Finally, I am now a GLO (Gas Laser Owner)..!!!

[MarioMaster]

"cleaning the mirrors" is a term usually associated with cleaning the actual reflective coating (intra-cavity) on the resonator mirrors.

Yes you can still clean the exterior side if it gets a significant amount of dirt on it, but dirt on the output side will not affect resonator power like dirt on the inside will.

 

[norbyx]

Well today I got home and I took the head front apart to clean the mirrors (sorry). And fact is that the result is just the same, at 10 amps it delivers 20mw. not one more, You can mess with the trims all you want and nothing changes, I mean I can go DOWN but there is no way to rise the power from those 20mW.
At a certain point I thought that the problem might have been in the PS, so I took the top off and saw 3 trims, two of wich had a sticker that said "void warranty if removed", well that quite means that those trims were never messed with, anyhow since I am likely to mess with all my stuff, I started messing with the trims, finding out that there was no way to rise the power, or the current for that matter. As for what the trims did, well I really don't know, fortunately I made memory of were they were set and put them back as they were. In one ocasion messing with them the laser shut of the interlock, once I turned off and on the PS the laser didn't want to start, as it looks it needs like a spark to start, well it was sparking too low, anyhow once set the trims back to their original position the laser is starting as usual.
Now the question that you made me on the model number of the head here are the pics:

 

[Sigurthr]

Yours is a NLC C61DB laser head specced at only 5mW!!!!! of 458nm. You're getting 4x spec. If it were my laser I would adjust the remote pot so that it is at 7A in current mode and then measure the output with your LPM. Then run in Light mode and adjust the remote pot so you get whatever output your LPM gave you in current mode at 7A. This ensures maximum tube lifetime.

Here is the company website on your laser head: National Laser | C61 Air-Cooled Argon Laser

 

[norbyx]

Well thanks for the info... I now understand... Well than it would mean that the laser tag on top of it would be of another laser....
Anyhow the model doesn't lie...
I shall not push it to hard than, it is not his fault....:can:

 

[Cyparagon]

It is designed to meet spec at 8A and after several thousand hours of runtime. If it's relatively new or if you over-drive it like he's doing, this is to be expected.

at 10 amps it delivers 20mw. not one more

Don't dick around with it. 10A is already very high for these tubes. If you wanna burn something, you've picked the wrong laser.

 

[norbyx]

Well I don't want it for burning that is obvious I just like to have tube laser, that is it. I never like to push my stuff, but since I had it sold to me as a 30mW, than setting the meter right acording to my LPM I find out it is 20mW, not to mention that NOW I know it's suposed to run at 5mW.
I will set it to 7amps and that's it, or let's say in light mode at whatever is the equivalent of the 7 amps.
I would hate to see it blow. As for the Laser Physics does anyone know what are the specs on it? I wouldn't want to do anything stupid with that one.

 

[Sigurthr]

We'd need the model info for it to tell. But since it has an internal rheostat I think you could just put the knob to the 70% position and it would be fine.

 

[norbyx]

The model is in the OP...

 

[Sigurthr]

My bad, haha, forgot about the pic with the label. Yeah just run it at 70% or so and it should be fine. I can't pull up any specific info on it.

 

[Cyparagon]

7-8A is fine. I doubt you'll be running it more than a couple hours a month, so even 9-10A will still give you many years if not decades of life. Just be aware that 10A shortens tube life a lot faster.

 

[norbyx]

Ok did some testing tonight and here are the results:
5mW @ 5.25 Amp
10mW @ 7 Amp (I left it set there)
15mw @ 8.4 Amp
20mW @ 9.68 Amp
21.5mW @ 10 Amp

So I guess the tube is quite good considering the specs, now some pics of the laser at 10mW that is were I left it set (I rather it lasts for a lifetime than have it pushed 10mw more for nothing).




Thank you all for your help in this one....

 

[Meatball]

Just saw this.

Just wanted to pop in and say congrats on joining the club!

You've got some VERY nice units there. I'm am quite envious of your finds!

Tyler

 

[norbyx]

Just saw this.

Just wanted to pop in and say congrats on joining the club!

You've got some VERY nice units there. I'm am quite envious of your finds!

Tyler

Thanks, Yes I love them, they are just awsome. I just need to find one more power cord to be able to connect them both at the same time....