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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

Air-cooled Argon-Krypton whitelight

Joined
Apr 26, 2010
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A while ago I picked up a small (heh) air-cooled ArKr whitelight. A Melles Griot PERYB-6343-A02. Came with PSU, head, umbilical cord, and thick aluminum plate that it just happens to be mounted to. No key, and I had to get a 208V power cord for it, and wire up a 208V spider box to get 208V from separate off-phase legs.

Once I got the key and power cord it, it was time for the moment of truth.

For a few hours, I doubted whether it was even functional. Kept getting errors, wouldn't light, interlock issues, etc. Many a dozen emails back and forth with Sam.

When suddenly..it just..worked.

It was after I tested voltages across the various pins for the P3 (fan) connector. I was stumped. Getting 0V across the board. Figured maybe the interlock needed to be in to trick the PSU into even feeding the connector.

Boom. That's when it all clicked. I didn't do anything different, the interlock being taken out, and put back in, seems to have started it.

Either way, it fired up.

I had hot air spewing out of the fan like no tomorrow, and the PSU's fan had finally decided to play.

No output.

What??

Well it seems there's a beam shutter. Ha ha... ok ... Nice one Bloom. Spend all day thinking of ways to build a CuBr, and forget to check the shutter. :rolleyes:

So I open the shutter, and I see maybe half a mW of blue. Well that's disappointing. Perhaps out of alignment? I go to check the front of the laser. There was a ton of optical equipment screwed into the laser, by chance I lifted some of it. Aligned the laser, bright white.

We're finally in business. Houston, we have photons!

So frantically, I align the laser to my liking, and remove all this junk.

(reflecting on that, I may need to remount the "junk", misalign it, then realign it after removing it. Currently it's aligned to the position it was in when the junk was added. Will think about this more later tonight.)

I stick a grating in front of it, and 5 lines! Currently at maybe 25-30%, so that is excellent news indeed!

3 blues (not exactly sure which just yet, need to pull up some tables), 568nm coming in strong (actually the "white" is a bit yellow heavy) and 647 bringing up the rear.

All-in-all, I am VERY overjoyed about this laser. Nothing could make me happier than snagging an air-cooled ArKr for $165, and actually having it work :)

Once the new fan comes in, I will be able to really put it to the test. With about 25mW, anf 5 lines at 30%.... I am greatly looking forward to 75% ;)

Post shutter lifting:
k3zw.jpg



Post realignment (no good camera :(:
4qop.jpg



Post grating:
lw6o.jpg
 
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Joined
Aug 14, 2013
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Those are some beautiful beams. Glad to see you finally got it working

My Argonne only does 6 lines in the blue and green and all I paid for it was $325 and 2 laser
diodes. Then again, it was recently refurbed and does a shy over 100mW, so maybe it was
worth it. I guess I'm happy with it and that's all that really matters. I'll just keep
repeating this to myself over and over again until I begin to beLIEve.
 
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Absolu-freaking-beautiful. Yes, that makes no sense. Yes.

That is one hell of a deal you snagged there, Bloomy! MOAR PHOTOS.
 
Joined
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Very nice! Wish I had one. I found a large working one a while back but I don't have 3k to spare on it :p
 
Joined
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Glad y'all like it :)

I'll post some more pictures in the morning. With some comparisons to my other ions (this thing is MASSIVE). I'd like to try to get a beamshot, but I don't think my camera will be able to take a picture of a white beam, chances are it'll be blue. That might change later when it's got some more power.

Currently lasing 476, 483, 488, 568, and 647 on low power :)

Cannot wait to turn it up a notch ;)
 
Joined
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Wow amazing grab :beer: I'm surprised it's working, that eBay seller didn't sound very hopeful :p
 
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GREAT! i've been waiting to see if this unit worked for you bloom. good friggin' job man.
 
Joined
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It's been too long, Cheech. Half the time with this was spent with the head and PSU sitting on my desk waiting to test it.

It was nerve racking as all hell :p

Some more pictures! I'll snag one later tonight with another ion head next to it for size comparison :)

Also, will be realigning it some more tonight. The highest gain line, 647nm (25mW rated) is doing as much as the 483nm (<8mW rated). This is a bit disturbing, but I can live happily with whatever output it has.

Perhaps this will change when I can power it up more, won't know that until after I return for the holidays (Jan 3).

Trust me, this wait hurts me more than you, so don't even start with it!

Pictures!

Unwrapped, day 1:
l2gs.jpg


On the floor (the outlets I needed for 208V are outside my room). With everything needed for lasing, 1ft (30.5cm) ruler on head for reference :)

az7j.jpg


Opened up ArKr guts! Mmmmmm..... The two tubes on the edge of the head are the Kr, the tube inside is the Ar. :)

1idd.jpg

v2tc.jpg


Much clean
Such new
How dust-free
Wow
vqhc.jpg

zoud.jpg

z67c.jpg
 
Joined
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2008 :)

Feeling lazy. Once I fire it up, I'll check the hour meter. It's digital, so I can only read it when it's on.
 
Joined
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How many wavelengths is a Kr/Ar supposed to spit out?
 
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Joined
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^That really depends on the mirrors, gas mix, tube age, tube design, tube current...
 




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