expertise needed identifying a large frame Ak/Kr coherent tube

[shrad]

EDIT: bad statement, read spectra-physics instead of coherent in the title... I was too fast and looked partially

hi all

I grabbed a spectra-physics model 2030 head

the tube is a high quality one, scientific grade, and is over 1.5 meter long


it is a 22W argon ion, but this one is a argon-krypton so I assume at least 10W Ar/Kr

could you help me determine if it is gas-intact? I think a small flyback wouldn't be sufficient for such a tube length, and I have no power supply

[Xytrell]

The whole tube doesn't need to light up for you to determine whether or not it is gas intact. If one part of the tube is gas intact, the whole tube is gas intact. I think a small flyback should work fine.

[Laserman532]

i dont ever recall a mixedgas 2030. You are probably just reading the danger tag. my guess is it is a door stop, well it is if you dont have a way to light it off and make it work properly...nice art piece tho.

being a sealed ceramic, seeing any kind of plasma glow like a glass tube is almost impossible. You need to try to light her off with the correct PS. IMHO

[mixedgas]

i dont ever recall a mixedgas 2030. You are probably just reading the danger tag. my guess is it is a door stop, well it is if you dont have a way to light it off and make it work properly...nice art piece tho.

being a sealed ceramic, seeing any kind of plasma glow like a glass tube is almost impossible. You need to try to light her off with the correct PS. IMHO

You either need a neon sign transformer and a variac, or a true BD10 coil. SP puts metal almost all the way up on the brewsters, and thus you really need RF to see it, or a current down the bore.

15 Kv NST would be fine, but you would have to float it as they have grounded middle taps.

AND IF YOU DO THAT, DISCONNECT THE HEAD WIRING> THAT EPROM/Igniter board(s) in the head LIKES TO DIE, AND THEN THE HEAD WILL NOT "TALK" TO THE PSU.

Steve, who used to take care of a 2050 UV which shorter but seems heavier then a 2030 for less power.

Also does yours have a feature refered to me by one SP factory person on the phone as "G** D*MM" Beamlok? I hate beamlok due to a poorly designed sensor. Works great when it works, but its always a service call waiting to happen from my point of view. Look for a light sensor in the teflon block at the OC end. If you have beamlok and no beamlok/etalon module, Either throw the laser away, change the rear mirror to a long radius, or figure out how to bias the piezos that move the rear mirror. If you have beamlok the rear mirror is part of a deliberately unstable cavity without beamlok on. It will lase without beamlok, but will drift tolow power like mad. Neat HuH? A deliberately unstable ion cavity. NO ONE ELSE would dare try that but SP. Bemalok light sensors have 4 or more wires, normal light sensor has 2. Also there will be three tiny brass screws in a triangle on on side of the light pickoff on a beamlok system. Note that the relaxation time of Teflon is two months or so... This is a feature of polymers where they self release stress. Which ment every two months I had to walk that sensor back in, which was a time consuming annoying task.

Steve

[mixedgas]

They put both gasses on the sticker any more. Its one or the other.


steve

[Laserman532]

I might add...if you try to hold a tesla coil up to the brewester window and your voltage is too high it will arc between the frit material on the BW and then it will go to air (if it already isn't, which I am assuming it is)

If you think the laserhead is heavy, pull the tube out, they are also very heavy. anyway, without the PS you gots nothin.

[LesioQ]

I grabbed a spectra-physics model 2030 head

the tube is a high quality one, scientific grade, and is over 1.5 meter long

Oh, please, don't be so shy, I bet it's full 2 meters long
plus it's heavy tail.

Thanks to one of these beasts I had my back MRI done last week Better be careful handling it
Piotr.K

[Laserman532]

Piotr, boy could I tell you stories about my back. Lifting lasers for 30+ years. When the 2010 and 2011 came out i thought WTF why so heavy. Then the 2020 came out and I thought WTF why so heavy. Then the large frame 2030's came out...and I QUIT!!! LOLOLOL


Lifting a 2030 is at minimum a 4 person job, 2 people can pull it off but they are surely puckering when they lift it

[weartronics]

the tube is a high quality one, scientific grade, and is over 1.5 meter long

Oh, please, don't be so shy, I bet it's full 2 meters long plus it's heavy tail.

Can I ask for photos? I'm surprised Karl doesn't have something to say about this yet...

[Laser Ben]

Piotr, boy could I tell you stories about my back. Lifting lasers for 30+ years. When the 2010 and 2011 came out i thought WTF why so heavy. Then the 2020 came out and I thought WTF why so heavy. Then the large frame 2030's came out...and I QUIT!!! LOLOLOL

Lifting a 2030 is at minimum a 4 person job, 2 people can pull it off but they are surely puckering when they lift it

LOL!

Coherent says you need a total of 5 people to lift a laser system which weighs ~120 lbs, 4 to lift the 90lb power supply, and one to lift the 30lb laser head! By their standards, you'd probably need the whole dam company to lift a large frame Ion laser!