[CLOSED] Starting gas for a pretty good price

[ultimatekaiser]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

Yeah I like these little P210 tubes. They're great for alignment

 

[icecruncher]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

Got the laser today with ballast resistor.

Box was majorly crushed, but tube appears to be intact.

Thanks for organizing this Group Buy.

BTW, just got back from SELEM tonight. Cool news and things of interest. Will start a thread.

 

[ultimatekaiser]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

Got the laser today with ballast resistor.

Box was majorly crushed, but tube appears to be intact.

Thanks for organizing this Group Buy.

Good. I tried to pack them pretty well. so they should be fairly resistant as long as they havn't been used to play soccer.

BTW, just got back from SELEM tonight. Cool news and things of interest. Will start a thread.

I look forward to it

 

[LtKernelPanic]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

After an hour of searching I finally found the correct info for my PSU and got my tube up and running and all I can say is wow a thing of beauty. It really does look like a miniature version of my bare 543.5 tube. FWIW these little PSUs are damned near perfect for these tubes. 800-1200VDC @ 3mA. Can't beat them for 10 bucks.

I did have one near hart attack moment. While testing the PSU before I found the correct voltages I was using old older tube. After testing I moved (while wearing insulated gloves) it to another table to let any charge dissipate. While going to get my newly arrived tube I hear that distinct sound of something glass hitting the (concrete) floor. Thankfully it landed on something soft next to the table after felling nearly 3 feet (1m) then rolled onto the floor from there. After grabbing its normal PSU and tube holders I was quite happy to see it fire right up. Lesson learned: always make sure a bare tube can't roll!

 

[DB8088]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

I'd like one of these, they're compact, relatively simple and gas is great! Lol. Unfortunately, I haven't had the time to get to my first HeNe...if you have some left in the distant future, so 2029 I'm in! Best of luck with the sale, my friend!

 

[ultimatekaiser]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

After an hour of searching I finally found the correct info for my PSU and got my tube up and running and all I can say is wow a thing of beauty. It really does look like a miniature version of my bare 543.5 tube. FWIW these little PSUs are damned near perfect for these tubes. 800-1200VDC @ 3mA. Can't beat them for 10 bucks.

I did have one near hart attack moment. While testing the PSU before I found the correct voltages I was using old older tube. After testing I moved (while wearing insulated gloves) it to another table to let any charge dissipate. While going to get my newly arrived tube I hear that distinct sound of something glass hitting the (concrete) floor. Thankfully it landed on something soft next to the table after felling nearly 3 feet (1m) then rolled onto the floor from there. After grabbing its normal PSU and tube holders I was quite happy to see it fire right up. Lesson learned: always make sure a bare tube can't roll!

This is why I gave you guys mounts to put them on! By dropping the tube even if it doesn't break you can end up damaging the bore and the bore support inside! Be careful!

 

[LtKernelPanic]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

Yeah I got lucky for sure. The tube I was testing is actually from a kit I got from Sam and the small one in my avatar. It has square mounts that slip over the ends of the tube that have the power contacts in them. I should have just put the tube back in its normal mounts and discharged it like I normally do. Oh well live and learn. For the record the tube I got from you is sitting safely in its mounts. I should probably order some more of those for my other tubes and heads sometime. If that was my 594 tube that hit you would have heard the profanity all the way from here.

 

[ultimatekaiser]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

If that was my 594 tube that hit you would have heard the profanity all the way from here.

Been there. done that. Twice.

I beat you out...The profanities better left unspoken of in the lab when we had the 612s break...well let's say we had a few people that went just a bit beyond insane ape sh*t that day...

 

[Mattronium]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

Just got back from SELEM and found the package in the mailbox:beer: The box is in good condition. I'll have to see how soon I can fire it up.

 

[paul1598419]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

Yeah, I got my power supply all put together with a 750mA fuse and a switch. It looks and works great. It was a bit pricey since I got my PSU from Meredith Instruments, and the other parts from different suppliers. But everything is brand new, and this is the first gas laser of the six I own to be 100% brand new. I am still very happy I got it.

 

[Blarg King]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

Hopefully mine will arrive this week
I can wait to see a bare tube in person. Now I can leave it on my desk and explain to people how it works and sound all smart

 

[Mattronium]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

I don't believe I have the info on how to run these. Could I have it (please?)

 

[ultimatekaiser]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

Ah sorry! I ended up spacing putting a instruction sheet up

I'll get that up pronto. I've been crazy busy since day after the tubes came in, so I've been exhausted. Thank god I'm off tomorrow

 

[ultimatekaiser]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

By the way I was searching around for those of you who still need power supplies... Voltex is one of my favorite companies since laserdrive went out of business. And they've got a few bricks that work with these, just as a heads up.

 

[ultimatekaiser]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

Steps for HeNe awesomeness are as follows! (read carefully and understand before attempting construction)

(If using my own adapter, some variance may apply)

1. plug in the DC adapter into the wall.
2. lay out the white tube holders
3. clip thick red anode lead on the power supply to the long thin end of the tube there is a little groove that the clip goes in. (the belljar end)
4. clip the thin black cathode lead to the cathode end of the tube up against the metal endcap. (the side with the aluminum cylinder inside, and the fill port) DO NOT PLACE THE CLIP ON THE MIRROR MOUNT, you may bend it and discharge in the mirror mount is bad for the mirror. This is also the output end so be careful not to dirty the mirror's outer surface.
5. place the tube in the holders, with each holder at each end of the tube, for full support, tube orientation should be with the fill port upward. in the anode end you can see a plate at an angle. this is the plane of polarization for the tube. (linear, vertically 500:1 or better)
6. take the black 2-pin connector and orient it so you see the + emblem on it. then take the connector to the DC end and match it up with the "TIP" emblem on it. DO NOT PLUG IT IN BACKWARDS! the tube should light nearly immediately, if it does not, then immediately unplug. there is no 5 second CDRH delay on this power supply. If the tube is cold it may take it a moment to start, but generally it should start instantly. if it doesn't there may be a problem.

 

[Mattronium]

Re: Starting gas for a pretty good price [Now shipping]

I have a PSU that gives 3.8mA @ 1500V, that should still work for the tube if I use a 80K ballast resistor, correct?