Sanwu Lasers - Offical thread

[BobMc]

I was trying to figure out the second set of lasers below and I realized it's your pool right? Really cool pic. I just got my 150mw 520nm pocket and it's awesome. I changed the lens from my 3watt silver series from a 3 element to a G7 and it beefed up the output noticeably. I can straight up start a piece of wood on fire with that thing when it's focused.

My pictures aren't anything like yours. ( yours are really nice!) There is a pool but you can't see it in the pictures. They are just two pictures I took about 3 feet apart. It was real cold outside and I just wanted to get back inside. (being chicken)

Glad you got your 520 and are happy with it. I've never swapped out the g7 for a g2 I might just have to try it and check it out myself. Sounds like a interesting idea. :thinking: thanks for the feedback, Enjoy

 

[Atlas87]

Wow, that's a really nice picture, and BE on each one to boot,(except the 589), sweet. Found me another Sanwu fan, teriffic! (It would be so sweet if Sanw came out with a 589nm. ) Was wondering if you got an adapter could you put a BE on your 589nm? :thinking: Anyways, I've got a pretty decent collection of Sanwu's going, here's my Guardians minus a tri-beam Guardian I hadn't bought yet when I made the post.http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/guardian-goodness-99192.html. And a another review I did when I added to my Sanwu collection . http://laserpointerforums.com/f52/s...i-beam-guardian-150mw-520nm-pocket-99720.html I've still got a collection of pockets and a Silver and a Challenger 2 and another Spiker just haven't got around to posts pics and doing a review ( I've been slacking :tinfoil: ). Thoses pictures with the BE's are really nice, those BE's really make a difference! Enjoy those puppies, I know I enjoy mine.

Hey BobMc! Sorry for the late reply. I was cramming for finals, had finals, then went into a nonstop work week over spring break last week just to start the new academic quarter this week :cryyy:
Thanks! Im glad you like the pictures. I was trying to think of some good shots that really made everything look as good as they do in person. I totally want to get an BE for the 589! My BE from Sanwu Im sure would do the trick but I would need to have an attachment machined :san: Maybe Ill have a buddy of mine help me out with that over the summer. I would love if Sanwu released a 589!! Sadly I don't think that will happen anytime soon since I already asked, but doesn't mean it wont happen in the future!
After playing with my 4W 465nm Spiker I really want to get the 7W 455nm like the one you have :drool:
I think my favorite part about these lasers is the unlimited duty cycle(except the 589 DL)

I was trying to figure out the second set of lasers below and I realized it's your pool right? Really cool pic. I just got my 150mw 520nm pocket and it's awesome. I changed the lens from my 3watt silver series from a 3 element to a G7 and it beefed up the output noticeably. I can straight up start a piece of wood on fire with that thing when it's focused.

Hey Electronshed, yep you guessed right and thank you!. I was trying to think of a cool picture and since the ledge on the jacuzzi over looked the pool it made for an interesting shot :drool:
Glad you're digging you 150mw 520nm! I really like difference from the 532mn.
I made sure to pick up extra lenses to play with myself but I have actually been able to as of yet. I can tell you all the Sanwu lasers in the picture I posted had the G7 lens installed except the 520nm Has the 3 element.

 

[BobMc]

Hey BobMc! Sorry for the late reply. I was cramming for finals, had finals, then went into a nonstop work week over spring break last week just to start the new academic quarter this week :cryyy:
Thanks! Im glad you like the pictures. I was trying to think of some good shots that really made everything look as good as they do in person. I totally want to get an BE for the 589! My BE from Sanwu Im sure would do the trick but I would need to have an attachment machined :san: Maybe Ill have a buddy of mine help me out with that over the summer. I would love if Sanwu released a 589!! Sadly I don't think that will happen anytime soon since I already asked, but doesn't mean it wont happen in the future!
After playing with my 4W 465nm Spiker I really want to get the 7W 455nm like the one you have :drool:
I think my favorite part about these lasers is the unlimited duty cycle

No worries Atlas87, "Life happens"

If you pick up Sanwu's BE you might want to give Lifetime17 here on the forum a quick pm. He does some outstanding machine work at real fair prices.( very trustworthy, I use him all the time) Sure he would talk to you about making an adapter for your 589 to the BE

The 7 watt Sanwu, well what can I say, but she is a winner hands down. (my opinion) best of the best of the best! :drool:

 

[dden4012]

I have put the Sanwu BE and JL BE on my Spartan 589. It really brings out the mode hopping on the wall. Its kind of like watching a lava lamp cycle its wax being 1 blob only for brief moments. I think DL has a 2x BE that is a direct fit to the Spartan. Its worth a look. Haven't seen any reviews of it yet.

 

[Radim]

I have put the Sanwu BE and JL BE on my Spartan 589. It really brings out the mode hopping on the wall. Its kind of like watching a lava lamp cycle its wax being 1 blob only for brief moments. I think DL has a 2x BE that is a direct fit to the Spartan. Its worth a look. Haven't seen any reviews of it yet.

