How long can a laser keeping working?

[SquashBanana]

This is crazy, I got really bored and decided to burn out a 5mW green laser, so I just taped the button tight so it would keep shining, I thought it would burn out in like 35 minutes because it gets hot in like 2 minutes.

But it's been 2 freaking hours and it's still working normally.

How long will this keep going for? I don't know how long the battery can last.

 

[Vision]

This is crazy, I got really bored and decided to burn out a 5mW green laser, so I just taped the button tight so it would keep shining, I thought it would burn out in like 35 minutes because it gets hot in like 2 minutes.

But it's been 2 freaking hours and it's still working normally.

How long will this keep going for? I don't know how long the battery can last.

If you're lucky, till the battery runs out or if you're unlucky, till the crystal burns out.

Tried it with my 50mw greens, one burnt out and the other still works. But, a true 5mw? The batteries will run out before the crystal burns out.

 

[BillyBob]

StyroPyro had a 650nm 5mw left on for over 5 years. Here is the link http://laserpointerforums.com/f50/27000-hours-82269.html