Remember to exercise those argons!

aryntha · Jun 15, 2015

Funny that this thread happens when I pulled out all the JDSU cylindricals to run... Confession: Some haven't been run in 2 years, but they all started up fine...

Still plan to get a mixed gas someday, and won't be able to be so neglectful with that.

Need. More. Wavelengths...

H2Oxide said:
Thanks for the link Down With Umbrella. My argon's beam is so messy you probably couldn't tell the difference between it and a collimated LED.
And obviously thanks to ultimatekaiser for making the tut.

A JDSU cyan with a messy beam? Is something wrong with the front mirror? The only thing I've seen like that is a situation where someone running one without the fan caused plastic to melt and particulate/condensate to coat the mirror...

ultimatekaiser · Jun 15, 2015

As long as the hours are relatively low, small air cooled ones don't usually care that much. Definitely the argon-krypton tubes are more sensitive to the pressure though, both in starting and what lines you get.

Edit: by the way holy crap you're on! Haven't heard from you in forever Aryntha..

H2Oxide · Jun 15, 2015

aryntha said:
Funny that this thread happens when I pulled out all the JDSU cylindricals to run... Confession: Some haven't been run in 2 years, but they all started up fine...

Still plan to get a mixed gas someday, and won't be able to be so neglectful with that.

Need. More. Wavelengths...

A JDSU cyan with a messy beam? Is something wrong with the front mirror? The only thing I've seen like that is a situation where someone running one without the fan caused plastic to melt and particulate/condensate to coat the mirror...

It's just the lens. I can actually see dust on it I'm just too lazy to clean it lol.

bungy · Jul 12, 2015

Friendly reminder. I forgot about my Argon for nearly a year, and it wouldn't start up. Got plasma, but no laser. I zapped it with an Oudin coil and then it ticked for a minute and started up. Ran it a little above idle for 4 hours. Turned it on again a little later and it started right up. Hopefully there are no lasting issues.

ultimatekaiser · Oct 5, 2015

Giving my Ion lasers a checkup and nice chance to stretch their legs since I been slacking on it a bit, and having cold weather today. Still nice and healthy!

VisibleGreen · Oct 5, 2015

This should be a sticky!

LtKernelPanic · Oct 7, 2015

I was looking at this thread yesterday to see when the last time I had mine out. It's been almost four months again.

Probably not going to be able to do anything about it for another week or so.

Down with Umbrella · Oct 7, 2015

Checking in my with my argon tonight. 30mins of run time, Good to go for another month.
Thanks for the reminder fellas

LtKernelPanic · Oct 20, 2015

Finally got off my duff and gave the agrons a workout last night. Really liking the fact that my formally stubborn head is consistently firing on the third or fourth pulse. Just wish I could have a place I could keep them setup all the time. I'd also love to find an umbilical extension for my cylindrical head since its is insanely short. Might have to make my own if I could find the right connectors.

ultimatekaiser · Oct 20, 2015

How short? usually it's made a certain length for safety reasons. End it probably be better to buy a cheap one and then salvageable long cord and swap them...What kind of output do you get at certain current levels? And how many hours? If you can measure the tube voltage safely, it'd tell you about the tube's condition pressure-wise.

H2Oxide · Oct 20, 2015

LtKernelPanic said:
I'd also love to find an umbilical extension for my cylindrical head since its is insanely short. Might have to make my own if I could find the right connectors.

If you find a source let me know, because right now my fan is literally duct-taped on.

LtKernelPanic · Oct 20, 2015

ultimatekaiser said:
How short? usually it's made a certain length for safety reasons. End it probably be better to buy a cheap one and then salvageable long cord and swap them...What kind of output do you get at certain current levels? And how many hours? If you can measure the tube voltage safely, it'd tell you about the tube's condition pressure-wise.

I don't have a tape handy but it's about 24 inches long compared to my other head's which is five feet long. The tube is a 2214-10MLMA that has about 9,000 hours on it. I haven't measured the tube voltage (I'd have to look up what pins on the remote to probe) but while it's at high hours the tube must be still fairly healthy since at 10A I can get 40mw out of it.

I've thought about replacing its cable but every one I've found has been cut which is why I mentioned finding the connectors. I did realize something after posting earlier that I do have a dead PSU that I could salvage a set of female connectors from and could attach to the other of an umbilical that has male connectors on it making a pass-through extension.

ultimatekaiser · Oct 21, 2015

LtKernelPanic said:
I don't have a tape handy but it's about 24 inches long compared to my other head's which is five feet long. The tube is a 2214-10MLMA that has about 9,000 hours on it. I haven't measured the tube voltage (I'd have to look up what pins on the remote to probe) but while it's at high hours the tube must be still fairly healthy since at 10A I can get 40mw out of it.

I've thought about replacing its cable but every one I've found has been cut which is why I mentioned finding the connectors. I did realize something after posting earlier that I do have a dead PSU that I could salvage a set of female connectors from and could attach to the other of an umbilical that has male connectors on it making a pass-through extension.

I imagine you probably could do it safely as long as you carried the ground along and the connectors remained properly fastened tightly along the way, but I personally would find that to be too much of a hassle for a high hour tube. but the pressure of the tube is related to the voltage fairly strongly, so if its hovering at lower voltages after starting, its probably running out of gas. not that I think you plan on having it refurbed, but at this point i'd be sending it in. before the cathode is too far gone.

diachi · Oct 26, 2015

Fired up the argon for the first time in probably 6 months, the tube lit on the first try so that's good.

I should find a nice multiline to go with this one.

ultimatekaiser · Oct 28, 2015

if its fairly low hours and the cathode is in good shape it shouldn't care much. usually its just the older ones you have to burn off pressure frankly. lower hour ones can sit much longer. that and uniphase ones for some reason revive much easier than many others....I'm looking at you Omnichrome and your small gas returns.

diachi · Nov 5, 2015

ultimatekaiser said:
if its fairly low hours and the cathode is in good shape it shouldn't care much. usually its just the older ones you have to burn off pressure frankly. lower hour ones can sit much longer. that and uniphase ones for some reason revive much easier than many others....I'm looking at you Omnichrome and your small gas returns.

Not sure how many hours are on it - I'll need to check the meter. I have a feeling it's around the 1000 hour mark somewhere, so rather low! Those Uniphase tubes are hardy little things! I've seen them still running quite happily with >10,000 hours on the clock.

Remember to exercise those argons!

aryntha

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