Output power update and beam specs for the X-85 from NOVA LASERS !
Output power update, and beam specs !!
For the beam specs to make sense - you really need to look at Psuedo's divergence calculator located here :
LINK. If you use this divergence calculator, it allows for an average Mrad divergence measurement with using a specific set of known constants (
the distance). I measured the divergence of this laser at both 100 feet, and 200 feet. As I do not have any more sophisticated ways of measuring the divergence, I went by my house's survey - and the distances quoted on it were where I got the 200 feet, and 100 feet measurements. I went back to verify, and using my handy-dandy measuring tape - it is exactly dead on accurate ! So - if you have that divergence window open, and you plug in the following measurements - at 200 feet, the beam diameter was 2.25 inches, and at 100 feet, the beam diameter was exactly 1.125 inches - it came in at
.938Mrad for divergence, which is better than what Nova Lasers states - an average of <1.2Mrad !!!
I ran MANY output power tests with the Nova Lasers X-85 and my readings were a tiny bit different from the readings they posted on the carton that it came in. Now keep in mind that they measure the output power level
TWICE prior to shipment, which in fact is an excellent method of Quality Assurance. I measured the output level
over a period of fifteen minutes - following the recommended duty cycle of 100sec on, and 10sec off - the total time measured was 16.66667 minutes !
My readings were this -
the laser NEVER dropped below 94.2mw !!!
My readings for PEAK output power were :
109.04mw
The average output power level for this laser reads as
98.63mw !!!
The readings on the carton were : PEAK output power - 100.7mw
AVG. output power - 90.5mw
So - my
LPM-1 laser power meter agreed with their findings mostly, although I tested the output a little bit more strenuously than they did - they take an average reading over a two minute test period
(also following the recommended duty cycle). Now...WHY was this laser not classified at a higher power level, and then sold as that, and increasing their profit ? Well, I cannot answer that, but I do know that their next level of classification for the X-series lasers is 105mw !!! I can safely state that they do not want to OVER-classify a laser, and they would rather sell the laser at a lower power level, so you get more than what you expect. The average end user will not have a laser power meter - although most of the folks on here are NOT average users !
In this series of beam shots - it is 12pm CST, with my garage door closed, for darkness to show off the beam at its best - although the beam of this laser CAN be seen in an inside environment, with normal lighting my camera just does not do a great job of capturing that ! (It could NOT be the photographer, now could it ? :laughing: )
Here's a few videos as well :
Video 1 - Short Safety Lecture (My daughter INSISTED) Buy goggles
HERE
Video 2 - Short Tape Cutting Demo
Video 3 - Lighting Matches !
In summary, I can only say that this laser is most definitely worth the purchase price, especially if every laser sold by Nova fits into this same quality range, and power !!
Well done, Nova Lasers - you have convinced me to be a customer, that is for certain !
NEXT UP - Nova Lasers' Optics and accessories review.....new thread, coming today !
