[Video Added] Is my 520 too dim?

[NightExplorer96]

As many of you know I received my 520 PGL from CNI & it seems to be quite dim when I see it next to my 532 PGL. There shouldn't be a huge brightness difference between 520 & 532 correct? I took a picture tonight about what I see when both are aimed at a wall!

I have never owned 520 so it might just be me freaking out over something silly, just wanted to make sure

As always thank you for the help! The 520 is outputting 3.68mW while the 532 is outputting 4.4mW.

-Alex

 

[Alaskan]

Re: Is my 520 too dim?

I guess you don't have a laser power meter and are telling us the supposed rated output?

 

[NightExplorer96]

Re: Is my 520 too dim?

I guess you don't have a laser power meter and are telling us the supposed rated output?

Yep, CNI measured the output at 3.68mW but I'll need to send it to a member nearby with an LPM to verify that if I really want to make sure

-Alex

 

[Alaskan]

Re: Is my 520 too dim?

Looking at the photograph, they do look different in one of the photo's, like the spot is different, but in another photo in a different thread they look similar except the 520 dimmer. You've probably seen RHD's perceived brightness calculator, shows the 520 is a quarter dimmer at those two power levels, mostly due to the sensitivity of our eyes being less to that wavelength.

The above is for the beam, the 520nm spot calculates to be about about 67% as bright as 532nm. I'd get the power measured.

 

[NightExplorer96]

Re: Is my 520 too dim?

Looking at the photograph, they do look different in one of the photo's, like the spot is different, but in another photo in a different thread they look similar except the 520 dimmer. You've probably seen RHD's perceived brightness calculator, shows the 520 is a quarter dimmer at those two power levels, mostly due to the sensitivity of our eyes being less to that wavelength.

The above is for the beam, the 520nm spot calculates to be about about 67% as bright as 532nm. I'd get the power measured.

I did take a look at that tool, it's actually the first thing I went to haha. I'll turn it on again later tonight & take a good look at how it looks compared to my 532. Knowing just brightness isn't enough I might send it to ultimatekaiser just to make sure it works as advertised

-Alex

 

[Alaskan]

Re: Is my 520 too dim?

Ultimatekaiser is very kind to help like that, he offered to help me with one of my lasers for free once, a real gentleman. I wonder if there is an easy way to make a relative comparison of the two, maybe with a simple glass thermometer with the bulb painted black? With such a low power pointer might work? Then you would need to work the math for the two temperatures reached to know how much difference it works out to be. Maybe one of the experienced laser guru's can comment on the idea.

 

[NightExplorer96]

Re: Is my 520 too dim?

Ultimatekaiser is very kind to help like that, he offered to help me with one of my lasers for free once, a real gentleman. I wonder if there is an easy way to make a relative comparison of the two, maybe with a simple glass thermometer with the bulb painted black? With such a low power pointer might work? Then you would need to work the math for the two temperatures reached to know how much difference it works out to be. Maybe one of the experienced laser guru's can comment on the idea.

Yes he is! That's an interesting idea, I don't think it would work as you said for such low powers. I mean we're talking <4.5mW that's going to struggle to heat anything at all. I was originally going to buy myself the $99 Radiant Power Meter but they have been out of stock for awhile, so I might need to take a look around for other lower-end LPM's

-Alex

 

[10fenny]

Re: Is my 520 too dim?

All of my crappy 532's have been visually brighter than my 520's. Regardless of lpm output! For that low of output and the driver/battery issues your having... I wouldn't worry till your squared away.. Who knows-maybe the buzz is the driver on super duty cycle pulse mode.. Making loss of power!

Edit: my highest 520nm meters on a slop day of about 150mW!

 

[Pi R Squared]

Re: Is my 520 too dim?

I doubt it is too dim, 3.6mW and 4.4mW is a big difference, and with the brighter wave length being the 4.4mW, there should be a big difference in brightness.

Does anyone know what is the lowest power 520nm diode? I thought it was the Osram PL520 - 50mW, I know there is a lower power 515nm but what about the 520? The PL520 doesn't have a low enough lasing threshold for an under 5mW, it's ~15mW with a G2 lens so I think ~11mW with an acrylic or glass lens. If they made one under 5mW with that diode it could be it's pulsed to make it meter at a lower power, and that may be the cause of the sound.

Alan

 

[NightExplorer96]

Re: Is my 520 too dim?

I doubt it is too dim, 3.6mW and 4.4mW is a big difference, and with the brighter wave length being the 4.4mW, there should be a big difference in brightness.

