Thanks Dan for understanding - yeah pretty peeved that yet another red has died on me - least LOC's arent terribly expensive, but I'm going to get a few just in case.
For the person who buys this laser, I have the major components to make the supply. Transformer and large electrolytic cap with a proper working/surge voltage. I also have a suitable fan (which I will give a good clean). Also 240v mains rated.
Obviously the transformer is for the australian mains (240v).
There is a goldmine of information on Sams laserfaq about driving these small aircooled argon heads. Basiclly your just building a giant constant current source, instead of being 2.2v for a red diode, its 100 ish volts at several amps for an argon tube
The supply can be fairly basic for testing, with just a high power resistor and the above mentioned components, and when you know the laser lases (which Dan says it does), upgrade that supply pronto to current regulation. This is an opamp, some big transistors and not much more. Forced air cooling for both supply and laser are mandatory. The supply will dissapate in the area of up to 700 watts of heat, and the laser will produce about the same at full power. These tubes tend to melt down in short order when run without a fan for any length of time say over a minute or 3.
Alex: there are 4 connections to a small aircooled argon. 2 cathode connections, a frame ground and tube +. The - on the tube comes off a centre tap on the filament winding. The starting pulse is superimposed on the + line, usually having all the tube current passing through the start transformer once the tube ignites. The nice thing about this little laser is the start card is already built in - just supply running current and the start card will ignite the tube automatically after around 5 seconds.
Not trying to hijack your thread Dan, but since I am not getting this laser, may as well offer the power supply parts I have here to the buyer to get them off to a good start.