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Optotronics RPL BLUE 35

Ace82

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It's here! :D

Ok, spent all afternoon gathering material for this review. I'm defiantly not yet done with this review, as there are a few more tests, but I will be sure to update later. For starters, Ill begin with the packaging and shipping.

I requested the laser be shipped without a case, as I plan to share with my 225, in hopes to save Jack a case, and to further establish a good relationship. The packaging was well done, keeping the laser in the center of the box very protected. He shipped complimentary optics, 1 prism, concave & convex lenses, and a 2 sided mirror! :) (now I can build my 2 mirror rc laser show!) I payed for the RPL BLUE 30, and got a 35! :D :) :cool: The laser was in a static proof bag (duh). The tail cap comes with two keys. :p
 

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Ace82

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I also requested Jack not send a battery or charger for the same reasons, plus I previously bought 2 extra batteries and who needs 2 chargers? The first thing I did was grin so widely when I saw the beautiful blue laser! Bright, not harmful, but very TONE. It lights up bright right off cold, perfect TEM00, single, consistent, well diverged blue beam! :'( (tears of Joy). The first test I did was a balloon pop with a magnifying glass @ 10'...Instant pop!
 

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VW

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What kind of conditions are those beam shots in?  I was very interested to see this laser in action, thanks for putting up the review...
 

Razako

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What is the average power listed on the data sheet? My RPL blue 30 is listed as 31mw average.
 

Ace82

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This review is not all good however, as I had a concern about my new laser.  :-[  After having it on for about 5min on, it mode hopped into TEM02, had split into two beams! I felt the laser which felt luke warm, a little warmer then my hand.  I knew the battery was still fresh as I just pulled it off the charger.  But firstly I replaced it anyway.  Same mode problem, so I figured the crystals were just overworked.  So I began the review and let the laser sit in the case (next to her new lover...there both girls btw ;D).  

Well anyway, after about 20min rest, I fired her back up and guess what?...
 

Ace82

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Powerful and TEM00, strong and bright! I wonder if the AC being near the laser would have anything to do with it? :-? Hasn't mode hopped since. :) Not sure if this is quite normal....

The 4 beam shot is a close representation of the difference between 473nm DPSS and the 405nm blu-ray, the one above is not as to the human eye the blu ray's beam is hardly visible and the rpl's is VERY bright.
 

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Ace82

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These pictures were taken with 2 incense burning (nag champa)

The dot is hardly visible outside in the sunlight since it is near UV and blends.

To my surprise, there was no certificate along with the laser. I'm gonna ask about that. So far I am very happy with this purchase. After I learn about my few concerns, I plan on doing beam divergence testing. I will update this review as time goes on! :)
 

Ace82

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Thanks for the Repz, now I can get xtra eatz! lol ;D
My current experiment includes basic usage (as a first day joined with it's owner would) under basic tempo duties. So far, my hypothesis is that it will hop into two beams after 5min. on/off cycle (10min total). Then, it will return to TEM00 once left to rest. This time will be analyze, as this has been the 2nd encounter with the two beams (which looks like it almost wants to split to 3). This reason is because I believe this laser is very temp. sensitive, as the crystals saturate and lost radiation is transformed into heat, the beam switches modes. Am I warm? :-?
 

Razako

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Ace82 said:
Thanks for the Repz, now I can get xtra eatz! lol ;D
My current experiment includes basic usage (as a first day joined with it's owner would) under basic tempo duties. So far, my hypothesis is that it will hop into two beams after 5min. on/off cycle (10min total). Then, it will return to TEM00 once left to rest. This time will be analyze, as this has been the 2nd encounter with the two beams (which looks like it almost wants to split to 3). This reason is because I believe this laser is very temp. sensitive, as the crystals saturate and lost radiation is transformed into heat, the beam switches modes. Am I warm? :-?
Mine does something like that only the mode hopping isn't nearly as bad. Mine only does it if the 5min duty cycle is exceeded. The spot starts looking more like an oval and it loses a lot of power. Also it has a long warm up period and it only puts out a few mw until it warms up. As it warms up the power slowly increases until it peaks and after that it stabilizes at around 32mw until it gets too hot or you let it completely cool down. The crystals in blue lasers are extremely sensitive to temperature changes so you need to pay more attention to duty cycles and warm up periods.

Have you tried lighting fuses/matches with it yet? It should easily burn things when focused.
 

Ace82

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Some other thoughts:
405 and 473nm florescence similar on similar materials! Well, I guess it's only 68nm longer wavelength. :p Anyway, the 405 is about twice the glow power on gitd materials then 473, however still effective.
 

