Good evening... sad times, maybe...
So i havent used my laser in about 10 months or so.. Tonight I thought up a nice project to work on, started cutting, and 30 minutes in, poof...
So the chiller is working, and water is cold... good.. laser is not hot, just stopped producing a beam.
What would be the likely causes other than the tube dying?
Is there some troubleshooting steps i should take?
thanks
Dead laser?
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Ryan LaBarre
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017
- Location: Des Moines, IA USA
- Country: USA
- Laser Machine Make or Type: 60w Chinese laser (new SPT tube and PS)
- Laser Power: 60w
- Laser Bed Size: 29x22
- Home Position: BL
- RDWorks Version: 8.01.19
- Windows Version: 10
50w Chinese Laser
500/300mm bed size
Des Moines, IA USA
Windows 10
8.01.19
Ryan
500/300mm bed size
Des Moines, IA USA
Windows 10
8.01.19
Ryan
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Gene Uselman
- Posts: 2180
- Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2016
- Location: Suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
- Country: USA
- Nickname: Gene
- Laser Machine Make or Type: QC
- Laser Power: 130W
- Laser Bed Size: 900x1300
- Home Position: TR
- Control Software: LIGHTBURN
- RDWorks Version: RDw .19 & Lightburn
- LightBurn Version: Latest
- Ruida Controller: RDC6442
- Windows Version: Win 10 Pro
- Accessories: I have a combining lenses, pin tables [homebuilt], honeycomb tables , wireless remote, Modifed Ultimate Air Assist, home built non-powered rotary device, PrusaMK4 and Mini Prusa printers.
Tubes don't normally fail like that- I would look toward the power supply or the signal to it. Do you have a mA meter connected, what does it say?
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Ryan LaBarre
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017
- Location: Des Moines, IA USA
- Country: USA
- Laser Machine Make or Type: 60w Chinese laser (new SPT tube and PS)
- Laser Power: 60w
- Laser Bed Size: 29x22
- Home Position: BL
- RDWorks Version: 8.01.19
- Windows Version: 10
good idea. i can check that.
however i reached out to the MFG of the tube and they said 2-3 years is the lifespan of a tube, given slow leakage of co2, and it has been a couple years. and at times ive driven it hard.
however i reached out to the MFG of the tube and they said 2-3 years is the lifespan of a tube, given slow leakage of co2, and it has been a couple years. and at times ive driven it hard.
50w Chinese Laser
500/300mm bed size
Des Moines, IA USA
Windows 10
8.01.19
Ryan
500/300mm bed size
Des Moines, IA USA
Windows 10
8.01.19
Ryan
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sebastien laforet
- Posts: 143
- Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2016
- Location: Lyon
- Country: France
- Laser Machine Make or Type: bodor BCL0605MU
- Laser Power: 100W
- Laser Bed Size: 60*50cm
- Home Position: TR
- RDWorks Version: 8.01.19
- Windows Version: 7
co2 laser tube decay slowly, they lose power, but they don't "die" like that : remember there is no mechanical or electronic part in a tube, just gas and mirrors...Ryan LaBarre wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2019 good idea. i can check that.
however i reached out to the MFG of the tube and they said 2-3 years is the lifespan of a tube, given slow leakage of co2, and it has been a couple years. and at times ive driven it hard.
power supplies, on the other hand, are full of fuses and electronics and can die suddenly.
Sébastien Laforet
machine : Bodor BCL-0605 (60x50) with 100W laser with TR origin.
Live in France
Primarily works laser for my wife (school teacher, so lots of boxes, letters, puzzles, ...) and miniature scenery (32mm scale : warmachine, infinity)
machine : Bodor BCL-0605 (60x50) with 100W laser with TR origin.
Live in France
Primarily works laser for my wife (school teacher, so lots of boxes, letters, puzzles, ...) and miniature scenery (32mm scale : warmachine, infinity)
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Ryan LaBarre
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017
- Location: Des Moines, IA USA
- Country: USA
- Laser Machine Make or Type: 60w Chinese laser (new SPT tube and PS)
- Laser Power: 60w
- Laser Bed Size: 29x22
- Home Position: BL
- RDWorks Version: 8.01.19
- Windows Version: 10
no amps on my amp meter at all.
