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I have a few laser FAQs and I should not risk them to get my eyes blinded out or break my laser. I might have to make this into a sticky. Just ask questions here and I will get them listed.
**NOTE: THE LASER TO JUDGE ON IS A 2W BLUE 445NM LASER OR A 1W 520NM GREEN LASER.**
**Green color represents the answer.**
**Red means problems or additional comments about the answer.**
**Cyan means more answers added for better understanding**
1. If You point the laser out thru a window of a car, would the reflection on the glass damage your eyes?
Yes. Can also get you arrested for that.
2. If You leave the laser in a backpack or under your pillow, would it accidently switch on and burn your whole bed or backpack?
Most likely NOT with a back clicky but likely with a side button.
Unless the laser diode is driver controlled to be continuously on, it will get eventually too hot and kill the diode.
3. If you point it at a tree 15ft away, would you get damage from looking at the dot?
You won't, but you shouldn't risk it.
I tried this at my house and I did not get any damage on my eye while taking beamshots. Just don't hit any reflections.
4. Can people see the beam from far away? Like if cops are driving around your area and they suddenly see a laser beam?
Yes, VERY far away. Beware of planes passing by.
A 700mw or more 520nm green laser have the ability to be seen even pointing directly up into the sky. Would be like a stick that stretch to infinity.
I even tried this at my backyard with a 2W 445nm laser. I ran to about ten houses from mine, and I can see an enormous beam shot from my house, crazy to say this little laser is actually the power to an huge searchlight.
5. Are you allowed to point at planes, in an EMERGENCY situation? (Earthquake/ tsunami/ fire/ Etc.) to get noticed?
Yes, if your life is threatened.
6. Would the laser SMOKE if you put the battery in wrong position?
Usually, doing that would KILL your driver.
7. Would the driver blow up it used with different volts of batteries?
Yes, every driver has a voltage you can't exceed
8. If it lands into water or liquid. Would it, hopefully recover if dried quickly?
Most likely to recover, but you shouldn't risk it.
9. At what kind of distance is safe to look at the laser? (Beam pointing at you)
800Ft.
10. Would a copper heatsink rust overtime or become dull like pennies?
Yes. Overtime but you can get metal polish to rub it off.
11. If you fail on connecting the wires.. Would you have to take the whole host apart to connect new ones on the battery contact board?
Probably.
12. What if you put too much thermal compound?
A big mess. Use a little or not at all.
13. Would the G2 or glass lens melt overtime?
No
14. Can you put batteries in it even when it DOESNT have a diode in it?
No It will kill the driver.
15. Can you switch out a dead diode with Xdrive module to a new one after burning out?
Yes
16. Would police arrest you for carring a laser around? Like traveling by suitcase or backpack.
Not unless they see you using it.
17. Is there a way I can see the beam and also be protected by a special kind of safety glasses?
No.
18. Can this be used as a self-defense (pepper spray, stun gun, firearm)?
No, that can get a lawsuit or other legal problems.
19. What would you do if the threads become too UN-even or smooth..
Get a new host.
20. Does silicone wire melt?
They will melt under high temp.
If you do melt the silicone wire, you have bigger problems than messed up wires at hand.
21. Would the laser still damage your eyes even pointing them at black or dark surfaces?
Yes. But some of the beam is absorbed.
22. If the glass lens consist of plastic around glass, won't the plastic melt if laser is too high powered?
It shouldn't. I haven't yet to see any melt.
23. Approximately how long does a direct eyeshot take to complete heal. And what's the cost of those treatments?
Depends on the damage and your lasers power.
24. As far as I know, the U.S. and four other country prohibit the sale of high powered lasers. So like if your in China or Japan, you can use your laser freely and won't get caught?
That would make it even more dangerous for planes passing by if everyone got one..
Depends on luck. You might get caught.
25. How long is a battery contact board's life cycle? (Reusing over and over)
Probably years and years unless you break it.
26.Why are green lasers "40 times" brighter than blue lasers?
Human's peak spectral sensibility is at 555nm during the day, and that's green. I assume it happended to be this way because we evolved to be better at spotting and detecting green plants and stuff. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectral_sensitivity
27. Would blue (high output) lasers damage your eyesight faster than green (brighter but less output) laser? If then why?
Nope, in this case its all about the power, sensitivity has nothing to do with damaging the eye. As long as you don't count green lasers usually having thinner beam diameters than blue, leading to higher power concentration and quicker damage.
28. What does an "ESD wristband" have to do with building an laser. In other words, is it nessarary?The ESD wrist band is to prevent electro static discharge from you to a sensitive device such as a IC or in this case a laser diode , The wrist band as the name suggest goes round your wrist and at the other end it is connected to ground though a large resistor ( 10MOhm , I think ) , in the UK its connected to the earth pin on the plug. With this setup any static charge on the user is bled away to ground making it safe to handle the diode. Is it required , No , Is it recommended , Yes .
29. What if dust falls into the diode or lens, and there's no way getting them out?
30. What kind of solder is usually used in soldering the tiny wires?
You use a compound known as solder paste.
