Gas laser find

[Vidal Wolf]

I have to find three phase locally first

[LightningStalker]

Have you looked into phase converters? Also sometimes poking around in the PSU
may reveal a way it can be modded to work on single phase. 40A on 3PH, in a worst
case scenario it would draw 150A running on single phase with a static phase
converter. I have a friend who runs 3PH metalworking equipment all the time on a
rotary phase converter.

[Vidal Wolf]

I have looked at 3 phase converters and am considering building one. The only sticker is the voltage drop on the third phase. Ive had a number of people mention that the Coherent I-70 tubes dont like the voltage drop and that it can cause the cathode to be underpowered and sag. I have a Purelight star whitelight thats in perfect condition.I wont risk that one on a phase converter. The SP, I dont know about how the cathode would handle it. I havnt heard any one say yay or nay.
I do have a buck boost board that I use on the Purelight to keep the voltage at around 208. Does anyone know if I can run a rotary phase convertor thru a buck boost three phase transformer? Will it smooth out the voltage drop?

[sugeek]

You can always rent a genset or see if any of the local burners have a one. I saw a few on GSA auctions in sf but too big for your needs. http://www.allstarrents.com/equipmen...ry&category=90 around 150 a day if you can tow it home... NWLEM is another option once platinum confirms 3phase

Adam

[telmnstr]

Find a friend with a commercial location? That was how I tested my first laser. Later on I rented a small office for another use and it doubled as laser playground.

Chillin:
http://users.757.org/~ethan/pics/las...d/img_1390.jpg

Alignment by shooting hene down bore:
http://users.757.org/~ethan/pics/las...d/IMG_1395.JPG

Feeding it into open loop galvos on Laser Illusions software (We've come so far):
http://users.757.org/~ethan/pics/las...d/IMG_1414.JPG

Ah can't believe I still have these pictures:
This is the power panel. 100a 3phase, which feeds a box that a friend helped me install with current transformers for reading power draw, then down to a 36kva (300 amp) UPS system, which feeds the subpanel on the right that went to a room full of servers and computers and such:
http://users.757.org/~ethan/pics/las...e/IMG_2033.JPG

I would very cautiously remove the HVAC breaker and hot water heater breaker and slip in a 3 phase breaker, then run the laser system off of that:
http://users.757.org/~ethan/pics/las...e/IMG_2060.JPG

Found that the chiller setup was too much of a pain, and some homeless metal scrapper stole the air conditioner when I left it sitting behind the office for a few hours. So no more closed loop, open loop in the bathroom:
http://users.757.org/~ethan/pics/las...e/IMG_2057.JPG

Then you know, fire it across a random parking lot:
http://users.757.org/~ethan/pics/las...e/IMG_2047.JPG

(WAIT ON THE HATE, it was actually 3AM and only scanning the X axis onto solid surface with no people around. The old gas lasers just had a volume knob, turn it down, set it up, turn it up to see what it does. No blanking on that setup, it was too expensive :-)

Running:
http://users.757.org/~ethan/pics/las...d/IMG_1408.JPG

Sold it here on PL for like $650, and drove 4 hours to give it to the fella. Wonder what it's up to these days.

[Vidal Wolf]

What was that? an SP- 2011

[Vidal Wolf]

I remember seeing the brains of these at Laser Fantasy. I remember a tech blowing the crap out of one of them too while I was there. It popped the entire string of micro fuses and sounded like a handgun going off.
So here is mine. It looks ok. I have to replace a connector on the red cable going to the first diode as its a little cooked and crunchy. One transistor is missing on the last string on the right, but I think it was left open for a reason because there's two diodes wired in. Also have to check the diodes to see that they're alright as well. .

[telmnstr]

Yep! I used to do NASA auctions, *HOPING* to find a complete large frame argon system. Finally hit it with that one. The crazy thing was someone from Vegas outbid me on it the first time around, csystems from Vegas or something. They never paid.

I picked up various systems that were always incomplete, so would sell them off and buy just a few parts for show stuff. i90 krypton, SP2040 (I think that was it) with a 270 exciter (480v!) and a few others. Quantel, and a argon similar to the OP one but not working :-/

Holy crap, I never delete anything:
http://users.757.org/~ethan/pics/2-e...pectraphysics/
http://users.757.org/~ethan/pics/2-ebay/sold/sp2011/
http://users.757.org/~ethan/pics/2-ebay/sold/continuum/

No pics of the 2040 or Coherent. The Coherent box was so sexy, although I think Lexel was even sexier.

(No, the stuff wasn't sold on ebay, it was a dumping directory for pics after I sold or traded whatever wherever)

[telmnstr]

That's wild! All them fuses! I bet if they blew the fuses they took the transistors with?


Everyone has sports cars and mountain climbs, who has argon lasers!?!

[Vidal Wolf]

---"That's wild! All them fuses! I bet if they blew the fuses they took the transistors with?"---


I dont know if the passbank went,but I remember the thin blue cloud that was going up above the bench. I still to this day remember the techs gathered around the PS and wondering what had gone bang. I saw the little fuses that looked like resistors all neatly blown in half.I think that the power supply had just come back from Spectra Physics and they were wiring it up for the first time.