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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

Cyonics Uniphase 2201 / 2101

argon

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Joined
Jan 13, 2010
Messages
72
Points
8
Dear Laserfreaks out there ;)

Recently I acquired a complete low power argon laser system for very little money :D It is a Uniphase 2201-20SL (20mW single line 488nm) with a power supply 2101.

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The system works, but there is a strange thing: Even after the laser has fired and works normally, the igniter still produces ignition pulses (they can be heard). When I run the power up to high currents, the ignitier suddenly stops, but when reducing tube current to idle, the pulses come again. I'm not sure, if there are high voltage pulses while the discharge is lit, but I can imagine, that this is not such a nice situation for the tube.

I found out, that the problem doesn't lie on the igniter-board of the laserhead, but at the power supply itself. There is an igniter-disable-signal which doesn't change from low to high after ignition. I tried to find the fault in the power supply unit 2101, but this is not as easy as I thought without a schematic. Does anybody have the same power supply / laser system and maybe could tell me, if this is normal? Or does anybody have a schematic of this power supply unit? Or doesn anyone know this failure?

Some more pics of the system:

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And the system running a first time:

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Many thanks for every answer!

Best regards
argon
 
Last edited:





daguin

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Mar 29, 2008
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It is NOT normal for the ignition pulses to continue.

Are you sure it's ignition pulses?

Remove (unscrew it) the "plug" (the thing with the wires sticking out) from the remote socket

Then just connect (jumper) pin 12 to pin 13; as well as pin 36 to pin 37

Those two jumpers should let you run the laser using the rheostat on the front of the PSU in "light mode." It should start and be able to have the power turned up and down using the knob on the front of the PSU

Peace,
dave
 

argon

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Jan 13, 2010
Messages
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Points
8
Dear Daguin

Thank you very much for your answer.

Yes, I'm absolutely sure the ticking sound is the ignitor. The tube starts with the first tick, then stays lit, but the tick tick tick continous.

Then just connect (jumper) pin 12 to pin 13; as well as pin 36 to pin 37
Unfortunately the jumpers are already configured exactly as you say (12 to 13 and 36 to 37), and the power can be adjusted with the potentiometer on the front of the PSU.

Greets argon
 
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I would put a switch in the path of whatever powers the starter to disable it manually.
 

argon

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Joined
Jan 13, 2010
Messages
72
Points
8
Hello Cyparagon ;)

Many thanks for your answer.

I would put a switch in the path of whatever powers the starter to disable it manually.
Yes, that would actually be the most simple way of solving the problem, I agree. If I really can't find the failure, I will do exactly what you suggest.

At the moment I still have the hope to find the problem in the power supply unit, so i could leave the unit in the original status. I will try to have a look, were the disable signal in the power supply is generated. With a schematic it would be simple to find the problem, I think. If someone out there could provide me with a schematic or just with a copy of the part of the igniter disable circuit, I would be very thankful :D

Best regards
argon
 

argon

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Joined
Jan 13, 2010
Messages
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I "solved" the problem now as Cyparagon suggested. Manually switch for the enable/disable of the igniterboard. It works great now ;-)

A little problem was that it was not possible to simply put in a switch between power supply and igniter board, because the igniter board could just be disabled with a high-signal. So I took the 15V from a 7815 regulator on the power supply via a 2.7kOhm-resistor to the switch and then to the igniter-board enable/disable-optocoupler.

I made this modification so that it will be possible to easily change all back to the original status. Maybe I will serach the problem of the power supply some day :)

Many thanks to all :beer:
Best regards
argon
 




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