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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

HeNe bundle.

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Mosc007

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Took a risk from a local ebay seller. This sounds good but time will tell. All for $400 AUD. Approx $300 US. This will be my first entry into HeNe lasers.



Here's an opportunity to grab a huge helium neon laser lot.
All components working.
Includes;
An assortment of 8 laser tubes/heads
A Metrologic, all-in-one laboratory laser (120vac with US plug)
An AC helium neon power supply
Two DC helium neon power supplies
 

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paul1598419

paul1598419

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I wish you good luck on this buy. I'm afraid at that price I would have passed. Several of those lasers are quite old and incomplete. I have grave doubts that many will be of use, but you never know.
 
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Mosc007

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I think it was worth the risk. Getting a HeNe Laser into Australia costs a lot. Shipping from the US to Aus pretty much doubles the price. I would have only got one for the price I paid for these. Anyway, time will tell. I have chatted with the seller. He claims he was a collector of HeNe lasers and has changed hobbies so is selling most of them. He claims everything is in working order. Since it's Ebay I do have some protection. He also has a 488nm Argon he has offered me.
 
paul1598419

paul1598419

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Did you pay with PayPal? That will also help you if there is a problem. I have a 488nm argon and they are worth having if he doesn't ask too much for it. I haggled over the price to get mine. I hope they all work perfectly and you are pleased with everyone of them. I hope you post about them when they arrive and you have had a chance to test them all.
 
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Mosc007

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He is offering the 488nm Argon at $200 AUD. Yes, I paid with paypal. Always do.

I will be posting my test results after i get them. Might take a bit to work it all out as I have never owned a gas laser before. Their are 8 tubes and 3 power supplies. And that complete unit. Seems I will be busy for a while. Even if the power supplies are not correct for each tube size I have already looked at making HeNe supplies. Pretty straight forward for me to make. Just be carefull of the Kv :)
 
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Mosc007

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Arrived today. Well packaged. Some of the tubes look like they have never been used. No marks on them. Some do have some minor marks. They are over 20 years old but appear in good condition. Powers from 1mw up to 6.6mw. Some I don't know until I look them up.

Part Numbers

Metrologic ML-810 complete housed laser.
Looks tidy and the beam looks very nice. Instant start.
110 vac supply but no problem to use 240 vac with a Step Down transformer on it.
It's the later version with Digital Switchmode supply.

Housed Tubes
Melles Griot 05-CHR-911
Melles Griot 05-LHR-911
Melles Griot 3221H
Melles Griot 05-LHP-121-111
Melles Griot 05-LHP-153

Bare Tubes. These look like they have hardly ever been used
Uniphase He Ne Gas Laser. No model Number
Melles Griot 056-LHR-006
Siemens LGR 7631A

Power Supplies
Melles Griot 05-LPM-379-1
Laser Drive Inc. 104T-2450-4.5-6.5-TTL-1 (Two of them)

Will take a bit of time and prep to test the other tubes.

Pic of my Cat Saying the ML-810 looks like fun.
 

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paul1598419

paul1598419

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I have a Metrologic He-Ne laser, but mine is an enclosed tube with a separate power supply. Hope they all turn out well and in good working order. Make sure your cat doesn't look back into the laser.
 
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Mosc007

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The beam profile on the Metrologic is tiny. I imagine that increases the risk of direct beam exposure even though its just under 1mw.

I just started looking up the part numbers. I realy hope the Melles Griot 05-LPH-153 works ok. I was amazed what i found searching the net for it. 5-7mw, Its labeled 6.6mw. Its a stage laser built for xerox. The used price is 400- 500 USD. Thats more than i paid for all of this lot.

Charles
 
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paul1598419

paul1598419

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Yeah, I've got a new 6 inch laser that puts out less than 1 mW. It has a small profile too. It's been my experience that the higher the power, the larger the beam waist. I'm very happy for you if all these turn out to work, and especially if you have one over 10 mW. Are any of them a different wavelength than 6328 Angstroms? Those are by far the most rare.
 
