OxLasers 500mW 405nm

[laserdreads]

I found this on the OxLasers official store on AliExpress. It's like 54 bucks or something but if you buy with the app everything is usually 20% off so it was only $38. I'm pretty sure this isn't a highly reputable company but for $38 and the fact i felt i needed another high power 405nm i decided to take the gamble. The customer reviews were decent and the actual description explained that it was actually 420mW and had a pic of it on a power meter reading 419mW. Still absolutely fine in my opinion for thirty eight bones lol. Well it arrived today and as you can see this thing is beast. It takes two 16340 cells but fits 18350's so that's what I'm using. It actually came with batteries, dual charger, star caps, and laser shades too so it'd make a great starter kit! The box said green laser but it's probably a universal box for this size model (which seems popular among cheapies) but was packaged very well. The sticker on it is even labeled correctly and to my surprise has the OxLasers logo on it. As for burning this thing is a tank. I don't have a power meter but i do have a 200mW 405nm Sanwu pointer and this OxLaser destroys it in the burning field. The diode is noticably smaller than others my lasers use so I'm thinking it's a 3.8mm and it's definitely multimode. I do believe the lens is glass which is a huge plus when taking a cheap gamble. The laser is heavier and more sturdy than i expected for such a common looking model. Overall, I'm totally satisfied and i would recommend this laser! I hope somebody with better experience and tools could get this someday to do a proper review and see if it's as good of a laser as i think it seems!

 

[badboybilly]

Why would you say it’s definitely multimode when it’s obvious in the beam it’s a single mode as all 3.8mm 405,s are!

 

[Alaskan]

Yep, any laser diode made for either a DVD or CDROM will be single mode, all 405 LD's made for Blu-ray's.

 

[laserdreads]

Why would you say it’s definitely multimode when it’s obvious in the beam it’s a single mode as all 3.8mm 405,s are!

We'll I've had two bdr builds before and i could tell they were single mode by the full bodied dot on an unfocused beam. On this laser unfocused it looks like ripples in a pond. I thought those were the modes in the dot but i guess i did my research wrong :/ also when btb was still around, i e-mailed them asking if their 405nm HL's were single or multimode and they responded telling me they were multimode so there has to be multimode 405's! I also didn't do proper measuring so i suppose it could be bigger than 3.8mm. i just really thought it looked tiny even for a diode. Alas, I'm more or less just a slightly educated noob in this hobby so idk why I'm even trying to explain when i know you guys KNOW what you're talking about XD

 

[badboybilly]

There is a multimode 405 that is 1.2w but way more pricey and in 5.6 or 9mm can’t quite remember, A pond with ripples sounds just like a single mode 405!

 

[BowtieGuy]

I think that many times when many of these Chinese companies speak of "multi-mode", they are refering to multiple power outputs such as 10%, 50%, or 100% full power.

Edit: An example is this laser from Sanwu - Spiker Saber.

"Multi operations mode
Low power, half power, strobe, full power, SOS and electronics safety lock

Half press the tail switch to cycle between each mode, the laser driver memorizes and starts with the operation mode that being used for more than three seconds during the last operation"

 

[badboybilly]

I think that many times when many of these Chinese companies speak of "multi-mode", they are refering to multiple power outputs such as 10%, 50%, or 100% full power.

Edit: An example is this laser from Sanwu - Spiker Saber.

"Multi operations mode
Low power, half power, strobe, full power, SOS and electronics safety lock

Half press the tail switch to cycle between each mode, the laser driver memorizes and starts with the operation mode that being used for more than three seconds during the last operation"

Absolutely but I really doubt this cheap laser has multiple modes!

 

[Alaskan]

Also, a lot of these Chinese laser sellers don't know laser technology well enough.

 

[BowtieGuy]

Agreed, very doubtful.

 

[laserdreads]

There is a multimode 405 that is 1.2w but way more pricey and in 5.6 or 9mm can’t quite remember, A pond with ripples sounds just like a single mode 405!

Dang lol this is why i love the forums! I can read about stuff for years and learn more just by all your comments XD i can't believe this thing is single mode! I guess the divergence is pretty good though so that should've been a dead giveaway. Aren't there 405 or 404nm DPSS modules too?

 

[badboybilly]

There sure is but I’m sure DPSS will set you back big bucks, it’s cheaper to just combine 2 405,s for some serious burning power!

 

[laserdreads]

I had a bdr build from AlienLaser that hit 1.2 watts but it LED'd on me pretty quick. He was driving it at .81A though which is learned is terrible for those diodes. It was too sweet having a 405 that strong while it lasted though. I never have too good of luck with violet lasers living very long. I'm hoping this new one does but it is cheap Chinese made. My only real good 405's we're bdr builds so maybe I'll find someone to do a build for me with a different diode than the bdr in it. Maybe that would last because I've read a lot of tragedy with the bdr's. I just want strong violet with a long life!