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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

WickedLasers 80% failure rate (for me anyway)

Joined
Mar 27, 2008
Messages
478
Points
28
Hey guys, I just wanted to share my experiences with WL.

I had seen ads for wicked lasers before, but I never had the money to buy any of their products, nor could I justify buying one. But when I started college in September 07, I received a pair of generous government grants for my education. Being a Photonics Engineering student, I now had both the money and justification to play with lasers. So I went back to WL and bought a nexus 95mW. It arrived in the mail and I was very pleased to find that WL had sent me a Fusion 125mW because the Nexus's were out of stock.

But both myself and my parents were concerned about the laser's brightness. I decided it would be worth it to get a pair of safety goggles. I checked eBay first, and found a user named zonestealth that was selling affordable and stylish looking laser safety goggles. I bough a pair of 532nm goggles, and when they arrived, there was no end to my burning, melting, and pointing enjoyment. A few of the guys at school had played with the laser as well, and they decided they wanted one for themselves.

Of course, nobody could afford the $500 for a Fusion, and so when WL started their Christmas sale, we decided to go in and buy a Christmas 4 pack of <5mW Evos, one for me and one for each of three friends. The lasers arrived, and they all worked great. Then, one by one, they stopped working. The first one stopped after about a week, the next one two weeks after that, a third a month later, and then mine died shortly after the 3 month warranty ran out. I asked my friends if they had dropped them or if they got bumped around at all, and three of them had basically the same story: The laser was placed in a drawer, then a few days later when it was taken out, it simply didn't work anymore. The fourth laser died because the button on it simply stopped moving. Completely. It was as if it fused itself to the case, even light taps with a hammer did nothing to loosen it. I shipped the first two lasers back to WL for replacement, and they were sent back again in working order. However, I had to pay import taxes and duties on them when they came back. I remembered that WL said they guarantee their products arrive without taxes, so I inquired about it and apparently that does not apply for replacements. When the third laser died, my friend shipped it back himself, and we are currently waiting on a replacement to arrive. My laser died a few days after the warranty ran out, and I decided that I didn't ever want another WL product, including a replacement for my broken laser.

I found LPF in the time between ordering the Evo's and receiving them. It was then that I went from being a laser noob to a laser enthusiast. 4 out of 5 of the lasers I bought from WL failed in under 4 months. My Fusion still works great, but every time I take it out of the drawer I worry that it might not turn on ever again.

I tolerated the high prices. I tolerated the flashy ads and annoying videos on the homepage. I tolerated the total internet censorship on their forums. I put up with all the crap that WL threw at me and they still let me down. Thats one more person who won't ever buy from WL again.

- Event Horizon


P.S. Don't buy from zonestealth either.
 





Joined
Jun 13, 2007
Messages
5,410
Points
113
Hey man that sucks that you got 4 bad lasers from them. It's hard to believe that they can't even get a 5mW right. Well at least you got a good Fusion, and now you know what companies are best to buy from ;)
 
Joined
Dec 26, 2007
Messages
6,129
Points
0
hey thats a very good way of describing these situations. sad to hear you had so many problems...
better luck for next time!! (with nova or lg of course :p)
 

Razako

0
Joined
Mar 17, 2006
Messages
4,301
Points
113
How the hell does wicked screw up 5mw pointers? Even dx can get those right.
 
Joined
Feb 28, 2008
Messages
573
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0
The only laser I ever purchased from them (a 95mw Nexus, CNI) died about 2 months after I got it (thankfully it happened in the warranty period!), even though I wasn't using it a whole lot. So I contacted them and the rep said something to the effect of "please observe the duty cycle" - as if I caused the laser to fail! I never even let it stay on for more than about 60 secs, less than the max of 90 secs.

Anyway, I got another of the same type laser and knock on wood it still works great.

Of the other three lasers I have from them, 2 were give-aways - the Core and the Fusion, and the Pulsar I purchased lightly used (and focus modded) from Psuedonomen137.

I don't know what the failure rate would be for what I've purchased but I do know that I had to go thru a dud laser before I got a good one.
 
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
3,642
Points
63
zonestealth also uses deceptive marketing like the "3000mW" IR laser that only contains a 500mW diode. They base it off the input power to the driver that also runs TEC cooling.
 

geek

0
Joined
Feb 13, 2008
Messages
62
Points
0
Event Horizon said:
While I can't comment on his lasers, I wouldn't use his safety goggles on a blind person.

I have a pair of his safety goggles for red lasers and have no complaints as of yet. Granted I've only had them about a week. They do what they are supposed to do, and block more than I had hoped they would. What was the problem with yours?
 
Joined
Jun 28, 2007
Messages
3,443
Points
63
Sounds like the worst of luck there Event Horizon, I have had 13 Core lasers, (four sent free, reasons below), I don't advocate any of thier other lasers, but I like the Core, and have pot modded 6 of them, (only to 20-45mW), but the only failures I've had, were one with blinky button and one cracked lens, (both were replaced). The one with the cracked lens, was replaced, then a second one showed up a week later, (prob's by a mistake). I have a second hand Evolution 15 mW, and it averages 34 mW over 30 sec. peaks ~50 mW. Not too shabby1 I also have 2 Dragon cases, one fits the Evo.
Free Cores:
1st: bought 5 and rec'd 6
2nd: Sent 2 defective and rec'd 3 back (1 ea. sent these seperate two times)
3rd: bought 3 rec'd 4
4th: reviewed Core, rec'd 1 free
 




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