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How long can my RPL laser run before it needs to cool off i.e. duty cycle?
What is the best choice
of batteries for the PPL series?
What material is used to make the laser body, is it plastic?
How long does it take for my order to ship
after I complete the purchase?
How do you measure the output power of your
laser products?
Do you charge my credit card before the item
is shipped?
What filter goggles would you recommend
for this level of output?
Are these high-power units pushed or modified
in some way to increase their output? Or is it that these
units have high-powered diodes and superior MCAs?
How long can my RPL laser run before it needs to cool off i.e. duty cycle?
The adjustable RPL has the ability to tune the amount of IR diode current so that the optimum amount of IR goes to the crystal. If more than the optimum amount of IR hits the crystal, the crystal becomes over saturated and 532nm output no longer increases. Only more heat is produced and in fact this can cause output to decrease some. When the RPL laser is tested, the optimum current level setting is noted in the customer documentation and this is the same current level that the average output power tested and recorded for the customer. Most of the time, this current level is #4 or #5 and adjustable RPLs sold after 2/1/2007 will run until the battery dies at this level (no duty cycle). The reason we give a recommended duty cycle of 5 minutes on and two minutes off is that some users will buy the non-adjustable model and it's current cannot be tuned. It is safe to leave the RPL on until it shuts itself off, in fact that is what the battery protection circuit is for. The shut off is to protect the battery from excess discharge/low voltage as this can be dangerous for lithium-ion cells. The RPL diode is never ran at more than 80% of it's rated operating current, so as long as the ambient room temperature in the spec does not exceed 30C, the diode will be not be thermally damaged by extended use.
What is the best choice of batteries
for the PPL series?
NiMH batteries are best choice for the PPL laser. They are rechargeable and they tend to hold their voltage
higher right up to the end of the charge whereas alkaline
batteries voltage continuously drops through the discharge. I highly recommend the the AccuPower 6000 NiMH cells. These cells provide 6000 mA hr of power, the most I've found in a C cell. By comparison a Duracell Ultra Alkaline battery only provides 1400 mA hr of Power.
Here is a link to my test showing a plot of the Duracell Ultra (Alkaline) vs the AccuPower 6000 (NiMH) at load levels that simulate an operating PPL laser module.
What material is used to make the laser body, is it plastic?
No, in fact the only plastic in the entire laser is the button of the on/off and adjustment switches. The rest is made of quality machined aluminum, with the highest quality glass lenses and crystals available.
How long does it take for my order to
ship after I complete the purchase?
Most items are in stock and shipped on the next business day, if not the item is marked as "out of stock".
How do you measure the output power
of your laser products?
We use a Coherent Field master-GS power meter coupled to a Coherent LM-3 HTD thermal power sensor that is calibrated to NIST standards annually. I measure the
output power over a period of 4 minutes (beginning 30 to 60 seconds after power on so as not to include any initial output power spikes and allow the laser to "warm-up") samples taken at 0.1 second intervals (600 samples). The average power output of these 600 samples, (not the peak power at turn on as many lasers are rated) are then recorded.
This is done 3 times (with laser remaining on) and then the high and low 60 second sample periods are discarded and the remaining (middle sample) is used to determine the power rating, so the full average power testing "on" time is just under 5 minutes (Three 60 second trend function tests with ~20 seconds to record results and reset meter after the 1st and 2nd trend measurements and a 30-60 second warm-up period before testing begins).
Do you charge my credit card before
the item is shipped?
Your credit card is charged as soon as
the order is placed. If the laser you ordered is not in stock,
it holds your place in line (the order that orders are received
determines the output to some degree as well, the oldest orders
get the highest powers in each class). Of course if you place
an order for an out of stock item, a complete refund can be
made anytime before your item ships.
What filter goggles would you recommend
for this level of output?
When looking for eye protection, shop for goggles or glasses
that will block the 532nm wavelengths at high power levels with a rating of OD+2.5 or greater.
Are these high-power units pushed or modified in some way
to increase their output? Or is it that these units have high-powered
diodes and superior MCAs?
These lasers are not modified in anyway, to do so would
void the manufacturer's warranty. They are designed from the ground
up for high powered output. The PPL model line uses a 1.2W n-Light pump diode and
the RPL model line uses the 2.5W n-Light pump diode. Both models also incorporate the highest quality crystals available and each laser is precision aligned at the manufacturer to provide maximum power output and minimum divergence.
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