rookie question re: green laser pointer

[Dave Keith]

I know I'm a sucker, but I bought one of those inexpensive (cheap) green laser pointers from Woot.com. Now it has ceased to function and I'm having that "you get what you pay for" remorse! After exhausting my technical expertise (changing to fresh batteries and mumbling a few mild oaths) it still won't turn on.
I've already learned from harsh experience that sharp blows, violent shaking, and stronger language seldom cures problems such as this. So my real question is what further diagnoses can a technological simpleton perform, or is it time to pitch it out and count it a lesson learned?

 

[proud2deviate]

It might be too warm/cold. Some greens are quite sensitive to temperature.

Do you have the batteries in the right way? Correct polarity is essential.

Under no circumstances should you point it towards your eyeball and press the button to see if it's "doing stuff". This is a great time for Murphey's Gods to flip the "broken/fixed" switch and cook you. Also, it might be "doing stuff" (pumping out infrared,) that you can't see. (I don't really think you're an idiot, but I read about people doing this more frequently than you'd think. BSTS)

 

[Dave Keith]

I'll give it another try since it has been sitting at room temp for a couple days. It is odd that looking in the business end of the thing is a near compulsion when shaking and muttering imprecations!

I double checked battery polarity, but would a mistake have fried the module?

I suspect that this little fragment of excrement is destined for the "useless" pile.

Thanks for the response. This has, however, made me want a decent green laser.

 

[proud2deviate]

Not sure whether getting the polarity wrong would have cooked it. Some models are protected, others aren't. Just out of curiosity, what type and output power did you get?

 

[The_LED_Museum]

Just as a note, most green laser pointers have the opposite battery polarity of typical AAA cell flashlights; that is, the button-end (+) positive of each cell faces outward (toward the tailcap) as you slide it into the barrel, ***NOT*** toward the "head" (light-emitting end) as you would normally encounter.

 

[gorn]

I picked up a couple of the Woot lasers. The_LED_Museum is right on battery orientation, the positive end goes toward the tailcap. I have had no problem with mine. One is real bright, the other one is so bright I don't even want to play with it without goggles.

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

I had a no-name green pointer a while back, suddenly stopped putting out green and only put out a faint red. I was too scared to look into it, but I kinda think the yag got bumped out of alignment because it was held in place with a rubbery silicone-like material. I disassembled the laser and tried to get the crystal to do its thing but no matter how I held it over the diode, it wouldn't put out near as much green light as it first did. I might have run it too long, though. I read on here a lot of green lasers have a specified time that you are supposed to keep the runtime under.

Whats the longest time you've had it continuously on for?

 

[Kenom]

if you would like I would be happy to look into it and see what is going on. I've lots of experience fixing green laser pointers. I won't guarantee it is fixable, but we'll sure look. If'n it won't fix, I can use some of the parts on it and direct you on where you can find a quality laser for very little $$

 

[Dave Keith]

Thanks for the responses! I just got in from an all day trip to Dallas to pick up my mother-in-law for a month long visit

I'll try to get some answers tomorrow morning.

Thanks, Dave

 

[Dave Keith]

I really don't believe that I ran it too long and it was working well when put on the shelf. Then the next time it was tried there was absolutely nothing. I'm also sure that I had the batteries in backward at least once when the new ones were tried.

Kenom, I'll send you a PM about sending it to you for diagnosis and possible repair.

Thanks everyone, for being gentle with a rookie! CPF continues to be a delightful place to hang out.