[stonepercussion]

Hi Everybody!

This morning, our laser engraver started acting peculiar and I figured I would ask the professionals for any help or advice! I have been a long time reader on this forum and really appreciate the help that all of you provide. My laser is only 4 months old from China. Has been working perfectly fine (besides the control switches burning out after the first week....). But yesterday when firing up the laser, sparks began to shoot out of the end cap on the left most side of the glass tube. We have changed the water, redid the grounding cables that go to both sides of the tube, and cleaned all of the small parts (which were covered in white/orangish dust). After doing all of this, we were able to get the laser to fire half way through the tube, but not all the way. After running for a few seconds, the flame shot out of the tube again. Have any of you had this problem? I'm wondering if it is something wrong with the power supply?

Here is a short video I took of the issue described above.

https://youtu.be/_rx3fDDo_DY


Again, thank you all so much for all of the help I've received just from reading your articles and posts, and I sincerely hope somebody else has had this problem and successfully solved it!

-Andrew

[Louis_Cannell]

Looks to me as if the Tube has lost most of its catalyst and gas, You certainly need to insultate the area where arcing is occuring not obvious from video as to exact route but if anyone has Iphone 6 or equivilent I have used slow motion video to capture similar with enough quality to identify routes and solve similar problems. Most importantly contact your supplier for advice and opinon regarding this problem.

[Nolan Yang]

Hi Andrew,
From the video, I think the laser tube is gone.
Usually, they will provide 6 months warranty for the laser tube, please contact your supplier soon.

[consurelaser]

oh, the laser tube seems like bad. You can contact them, let them send new tube if within warranty time.

[SignWave]

How have you made out with this issue? Is this an original set up? for a charge of 28Kv. the end of your tube sure is close to a ground source. Rule of thumb for high voltage is a 1000volts per mm. So at 28 Kilovolts the spark could jump a gap somewhere near an inch and a half to ground. This also depends on other factors like humindity,,,, google "breakdown voltage"
That was one hell of a strike.. I can only imagine the noise being right beside it. I suspect voltage far higher than 28 kv...
I am trying to deal with reci regarding a 150w tube also.. I am getting nowhere.. Aholes...Has Jason Chen or whoever he is been forthright with you?