Super tiny compact helium neon laser supply

[ultimatekaiser]

A little pricy, but packs a wallop for its tiny size!

I had to go to surplus to find a few things, and decided to splurge and buy the appropriate supply for my tiny HeNe laser tubes instead of doing short runs on a modded power supply to run them. that way I can run them as long as I want

The pics say it all note the lack of an alden, since the alden connector is bigger than the supply is! it just has short HV lines that connect straight to the tube!

Specs!

Running my LHR-001!

Perfect for a handheld HeNe!

 

[paul1598419]

Where did you find this and how much did it cost you? I am looking for a supply that could run some He-Ne lasers like the one you are showing in the photos.

 

[crazyspaz]

Heh, that's awesome where did you manage to find that tiny PSU? Ebay?

 

[COMMANDR]

subscribed

 

[IsaacT]

Whatever happened to the small gold brick ones for 20 bucks?

 

[ultimatekaiser]

The gold bricks are laserdrive bricks IIRC - Just an older version I think. I'm betting they still make the majority of the supplies you see around, and a few others are probably from voltex. The black potted acrylic ones are the normal ones.

As for where I got this one... I got it from Meredith Instruments for $60 they're specially made just for the little 6" tubes. They're not meant to run anything else. They're basically an OEM component for old scanners and stuff. I've gotten them before as equipment pulls. It's nice and small and light, so it's great for doing laser demos in classes to explain how the tube works in a safe and relatively low power manner. So it's portable, and a teeny bit safer for tiny fingers that it happens to bite that don't listen and get too close.

 

[bdgreenb]

low bite is a big plus! i accidentally touched the anode and cathode of my 543 about 10 minutes after it powered down, really got my heart racing.

 

[ultimatekaiser]

Yeah. Good way to avoid that is to pull the Alden out and touch the longer pin to the anode. That'll discharge the tube only. I have a string of resistors at 1M ohm that I use to slow discharge my tubes and heads, that way it bleeds the psu circuit as well.

 

[COMMANDR]

Just saw this thread and I have one kinda sorta like the one you have.
The little helium neon tube has lost its gas long ago but the PS still works.
Need to find a small helium neon tube to make into a bedside lamp or something.
PS dims 1 x 2.25 x. 625

 

[ultimatekaiser]

Just saw this thread and I have one kinda sorta like the one you have.
The little helium neon tube has lost its gas long ago but the PS still works.
Need to find a small helium neon tube to make into a bedside lamp or something.
PS dims 1 x 2.25 x. 625

Well we have a tentative little GB for the little tubes if you want one

 

[paul1598419]

Matt, where in Colorado are you? I have lived in Pueblo, Lakewood, and Aurora. Spent about 10years there altogether.