How Loud Are Thunder Lasers?
Today I will explore the sound levels created by a Thunder Laser Nova 35-80 in various stages of operation.
NOTE: This test and the accompanying results are UNOFFICIAL and do not follow best practices and procedures for sound pressure level measurement so its for educational purposes only. Thunder Laser USA always recommends the use of appropriate ear and eye protection at all times. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of these tests or the results.
I performed an informal test with a Radio Shack Digital Sound Level Meter and documented the SPL during power-up, idle, and while running a job on my Thunder Laser Nova 35 80 watt machine. All measurements were A-weighted meaning that the levels were filtered to mimic the frequency range of the average human ear. You can learn more about weighting here.
SIDE NOTE: There's an SPL test video at the end of this article with an AC Infinity exhaust fan & Cali-Air ultra-quiet 8010a compressor.
Here were the results:
- The ambient room noise with all equipment off was around 34db(A)
- The chiller while alarming was around 68dB(A)
- The power-up sequence peaked at about 48dB(A)
- The machine at idle with air assist pump on produced 50dB(A)
- Machine idle plus air and chiller in the compression cycle was 60dB(A)
- Full operation with all systems in operation produced 74dB(A)
Below is a sound level comparison chart for reference:
As you can see my stock Nova 35, in its current environment, is equivalent to running a vacuum cleaner. These values can vary greatly depending on the environment of the machine so if you are unsure, or want to learn more, I suggest contacting an industrial audiologist in your area and have them evaluate your specific setup. This is especially important if your laser is for commercial, educational, or public use. And again, always wear suitable personal protective equipment. Thanks for watching and please take a moment to browse ThunderLaserUSA.com!
NOTE: The Nova 24 and Mini 60 come with an axial inline fan. The Odin comes with a 4" centrifugal fan similar to the 6" versions for the 35, 51, and 63.
Here are the specs for the 6" centrifugal fan that ships with Nova 35, 51, and 63:
We often recommend AC Infinity Cloudline S series ultra-quiet inline axial fans for those who want a serious noise reduction. Below is a test with a Cloudline S-6.
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