31. Are "glass lens" really glass or just plastic?
32. Would an unfocused laser still damage your eyes In the "flashlight mode"? (Directly looking at it)Yes, the raw uncollimated beam from a laser diode can damage your eye if you shine the light directly in your eye. The reason is there is a lens in your eye, that lens can focus the light from a laser diode without a lens directly to your retina and burn your eye, permanently causing damage. Will it every time? There are too many variables to predict, but it can happen and if powerful enough, will likely do so.
33. What does "direct diode" technology mean?
It means that the laser is able to generate light with only the diode.
34. Green Lasers over 1W 520nm: Can you really see this from outer space?(lol)
This is unknown. However, it should be noted of that the beam is only visible until it exits the atmosphere. After that the light have nothing to diffuse off of. Yes, the international space station (in low earth orbit) has been "flashed" in organized events by high power lasers, and the lasers are almost always the only thing astronauts notice. NOTE* the lasers used were 1W 445nm lasers, however its safe to assume a 1W 520nm laser would be visible as well. You cannot see the beam, because of lack of Rayleigh scattering. But could shine a target.
35. Does an Aluminum Direct Press perform better than Copper heatsink & Copper module combination?No. Aluminum has lower thermal conductivity and lower heat capacity than copper. An ideal laser would be silver module, copper heatsink, however a copper module would suffice.
NOTE*: perfect configuration would be diamond module with copper heatsink.
36. Why are green diodes so hard to make? What is inside them that makes the price difference?
37. Where do G2 and 3 element lens come from? How would they cut it down to such small size?
38. Does adding an ice pack on your laser improve its heatsinking?
Adding ice pack will definitely cool the heatsink (and eventually the laser diode) and increase the duty cycle.
39. What is a maximum power you can get out a handheld laser? As far as I know 7W.
I have seen a handheld host that would allow 3 module to be placed in the heatsink instead of 1, so using 3 of NUBM44 it will hit around 21W.
40. Is there a way to take off/ remove thermal glue or super glue?
You'd need a solvent, and those are corrosive to various products.
41. What is the Strongest metal a host can consist of?
If you're looking for something economical, you can use titanium or a scandium alloy. If you want to get crazy, you can make a mean cobalt alloy that will cost a fortune, but would be nearly indestructable.
42. Why does very strong lasers have beams and weak ones don't? Isn't it just the dust particles or fogs that makes it come out?Weak laser will have beam. LeHap actually made a thread showing a 5mw beam with the help of a fog machine
43. Would the customs take your laser if you ship it in the US. but with batteries packed inside?
More added soon.You DONT have to answer ALL of them. One is enough to be a contribution.
**NOTE: THE LASER TO JUDGE ON IS A 2W BLUE 445NM LASER OR A 1W 520NM GREEN LASER.**
**Green color represents the answer.**
**Red means problems or additional comments about the answer.**
**Cyan means more answers added for better understanding**
1. If You point the laser out thru a window of a car, would the reflection on the glass damage your eyes?
Yes. Can also get you arrested for that.
2. If You leave the laser in a backpack or under your pillow, would it accidently switch on and burn your whole bed or backpack?
Most likely NOT with a back clicky but likely with a side button.
Unless the laser diode is driver controlled to be continuously on, it will get eventually too hot and kill the diode.
3. If you point it at a tree 15ft away, would you get damage from looking at the dot?
You won't, but you shouldn't risk it.
I tried this at my house and I did not get any damage on my eye while taking beamshots. Just don't hit any reflections.
4. Can people see the beam from far away? Like if cops are driving around your area and they suddenly see a laser beam?
Yes, VERY far away. Beware of planes passing by.
A 700mw or more 520nm green laser have the ability to be seen even pointing directly up into the sky. Would be like a stick that stretch to infinity.
I even tried this at my backyard with a 2W 445nm laser. I ran to about ten houses from mine, and I can see an enormous beam shot from my house, crazy to say this little laser is actually the power to an huge searchlight.
5. Are you allowed to point at planes, in an EMERGENCY situation? (Earthquake/ tsunami/ fire/ Etc.) to get noticed?
Yes, if your life is threatened.
6. Would the laser SMOKE if you put the battery in wrong position?
Usually, doing that would KILL your driver.
7. Would the driver blow up it used with different volts of batteries?
Yes, every driver has a voltage you can't exceed
8. If it lands into water or liquid. Would it, hopefully recover if dried quickly?
Most likely to recover, but you shouldn't risk it.
9. At what kind of distance is safe to look at the laser? (Beam pointing at you)
800Ft.
10. Would a copper heatsink rust overtime or become dull like pennies?
Yes. Overtime but you can get metal polish to rub it off.
11. If you fail on connecting the wires.. Would you have to take the whole host apart to connect new ones on the battery contact board?
Probably.
12. What if you put too much thermal compound?
A big mess. Use a little or not at all.
13. Would the G2 or glass lens melt overtime?
No
14. Can you put batteries in it even when it DOESNT have a diode in it?
No It will kill the driver.
