me know as we get closer to the new laser's arrival.

Thanks Again!!!

Larry






I'm actually glad to read that they are keeping an eye on this thread, and the Forum in general

LarryQ
 
Re: **UPDATE**Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Review.

I received another e-mail from DG...


--- dgear@destructivegear.com wrote:


Hi Larry,

We are going to go ahead and send you a replacement laser.
Be on the lookout for the tracking number when available.
Please confirm this address for me:

<My Shipping Address Removed -----LQ>


When we receive a complaint like yours, we have two objectives:
to make the customer happy and to understand the nature of the problem so it does not occur again.

Our problem is that we cannot get the laser you sent in to exhibit the behavior shown in your videos.

Mode changes can occur when the laser is too hot or too cold or when the voltage drops too low.
We tried running for long times to heat the laser but do not see the mode change.
Another possibility is that it's not the mode changing but the focus lens is not glued well.
Sometimes we test by knocking the laser quite hard against our hands or a book so the laser does not scratch.
I knock this one very hard and it still works fine.
The other possibility could be that the laser is just not aligned correctly and the beam sometimes scatters against the edge of the lens.
But we test the beam spot at different distances and it appears perfectly round.
So it's a big mystery.

I am thinking maybe the laser was "doubly" warmed by regular use in addition to being in a warm room.
But you also say the problem occurred when you go outside.
Also, mode changing is actually more likely to occur in the cold (10 degrees C) than in the heat.

This ends up confusing us. So we will just send you a new one and hope it goes better.
I am thinking maybe the one from your video will change the mode again in your specific environment.
Do you think if we returned this laser to you in addition to the replacement you could try it and see what
happens, and then return one to us?

Thanks,

Teping Chang
Destructive Gear




I replied back this morning:




Yes, The address is correct.

And Yes, I would also be willing to continue testing of the original laser.

I can get more videos, and pictures of the split beam in an outdoor (Dark Cool) setting.

I have no problem doing that for you.

I will get more batteries so we know everything is fresh.

I can confirm that it is NOT voltage sag causing this.
Or at least it's not coming from the battery.
There is always the Possibility that some component on the driver board is heating up and reducing voltage to the Pump Diode.

Once you could plainly see the beam was Split, I removed the battery, opened a new package, and put a fresh battery in.
When turned on the beam immediately jumped modes back to TEM01.

I would almost bet the Ranch that this is temperature related.
Whether if it's a component on the driver board, the pump diode itself, or a problem in the Crystal Matrix, that is the real Mystery.

At first the beam is nice, round, TEM00.
As the laser warms, the Dot begins to develop a "Tail".
It looks a lot like a small green "Flame" off of one side of the main dot.

This "Tail" becomes Longer, and Longer and brighter.
Eventually the beam is 2 times Wider than the original dot.

If you look carefully at my videos, you eventually see that the "Tail" is now a Dot making at FUZZY "8" shape on the wall (TEM01)

Can you see it when you view the vids??

I really need to get you a video of a Cool laser outside, at night.

There, looking at the beam only, without the brilliance of the DOT making things hard to see, you can plainly see 2 small side by side beams.

Actually this was how I FIRST discovered that something was strange about the beam, and that the laser may have issues.

What I noticed was HOW MUCH BRIGHTER the beam was over my Nova X-105!

It was Brighter, however, it appeared brighter because it was Wider!

As I slowly spun the laser in my hand, the beam got Brighter, then Dimmer....
THAT was when I noticed the 2 separate beams.

Anyway, I will get as much info for you as I can.
Not a Problem.









Stay Tuned...More Exciting Action to Follow!

LarryQ
 
Re: **UPDATE**Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Review.

More News:
I just received the following E-mail from DG:




Dear Larry,

This is your tracking number: XXXXXXXXXX (Changed to Protect Me..heheheh L.Q.).

Your laser number is 700401 Attached is test report.
We are trying to improve our communication and should be included with this package a test report printout and an instructions.

Let's hope there are no problems here.
Our normal test evaluation occurs at two stages; when the laser is made and when the laser is shipped.
We run for 2 minute intervals three times at up to 80 degrees.
We can also "slap" the laser against a book to see if the mode will change.
A laser is likely to change modes when the temperature is too cold or when thebattery starts to die.
Sometimes too warm can make the mode change as well.
I'm sure you know about crystal efficiency.
We adjust the laser power to its maximum efficient output.
For some reason when a laser is set lower than it's maximum it is also more likely to change mode.
For instance if a laser can achieve 120mw and we set it to 70mw, the mode would probably change.
But if the laser can do 120mw, we set it to 120mw generally.

