got my red 635laser from laserguy

The_LED_Museum

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Maybe you got one of those "accidents" that come out extra powerful, like my green one did.
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Then again, 6 or 7mW at 635nm is no slouch either. Usually does quite well against typical 650-685nm pointers. I've got a 6mW HeNe and it's quite bright compared to any of my 650nm pointers, even the souped-up ones.
 

Darell

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Aragorn:
and will kill small carabou<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

LOL. And I only say that when it's true.
 

007

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grin.gif
That's a big 10-4. I recently bought a 635nm red key chain (adjustable focus tip) from laserguy-- for a red laser, it's bright!

At night, I lit up a water tower at nearly 1 mile away with a large red dot! It wasn't what I'd call a bright dot, but you could clearly see it!

Beat the bejesus out of 650 and 670nm pointers. Only cost $24!!!!!

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Brock

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Now you made me go and order one
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Does anyone know of a brighter one that is this size or smaller? Hey 007 can you get more batteries in the keychain one? I know Craig mentioned overpowering them to get more output.
 

lightlover

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Brock, Stingmon,

I couldn't get 4 cells in the 3 cell space in my best red pointer. But I did find a 6V battery that is 0.63" long x 0.394" diam. (16.01 x 10.0 mm)
That's about the same length, and even narrower than 3 LR44's.

Depending on the pointers contact types, you may need to add a washer, because this uses a button contact, not the flat surfaces of an LR44.

The battery is an Exide Alkaline, UK ref 11A, sold for car alarm transmitters.

lightlover
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The_LED_Museum

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Brock:
something ridiculous have you tried it? Is it much brighter? Now I am getting laser happy
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<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

This trick won't work properly if the laser has a feedback limited power supply.
Most of those sold in the UK have to be under 1 milliwatt, and those I've seen from that region indeed have such a power supply to keep them from climbing above 1mW.

To tell if yours does, shoot another laser into it. At some point, you should be able to make the test laser dim or extinguish just by shining another laser down inside it.
If it does, that's the power supply kicking in.

Cheap pointers like those found for $1 or $2 on ebay seem to be the best candidates for this type of modification, as their only form of power regulation comes from a single resistor.
 

007

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Hey Brock, my 635nm key chain pointer won't take a 4th battery. (too bad)

If it could take another battery - or a larger voltage one of another size that would fit with spacers... will it burn out my laser?

Anyone know for sure?
 

The_LED_Museum

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 007:
If it could take another battery - or a larger voltage one of another size that would fit with spacers... will it burn out my laser?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not for sure, no.
The shorter wavelength diodes tend to be a bit more frail than the longer (deeper red) diodes, so a battery cram modification that works fine with a cheap 650nm might very well smoke a 635nm diode.

That's why I have the disclaimer on my website, advising one doing the modification to do so at his or her own risk.
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Darell

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Dang. I thought I had this light thing all figured out: LED only from now on. But of course now I need to go buy a laser to keep up. Where does it end?!

Can't wait for the next guy who tells me my collection of lights is only good for close-up work.

Thanks for the link - looks like about the best bang-for-the buck laser buy around!
 
D

**DONOTDELETE**

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Hey Telephony, when you install a 4th battery, do you know what the increased mw power is????

Merry Xmas & Happy New Yr
 

The_LED_Museum

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by FlashlightDude:
Hey Telephony, when you install a 4th battery, do you know what the increased mw power is????

Merry Xmas & Happy New Yr
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It varies from one unit to the next.
You might get 6.8mW, you might get 10.3mW, you might get 0.0mW and a puff of smoke.
 

007

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What the heck, I just bought one of those "expensive $4.00" laser pointers from Ebay =- and I'm gonna stick in an extra 1.5 volt battery! Maybe I'll be able to make toast out of that pesky cat that keeps coming by my house to pi$$ off my dog!!!!!!

May the force be with us flasho/laso'holics.

Happy New Year folks

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lightlover

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Brock,
using the small 6V Exide Alkaline, UK ref 11A, worked with mine. Sorry I didn't make that clear before. It fit in easily, though I had to use a washer to ensure the contact from the button end, the way this pointer was made. (The little 6V is built like a standard AA or AAA type.) Boosting 4.5 to 6V, the effect was very noticeable.

Since then, I've discovered another way.
I found a 1.5V "micro-cell" stamped G12-A CNB. The diameters are the same, heights are -

G12-A, 0.161"/4.06mm
LR44, 0.203"/5.14mm

So 4 G12's are just 5% longer than 3 LR44's. The battery compartment should take that difference.

But, as Telephony says, you have to be prepared to burn the laser out while trying this.

lightlover
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Brock

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I have the larger 2 N cell version on it's way. Then I will ahve to get a couple of the cheaper ones and start putting more batteries in
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D

**DONOTDELETE**

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I'm at a loss with the extra batteries. If you look at a graph of the response of the human eye vs. wavelength of light (laser or otherwise) you have a big fat peak around green and things drop off steadily the farther away you get. The closer the output is to green the "brighter" it seems. A 1mW 532nm green laser will appear brighter than a 5mW 635nm red-orange laser and this will appear brighter than a 10mW over-driven 650nm red laser that will last for a few minutes.

If you look at one of the wavelength acuity graphs you will see the differences in perceived "brightness." The graph towards the bottom of http://www.physics.uq.edu.au:8001/ph128/6d.html shows that we actually have 2 acuity responses, one for dark adapted and one for light adapted situations. 532nm is right there smack in the sweet spot of both graphs. For the "scotopic" or dark adapted light response anything greater than 635nm pretty crappy.

Drawn out point is, the best price-point you can get right now (even considering the option of hooking up your laser to a car battery) is the 635nm. Once 532nm drops below $99 then it will be the choice!

Let me know what you think!
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