Does anyone know what is the lowest power 520nm diode? I thought it was the Osram PL520 - 50mW, I know there is a lower power 515nm but what about the 520? The PL520 doesn't have a low enough lasing threshold for an under 5mW, it's ~15mW with a G2 lens so I think ~11mW with an acrylic or glass lens. If they made one under 5mW with that diode it could be it's pulsed to make it meter at a lower power, and that may be the cause of the sound.

Alan

Very possible! I talked to ultimatekaiser & was told I needed to keep the 520 PGL on a duty cycle of 1 minute on. I told him i was surprised, does this particular laser really need a duty cycle that short? It never feels hot. I can ask CNI if they pulsed the laser which may help clear up this strange issue

Edit: The 520 PGL is a CW laser, not pulsed.

@Pi Squared

Shouldn't 520 appear brighter when I view it at night? I mean with the 532 next to it, it looks half as bright, but when I first power it on they appear to be the same brightness.

-Alex

 

[Pi R Squared]

Re: Is my 520 too dim?

I don't know, your 532nm may need to warm up to reach full power but the 520nm doesn't, that may be why they look the same brightness when first powered on, also the power output of a 532nm will fluctuate some while it's on. It's difficult to say.

For the duty cycle I wouldn't think it needs to be that short at such low power. I would expect the 532nm to need the shorter duty cycle.

Not pulsed, you got that from CNI right? I was just guessing about that but I wonder then how they made one so low power. Maybe they tested a few diodes and found one that would work.

Alan

 

[NightExplorer96]

Re: Is my 520 too dim?

I don't know, your 532nm may need to warm up to reach full power but the 520nm doesn't, that may be why they look the same brightness when first powered on, also the power output of a 532nm will fluctuate some while it's on. It's difficult to say.

For the duty cycle I wouldn't think it needs to be that short at such low power. I would expect the 532nm to need the shorter duty cycle.

Not pulsed, you got that from CNI right? I was just guessing about that but I wonder then how they made one so low power. Maybe they tested a few diodes and found one that would work.

Alan

Yep, got it from them!

I also got a response from CNI regarding batteries. They said anything below 8V is fine. Heck, should I go ahead & buy 2 3.7 16340's then?

-Alex

 

[Pi R Squared]

Re: Is my 520 too dim?

Yep, got it from them!

I also got a response from CNI regarding batteries. They said anything below 8V is fine. Heck, should I go ahead & buy 2 3.7 16340's then?

-Alex

Yes you probably should. What are you using right now? 3V? It might even make a difference in power output, but don't count on it, but at least you would be using rechargeable batteries.

Alan

 

[NightExplorer96]

Re: Is my 520 too dim?

Yes you probably should. What are you using right now? 3V? It might even make a difference in power output, but don't count on it, but at least you would be using rechargeable batteries.

Alan

Im using 2 CR123 Energizer 3.0V batteries right now and the laser needs at least 6.0V of power so im right on the edge. Would getting more voltage get rid of the "buzz"? It should since I won't be on the edge of the power required. Weird though, I've never even heard of this happening because of low batteries

-Alex

 

[Pi R Squared]

Re: Is my 520 too dim?

Im using 2 CR123 Energizer 3.0V batteries right now and the laser needs at least 6.0V of power so im right on the edge. Would getting more voltage get rid of the "buzz"? It should since I won't be on the edge of the power required. Weird though, I've never even heard of this happening because of low batteries

-Alex

Some lasers will flash rapidly with low batteries but I don't know about the buzz. If it needs a minimum of 6V then I would change to the 16340 as soon as possible. Do you have a charger for them? If not then this one is very good:
Efest LUC V4 Charger - Chargers - Batteries, Chargers, and PowerPax Carriers
I buy some of my batteries from them too.

Alan

 

[NightExplorer96]

Re: Is my 520 too dim?

Some lasers will flash rapidly with low batteries but I don't know about the buzz. If it needs a minimum of 6V then I would change to the 16340 as soon as possible. Do you have a charger for them? If not then this one is very good:
Efest LUC V4 Charger - Chargers - Batteries, Chargers, and PowerPax Carriers
I buy some of my batteries from them too.

Alan

Alright I'll get 16340's as soon as possible. What's strange is the my 532(which im sure needs at least 3V to run) dosen't have difficulties when I run with my 2XAA batteries 1.5V, so why would this one be any different? Kinda strange how these things work

Thanks for the help Pi!

-Alex