2214-40ML: Flash from the bore, but thats it... Any hope?

aryntha said:

Un. Freaking. Believable. I just got two more 2214-40MLAM heads from Fausto, who posted them for sale in the buy/sell/trade forum this week... Took the chance, got burned AGAIN.

*BOTH* are dead.

Head #1, the "weak" one -- just click,click,clicks; never lights.

Head #2 -- Lights, but nothing but a purple discharge glow. No lasing.

Another $300 down the drain, just like that.

I don't suppose there's any hope for either of these? The newer one was serviced by Evergreen Laser 06/11/08. Could it be mirror alignment? And if so, is that at all fixable?

Click to expand...

Both are "possible" fixes. the "clicker" will need an oudin coil to give it a kick in the a$$.

The purplish glow is potentially mirror alignment. I have not been successful at re-aligning the mirrors on these 2214 style lasers, but some do it. I've got one, in the same condition, on the bench right now

Peace,
dave

Damn. The newer tube only has 100 hours on it... Don't know if Fausto would be willing to refund even in part, I hope so... I figured ONE of these would work..

I figure it is mirror alignment, but I'm not even sure how to go about it -- and if you haven't done it Dave, that doesn't leave much hope for me...

I tried 'nudging' the OC mirror a bit with an insulated piece of pipe -- nothing.

Does the one that is out of alignment have adjustment collars on the mirror ends?

Nope, no collars. I have some collars from a MG HeNe, (slightly too big, only 3 screws) but getting in there, in the rear, looks like it's going to be a pain. But I'm willing to try whatever I can here... this was not a cheap situation.

Looking at the rear mirror neck of the one that's out of alignment, it seems to me like that neck is *visibly* bent. Almost dog-legged. That may just be me fooling myself, though.

I really have my doubts as to whether or not this was working in the machine (though you'd think it would, but what could knock it -this- far out of alignment? Also after being serviced by Evergreen mid-2008?) -- I also wonder if maybe it was fired up before it got to me without proper cooling, that could have warped it out of alignment.

If it's too far out of alignment, I'm guessing there's probably little chance of getting it back in...

(Still just shaking my head at this. THREE 2214-40MLAMs in a row... I'm kind of hoping that Fausto will 'do the right thing' here and help me out on even a partial refund, since he actually got paid to remove the lasers...)

If it's visibly bent, that's very likely your problem.. I'd try throwing a collar on that end and see if you can't straighten 'er up.

Giving it a shot... If I can't manage it, it might need a HeNe alignment laser/jig setup, in which case I'll probably send it to Sam Goldwasser if he's willing... (Hopefully Fausto will maybe refund this, or some of it, to cover the charge of sending it to Sam... though I'm not betting the house on ever hearing from him again...)

Still giving it a shot, but don't want to monkey with it too much to the point where it breaks the laser, or worse, myself.

I've got the MG collar on the rear mirror neck (a bit too large) now but what I don't have is an insulated hex wrench... So that may be a dead end for now.

Dave.... I should have just bought your Lasos. :banghead:

I know it's small consolation, but pretty much all of us have been burnt before, at least those of us who buy lots of used lasers.. and not by a beam. It goes with the territory, it seems. Hindsight is always 20/20, and I doubt that'll be the last argon you buy, so next time go with Dave.

Also, you've still got a PSU.. depending on how much you paid for it, you're probably still doing OK. Having extra JDSU PSUs never hurts.

You're throwing the statistics a little as well, due to the volume of lasers you buy. All the other members here who buy used lasers frequently sings a similar song. I've been burnt on several DPSS and diode systems over the years myself.

Thanks, ElectroFreak, yeah, I understand... I'll get that ML ArIon one of these days. I know that statistically it's off and yeah, hindsight, but who would have thunk that buying three 2214-40MLs, that zero would lase.

The PSU works fine so now I do have two. Next step I'm going to try and determine if it IS the alignment, using a HeNe setup -- Sam isn't going to take it in unless/until I do that. So that's the next step.