Our lasers are also different from others in that they are TO mount instead of C mount.
It is more efficient design for cooling and stability.

Anyways, I am hopeful this one should turn out for you better.

T Chang
Destructive Gear

700401.jpg


pyroinst.jpg






I checked the tracking number today..it is not in the USPS system yet.
Shouldn't be long now!!

LarryQ
 
*UPDATE 11/19 *Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Review.

The new laser has arrived!

THis time the serial number does indeed match the test that was sent.

THere was an actual printout of the test and the instruction/warning sheet in with the laser.

Bad News is that the Tailcap/switch came apart in shipping!

It appeares that there was just not enough adhesive applied at the factory to hold it together throughout the shipping process.

I was able to find all the pieces of the switch, and managed to get it together good enough for continued testing.
Testing will begin again tonight if all goes as planned.


Here Is what I wrote to DG:





Hello!!!

I just wanted to let you know that the New Laser arrived.

However, the black tailcap/switch fell apart in shipping!!!

I was able to find all the pieces, and repaired it as best I could.
It appears the glue joint that holds the white plastic ring with the brass center failed in transit.

I was able to recover the pieces from inside the laser (I was even able to find that TINY spring!!), and have gotten the laser to work well enough to complete my review.

In the meantime, is there any way I could get a replacement black tailcap/switch sent to me whenever you can get around to it??
Just send it to the same shipping address.

Thanks for all your help...

And if you send that other laser back for continued testing, send it to the same address that you have been using.

Just let me know when anything is on it's way, I need to give the people in the receiving department the heads up that a personal item is coming for me.

THanks again!!!

LarryQ
 
Re: *UPDATE* 11/19 Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Revie

OK....

This laser is NOT like the last one!!!

The beam stays perfectly round even after a few cycles!

Here is a Beam Pic....

DSC00855.jpg


The pic does not do this laser justice...my textured wall played with the dot a bit..



This video was shot after 3 full duty cycles....in an 80 degree server room!

http://s187.photobucket.com/albums/x297/LarryQ99/?action=view&current=NEWDG.flv

No hint of Mode hopping at all!!!!

It ignites matches very quickly....and seems to be a Keeper!
I do note that the range of popping a balloon has seemed to have gotten shorter.!

There are so many variables to consider that I refuse to draw any conclusion from this until real meter readings are available!

With Thanksgiving this week...I will not be able to get this laser to Senkat before Monday!

I would expect this review to be concluded fairly soon now....
I am not going to draw any conclusions until Senkat has had some time with this laser..and we can confer on his findings!!

I again want to thank Senkat for joining me, and for giving his time and effort to help provide all Laserpointerforums.com members and readers with the most accurate Information that we can!

I want to thank everyone for sticking with me through this!
I may have been long winded..but I wanted this review to be as completely transparent as possible!

LarryQ
 
Re: *UPDATE* 11/19 Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Revie

Glad to see you got your laser! Should be having tons of fun with that. I just got a diode today so I'm slowly piecing everything together and should have that operational soon. ;)
 
Re: *UPDATE* 11/19 Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Revie

Looks good Larry..I can't wait to see what SenKat thinks of it and what he measures the power at, but I am sure it will be good. :)
 
Re: *UPDATE* 11/19 Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Revie

Excellent Larry ! AFter you have fun playing...erm, TESTING it over the holiday - I can get those meter readings for you :) Glad they came through mostly :D Of all things - a SWITCH problem....man...rotten luck, bro !
 
Re: *UPDATE* 11/19 Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Revie

I'll only have Thanksgiving day to play around with it...

The rest of the weekend, I'm taking (Dragging) my lovely bride Goose Hunting!

We leave Friday morning...Won't be back until Sunday Night!

I'm going to be one hurting unit come Monday morning!

She was smart enough to take that Monday as a vacation day!

Greg..I will let you know when I send it!
Thanks again for your efforts!!!

LarryQ
 
Re: *UPDATE* 12/7 Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Review

Update….

Well, I would like to say that this review is now complete.
However, that is far from the case.

I was able to get the laser out to Greg (Senkat) before his surgery date!

Oh…and GET WELL SOON GREG!!!!

Immediately Greg found some very strange readings on his meters!
Indications were that the laser was emitting HUGE amounts of IR!

So much in fact that we both began to sort of doubt what he was seeing!

