Spectra-Physics PSU

Greetings all, I'm new here and have a question about the laser head pinout difference on 2 Spectra-Physics PSU's I have.
One is the SP-163A (not sure exactly which flavor it is, no data plate) and the other is the SP-263C02.

Both will be used with the 163-A1202 heads (got 2 of em).

I have the pinouts for the remote interfaces on both so that is not a problem. My concern is are the heads directly compatable with the PSU's. Sucking beryllium dust from a boom is something i would rather not do if you know what I mean. :D

Any help would be greatly be appreciated.

I was hoping I might have a clue, but sadly not so I'll try to avoid a silly answer... I have an SP-161 and I've seen the others in the SP family mentioned on alt.lasers enough to know not to make guesses (some of them are brutes). In one sense the task might be easy, you could look inside and see where wires go and solve most of the problems that way as the basic idea is simple, but the currents are fairly critical, and that's where I agree, guessing with the stakes being a lungful of beryllia won't do.

One guy who posts here as 'mixedgas' is bound to know, I'd say with 100% certainty. If he doesn't notice this, you could pm him, or post on alt.lasers, where he will likely see it.

I'm familiar with the spectra-physics 261 series PSU's... Does yours have a 15-pin jones plug for the laser head (rectangular plug with three rows of 5 pins each)? If so, I've got the pinout for that plug.

Not sure about the 163 series PSU... Is that one of the newer, smaller PSU's? (I have one of those, but I thought the model number was different... I need to check when I get home.)

Can you post some general pictures of the PSU's and at least one picture that shows the head connector? That would help.

Adam

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buffo

Not sure about the 163 series PSU... Is that one of the newer, smaller PSU's? (I have one of those, but I thought the model number was different... I need to check when I get home.)

Can you post some general pictures of the PSU's and at least one picture that shows the head connector? That would help.

Adam

The 263 series have the round AMP style connectors and I will post pics of both PSU's this afternoon when I get back from work.
The reason for the post is that there is a slight difference in the pinout between the two which the pics will show.

SP plugouts

I have them for the big 15 pin, If you give me model numbers and serials I can probably bug SP for them, the "university" part of my title gets results sometimes that hobbyists dont get for liability reasons. Also there used to be a web site in europe at LASOS that gives you the lasos equivalent pinouts.
SP tends to put small programming resistors in teh heads to set power max levels and fan speeds. If I dont help you within a week and a half of posting, ($#@!^ memorial day holiday) try the folks at National Laser in Salt Lake city, they make SP clones. I just tried the lasos web site, they killed the page that had the pinout lookups. These days there are only 2-3 plants making tubes and rebranding them for the other sellers, so its fairly easy to crack the codes. If you dont hear from me soon, find me and remind me, I'm fairly forgetful in my old age. Post the data and I'll try

Steve Roberts

SP power supply

In the faq at Sam's we already had the SP263C remote control, so see if this lines up with the remote jack on your 263 ---- Steve

1 Reference (Return) Sensitivity is approximately 5 mW/V in
2 Reference Input 0-3 V Power Mode or 5 A/V in Current Mode.
3 Reference 3 V Supply Use 100 ohm pot or external source.)
For pot, pin 1 is CCW end.)

4 Cable shield/System Ground
5-9 Not used
10 Regulation Status (Output) - A logic 0 when referenced to pin
1indicates the laser is regulated. A logic 1 indicates it
is out of regulation. This open collector signal can drive
a regulation indicator, -20 mA max.

11 +15 VDC - Regulated voltage for user use, 100 mA max.

12 Interlock Status (Output) - A logic 0 when referenced to pin 1
indicates to pin 1 indicates the interlock loop is closed
and emission is imminent. A logic 1 indicates the interlock
loop is open. This open collector signal can drive an
emission indicator, -20 mA max.

13-14 Not used

15 Standby Status (Output) - A logic 1 when referenced to pin 1
indicates the laser is in Standby mode and operates at
minimum plasma tube current. A logic 0 indicates the laser
in Run mode. This open collector signal can drive an status
indicator, -20 mA max.

16 Lasing Status (Output) - A logic 0 when referenced to pin 1
indicates the laser is drawing current. This open collector
signal can drive a status indicator, -20 mA max.

17-18 Not used

19 +15 VDC - Regulated voltage for user use, 100 mA max.
20 -15 VDC - Regulated voltage for user use, 100 mA max.
21 +/-15 V Return

22-25 Not used

26 Current Monitor (Source) - 0.1 A/V from low impedance floating
buffer, may be connected to voltmeter (differential) of 1K
ohm or higher input impedance. To keep noise pickup low,
do not ground either pin.

27 Current Monitor (Return) - Reference for pin 26.

28 Not used

29 Power Monitor (Source) - 0.2 V/mW from low impedance floating
buffer, may be connected to voltmeter (differential) of 1K
ohm or higher input impedance. To keep noise pickup low, do
not ground either pin.

30 Power Monitor (Return) - Reference for pin 29.

31-33 Not used

34 Standby (Source) - Switch to select Standby or Run. Shorted
for Standby, open for Run. Standby mode is 4 A of plasma
tube current. System returns to normal power/current
setting within 20 ms of leaving Standby mode.

35 Standby (Return) - Reference for pin 34.

36 Interlock (Source) - Switch to turn laser on and off. Open
for laser Off, shorted for laser On. Opening and shorting
these pins forces a ~60 second delay before lasing comes
back on.

