Green laser in 2x123A flashlight

I have a green laser but I don't really fancy the layout of the case. It's too long, and too skinny. It also doesn't have anything to prevent dust from getting on the final focusing lens. What I wanted to do was to stick the laser unit inside a 2x123A flashlight and use 2 5/8AA nimh cells to power the laser. They are slightly less same mah than the regular aaa cells that the laser uses. You might be wondering how I will push the button on the laser. The laser I have has a pushbutton endcap so when you supply energy to the pos and neg terminals, the laser will spark. The button is hard wired "on". The pictures below show how I can put the laser unit and batteries inside an e2e case.

http://www.geocities.com/hardcorebmw7/MVC-045S.JPG

http://www.geocities.com/hardcorebmw7/MVC-046S.JPG

The e2e case is great, and has enough clearance if I put in an o-ring spacer at the bottom of the bezel...but I don't want to destroy a $60 case. It would also be great if I can put some type of regulator chip inside that would keep the laser at 3V, up from the 2.4V of the batteries, but that would require a larger case. I've never actually dealt with one(I don't even know if it's possible to put one in), so I wouldn't really know the size. The laser is a tight fit for the e2e already, so the e2e case is out of the question.

So what flashlight would you guys suggest would be a good doner case that is moderately cheap? It needs exactly 3.5inches of clearance from the end of one battery to the tip of the laser unit, plus maybe a regulator unit. It doesn't matter if the front end of the light has a skinny hole for the lamp(light the e2e), I can always bore it out.

But then...I've been always thinking of getting an KL4...and a L4 would only be $140, a lot less than the what it would be to install a KL4 on the e2e PLUS getting another case for the laser. But it still isnt large enough to put an optional regulator case in, and still a bit too expensive. This would be a sweet project. Gimme some input guys!

wow i had an idea like this just last week and your doing a lot better then what i would have do. how a bout one of those ubhs that would work good i thinkyou can fit about 3 123s in there so that means i would fit. i dont know excatly what circut you would use for this but if you need me to then i will try to find out. that and where did you get the laser and and the batteries.

okay after i was searching for about 5 minutes i think i found what you are looking for on ebay at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2590487625&category=7287 i dont know for sure but just check out the descrption if you find any thing out please keep this topic alive and don't be a stranger keep posting pics

Ehhh, that is a regular 5mw red module. Mine is a 40mw green. It's about 100 times brighter. I already have a module. I don't need another one. I just need something reasonably priced to put it in. No thanks.

i know that it is a verm little red. i am sorry i saw that there was a converter in the package that was a booster specily for lasers and i thought i would be helpfull and theat you could ask the seller if he would sell just the converter seperate if that fit your needs. hey you cant blame me for trying i was just tring to be helpfull. oh and i know that a 40mw green is a whole lot better then a 5 mw red umm kay.

wow, those laser things are pretty cool. You could build your own laser burglar alarms pretty easy with that.

Or put all 3 together in a flaslight, and you'd have the tri-laser thing like Predator used. Along with some 5W luxeon colored light you could freak some people out!!

Yeah but you will look like quite the idiot wearing that around publically...

Stupid geocities and not putting up pictures...

yeah geochities isn't a good host for pics. I think people use imagestation or something here mostly. I wouldn't wear it, but shine it from the woods along with some bright luxeon lights /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Man, there is some scary stuff on ebay. You can get 2W output infrared lasers on fiber optics! You could set things on fire from your car! Light fireworks from a safe distance magically! ... Only I'd be too scared I'd blind myself or others, espeically with light you cant see! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mecry.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/drool.gif

I see your pics. you have to copy and paste them into a new window, it doesn't alow outside links. I'd personally look for a new host to fit all that into. Is a minimag long enough? I just don't think it goes well into that expensive light. I'm sure you could find a different host.. What about those one offbrand surfire aa adapters? then a standard mclux head on the end. That would fit better and look better profile wise. I think that would look really cool actuall /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Yeah a minimag would work but it is AA. I want a 123A width tube so I can fit those batteries in it. My whole point is to make it shorter.

so 5/8AA are bigger than AA? Weird. Id think they just be shorter. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

There is also the choice of buying the Hotech Astro Aimer (www.hotechusa.com). This light runs on two 123 batteries, has three intensity adjustable white LEDs, one red LED and a 4~5 mW green laser. Battery life is estimated at 28 hours of use. I spoke with their sales guy this week and ordered one. I'll try to do us a review once I receive it, but don't expect scientific power out, intensity measurements, etc. I don't think this light is as ruggedized as a Surefire as it was primarily designed for astronomers. I deploy quite a bit with the Army and want to use it in a tactical environment. If it holds up, this probably wouldn't be an EDC, but it wouldn't be too far out of reach either.

Wow that thing is pretty cool. I just asked them if their laser units were the same type and size as mine and if they can make me a special one withOUT the laser unit so I can put mine in. They make their own diodes right? Then I probably wouldn't be able to exchange them. When you get yours, I'd be the first to want to hear the review.

IsaacHayes: That's what I recall that they are called when I ordered them. They are exactly half the length of a 123A and four fits perfectly in a 2x123A light.

I'd like to hear this as well.
I have a couple of premature questions if you wouldn't mind?
Amperage?
Beam diameter at 10'?
O.D. on the diode/module?
Hour life?

Ok I made a duct tape tube with the same inner diameter as the laser and the same outer diameter as a 123A and a metal pin to connect the negative terminal case of the laser to the metal of the flashlight barrel.

Without the final focusing lens, I can put the e2e bezel on it, but the beam won't be focused. This is good since it is pretty much a REALLY long throw flashlight.

The only way I can make the final focusing lens fit is if I make the lamp hole in the bezel bigger, which will require me drilling and destroying the reflector.

So far, it has been really successful. I can easily modify my existing bezel to fit the final focusing lens but that would mean no flashlight...So either I get an L4 or I get another bezel. Here are pics from IMAGESTATION, not crappy geocities:

http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4287848589&p=4190583425&idx=1

Maybe you could use an Inova X5T case instead of a Surefire.

Also maybe you could use a 3.6 volt Pila 150S cell instead of the two NiMH cells. You could add a diode to drop it down to 2.9 volts or so if 3.6 volts is too much.