So the SLB does change the power output of the laser as it progresses through the g-code?
Does it matter what dip switch is set? Exa, and it should be noted here that I’m using Sienci Labs, 7 W laser:
Dip switch set to 1 is = to 20% of the total available power output. Using your settings of 1000 =max, 500 would be 50% output which would ultimately end up being 10% output???
Dip switch set to 4 is = to 80% power. Thus 500 would be 50% of 80% thus would end up being a total of 40% output?
@Parkey Your math is fine, Dave. I don’t have the Sienci laser module. I have a 10w Endurance. These add-on modules are all very similar. I’ve never understood the purpose of the dip switches on the Sienci laser module since the power can be modulated through gcode. When the dip switch 5 is set, I believe that means that the module is capable of 7w output = 100%. I could be wrong, though. Assuming for the moment that I am right, if I had the dip switch 5 on the module to on and set the power to 200 or 20%, I don’t understand how that would differ from setting dip switch 1 to on and setting the power in software to 1000 or 100%. To me adding a second method - dip switches - to the more common software method just adds an unnecessary complication.
I want to make it very clear that I do not represent the views of anyone from Sienci. these are simply my personal opionions. I could very well be mistaken about the relationship between the dip switches and software/gcode settings.
To your first question, simply put, the SLB does change the power output by running the gcode, which has power settings in it.
I’ve wondered about the dipswitch power settings too untill I talked to someone owning a co2 laser unit putting out a whopping 60w power. He, and I kid you not, had a turnable switch for power settings. Set it once and that was that. The dedicated software that run the chinese crap could only switch on the laser or not. It would not run on any other software.
I had wondered why he tipped me a site to convers pictures into binairy ones but only glanced it over as useless.
When I showed off some of my laser etchings he almost threw his laser out the window.
Maybe sienci included the switches for people using or used to chinese binairy software.
I also noticed sienci laser tutorials have the laser set to 4. Maybe it has something to do with having a setting left to up to when the diode wears out over time.
Other than that the switches might be something that just came to be because it was usefull in a design phase/testbed and it was left in to have a point to get easy measurements on pinpointing problems on the board that would otherwise be a pain to find.
Now you can fire the laser at 100 and you’re able to hard switch it to only have it pull a fifth of the power. That is something I as an ex repair dude would’ve proposed including if I was in a electronics design team. Unlucky enough electronics are usualy designed by economists, not by people who need to work on it. That switch isnt cheap and would quickly be designed out of the electronics. If it’s not needed for it’s primairy function - Be GoNe SaTaN!
Sienci however isn’t an economist centered company (yet) and being able to quick fix, doesnt make eyes glace over… yet.
@Spamming_Eddie You may well be right, Eddie. Early on in the life of the laserbeam, I asked what the purpose of the dip switches was - other than the obvious. I did not get a reply. As I already had my laser module, I did not pursue it.
I did not want my comments to come across as criticism. I know that a great deal of engineering went into the design of the laserbeam, and that Sienci took safety concerns very seriously in that their design decisions. Those concerns may well have led to the dip switches. At any rate, I seem to be taking this discussion too far off topic, so I will shut up now.
as designers and operators of the fabulous art of CNC, I think we might be hardwired for taking things a bit too far. .
Guys, I really appreciate being able to share knowledge with each other, and thank you for sharing with me.
@gwilki what it sounds like to me is that the dip switches are a redundant option? Perhaps I should just leave them permanently set on 4 and allow Vcarve to do the rest via my tool settings. Although I have lightburn, I find it intensely difficult for what I’m doing considering my results from Vcarve have been quite satisfying thus far. Perhaps I’ll need it in the future but for now I’m just trying to figure it out.
@Spamming_Eddie sienci labs recommends staying away from dip switch 5 for longevity purposes, however being able to limit the amount of output can be useful, I think🤔. None the less. When this laser dies, I’ll be looking at something a bit more powerful. So I can cut thicker stock.
All said, thank you again gentlemen for your support.
FWIW, I use both LB and VC arve. It depends on what I am doing. I do not have the VCarve laser module. I tried the trial version and it simply was not worth the cost for the modest things that it can do. In my limited experience, LB is far better for engraving pictures straight from bitmap images, for example. VCarve is much better for hybrid (router + laser) projects.
I agree. I just haven’t come to a place where I feel vcarve isn’t doing what I need it to do yet. Because I’m not familiar with LB, although I’ve had it since I purchased my machine originally in Jan of 2023, I have a tendency to shy away from using it when I understand Vcarve better.
If I’m totally honest with myself, I just don’t want to spend the extra time to learn it. I guess that’s the beauty of the longmill, even a dummy like me can use it to some degree
thank you for replying 
I don’t have the Sienci laser module. I have a 10w Endurance. These add-on modules are all very similar. I’ve never understood the purpose of the dip switches on the Sienci laser module since the power can be modulated through gcode. When the dip switch 5 is set, I believe that means that the module is capable of 7w output = 100%. I could be wrong, though. Assuming for the moment that I am right, if I had the dip switch 5 on the module to on and set the power to 200 or 20%, I don’t understand how that would differ from setting dip switch 1 to on and setting the power in software to 1000 or 100%. To me adding a second method - dip switches - to the more common software method just adds an unnecessary complication.
