LaserUser.com Forum (formerly RDWorksLab)

Okay guys, time to rattle some brain cells. This comes from another forum, and for all my electrical work over the years, I have no idea how to answer it.

You have a standard test meter and your eyeballs. Your laser is putting out short pulses even using the pulse button on the Ruida controller. Machine is almost brand new, 2 months old.

Controller, PSU, or tube?

I've already told him to hot wire the PSU to eliminate the controller. I don't think it is, but verify. So, assuming it's not the controller, is there any way with a standard meter to know if it's the PSU or the tube? He hasn't said anything about noises or clicks and such from the PSU, but the cycling has me thinking PSU anyway. Thoughts?

I had a power supply fail. It was instant....not slowly. I would suspect that the tube is the issue if performance is degrading over time.
it is a sold state device - they typically work or they don't - not much in between.

I had a power supply fail. It was instant....not slowly. I would suspect that the tube is the issue if performance is degrading over time.
it is a sold state device - they typically work or they don't - not much in between.

Not a degradation, he's getting an on off flicker. Almost like an auto reset fuse or something. That also makes me think PSU. I'd love to put a meter somewhere, but there really isn't anything to test externally.