I have DL 2X BE. You need supplied adapter for mounting it to Spartan. But it is worth. You can use BE by both ends to adjust the beam (same lens diameter, same threads on both sides), it has also possibility to focus by rotating one part of it and there is also a ring which fixes desired focus position. If I'm not mistaken there should be 3 lens. And what is great - they supply it with two metal protection caps for both ends to keep lens clean when not in use. It's a bit pitty they do not have like 10X expander, but even 2X is awesome. I use it in my laserpaintings where you can see static 589 nm beam - that's my Spartan with that BE if you want to see it in action.
The beam expander comes with nice black finish and is high quality as usuall for stuff from DL.

BTW: They have also universal adapter to mount it on any laser (with respect to AR coating - if I remember for visible spectre) which fits in it by diameter (up to about 38 - 40 mm, I guess, see DL website for exact value) - I have it as well. It uses 6 screws (2 rows by 3) to fix it and align, which I recommend to change for some "plastic" tipped, or at least to use something below them to protect your laser finish from scratches.

 

[Trilliam]

I have a question regarding the proper batteries for two products so I am hoping someone who has the Challenger might be able to help me.

So I finally got the confirmation that my 2W Challenger I and my red laser pointer are being shipped

I know that the Challenger takes a single 14500 and the other laser pointer takes a 18650. I am wondering if i need to get either the protected or the unprotected batteries. I have seen that in some cases on some other products that certain batteries will not fit simply because of an extra millimeter or two.

Thank you.

 

[Podo]

I have a question regarding the proper batteries for two products so I am hoping someone who has the Challenger might be able to help me.

So I finally got the confirmation that my 2W Challenger I and my red laser pointer are being shipped

I know that the Challenger takes a single 14500 and the other laser pointer takes a 18650. I am wondering if i need to get either the protected or the unprotected batteries. I have seen that in some cases on some other products that certain batteries will not fit simply because of an extra millimeter or two.

Thank you.

Only the size actually matters, for the challenger laser you need to find 14500 batteries at around 48mm~49mm long.

 

[Trilliam]

Awesome! Thanks Podo!
I love your customer service and attention to detail. Expect more orders from me and my family/friends in the future!

 

[Radim]

I have a question regarding the proper batteries for two products so I am hoping someone who has the Challenger might be able to help me.

So I finally got the confirmation that my 2W Challenger I and my red laser pointer are being shipped

I know that the Challenger takes a single 14500 and the other laser pointer takes a 18650. I am wondering if i need to get either the protected or the unprotected batteries. I have seen that in some cases on some other products that certain batteries will not fit simply because of an extra millimeter or two.

Thank you.

Not sure how it is with Sanwu I do not have experience with these lasers yet, but you already have the answer above. I just wanted to mention that according to my experience it is not only a mm or two in batts. I got Nitecore 18650 batts and they should be like "18655" (about 5 mm plus in length) instead. I almost cannot use them, only in Arctic it somehow fits but tailcap holds on a few thread turns only. However with Panasonic 18650 protected I have there is not a problem, they keep it about standard 18650 dimensions. It is good to look for detailed specs sheet for batteries you consider and get real dimensions of it, saying it is 18650 batt (should mean 18 mm diameter and 650 mm length) is somehow irrelevant.

BTW there are awesome lasers made by Sanwu I'm looking especially at the pocket series for my laserpainting purposes.

 

[WanderTed]

So a package just came in and I am now a proud new owner of a Challenger II.

The build quality is excellent, as expected. However, I have not actually tried the laser yet as I may have accidentally ordered in the wrong kind of 18350 batteries.

Research indicates that I should go with some unprotected flat top cells. Yet, I have two protected button tops in my possession of the Demonfire brand. Am I still good?

In any case, I ordered a couple Efest unprotected flat tops just to be sure. Also, does it matter which li-ion batteries I go with? Cobalt or manganese?

Also, the batteries go in positive end first, correct? Common questions, I'm sure, but research has also indicated that there's no such thing as a stupid question in the laser community.

 

[BobMc]

So a package just came in and I am now a proud new owner of a Challenger II.

The build quality is excellent, as expected. However, I have not actually tried the laser yet as I may have accidentally ordered in the wrong kind of 18350 batteries.

Research indicates that I should go with some unprotected flat top cells. Yet, I have two protected button tops in my possession of the Demonfire brand. Am I still good?

In any case, I ordered a couple Efest unprotected flat tops just to be sure. Also, does it matter which li-ion batteries I go with? Cobalt or manganese?

Also, the batteries go in positive end first, correct? Common questions, I'm sure, but research has also indicated that there's no such thing as a stupid question in the laser community.

You should be just fine, I use Demomfire batteries all the time in my Sanwu's. Correct, positive goes in first. Type of li-on battery, which would be better, I can't speak to. Enjoy your Challenge 2, which one did you get? ( protected cells are recommended by Sanwu )

 

[WanderTed]

Thanks for the quick reply. I sprung for a 445nm 3 watt and I've now tested it out and came across a few more concerns:

The electronic lock is a bit finicky. I did manage to get it out of safety mode where it's locked to <10mw but generally, it can't decide on registering my half-presses. I do the 3 half-presses within 3 seconds and it does not lock. And when I switch between modes, I have to half-press it with an exact amount of pressure to get it to register. Specifically when it's on full power mode, where I have to half-press it a bit longer to get it to switch to SOS mode.

