Over recent days the desktop laser has developed an intermittent failure to fire the laser.
The problem started after some fairly constant usage, which saw the effectiveness of the laser gradually fade. Water temperature was warmer than body temp. to the touch, so I suspect that the tube had overheated.
The following day I turned the laser on and started a cut only to find that the laser wasn't firing. Tried a few test fires, nothing happening. Turned on/off a few times with the same results.
Then out of the blue the laser started functioning again. I found that by looking towards the rear of the housing I could detect a glow through the mirror pass through aperture when the laser fired, along with movement of the needle in the current indication meter. But again the effectiveness/power faded after a short period of time.
Now, today it appears to fire ( the glow at the rear, needle movement), but no actual laser beam. I have placed a piece of paper in the path of the beam between the various mirrors with no effect to the paper.
There is water flow, and everything appears to be normal. Is it the tube dying, or possibly another electrical problem?