Power supply the likely culprit?
Power supply the likely culprit?
50w Chinese Laser
500/300mm bed size
Des Moines, IA USA
Windows 10
8.01.19
Ryan
500/300mm bed size
Des Moines, IA USA
Windows 10
8.01.19
Ryan
-
Ryan LaBarre
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017
- Location: Des Moines, IA USA
- Country: USA
- Laser Machine Make or Type: 60w Chinese laser (new SPT tube and PS)
- Laser Power: 60w
- Laser Bed Size: 29x22
- Home Position: BL
- RDWorks Version: 8.01.19
- Windows Version: 10
just took the power supply out and took it apart...
The only fuse I could find in there was still good.
The only fuse I could find in there was still good.
50w Chinese Laser
500/300mm bed size
Des Moines, IA USA
Windows 10
8.01.19
Ryan
500/300mm bed size
Des Moines, IA USA
Windows 10
8.01.19
Ryan
-
Jeffrey Aley
- Posts: 388
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017
- Location: Folsom, California
- Country: United States
- Laser Machine Make or Type: Kehui
- Laser Power: 50W
- Laser Bed Size: 500mmx300mm
- Home Position: TL
- RDWorks Version: 8.01.24
- Ruida Controller: RDC6442
- Windows Version: Win10 Enterprise
- Accessories: Spray bottle with water (for small fires)
Fire extinguisher (for big fires)
It is likely to be the High Voltage power supply or the wiring. Or a safety interlock.Ryan LaBarre wrote: Thu Nov 07, 2019 no amps on my amp meter at all.
Power supply the likely culprit?
Are you certain that your water protection circuit is saying that the water/chiller is flowing? Notice how carefully I worded that question. I know you said the water was flowing. But it is not uncommon for the sensor (or its wiring) to be bad.
Do you have any other safety interlocks? Some machines (not mine) come with a lid interlock - the laser will only work if the lid is closed. If so, can you tell if the interlock has failed?
Is there power going to the HV supply? Check the input with a voltmeter. Does the HV supply have LED lights on it? Are they lit when they're supposed to be? Does the HV supply have a "test" button? What happens to the laser tube when you press it?
Note: the HV supply is around 20 - 30 THOUSAND volts. That's enough to make you VERY VERY dead (not just slightly dead). Treat it with great respect, and don't mess with it if you're not experienced with high-voltage circuitry.
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Ryan LaBarre
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017
- Location: Des Moines, IA USA
- Country: USA
- Laser Machine Make or Type: 60w Chinese laser (new SPT tube and PS)
- Laser Power: 60w
- Laser Bed Size: 29x22
- Home Position: BL
- RDWorks Version: 8.01.19
- Windows Version: 10
The chiller would actually fail if it detected an issue with the flow.. So I think we are ok there... Plus had the laser died from overheating, which isnt hard to do with a 60w tube, then the laser would have been pretty warm after it failed... It was cool.
THere is no lid protection on this machine. So that rules that out.
Ill check the PS for a test button.
So there is no test button on this PS...
I am headed to mexico for a week.. ive ordered another PS, and a tube, ill replace the PS first when I return to see if thats the cause.
I did drive the laser pretty hard for a few months last winter, and my first failure with this machine, was also a PS
THere is no lid protection on this machine. So that rules that out.
Ill check the PS for a test button.
So there is no test button on this PS...
I am headed to mexico for a week.. ive ordered another PS, and a tube, ill replace the PS first when I return to see if thats the cause.
I did drive the laser pretty hard for a few months last winter, and my first failure with this machine, was also a PS
50w Chinese Laser
500/300mm bed size
Des Moines, IA USA
Windows 10
8.01.19
Ryan
500/300mm bed size
Des Moines, IA USA
Windows 10
8.01.19
Ryan