I quickly realized that I was going to have to get this laser out to another person to compare results! But something was definitely wrong with this laser.
Greg found the laser put out 174-187mW!!!
This seemed highly unlikely for a laser of this format!
When he placed an IR filter in front of the beam, the power dropped to 23mW at startup, and climbed to @88mW after 20 seconds!
That’s @100mW PLUS OF IR OUTPUT!!!!


I quickly contacted DG to let them know about these initial findings.
I also informed them that the laser was going to another source for testing to try and corroborate the findings.


Here is their first reply.



Some special customers order modules from us without IR filter.
Perhaps there is a chance that there was a mixup somehow.
But our spec is for all pointers to have IR filter.
Also your test report shows output is about 140mw, compared to the 180mw you say you tested.
Something seems to be amiss. If the power is really 180mw and there were no IR filter, green
would normally be about 140mw and the rest would be IR.
It seems strange that such a high proportion would be IR.

All of the Destructive Gear pointers are to be made with IR filter.
It's part of our specification and one of the reasons the pointer is above average cost.
If you're pointer really does not have IR filter we would replace it for you whether or not it was in any kind of warranty period.
I hope you keep me updated.

Thanks,






I then began to think of people that could possible help me with continued testing.

Originally, Psudo volunteered to help me out, however he was just about to take a trip and would have been on the road.
Not wanting to bother him on a trip I started looking for someone else.
(Thanks Psudo, for the offer to help…your tops with me!!)

Hemlock Mike Stepped up, and took on the task of testing the laser.

I also contacted Jack at Optotronics, and he also agreed to help me out!!
(Again THANKS TO JACK…Big time!!!)

Once Mike was able to test the laser, the results were found to be somewhat different than Greg’s, but it still pointed to a MAJOR IR issue!

I felt that enough information had been gathered, and I made the decision not to bother anyone else with testing this particular laser.

In short, this laser is passing 35-40mW of IR!
Mike was able to use both Silicon and Thermal based meters for this test!!!
Man, Mike has a lot of cool toys!!


I have contacted DG yet again and informed them what the final data is showing.
I also told them that I was holding off posting this info to my review until I had hard data

Here is DG’s reply.


Thanks for your information.
The review is not important to us as much as the information.
We only want to get things right for all our customers, not just the ones who do a review. Your report causes us to check all the inventory to make sure all the lasers are properly IR filtered.
Some identical modules are made but without the filter.
If yours has no filter it seems to be the only one thankfully.
But we will inform some of our other recent customers to test for this.

We appreciate your info, although we'll have to test your pointer ourselves in our lab to be sure you are correct.

Thanks,

Teping Chang
Destructive Gear




Hemlock Mike was good enough to supply me with 2 data recorder charts that clearly show the amount of IR.
He also included a very detailed summation of the tests including the types and model numbers of the meters and filters used in these tests!

Thank you Mike!

Without the help and support of so many people, I could never have been able to perform this review!
I am deeply appreciative of each and every one of you!


So…today, the laser was packed up, Photocopies of all the Data were included with the laser, and again I have a Pyro 100 on its way back to Destructive gear.

If it weren’t for their customer service, this review would have been an absolute NIGHTMARE!!!

Look forward to more info as it comes in!

Larry Quinn
 
Re: *UPDATE* 12/7 Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Review

When you get your replacement I assume you will be sending it to Mike to test. Hopefully the third time will be a charm..
 
Re: *UPDATE* 12/10 Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Revie

Another E-mail From DG

DG Wrote:


Larry,

I already had the replacement sent to you. Actually, it goes through LV first so they can check it :)

I misspoke about the IR filter. We did check the inventory and there were a couple others that we fixed by hand.

As for how this could happen, I'm sure you know that an assembled laser diode looks mainly like a tube of brass. Because our testing equipment has the IR filter on it already, we can't tell.
But now we change our entire procedure to fix the problem.
Thanks for your heads up.

Teping Chang
Destructive Gear
 
Re: *UPDATE* 12/10 Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Revie

So is the moral of the story ‘Only buy from Destructive Gear if you can have your laser tested; otherwise, you may end up with lass than you paid for. (Or more when it comes to IR)’
 
Re: *UPDATE* 12/10 Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Revie

Yup, unfortunately it looks that way and it is hard to believe them. I don't know why anyone would need or want to order a laser without an IR filter. Then they change their story and say they mis-spoke. Interesting...
 
Re: *UPDATE* 12/10 Destructive Gear PYRO 100 Revie

Wow, if this wasn't a free laser laser I would say this is just crazy! Hopefully this will all be worked out soon though. I really want to see a true Pyro in action!
 





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