Duty cycles: How long on average? What if not listed?

[LightBeamConcentrate]

I was just outside checking out my new 532nm green amazon.com laser(it's the 3 pack for $26.99, 405nm, 532nm, 605nm). While showing it to my roommate, I would click it on for maybe 5-10-15 seconds at a time, then off for 5-10 seconds, then back on again. I did this for about 8 minutes or so.

During this time, I noticed that at one point I could see the whole green beam for 200 feet, and I'd call it more than faintly, but then when I'd click it on again, I suddenly could hardly see the beam. Then not at all. Then it was back again. Then off again. Then low again. So I came in, now I am asking what the dilly-o is?

I read about other lasers that there is a "duty cycle". I assume that means you keep it on for no more than a certain length of time, then you must leave it off for a certain amount of time.

But these lasers came with -zero- instructions......... I wasnt even sure which way to put the batteries in!

Did I possible damage it by turning it on and of like for 5-10-15 seconds like that without leaving it off for a minute or so? It seems to be OK in my room right now.......

Also, do all lasers have duty cycles, can you ruin a laser if you dont abide by it?

By the way, my safety goggles arent in yet, but I'm only using the laser outside and not pointing it at anything reflective, and only turned them on in my room a few times, also not pointing it at reflective surfaces.....

 

[lman]

mode hoping i think

 

[cheech226]

as these are inexpensive lasers they don't have good heat sinking. it's possible that the ir diode is overheating. the greens use an ir laser to produce green by interacting with a crystal set.

there's usually a good bit of heat generated with diode lasers. how we deal with this heat determines duty cycle. if the diode can be kept "cool" it can run for an indefinite time.

 

[TacoHerder]

from what I read green lasers can be kinda unstable as far as power goes. With all strong lasers you should practice short duty cycles with a min or so in between. Im sure there are other factors involved as well, like your battery life. Or maybe the driver isnt working properly. Duty cycle will depend on how well the heat sink is. If your heat sink isnt getting hot you can run your laser for longer periods of time. Like the "Bushwacker" 2W 445nm that was sold earlier this week. It had a nice big copper heat sink, which after 15 min of constant running didnt get hot. How strong is it? Just be careful, if you want to point it take it outside. If its over 200mW i would wait to get goggles even when going outside.

 

[Keiichi tsuchiya]

HOLY CRAP!! THE GUY RIGHT UP OF MY COMMENT HAS 24 LASER!! WTF !! LOL
I wish i could have more than one ..): lol one day .... One day....
(sorry if this clmment is taken as spamm but .! I COULDNT RESIST !!!) ^_^*

 

[LightBeamConcentrate]

Problem with 532nm laser(Yes, already!)

It now seems to be acting up. After letting it sit for 1/2 hour at least, I picked it up again, and it was putting out maybe 1/5th of its previous power. So I clicked it on and off a few times to see if it would clear up, but nothing.....

Then I opened it up and rotated the batteries(put the front one in back and vice versa), and that immediately seemed to get it running at 100% again.

Dont know what happened there, because the total run time so far is about maybe 3 minutes on. I dont know how fast a roughly 30mW 532nm laser should burn through 2 alkaline Rayovac AAA batteries.

 

[Keiichi tsuchiya]

It should give you a good amount of time ( of course .... If you use it for one hour straight the laser and the batteryes will die ) but yea ... I have a 100mw green laser and it uses One cr2 lithium battery and i can tell you that it just drains the battery out ! I can only use it for about 15min split in one day ,to at least get 2 and a half days of batterye life !! ( after the four batteryes that i bought get drained up ... I will go to rechargeable ... Icant waste 10$ every week for 4 batteryes !!! R u crazy!! ) lol
Yours should give you 4-5 days of run time ...

 

[Cyparagon]

You can leave them on until they get warm.