15. Can you switch out a dead diode with Xdrive module to a new one after burning out?
Yes
16. Would police arrest you for carring a laser around? Like traveling by suitcase or backpack.
Not unless they see you using it.
17. Is there a way I can see the beam and also be protected by a special kind of safety glasses?
No.
18. Can this be used as a self-defense (pepper spray, stun gun, firearm)?
No, that can get a lawsuit or other legal problems.
19. What would you do if the threads become too UN-even or smooth..
Get a new host.
20. Does silicone wire melt?
They will melt under high temp.
If you do melt the silicone wire, you have bigger problems than messed up wires at hand.
21. Would the laser still damage your eyes even pointing them at black or dark surfaces?
Yes. But some of the beam is absorbed.
22. If the glass lens consist of plastic around glass, won't the plastic melt if laser is too high powered?
It shouldn't. I haven't yet to see any melt.
23. Approximately how long does a direct eyeshot take to complete heal. And what's the cost of those treatments?
Depends on the damage and your lasers power.
24. As far as I know, the U.S. and four other country prohibit the sale of high powered lasers. So like if your in China or Japan, you can use your laser freely and won't get caught?
That would make it even more dangerous for planes passing by if everyone got one..
Depends on luck. You might get caught.
25. How long is a battery contact board's life cycle? (Reusing over and over)
Probably years and years unless you break it.
26.Why are green lasers "40 times" brighter than blue lasers?
Human's peak spectral sensibility is at 555nm during the day, and that's green. I assume it happended to be this way because we evolved to be better at spotting and detecting green plants and stuff. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectral_sensitivity
27. Would blue (high output) lasers damage your eyesight faster than green (brighter but less output) laser? If then why?
Nope, in this case its all about the power, sensitivity has nothing to do with damaging the eye. As long as you don't count green lasers usually having thinner beam diameters than blue, leading to higher power concentration and quicker damage.
28. What does an "ESD wristband" have to do with building an laser. In other words, is it nessarary?The ESD wrist band is to prevent electro static discharge from you to a sensitive device such as a IC or in this case a laser diode , The wrist band as the name suggest goes round your wrist and at the other end it is connected to ground though a large resistor ( 10MOhm , I think ) , in the UK its connected to the earth pin on the plug. With this setup any static charge on the user is bled away to ground making it safe to handle the diode. Is it required , No , Is it recommended , Yes .
29. What if dust falls into the diode or lens, and there's no way getting them out?
30. What kind of solder is usually used in soldering the tiny wires?
You use a compound known as solder paste.
31. Are "glass lens" really glass or just plastic?
32. Would an unfocused laser still damage your eyes In the "flashlight mode"? (Directly looking at it)Yes, the raw uncollimated beam from a laser diode can damage your eye if you shine the light directly in your eye. The reason is there is a lens in your eye, that lens can focus the light from a laser diode without a lens directly to your retina and burn your eye, permanently causing damage. Will it every time? There are too many variables to predict, but it can happen and if powerful enough, will likely do so.
33. What does "direct diode" technology mean?
It means that the laser is able to generate light with only the diode.
34. Green Lasers over 1W 520nm: Can you really see this from outer space?(lol)
This is unknown. However, it should be noted of that the beam is only visible until it exits the atmosphere. After that the light have nothing to diffuse off of. Yes, the international space station (in low earth orbit) has been "flashed" in organized events by high power lasers, and the lasers are almost always the only thing astronauts notice. NOTE* the lasers used were 1W 445nm lasers, however its safe to assume a 1W 520nm laser would be visible as well. You cannot see the beam, because of lack of Rayleigh scattering. But could shine a target.
35. Does an Aluminum Direct Press perform better than Copper heatsink & Copper module combination?No. Aluminum has lower thermal conductivity and lower heat capacity than copper. An ideal laser would be silver module, copper heatsink, however a copper module would suffice.
NOTE*: perfect configuration would be diamond module with copper heatsink.
36. Why are green diodes so hard to make? What is inside them that makes the price difference?
37. Where do G2 and 3 element lens come from? How would they cut it down to such small size?
38. Does adding an ice pack on your laser improve its heatsinking?
Adding ice pack will definitely cool the heatsink (and eventually the laser diode) and increase the duty cycle.
39. What is a maximum power you can get out a handheld laser? As far as I know 7W.
I have seen a handheld host that would allow 3 module to be placed in the heatsink instead of 1, so using 3 of NUBM44 it will hit around 21W.
40. Is there a way to take off/ remove thermal glue or super glue?
You'd need a solvent, and those are corrosive to various products.
41. What is the Strongest metal a host can consist of?
If you're looking for something economical, you can use titanium or a scandium alloy. If you want to get crazy, you can make a mean cobalt alloy that will cost a fortune, but would be nearly indestructable.
42. Why does very strong lasers have beams and weak ones don't? Isn't it just the dust particles or fogs that makes it come out?Weak laser will have beam. LeHap actually made a thread showing a 5mw beam with the help of a fog machine
43. Would the customs take your laser if you ship it in the US. but with batteries packed inside?
More added soon.You DONT have to answer ALL of them. One is enough to be a contribution.
Last edited:
