Experimentonomen´s first argon

[timelablasers]

Hey, GREAT WORK! Nice to see my tube got a good home. I am very impressed with you work and how quickly you were able to put it all together.

 

[Experimentonomen]

Once the real housing and the fans arrives, i´ll give it a good run to restore the pressure.

Atm i can only get it to draw around 7.8A with the passbank fully on with a 140V DC bus, i wonder if the current will increase as the pressure drops back to normal.

Btw how many volts is the NEC psu putting out on the filament ? My transformer only allows for either 2V or 3.3V under load(adding or removing a turn)

Im fearing that im either starving the cathode or overheating it, burning off its coating.

 

[Cyparagon]

It's about 3V. I wouldn't run the tube any higher than 8A anyway - it's best to run it as low as possible to improve tube life. 8A is generally thought of as the best compromise between power and lifetime.

 

[Experimentonomen]

I think i´ve found out the brand of the umbilical connector: Cinch-Jones / Beau Interconnects - 11 Pin to 20 Pin <-- the 15pin one there looks mighty similar, i´ve ordered one along with a male and female DB15 connectors for an interlock/remote control plug.

 

[Experimentonomen]

I feel like its about that time to release some schematics of this thing, here they are.

The power section:

The control part which im yet to build and test:

I call this construction the MF-IL1, MF beeing my initials and IL meaning Ion Laser and the 1 meaning its my first one.

 

[timelablasers]

Hi,
Just wondering if you have received the SP tube housing? I think it's coming up to about a couple of weeks since I sent it.
Cheers,
Rob.

 

[Experimentonomen]

Its about two hours by car away from me and possibly on its way, i got the postal notice last week that sez i can go get the package today after 16:00
so im monitoring the postal service tracking to see when it shows up at the local post office.

Unfortunately there may still be another week before the fans arrives, and 3-5weeks before i get the connector i need.

 

[Experimentonomen]

Tube in place:

This end goes to the psu, either through a connector or hardwired:

Plastic flaps to direct the air through the tube fins:

Warning sticker, woot 160mW!? That cant be right, tube only does 15

Now where are those fans i ordered?? Bah still in shipping and wont arrive for a few days, so no fun just yet

 

[vk2fro]

Looks like you just need to wire in your supply, and slap on the starting blower for a small jet engine and your laser will look like a bought one (once you box up your supply and add my LCD controller (I'll get the design finished and send you one)

 

[Experimentonomen]

 

[timelablasers]

Hey that's neat.

 

[timelablasers]

BTW, I left two screws loose on the terminal block which are the positions where the tube leads go.

 

[Experimentonomen]

Yah i noticed those two and used them. Im currently waiting for a lazy courier to deliver my fans.

 

[vk2fro]

yay his fans just rocked up. Now lets hope it stays cool, and the longer run will provide better output as the gas pressure comes down

 

[Experimentonomen]

This is what a real laser should look and sound like

 

[vk2fro]

This is what a real laser should look and sound like

(edit: cut video - no need to quote it)

"Airport ground control, Experementonomen, requesting push and start"

at least now you can run it for a while and see how it performs without worrying about it dying due to high temperature.