[minness]

We have been having an issue with what sounds like arching but not sure. Instead of describing we have created a youtube video of the problem.

Any help is appreciated.

Thank you!!

https://youtu.be/j5ZCCew3VGY

[Louis_Cannell]

Thats a high voltage arc to earth and if tube not dead using to many amps will soon kill it. These things regularly turn up with tube dead as they lose gas and catalyst during storage and shipping, running above 18ma will kill the tube in very short time, getting the tube hot with insufficient cooling will kill the tube just as quickly. Continually raising the ampage and the shorting the HV circuit as you are doing will also blow the power supply and you will need a new power supply as well as a new tube. You obviously have very little idea about operating a laser no light could well have been a mirror alignment problem, your actions if the tube was not dead have almost certainly damaged it to some extent. Opening the back panel the tube could be seen working if it was and the firework display of sparks may well have been visable whjilst you were damaging machine further. I doubt you have read the manuals or instructions as you would not have made a video doing so many silly things that could damage it beyond any repair. If was faulty and supplier sees this video you will not have a leg to stand on as you are doing your best to destroy the machine and following none of the instructions in the manual or operating instructions they come with. I had one arrive dead and got a full refund and got to keep machine but as I say this video is enough to void any waranty you may have had.

[minness]

The video was shot at the request of the manufacturer, via email. They already have said, we probably received a defective machine and most likely be getting a new one, again via email. Instead of replying with such a nasty attitude you should use spell check so you don't look so moronic, instead of focusing on getting your attitude across. But what should I expect from your part of the world.

[Louis_Cannell]

Honesty thats no way to play with HV if you want to live!

[gfacer2]

The video was shot at the request of the manufacturer, via email. They already have said, we probably received a defective machine and most likely be getting a new one, again via email. Instead of replying with such a nasty attitude you should use spell check so you don't look so moronic, instead of focusing on getting your attitude across. But what should I expect from your part of the world.

I don't know what forums you might otherwise frequent but around here slamming the only person that is talking to you (when you could literally read dozens of threads on diagnosing dead tubes instead of asking again) probably is not going to elicit a lot of sympathy. Louis has had an experience and he preaches the wisdom gained.

I can't believe you were touching the unit while that was arcing - you must have a lot of faith in your grounding. I've never heard arc's like that. At any rate, if you don't get a new machine you will likely need a new power supply and a new tube. I just can't see the power supply surviving that abuse and the tube is either cracked or not connected at all. You will need to see if you can determine the location of the arc (via carbon trail/burning) -WITH THE POWER OFF. My personal guess is its something basic due to those short arc's rather that a tube defect which I think is typically a longer, less frequent arc. But then again I don't keep running the program when I'm testing HV faults.

[minness]

Wasn't slamming just bringing out facts, please do not be offended by my words, especially if I can not be offended by others (the old double standards are at play). WOW!!! Well, just like history, Canada is ganging up on someone from America. Being American and from the NYC area I can defend myself very well and will always win. I guess this forum is to state the obvious has to what to do and not to give any suggestions of realistic solutions, only to show how smart you are in one field. I am not going to read through a bunch of other responses when we in America look for the quickest response to a problem, and my mistake was to think that this forum was for people who might be new to laser equipment. Therefore, if you or any others would like to proceed in this game, I assure you I can keep up. At this point please no one respond to my thread if you have nothing helpful to add and sympathy has no place in business.

[gfacer2]

Wasn't slamming just bringing out facts, please do not be offended by my words.

Did you literally start with those words and then finish with the rest of that? Have fun.

[Louis_Cannell]

Nothing to do with where you're from the instructions and manual should clearly warn you against doing the things you were doing, if your new to lasers you need to be aware of the voltage and implications and safety aspects surrounding the use of such.

At 20% power that would be more than 10,000volts at 40watts when you ramped it past the suggested maximum the power was over 5 times higher and you were leaning on the casing it was running through to earth.

I say it as I see it, and if you had read any of the safety instructions or the manual or had any idea what you were doing or dealing with, I do not think you would have done that.

That amount current can easilly jump across 6" if any part of you is near a better earth it will take the easiest route you!

[minness]

Thank you! I have asked the monitor of this site to remove my thread due to the atmosphere of reply's and my responses. This machine was a cheap machine from China and came with no manual.

[Cromaglious]

Sounds like the ballast resistor is arcing... Mine fried as well... that's the sound it made. I have 2 machines, so I used the resistor from the other machine. So far so good. I ordered some 60Kohm 150w resistors, I haven't put one of them in yet. When I do, the wire gets soldered on, and I'll heat shrink it, and put some silicon over the ends to reduce the change of arcing.

Get a flash light and start looking at the high voltage paths. wire could be shorting to the frame or case. My big green ceramic wire wound resistor burned up and was arcing to the clamp.

[minness]

Thank you!! Sounds like a good starting point to look for.