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FrozenGate by Avery

The GLG3078 project :D

Yeah, the filament is still in tact and glowing, but maybe the filament has outgassed, or the capillary is totally clogged, or the tube has just gone too high pressure to be saved. Like i said, it's got over 6K hours on it, their rated lifetime is only 6-8K max.

Ah well :(

Dan
 





Has it got a filler tube on it (sealed copper tube)? As long as the filament is intact you may be able to find someone with lab grade argon and a vacuum pump to re-gas it. I have heard it's possible...
 
I think it does, but it'd require a bore and capillary clean out, as well asmaybe re coating the filament with emissive material, so probably not worth it :(
 
I didnt think the 30XX series tubes had a refill port on them - they were a sealed tube. I have an unknown status 3030 tube here - let me pop the top.

edit : 3030 just has a glass nipple that has just been sealed off. Mabye Things' head is a tad more advanced than mine, being multiline.
 
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Kinda just going on memory here, it may not. It has a metal end bell so would make sense having the fill port there.
 
yes my bad - of course - mine is beryllium or whatever it it. So it makes sense that mine has the sealed nipple where yours may have a gas refill port. :)
 
I remember now, it does have a fill "port" on the back, it's covered with a little blob of silicone. Although I think it might just be a crimp seal and not a proper port.

But really, it's the capillaries that are the problem, and I wouldn't be able to clean them without ruining the tube :(

Just out of curiosity I inquired about the price of a new bare tube, and it's $1950USD! Ouch!
 
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Just managed to get it to start again after trying for like 3 days - don't think I'm going to turn it off ever again now :D
 
I'm glad I'm not paying your light bill, especially with the carbon tax thingo ;)
 
$1950 is actually inexpensive for a small Argon tube
However, a refurbed tube with warrenty is about 700 US if you know where to dig.

The cathode is not that hosed if you still got 7 lines. It truely is the gas pressure on these.

The symptom on NECS is wink, wink, wink, CATCH, wink wink wink. Next comes the Oudin coil to aid in starting.
This buys you a few more starts. Then the low pressure erodes the cathode. Then they soon never start again no matter what you do.


Fill pressure is about 1.2 torr if you can find a lab grade glovebox and a way to weld on to the stem without exposing the system to air. Note the above line requires university level resources, and is not as easy as it sounds. Inert gas capable Induction welders require severe operator training. The second it hits air, its cathode death, on a NEC.


Steve
 
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Yeah, no access to equipment like that nor any skills to do so, it's pretty toast in terms of reliability :(

Will have to try get it going again as I recently got a nice diffraction optic that apparently works well with ML argon lasers, just to have a look.
 
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