Super small YAG laser cavity

That’s the only explanation I can think of is you looked at the wrong one. Because I never had but one of those. Just keep in mind when putting it in its kind of tough they are easy to break from what I hear, but I’m sure you are smart enough to know that already

Found it, bag got swapped with another ssy-1 which the seller included an extra q-switch i didn't know about, wasn't mentioned in the sale. i'm just now going through all of the goodies i bought while working over seas.

edit: my gripes follow; i opened the SSY-1 q-switch package from the one you sold me just now, you toasted it when you blew up that flashlamp by putting high voltage on it without an inductor, but i guess you darn well knew that or would not have removed it. Good thing I have an extra one from that other seller, but needless to point out, I am not happy. i really think this deserves a rep for offloading something you burned up here on LPF without letting me know the q-switch was burned. That's my guess, a kid would do that. perhaps I should give you a benefit of a doubt you don't know what a ruined q-switch looks like? Telling us when you removed that switch it really put out more power, in so many words, was non-sense too, i should have suspected something wasn't right. what do these q-switches cost when you can find them? anyone know? i'd rather have this kid pay for a replacement than use the spare given to me. i'm a very easy going giving guy, but my hackles get up when i think someone knowingly offloaded damaged goods on me. Am I wrong? Why did you remove the q-switch?

First of all I have pictures showing that the q-switch worked when I had it, it leaves small marks on aluminum pieces of things which it can’t do without it. Second no I do not know what it looks like blown I didn’t even know that was possible and no I didn’t remove it because it was “broken” I removed it because I read somewhere that they can be removed for more power, I used a 900 volt 42uF capacitor which is the same as the original one for the SSY I believe before I took it out I only used larger capacitors much later when I got them as a part o the ruby laser rangefinder. So I must not have been getting the full effect of the q-switch either then because I didn’t even know you can “blow one” up. Before I took it out, it would leave like very small white-ish marks on metal, but only small not large.

then the q-switch was damaged when you bought it, but I doubt it because you blew out the flashlamp on the first shot when you didn't put an inductor in line with it. I think you blew it the first shot like that, which explains why it never worked right for you.

Oh, that's not right. I'd be pissed too, Alaskan. I know these were used for range finding back in the day. But, getting a bad switch taken off the assembly smells bad.

i can understand the possibility of removing the switch because it wasn't performing right, but why do that unless you suspected it was bad in the first place.

Well I didn’t suspect anything I just thought that is how it was supposed to be, I just learned now from you guys that it was even possible to hurt it. I don’t want to be blamed for something I did not know.

Why remove it if you thought it was good?

I took it out because I read somewhere it lets more energy out on average which at the time I thought meant altogether I didn’t understand what peak and average power meant so I thought hey without it this, the article says more power with the same setup, so I took it out and to my surprise it left no marks anywhere, so then I waited for my ruby laser and it’s capacitors to come and used them instead and got more output using the new lamp after it popped (keep in mind q-switch is still removed, I never put it back in because of how fragile they are I also read somewhere where they can crack) so they only capacitor actually used on the q-switch was 16 joules about and probably less due to the wires and alligator clip resistance, and even without the inductor and the flashlamp blowing up the first time would that not be the same amount of joules in? Just in a smaller burst which cracked the lamp?

When the flash tube is pumped too hard the Q-switch is usually the first thing which fails in the SSY-1. Too many Joules into the flash tube causing it to crack while frying the Q-switch at the same moment.

Branson33 said:

I took it out because I read somewhere it lets more energy out on average which at the time I thought meant altogether I didn’t understand what peak and average power meant so I thought hey without it this, the article says more power with the same setup, so I took it out and to my surprise it left no marks anywhere, so then I waited for my ruby laser and it’s capacitors to come and used them instead and got more output using the new lamp after it popped (keep in mind q-switch is still removed, I never put it back in because of how fragile they are I also read somewhere where they can crack) so they only capacitor actually used on the q-switch was 16 joules about and probably less due to the wires and alligator clip resistance, and even without the inductor and the flashlamp blowing up the first time would that not be the same amount of joules in? Just in a smaller burst which cracked the lamp?

Click to expand...

The more you post the more I think you shouldn't be messing around with flash lamp pumped lasers.

It's a learning curve when you damage your expensive laser parts, but he saved the day, just sold it to another member to deal with. I still don't believe the innocent story yet, simply due to removing the Q-Switch, no reason to do that unless you think something is wrong.

diachi said:

The more you post the more I think you shouldn't be messing around with flash lamp pumped lasers.

Click to expand...

Ditto!

Well, don’t believe it then. But that’s the truth I’m not trying to lie to you. I would pay for a new one no questions, but they are impossible to find, and I wouldn’t try to sell you one that was broken. I did not know it was broken, I removed it simply because I saw “more average power” which in my head meant more power everywhere which I conclude to be false and simply never put it back in. I think I might as well just give up on this forum and do the things myself and show my friends instead...they seem to be mildy more interested in it than actual laser guys. So I guess in conclusion I am sorry Alaskan for something I did not know was wrong with it truly, as for everyone else it’s been fun, but I’m going to go somewhere else, have a great night

Plausible you didn't know, agreed, just smells bad on the face of it.

Regardless of intent, you got left holding the bag, Chris.