37 Interlock (Return) - Reference for pin 36.

Sp pinouts

Oh where are you located? I may be able to steer you to somebody close that can open up your head and trace them with ye olde ohmeter if there is a doubt.

Steve

2 Attachment(s)

Mixed, thanks for the info, I'm located in Reno,Nv. I have the remote pinouts for both PSU's (big tnx to sam's ;) ) AND I have the actual remote for the 263C :D . The pin usage for both laser head connectors differ slightly, below are pics.

The top is the SP263A, ubfortunately there is no serial data plate (looks like one was never installed) and the bottom pic is the SP263c02 S/N B774266W-0F.

I love how everyone is on the forums at work when and where they are supposed to be doing work! :p I need to find myself a job like that ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coo-mo-d

I love how everyone is on the forums at work when and where they are supposed to be doing work! :p I need to find myself a job like that ;)

Do I detect a hint of jealousy?!? ;)

Unfortunately my occupation affords little time to play on the net even though there is access...:D

Back to subject.

Steve, I have traced the wiring on the laser head (163-a1202), so I know which wire goes goes to which pin. Now all I need is to put em in the right spot.
There is a difference on the PSU's, the 110v pins on the head harness are pins 16 (white) and 20 (white/blue). The 263A has the 110v there as cooling fan spun up when connected to the head, but the 263C is missing pin 16 on the connector hence no live test on this PSU.

Boy I do love a challenge!

Oh boy, I've never had my hands on one yet and sam has one, but never traced it yet. I do belive I ill ask the factory. dont worry you wont suck beryl dust, you really have to work at it to do it and only the 1-1.5 micron particle size kills you. if the fan powers up, usually the head will start, any clicking noises from the tube area? I'll call the factory on tuesday.

if I dont fool around to keep my skills up, the boss would fire me. public service is a job requirement here, I usually fill my quota by helping out on alt.lasers and mentoring students for the ISEF international science fair.
ISEf because it lets them bring home scholarships.
would you hire a tech who doesnt take at least some of his work home or doesnt have at least one sophisticated hobby?

Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by mixedgas

if I dont fool around to keep my skills up, the boss would fire me.

Remind your boss that you cannot be fired... Slaves have to be sold!!!:D :D

Richard

Quote:

Originally Posted by ION Flier

Remind your boss that you cannot be fired... Slaves have to be sold!!!:D :D

That reminds me so much of the Asterix books, something about two well-known Gauls being precious works from the House of Typhus. I can't remember exactly how the logic went, but it was similarly good.

Flashing back are we?!? Me so sorry..;)

Oh, keeping on original subject, I got one of the 163A's running!!! Bad solder connection on laser head connector on PSU.
Had to pull interface board out (and I though repairing aircraft instrumentation was tough!!) and there is was, the smallest of halos around one of the thermal cutout sensor pins (gotta LUV that wave soldering... NOT!!!).

Plugged it in, fired it up and 60 seconds on the nose 'pip' there she was in all her blue beauty!!!

Will post pics in the morrow.....

L8rZ

R.

SP PSu issues

Cool, keep the current down for a while until you get a feeling for how old it is.

next, assuming the psu does not have a new fangled constant current cathode transformer (will have obvious big cap hooked to the AC tranny)
see if you have a positive delta T in the cathode current, using a amp clamp or battery powered floating voltmeter (slight cringe) across the cathode pins. If the current stays the same after 30 seonds of plasma, tube is middle of life, if it goes up, tube is good. If it goes down, thank you for playing the argon tube life lottery.
remember the cathode tranny carrys the DC tube current as well as the filament supply, so some nonlinearities may show up. True RMS voltemetrs dont care, but some cheapies can lead to premature gloom and doom. Hence the desired use of a ampclamp. cathode currents have been trending downwards with newer cathode materials, so I have no idea what the desired current is, havent had my hands on a newer 163 yet.
if she appears to be healthy, run her a while (a few hours at least) on low current burn in. The power vs tube number table is on the newport/SP web site here

http://www.newport.com/store/genprod...3&Section=Spec

assuming the last two digits of your part number fall off (probably a good guess)

163-A12 25 mW M2 <1.2 488 0.69 ± 5% >100:1 (E-vector vertical ± 5) 0.95 ± 30 mrad/±3°C >95% of stabilized power ± 1% 638 MHz beam waist at Output of laser head

enjoy that 488, warning, its addictive, you may wish to stop now, if you can ..... ;-)

BTW, that 25 mW is warrenty power for one year, so take a look at the hour meter and run it accordingly.

Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by mixedgas

Cool, keep the current down for a while until you get a feeling for how old it is.

The tubes look in good condition and the hour meters are right around 1000hrs on one and juuuuuuust over 0 on the other. My guess is a regas on one (newer data plate on tube) and the other one was just not used that much.

Quote:

see if you have a positive delta T in the cathode current, using a amp clamp or battery powered floating voltmeter (slight cringe) across the cathode pins.

When I get an amp clamp I'll check out the ΔT.

Quote:

enjoy that 488, warning, its addictive, you may wish to stop now, if you can ..... ;-) Steve

And yes, 488nm is nice watch, could do it for hours, and with a little luck... It will be in STEREO! ;) ;)

Richard