Green laser from thailand

[Tyler26]

I recently came back from thailand and I bought home with me a green 200 I think it's slightly more, laser. I do t have it with me at the moment as it's at my dads but after seeing people popping balloons and lighting matches with a 30mw I am wondering why mine can't do that. I'm wondering if the label is misleading. It was 360฿ Which is about 12-13$. Someone help! And after putting new batteries in it it is pretty bright for about 20 mins then it starts fading and the dot is really small. Can someone please tell me what's happening. It long, black has silver capped ends with silver clip and button. On the clip it has the words ️Laser Pointer️ Engraved in it. I would post some pics but they are too big. Also I am new to this forum.

 

[mortuus]

you bought a cheap shit laser thats why im sure u can find same laser on ebay for the same price its junk nothing else.. it doesnt matter what the label says anyone can print out those and say its a million watt power.. if you really want a laser with quality you have to buy from a website that sells qualitylasers only.

 

[Netscott]

While I tend to agree with the sentiments expressed by mortuus there are a couple of things that can be tried no matter which kind of laser one might be working with.

1st put the laser down and direct its beam at a stationary black balloon that is at 1 meter distance away or less. With the laser and balloon not moving and the balloon being black and nearby these are about the most ideal conditions that one can have to try popping a balloon.

2nd if that fails to work it may be because the intensity of the laser light isn't strong enough. You can try to use a lens to focus the laser light down to a finer point in order to increase its intensity. You may need to experiment with various lenses in order to find one that works best to focus the light down to a fine point.

Good luck.

-Scott

 

[Tyler26]

Thanks Scott will give it a try. Where do I get lens and I have seen people increase the beam intensity by pulling the button of and adjusting it with a screwdriver. Could I do that??

 

[Tyler26]

Thanks Scott will give it a try. Where can I get lenses and also have seen people remove the button to adjust the beam would that be possible Or could that little part be somewhere else in the laser??

 

[Netscott]

Thanks Scott will give it a try. Where do I get lens and I have seen people increase the beam intensity by pulling the button of and adjusting it with a screwdriver. Could I do that??

Sorry I am actually referring to this type of intensity: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intensity_(physics)

If you just increase the laser's power by adjusting its current limiting potentiometer you risk damaging it (this is known as a pot mod). It can work but it is hit or miss. Really you'd do well to get a decent laser whose power is a known quantity. There can be other issues with cheap green lasers. There can be unfiltered IR coming from the cheap laser meaning its power can be greater and more dangerous than one might ordinarily imagine.

Just try experimenting with lenses you might have around the house. Magnifying lenses, etc. What you're trying to do is focus the laser beam light down to a fine point. This is akin to using a magnifying lens to focus sunlight down to a fine point so that it will burn.

-Scott

 

[Tyler26]

Ok yup have a little pocket magnifying glass and I'll try that tomorrow. Thanks heaps
Appreciate it

 

[Tyler26]

If I was to pot mod it then how could I do it?

 

[Tyler26]

And what does unfiltered IR mean. Sorry I'm only 13 and I'm interested in all this laser stuff and science and that stuff.

 

[Tyler26]

I also removed a laser diode from a fake ultrafire from thailand and it was a laser and torch 2 in 1 and I'm wondering if i would get any money for it because I don't really know how I would use it. All it had when I pulled it out was a little capacitor and that was connected to the batterie holder an then the diode and I cut the diode out and still have the little capacitor but I do t know what to do with it. -Tyler

 

[Netscott]

If I was to pot mod it then how could I do it?

Dunno, that would depend upon the laser. Not all lasers are built with a power supply circuit that includes a current adjustment potentiometer so there'd be nothing to do but actually change a resistor or two inside of the laser.

If you open the laser up you may find a potentiometer that you can experiment with but most of the time such cheapy lasers are not designed to be opened up and so will be easily and permanently damaging from doing so.

Welcome to the world of experimentation. I recommend before you go any further than you spend a week or two here in the forums reading up on the ins and outs of how lasers work and the dangers involved in handling them.
Depending upon the laser you have it can be fairly easy to damage your vision if you mishandle it or others.

-Scott

 

[Tyler26]

I know the dangers of lasers and I am very aware if the dangers. I always take special care when using it and I need point it at reflective surfaces. I will do as you said and read the posts on this forum. I'm am now thinking there is no point pulling my laser apart. What's the max output laser I could buy with 100$

 

[Tyler26]

A good laser

 

[NightExplorer96]

And what does unfiltered IR mean. Sorry I'm only 13 and I'm interested in all this laser stuff and science and that stuff.

Tyler,

To produce 532nm laser light an 808nm diode(IR light which you can't see) is pumped into a crystal which then produces 1064nm IR light. Finally, a second crystal is used to convert 1064nm IR light into the visible 532nm green light you see.

Quality 532nm lasers have an IR filter which blocks any IR light which could exit the aperture as the IR light is many times for powerful then the 532nm light you see & is invisible. "Unfiltered IR" means your laser dosen't have any filter so both the 532nm & IR light is coming out of the aperture.

-Alex

 

[Tyler26]

Ok so is this bad?? Sorry for all the questions. I'm new to this laser thing..

 

[NightExplorer96]

Ok so is this bad?? Sorry for all the questions. I'm new to this laser thing..

Well it's better to have an IR filter(if used around others/close up for burning etc..) but if you handle you laser carefully & be cautious with it not having an IR filter should be fine honestly.

-Alex