Difference between 156mW and 250mW 405nm

[rpaloalto]

I have 2 lasers both have LarryDFW lenses.
One is a phr that has been tested to have a 165mW average.

The other laser is a GGW that has not been metered. It was set at 195mA and was guestamted to be close to 250mW

The thing is I cant see a difference. Both seem to be able to burn through a cd case in the same amount of time. Even lighting matches from 6ft, they will perform the same.

Visually, they are the same. Same color, same brightens. Even with the lens off. Shinning on a white surface, they appear to be the same in brightens.

Should I be able to notice a difference of 100mW. Or is it not that
noticeable.

Maybe the unmetered GGW, is only putting out 200mW. That would only be 50mW difference. Should I still be seeing a difference?

 

[LarryDFW]

rpaloalto;

I would check the actual current in each laser.

That should give you a somewhat relative level of power output.

I have a 200ma 6X with the same type lens assembly that burns much quicker than my PHR (only set to 125ma).

Are you able to move the 6X lens assembly past the focus point ?

Does the window on the 6X look clean ?

Focusing is important when you are burning.

I check with newspaper, to see the size hole that burns thru.

LarryDFW

 

[rpaloalto]

Never mind,
I guess my batteries were running a little low. :yabbem:
I just gave them a fresh charge. Took them both outside in the dark. The 200+ mW laser has a much brighter and thicker beam.

 

[Mohrenberg]

heh. yeah i know it's set to 195mA.

i was going to say, if it look like a duck.....ect....maybe the diode was crapping out

glad the batteries were the problem, it would suck to have 2 crap out in a row!

oh - and the new battery i sent you was fresh from the seller, so it probably needed to be charged anyways.

 

[rpaloalto]

Yea, I guess I thought, because it used a driver. That the output would have little to do with battery power. That when the batteries output fell below a cretin point, the laser would just stop working.

I guess the batteries were barley supplying the minimum. I swear I just charged them the night before, guess it was a set of my 18650 cells.

The only reason I was concerned. Is because I know their have been a few underpowered GGW diodes floating around. The only way to really tell would be to have a LPM to measure the mW vs mA.