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Mosc007

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It will take a while to test them all. The seller claimed they are all in working order. I think they are all 632.8nm. The Uniphase has no model or specs. But it would most likeky be red as well. The power supplies might not be enough for the large one. Prob works but not full output.

Can HeNe be run over its rating , Or will it damage it ?
 
paul1598419

paul1598419

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That depends on how much you plan on over-driving it. A small difference in the start and run voltages won't be too problematic, but if it is considerable, you can increase the value of the ballast resistor which can be found on the anode of the tube. Usually, they are about an inch or so from the anode itself.
 
diachi

diachi

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Mosc007 said:
It will take a while to test them all. The seller claimed they are all in working order. I think they are all 632.8nm. The Uniphase has no model or specs. But it would most likeky be red as well. The power supplies might not be enough for the large one. Prob works but not full output.

Can HeNe be run over its rating , Or will it damage it ?
Click to expand...

paul1598419 said:
That depends on how much you plan on over-driving it. A small difference in the start and run voltages won't be too problematic, but if it is considerable, you can increase the value of the ballast resistor which can be found on the anode of the tube. Usually, they are about an inch or so from the anode itself.
Click to expand...


Yeah, generally not wise to run them too much past specified current/voltage, or too far under either. Goes for all gas lasers really, it can drastically shorten their life.

Push too hard and you'll end up with a melted HeNe tube like this! :D

henemelt.jpg


As for beam specs, one of the many benefits of gas lasers is often having fantastic beam specs, small diameter, low divergence, good quality (M2 factor approaching 1, good Gaussian beam) etc. Not really an increased risk to your eyes, if anything the smaller beam diameter should reduce the hazard to an extent as smaller beams are focused to a larger spot than larger diameter beams. The lower power reduces the hazard greatly - of course direct exposure should always be avoided.

All those HeNes, good way to start the collection. :D
 
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hwang21

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Side note- once you are familiar with HeNe's (they are CAPACITORS, especially if troubleshooting them not turning on- ask me how I know), go ahead and de-tube a few of them. Raw HeNe plasma glow ftw! (see profile pic)
 
diachi

diachi

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hwang21 said:
Side note- once you are familiar with HeNe's (they are CAPACITORS, especially if troubleshooting them not turning on- ask me how I know), go ahead and de-tube a few of them. Raw HeNe plasma glow ftw! (see profile pic)
Click to expand...


Oh yeah, good point, those tubes can hold a charge after you shut them off! Be careful running the bare tubes too, those shocks aren't fun. :eek:
 
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Mosc007

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Thanks for the info. I am not really intending to run them over their rating. Only having 2 different supplies and 8 different tubes they won't be matched correctly. The supplies do have an adjustable current output. I can estimate the correct current.

None of the tubes have ballast resistors on the leads. Obviously not the 3 bare tubes without cables. The supplies have a current regulated output. Would it be recommended to add ballast resistors to them ?

I did order some Alden connectors today as the supplies don't have any and only a couple of the tubes have them. I can test them without them being carefull. I will machine some plastic mounts for the bare tubes so I can test them.

Charles
 
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diachi

diachi

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Mosc007 said:
None of the tubes have ballast resistors on the leads. Obviously not the 3 bare tubes without cables. The supplies have a current regulated output. Would it be recommended to add ballast resistors to them ?

I did order some Alden connectors today as the supplies don't have any and only a couple of the tubes have them. I can test them without them being carefull. I will machine some plastic mounts for the bare tubes so I can test them.

Charles
Click to expand...


Yes, you still need a ballast resistor for your tubes, for well matched current regulated supplies you'll want a 75kΩ 5W wire wound resistor within an inch or two of the anode. I soldered the resistor lead on mine direct to the metal anode clip.

Another thing to point out ... if your tubes don't have solder tabs then you'll need clips that attach onto the round mirror mounts/electrodes. You can't solder directly to those, hence the clips.

These are the ends I'm talking about:

7c4neLR.jpg


Cathode end of the tube is the end with the metal "can" inside of the tube (that's the cathode itself), the anode end is of course the opposite end. Above is the anode end on my 6mW tube.
 
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