Spectra Physics HeNe

Howdy all and Happy New Year!!

This is, I think, some sort of reflectometer. Any input on the parts and pieces would be appreciated. I bought this with little to no info for $30 and hoped for the best.
It was exciting(at least for me) to see this type of tube when I cracked the case.
Can't wait to get it powered up too...this is where I may need some help

Okay then....on to some pictures of it all and my 'best guess' of what i'm looking at.
Enjoy:beer:

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This is the One cable it came with..
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On to the meat of it all.
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This is some sort of prism set-up that sits after a lens. Looks pretty well made.
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The tube and first optic.
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Next is the rear end of what I think might be a reflectometer cavity?
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And the Front.....
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And the Side...
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Now on to THIS....
I hope that it's all I need to power this Beauty up!(would be nice)
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Welp...that's all for now...
Thanks for lookin'
Have a Great New Year!:beer:

Drop something into the frame so people can see the size of this unit via comparative perspective. The way you have it framed without context makes it look huge (which it is not )

These side-by-side HeNe tubes are not really "rare", but many of them are outgassed. A working one is just plain "cool" for a collector to have .

I am not sure what the original use of the complete unit (housing) was, but you should be able to power it with just the internal PSU. You just have to find the pos and neg leads and ascertain the required voltage.

If it lases, the optics should show their purpose quickly. It may be an early "laser level." Some research of the "model number" (of the whole unit, NOT the tube) should give you some more info

Peace,
dave

Thanks Dave....I did some research that lead me to believe it was a refractometer for testing road markings.(I may be way off) It was a search...the company had been taken over at some point and info was slim.

They are just plain cool!..every time I see one in a picture I wondered where they came from because all mine are the standard straight tube, still great.

The negative and positive leads coming of the PSU are pretty clear, not sure how to come up with the required voltage though. I did get a desk top DC power supply for Christmas, perhaps that might be used?


Okay I tried to power it up with my PSU...I attached to the red wire for positive and then to the ground on the chassis for negative. didn't work. I also have a wall wart that works for my other HeNe through its PSU brick...6V-12V and it didn't work.
Any suggestions....thanks...hopefully will have some lit photos for More enjoyment

I think worth a double post:beer:
It worked with my wall-wart at 12v!!

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About 3/4" at 3.5'
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532 with Envy said:

Thanks Dave....I did some research that lead me to believe it was a refractometer for testing road markings.(I may be way off) It was a search...the company had been taken over at some point and info was slim.

They are just plain cool!..every time I see one in a picture I wondered where they came from because all mine are the standard straight tube, still great.

The negative and positive leads coming of the PSU are pretty clear, not sure how to come up with the required voltage though. I did get a desk top DC power supply for Christmas, perhaps that might be used?


Okay I tried to power it up with my PSU...I attached to the red wire for positive and then to the ground on the chassis for negative. didn't work. I also have a wall wart that works for my other HeNe through its PSU brick...6V-12V and it didn't work.
Any suggestions....thanks...hopefully will have some lit photos for More enjoyment

Click to expand...

Sorry if I've misunderstood. Did you put power to the INPUT side of the internal PSU or to the wires going to the tube? I was referring to powering up the internal PSU, NOT directly powering the tube.

For power going into the internal PSU (if you cannot find it out through research) I would just go with the "standard" input voltages (5V, 12V, 24V, 34V, 110V, 220V). I would start at the bottom and test it at each voltage. That "plug" implies that power was supplied to the unit from some separate power source that plugged into mains. It most definitely did not plug directly into mains. That doesn't mean that it didn't get 110V from the separate PSU

For powering the tube directly, these are NOT high voltage (for heNe's) tubes. Try a HeNe PSU at 1200V, 1800V, and 2400V. I cannot imagine it would need more than that. Maybe we can get someone who has one of these tubes working (I don't) to pop in and tell us what they are powering theirs with.

Do you have an oudin coil to zap it with to see if it is up to air?

Peace,
dave

**EDIT** SWEET! You posted it running while I was finishing typing. I am jealous

:wave:
Thanks Dave....lol looks like we posted at the same time
Hope you enjoy the photos....I just LOVE a gas laser in action...I could stare at it for hours!

Is this tube a hard seal or soft seal type? Spectra Physics did make nice tubes to look at. And a working laser with beam expander for $30 is a nice buy.

Bluefan said:

Is this tube a hard seal or soft seal type?

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I'm not sure how I would identify that....I would almost say soft seal, judging by the connections, but that would be an uneducated guess.

That is pipelaying or ceiling transit, optically contacted soft seals on the end mirrors.

Spectra made a lot of its money making survey and construction lasers.

Steve

Thanks Steve, your site has been a wealth of information.(even for the non-scientific)

"That is pipelaying or ceiling transit, optically contacted soft seals on the end mirrors."

The housing was VERY well built...and I'm still having some trouble getting the full "sled" out...
I was very happy to get it glowing though
Being a 'soft seal' is there any care I should take in preserving it?

EDIT:
If anyone wants the lower part of this, its up for grabs. I'm not sure of it total use and even then might not have much use for it. Let me know if interested and maybe even identify.