Ace82

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Razako said:
[quote author=Ace82 link=1211245147/0#7 date=1211249805]Thanks for the Repz, now I can get xtra eatz! lol ;D
My current experiment includes basic usage (as a first day joined with it's owner would) under basic tempo duties.  So far, my hypothesis is that it will hop into two beams after 5min. on/off cycle (10min total).  Then, it will return to TEM00 once left to rest.  This time will be analyze, as this has been the 2nd encounter with the two beams (which looks like it almost wants to split to 3).  This reason is because I believe this laser is very temp. sensitive, as the crystals saturate and lost radiation is transformed into heat, the beam switches modes.  Am I warm? :-?
Mine does something like that only the mode hopping isn't nearly as bad.  Mine only does it if the 5min duty cycle is exceeded.  The spot starts looking more like an oval and it loses a lot of power.  Also it has a long warm up period and it only puts out a few mw until it warms up.  As it warms up the power slowly increases until it peaks and after that it stabilizes at around 32mw until it gets too hot or you let it completely cool down.  The crystals in blue lasers are extremely sensitive to temperature changes so you need to pay more attention to duty cycles and warm up periods.

Have you tried lighting fuses/matches with it yet?  It should easily burn things when focused.[/quote]

Thanks Razako for sharing your experiences! Well I feel pretty good about this laser because it is very powerful, does burn, light (haven't tried the seizure / fuse light yet! ;D) matches and pop balloons when focused and has very consistent behavior. My trust is with Optotronics 100%! I figured these characteristics are typical for higher powered blue DPSS lasers. This laser has characteristics I both predicted and didn't. I'm happier because my LASER status went up... ;D that's a joke I learned by feel more about DPSS lasers, and get to own a portable wicked blue laser! (how the word "wicked" became tainted)...!!! ;D
 

Ace82

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Just took some careful pictures at twilight.
 

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Very nice laser Ace. I love the indoor beamshots, great color and nice thick beam. Too bad it modehops when it gets too hot, but maybe that's an inevitable thing with a laser of that wavelength+power? Anyway you got something special there. Nice of Jack to throw in a few free gadgets.

+1 Optotronics.
 

VW

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It's quite a coincidence because when I first recieved my SBP40, it decided to mode hop into two beams also. It's happened a few times, but I can't say I've noticed any other mode hopping that ruins it. But yeah, like you after leaving it to settle again it sorted it's self out. I think it might just need breaking in after the shipping and all, because it happens so little now on the Spartan I don't think it even mode hops at all.
 

Ace82

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VW said:
It's quite a coincidence because when I first recieved my SBP40, it decided to mode hop into two beams also.  It's happened a few times, but I can't say I've noticed any other mode hopping that ruins it.  But yeah, like you after leaving it to settle again it sorted it's self out.  I think it might just need breaking in after the shipping and all, because it happens so little now on the Spartan I don't think it even mode hops at all.  

This laser only mode hops when the duty cycle is exceeded. It is very consistent and very solid. Now since I have a tad bit more experience with it, I better respect it and better understand the physics of it, therefore I can easily avoid the mode hopping. I've learned that blue DPSS laser's crystals are VERY sensitive to heat, and because of the RPL's high power, gets warm quicker. It is powered from a 2.5W LD @ 2.4W! ;D

Is it possible to damage the crystals from over heating them with the diode?
 

Razako

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I think the RPL's have thermal overload protection and won't overheat enough to cause damage as long as the room temperature is under 30C. The blues probably use the same system.

Read the FAQ on the optotronics website.
"How long can my RPL laser run before it needs to cool off i.e. duty cycle?
The adjustable RPL has the ability to tune the amount of IR diode current so that the optimum amount of IR goes to the crystal. If more than the optimum amount of IR hits the crystal, the crystal becomes over saturated and 532nm output no longer increases. Only more heat is produced and in fact this can cause output to decrease some. When the RPL laser is tested, the optimum current level setting is noted in the customer documentation and this is the same current level that the average output power tested and recorded for the customer. Most of the time, this current level is #4 or #5 and adjustable RPLs sold after 2/1/2007 will run until the battery dies at this level (no duty cycle). The reason we give a recommended duty cycle of 5 minutes on and two minutes off is that some users will buy the non-adjustable model and it's current cannot be tuned. It is safe to leave the RPL on until it shuts itself off, in fact that is what the battery protection circuit is for. The shut off is to protect the battery from excess discharge/low voltage as this can be dangerous for lithium-ion cells. The RPL diode is never ran at more than 80% of it's rated operating current, so as long as the ambient room temperature in the spec does not exceed 30C, the diode will be not be thermally damaged by extended use."
 




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