But the biggest issue is it heating up. When I finally got it to pump out the full 3 watts, the front end of the host got pretty hot to the touch within seconds. Is that normal? I've heard of lasers getting warmed up but when the front gets hot enough that I can't even touch it when it's on for not even 10 seconds, that seems to be cause for concern. This is supposed to have an unlimited duty cycle, isn't it? Is that even relevant?

Also, the battery charger that Sanwu offers (at least the one I got) is a bit questionable in that the lights for both went blue within 30 minutes when I just got these batteries shipped in about a week ago and haven't used them since. I know these take up to 8 hours for a complete charge so for now I'm just leaving them in there despite the lights for those 8 hours. If I should invest in a better charger, feel free to let me know.

 

[BobMc]

Thanks for the quick reply. I sprung for a 445nm 3 watt and I've now tested it out and came across a few more concerns:

The electronic lock is a bit finicky. I did manage to get it out of safety mode where it's locked to <10mw but generally, it can't decide on registering my half-presses. I do the 3 half-presses within 3 seconds and it does not lock. And when I switch between modes, I have to half-press it with an exact amount of pressure to get it to register. Specifically when it's on full power mode, where I have to half-press it a bit longer to get it to switch to SOS mode.

But the biggest issue is it heating up. When I finally got it to pump out the full 3 watts, the front end of the host got pretty hot to the touch within seconds. Is that normal? I've heard of lasers getting warmed up but when the front gets hot enough that I can't even touch it when it's on for not even 10 seconds, that seems to be cause for concern. This is supposed to have an unlimited duty cycle, isn't it? Is that even relevant?

Also, the battery charger that Sanwu offers (at least the one I got) is a bit questionable in that the lights for both went blue within 30 minutes when I just got these batteries shipped in about a week ago and haven't used them since. I know these take up to 8 hours for a complete charge so for now I'm just leaving them in there despite the lights for those 8 hours. If I should invest in a better charger, feel free to let me know.

Yes at first their switch seems finicky, after you learn it and gets a lot easier. Give it time? :thinking:

Checked Sanwu's site and it doesn't give the duty cycle for the 445 3 watt?? I don't think it's unlimited. But I don't think it should be getting that hot that quick, I'd check with Sanwu.

A lot of times batteries are shipped fully charged. Bit I would definitely get a better charger.

Forgot, Welcome to the Forum. You might want to go to the 'welcome' section and introduce yourself.

 

[WanderTed]

After more testing, it seems the locks will more likely work only after I give it a full press to turn it on. Not sure if that was intended, but I'll be fiddling with it some more before I can be sure.

Taken straight from the Challenger II product page:

Duty cycle 405nm, 470nm (30 seconds on & off), Others (Unlimited)

I'm probably overlooking something but that's my basis for the duty cycle, as I have a 445nm. It probably isn't unlimited, as at full power, it starts to dim after a short amount of time. Still, I'll be sure to shoot them an email about the whole thing heating up.

Despite all that, this thing is definitely powerful. Burnt the tip of a toothpick focused to infinity in seconds.

And I'll be sure to swing by the welcome page and order up a better charger soon. Any suggestions for good chargers?

 

[BobMc]

After more testing, it seems the locks will more likely work only after I give it a full press to turn it on. Not sure if that was intended, but I'll be fiddling with it some more before I can be sure.

Taken straight from the Challenger II product page:



I'm probably overlooking something but that's my basis for the duty cycle, as I have a 445nm. It probably isn't unlimited, as at full power, it starts to dim after a short amount of time. Still, I'll be sure to shoot them an email about the whole thing heating up.

Despite all that, this thing is definitely powerful. Burnt the tip of a toothpick focused to infinity in seconds.

And I'll be sure to swing by the welcome page and order up a better charger soon. Any suggestions for good chargers?

I'm going to guess that's a misprint. I tried to buy their 3watt 445 Guardian a week ago or so and they said that was a misprint, (should have said 2 watt.) so I guessing another misprint.

I've got a Challenger2 520nm 1watt, when I bought it ( last year) it said 30-45 second duty cycle. Which is about right, it gets warm but not where it going to burn your hands, but definitely warm after 30-45 seconds.

For your 3watt to get so warm after only 10 seconds is real curious??? I'd ask about it.

Yes 3watts will burn just about anything that gets in front of it including your fingers. ( learned the hard way)

You might want to check into their Beam Expanders, there a real nice addition and they will fit on just about any laser with a standard 12mm module. (With their adapter)

Anyways enjoy and don't burn the cat.

 

[WanderTed]

I guess the only questions I have left now is what the actual duty cycle for a 3w 445nm Challenger II is. And if having the laser dim by itself at full power if left on long after that apparent duty cycle is normal or if I've already destroyed my laser. I hope that isn't the case.

I've shot an email to Sanwu about this already a few days back and no reply yet. But might as well cover all my bases on this issue.