please help me with my HeNe laser

[Sowee7]

hello everyone, does anyone here know how to drive a hene laser, do i really need the power supply or can i just use a normal high voltage power supply? my model is a siemens LGR 7643. if i cant use normal high voltage power supply, how can i make my own hene power supply

 

[Anthony P]

What exactly do you mean "normal high voltage power supply"?
Ballast resistor is critical. Tube current is very important. Some tubes require ignitor.
There are usually many HeNe power bricks on e-bay.

To build your own is very possible and a cool project. I will keep an eye on this thread and help if I can.

 

[Sowee7]

What exactly do you mean "normal high voltage power supply"?
Ballast resistor is critical. Tube current is very important. Some tubes require ignitor.
There are usually many HeNe power bricks on e-bay.

To build your own is very possible and a cool project. I will keep an eye on this thread and help if I can.

I'm kinda new to gas lasers and I've only ever used dpss, diode and opsl laeers

 

[Cyparagon]

They require a high voltage constant current source. The bespoke power supplies are cheaper, safer, smaller, and much easier to find than some obscure DIY solution.

 

[icecruncher]

hello everyone, does anyone here know how to drive a hene laser, do i really need the power supply or can i just use a normal high voltage power supply? my model is a siemens LGR 7643. if i cant use normal high voltage power supply, how can i make my own hene power supply

start here first.

Sam's Laser FAQ - Preface, Introduction, What is a Laser?, Safety

"Modern small to medium size HeNe tubes require an operating voltage between about 900 and 2,500 VDC at 3 to 6 mA and a 5 to 12 kV starting voltage (but almost no current). Precise values depend on the size and construction of the tube. This assumes something in the .5 to 10 mW range. Larger tubes will required greater voltage and current (e.g., 5,000 VDC at 8 mA, 15 kV to start) but are powered in basically the same way as their smaller siblings."

there are instructions also on there for building a HeNe Power supply. You can't just throw a high voltage supply on it.

A proper power supply brick will run you $50 or less. a lab style with an Alden connector will usually cost more. But it depends on what you are driving. The power supply usually matches up with relative size. For instance a 6" HeNe would use the smallest one and a SP127 (4') or such would require a much larger one. Color of the beam (not the plasma) can influence that somewhat as well as the age of the tube can bring up the number slightly.

The most common newer HeNe lasers are 10" - 14" and can be either suspended in an aluminum tube or just the glass HeNe

Usually commercial HeNe power bricks require an input of either 12v dc or 120v ac and then will output the correct values as needed for the tube. The biggest advantage of a 120v ac HeNe brick or lab supply is that you don't need a wall plug connected first to convert the 120v ac to 12v dc

here is a typical power supply for a 6" tube - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Laser-Driv...863595?hash=item46ab5017ab:g:pZMAAOSw7VJcn9gN

siliconsam (Sam Goldwasser) on Ebay is probably the most knowledgable person on earth for HeNe lasers - He wrote the laserfaq listed above.

Ultimatekaiser on LPF is extremely knowledgable also and has dealt with almost everything.

In either case - do your own research first before asking them.

 

[Sowee7]

"Modern small to medium size HeNe tubes require an operating voltage between about 900 and 2,500 VDC at 3 to 6 mA and a 5 to 12 kV starting voltage (but almost no current). Precise values depend on the size and construction of the tube. This assumes something in the .5 to 10 mW range. Larger tubes will required greater voltage and current (e.g., 5,000 VDC at 8 mA, 15 kV to start) but are powered in basically the same way as their smaller siblings."

there are instructions also on there for building a HeNe Power supply. You can't just throw a high voltage supply on it.

A proper power supply brick will run you $50 or less. a lab style with an Alden connector will usually cost more. But it depends on what you are driving. The power supply usually matches up with relative size. For instance a 6" HeNe would use the smallest one and a SP127 (4') or such would require a much larger one. Color of the beam (not the plasma) can influence that somewhat as well as the age of the tube can bring up the number slightly.

The most common newer HeNe lasers are 10" - 14" and can be either suspended in an aluminum tube or just the glass HeNe

Usually commercial HeNe power bricks require an input of either 12v dc or 120v ac and then will output the correct values as needed for the tube. The biggest advantage of a 120v ac HeNe brick or lab supply is that you don't need a wall plug connected first to convert the 120v ac to 12v dc

here is a typical power supply for a 6"

siliconsam (Sam Goldwasser) on Ebay is probably the most knowledgable person on earth for HeNe lasers - He wrote the laserfaq listed above.

Ultimatekaiser on LPF is extremely knowledgable also and has dealt with almost everything.

In either case - do your own research first before asking them

I bought my hene tube from him and I've read laserfaq multiple times,

Thanks for the help

 

[ultimatekaiser]

If I recall correctly that’s one of those little 6 inch siemens tubes correct? It probably won’t require all that much. Probably around 1200-1400v at 3.7mA or maybe 4mA. Somewhere in that neighborhood. how are supplies for tubes that small are a little harder to find, but they do pop up fairly often. How much are you willing to spend? I can help you track one down pretty quickly depending on budget.

 

[icecruncher]

If I recall correctly that’s one of those little 6 inch siemens tubes correct? It probably won’t require all that much. Probably around 1200-1400v at 3.7mA or maybe 4mA. Somewhere in that neighborhood. how are supplies for tubes that small are a little harder to find, but they do pop up fairly often. How much are you willing to spend? I can help you track one down pretty quickly depending on budget.

I believe that is the one I listed in my message above - it is 24v input. Sam has a couple for sale on Ebay.