Argon ionization color

[Mosc007]

I managed to get hold of another 25ML tube. Was labeled not working for parts only.

Didnt expect it to do anything.

Just a question someone might know the answer.

When I ionize the tube with HV and the filament off I was expecting a blue glow.

This tube has an Orange glow !

Anyone know what that means ?

Their is no ionization with the igniter. Needed higher voltage. Tested with a working igniter.

 

[CurtisOliver]

Do you have any images?

I don't know much about argons as I haven't got mine running yet.
But take a look at this past thread. It may help.

http://laserpointerforums.com/f43/trying-get-argon-running-38680.html

 

[Mosc007]

It's pretty hard to get an image looking into the front of the tube.

Instead of bright blue/white ionization this tube is orange.

 

[CurtisOliver]

If you can try and at least upload some pics, it may help anyone on here try to identify the problem

Diachi, do you know?

 

[Mosc007]

If you can try and at least upload some pics, it may help anyone on here try to identify the problem

Diachi, do you know?

I can try. But I doubt my camera can take an image down a hole less than 1mm.

It took over 20 kv to get any ionization.

 

[diachi]

I can try. But I doubt my camera can take an image down a hole less than 1mm.

It took over 20 kv to get any ionization.

Definitely shouldn't be orange. Should be purplish-white. The only thing in there that should give you an orange glow is the filament, when ON. Should definitely get ionization well below 20kV too, closer to 2-3kV.

How did you hook up the HV supply? One lead anode, one lead cathode?

 

[Mosc007]

After looking for ionization while it tried to start, Filament off. I found nothing. Ticking but pitch black inside the tube. I suspected a bad igniter.

Then I put a HeNe supply connected to anode and cathode. Very slight amount of light. But very dim.

Then I stuck one of those tazer coils on it. Connected direct to anode and cathode. Now I could see a rather dim orange ionization.

What ever the cause this tube is totally stuffed.

If it had air leak into the tube could that ionize orange ?

PS. This tube does have an hour meter in the head. Looks like some sort of chemical hour meter. Never seen anything like it before.

Their is a black bar accross the middle from 0 to 10,000. Is that back bar the indicator ?. If so its over 10k hours on it.

 

[diachi]

After looking for ionization while it tried to start, Filament off. I found nothing. Ticking but pitch black inside the tube. I suspected a bad igniter.

Then I put a HeNe supply connected to anode and cathode. Very slight amount of light. But very dim.

Then I stuck one of those tazer coils on it. Connected direct to anode and cathode. Now I could see a rather dim orange ionization.

What ever the cause this tube is totally stuffed.

If it had air leak into the tube could that ionize orange ?

PS. This tube does have an hour meter in the head. Looks like some sort of chemical hour meter. Never seen anything like it before.

Their is a black bar accross the middle from 0 to 10,000. Is that back bar the indicator ?. If so its over 10k hours on it.

Air would give you a purple glow, so it isn't air. Neon would give you an orange colour, maybe all of the argon is baked into the tube and all that's left is some neon buffer gas? Can't remember typical gas mix off the top of my head but I've got a feeling there's some neon in there.

Got a picture of the indicator? Sounds like it's over 10,000 hours, but the indicators I'm used to have a little orange marker on them. IIRC.

 

[Mosc007]

Hard to take a clear image of the hour meter. But came out not to bad.

I guess Neon would be one of the few gases to ionize orange.

 

[diachi]

Hard to take a clear image of the hour meter. But came out not to bad.

I guess Neon would be one of the few gases to ionize orange.

Yeah that looks pretty much maxed out! Shame the tube ended up being dead

It's a shame you're on the other side of the planet too, I wouldn't mind a dead tube for a display piece.

 

[Mosc007]

It was labeled not working. Should have said dead and buried, years ago. Haha

Prob not worth the cost to ship it over.

One day i will get a working tube. Pity their are none in Aus. Postage is a killer.

 

[paul1598419]

I would never use the taser coil to try to start one of these tubes as it is AC. Therefore, the polarity of the anode and cathode are changing back and forth with the cycle of the taser. It's just like hooking the tube up backwards.

 

[Cyparagon]

My guess is the cathode sputtering and other impurities coating the return bores are arcing over instead of the gas itself.

 

[icecruncher]

My LASOS lights up orangish before it ignites during warm up.

Once it ignites the glass bell turns purple-ish white as diachi says.

 

[diachi]

My LASOS lights up orangish before it ignites during warm up.

Once it ignites the glass bell turns purple-ish white as diachi says.

Yeah, the orange glow you're seeing is the cathode filament. There's a start up delay before the tube ignites, that ensures that the filament is up to temperature and also works as the start delay required in some countries for some laser products.

 

[Mosc007]

I would never use the taser coil to try to start one of these tubes as it is AC. Therefore, the polarity of the anode and cathode are changing back and forth with the cycle of the taser. It's just like hooking the tube up backwards.

Since it had no ionisation from the igniter or HeNe driver it didnt matter what I did to it. The tube was obviously stuffed.

They say to use an oudin coil. They are also AC.