A little daunted by it though. Sounds like I have to build a jig of some sort to do that, to align the HeNe to the 2214. If I want it bad enough, though.... time to dive into the laser FAQ.

aryntha said:

Thanks, ElectroFreak, yeah, I understand... I'll get that ML ArIon one of these days. I know that statistically it's off and yeah, hindsight, but who would have thunk that buying three 2214-40MLs, that zero would lase.
The PSU works fine so now I do have two. Next step I'm going to try and determine if it IS the alignment, using a HeNe setup -- Sam isn't going to take it in unless/until I do that. So that's the next step.
A little daunted by it though. Sounds like I have to build a jig of some sort to do that, to align the HeNe to the 2214. If I want it bad enough, though.... time to dive into the laser FAQ.

Click to expand...

I think that this is why we call it a "hobby."

I have too many projects though

Peace,
dave

Oh yeah I get the point of the hobby, Dave, but what's a challenge without a little bit of self doubt? Just recurrent nightmares from the attempt at the 612nm mirror align. :cryyy:

Anyways, any success I'll post here, so that others may benefit.

Well, crap. Just went out to try to see if I could align a HeNe and the 'new' 2214 with some blocks of wood with cut v-channels, to check for alignment, but now the "new" one is just click-click-clicking too.

(Draws another chalk mark on the wall.) Still going to build the jig though. I've got enough "dead soldiers" to practice on now. I figure I can probably build an alignment jig specifically for 2214's. I've got two 1107 small weak HeNe heads I can use as the alignment lasers.

But, guess I'm going to have to wait more to see a ML beam.

Dave, if you get the 2214-xxML you said you had on the bench to lase, let me know. Guess i'm in the market again. (again, again.)

But ElectroFreak's right. I'm quickly becoming experienced in this, and what to expect. So I gained a PSU and some knowledge.
As I said to Sam, I guess this is the price of "tuition" in the laser hobby.

Sorry guys, by now I'm betting you all think I'm a curse around here. But to be completely honest, it may just be the amount of lasers I'm coming in contact with. As EF said, it skews the statistics.

Hi Guys,
What sounds strange to me is that if the filament has an open circuit, why is the psu flicking the tube on? I had a SP tube with a broken filament once and tried powering it up just to see what happens and there was nothing....no click, no pink glow, nothing....the psu didn't even try firing it.

Sorry Rob, for the confusion -- This is about two different ('new') 2214-40ML's (#2 and #3) than in the original topic (#1). I just wanted to "conserve threads" and not start a brand new thread about this one.

#1 had an open filament; I got that one 'supposed working' a few months ago, but it wasn't. (DOA).

#2 and #3 I got from 'Fausto' here, as seen on the Buy/Sell/Trade forum; when #2 arrived it was just 'clicking repeatedly' -- and #3, at first, lit, with a dull purple plasma discharge, and now is just clicking repeatedly as well.

Fausto just emailed me back and said that as far as he knows, *both* should be working, one should just be weak while the other should be 'like new'. No idea if he'll help me out as far as refunding me at this point, if I were to ship them back.

Unfortunately, both are dead. I'm getting the feeling that Fausto isn't making it up, and that they were working, but DHL may have tossed them from some incredible height.

I live at 8500ft ASL. I'm wondering if that could exacerbate pressure problems.

Sorry for the confusion.

timelablasers said:

Hi Guys,
What sounds strange to me is that if the filament has an open circuit, why is the psu flicking the tube on? I had a SP tube with a broken filament once and tried powering it up just to see what happens and there was nothing....no click, no pink glow, nothing....the psu didn't even try firing it.

Click to expand...

Ah nevermind I see what you meant Rob. Okay. I need to look at this again, then. Laser #1 -- Something is rattling around inside of the tube. I assumed it was a broken filament; but yes, the arc is starting. So, I'll take another look; maybe its a chip of something blocking the bore?