Scanning laser show system

[Zendon]

Hi

I stumbled across this site and found it very useful but have a question regarding safety of a laser show system. I have a RGB laser show unit for the purpose of entertaining at home, I have not used it and am likely not going to due to safety concerns.

I am new to lasers but appreciate that they are not toys! especially this unit I have been given as a present.


The device has the following which are fast scanned and not focused single beams;

Laser power: 150mW red, 50mW green, 120mW blue
Laser wavelength: 650nm red, 532nm green, 450nm blue


My questions are..

1. The device emits the 3 different wavelengths of light and mixes them to make most colours, what are my options with regard to safety goggles?

2. The overall output of this device is 320mw. This I understand can easily damage the eye, presuming I set it up correctly (height and angle away from head height as per instruction manual) Will the beams hitting a wall about 10M away still be to bright to use it safely?

3. Are their any materials that you guys recommend which would reduce the intensity somewhat if I was to put a filter of sort over the aperture ?

4. What would you recommend as a beam blocker to reduce the scanning range of the laser?



Thanks for reading my post! I ask because I care about my eyes and that of my friends! probably sound completely overkill...

 

[Things]

1. There aren't really any options for safety goggles in this case - but what's the point of a laser show if you can't see it anyway?

2. No. As long as it's going over the top of everyone's head, and there isn't any mirrors on the wall or in it's path that could possibly send stray beams into people, it's fine.

3. These are called ND filters, you can pick them up for cameras relatively cheaply, but you'd need to ensure they were glass.

4. Most people just tape over the aperture - just use a light coloured tape so it doesn't burn.

It's good to be a little cautious, but just keep direct beams out of the way of people and you're safe, 320mW as a diffused reflection is nothing to worry about.

 

[Zendon]

Thanks for the fast reply!

The idea of safety goggles was more during the setup or close range usage while testing it out, never can be absolutely sure that it wouldn't reflect of something what with all the random scanning - very good point though !


I have noticed the laser show section of the forum now.

 

[Things]

You could probably use some ND filters as goggles if you could find a way of attaching them over your eyes - but it's still no real guarantee for a direct hit. It's just one of those things you have to take a lot of caution in doing.

Even a diffuse reflection at close range isn't too big a deal - 320mW of light is very little when you consider say, a regular 60W incandescent bulb probably outputs at least 20W of actual light

 

[Zendon]

If I do the ND filter glasses I will post picture. What a site that would be... lol! Thanks for the reassurance I'm new to this, lasers are definitely a hobby I'm thinking of taking up and we all start somewhere - what better place to start than the safety forum

 

[3Pig]

I would say it depends on how fast it can scan, and your distance from the laser, if its close range indoors staring in the the beams is a pretty bad idea. You could tape some black metal to the front of the unit to block the beams that go near eye level.

Keep in mind i have no experience with scanners, but I'm planning on building one