Finally got my 168 running at home

[GooeyGus]

the magnet is DC. You are just barely at threshold and 514 is trying to lase. 488 is a higher gain line. Ya might be a bit high pressure but until we get some data... ya just dont know. So you can only run it at minimum current?

Remember I said get her running 35 amps field max 237 -243 vdc across tube. I thought I sent you the testing parameters...may be not.

Nice little argon ya got there!

Yeah you told me the procedure. I cant get it up to 35A continuously without blowing the breaker as it's only a 30A breaker, but I had it running at about a watt and a half earlier and it was doing just fine. Nice and bright

Also for some reason I'm getting an alarm when turning the field all the way up. The pot for the field control was in pieces when I got the supply. I reassembled it and it seems to be working fine but it might have messed with something. Also, should turning the field up at idle have a huge effect on power output? Or is it also linked to current somehow? When I turn up the field the power goes way up, to like a watt or more when the field is at max. without touching the current knob.

Another question: When it starts up it seems to be at a high power, maybe a half a watt, and slowly over about 5 minutes it 'settles down' to the threshold level of about 100-150mW. Normal?

[Laserman532]

Yeah you told me the procedure. I cant get it up to 35A continuously without blowing the breaker as it's only a 30A breaker, but I had it running at about a watt and a half earlier and it was doing just fine. Nice and bright

Also for some reason I'm getting an alarm when turning the field all the way up. The pot for the field control was in pieces when I got the supply. I reassembled it and it seems to be working fine but it might have messed with something. Also, should turning the field up at idle have a huge effect on power output? Or is it also linked to current somehow? When I turn up the field the power goes way up, to like a watt or more when the field is at max. without touching the current knob.

Another question: When it starts up it seems to be at a high power, maybe a half a watt, and slowly over about 5 minutes it 'settles down' to the threshold level of about 100-150mW. Normal?

ya got some variables there old bud. the alarm goes off when you are low TV, whether it is calibrated at low current who knows. The point is that it changes (when you vary the mag) and that is good. they all interact together, it only works properly when "tuned". SO until you can get it to run reliably at 35 amps all bets are off and ya gets what ya gets. Target is 35 amps field max 237-243 vdc 8 watts MM output.

Your color looked a bit pink but it might have been the camera/ exposure.

I dug through my crap the other day, I have 2 265's and two 168 heads, one no tube the other dont know it was burried in a crate of stuff, too lazy to pull it out.

[GooeyGus]

I'm sure we'll get her all sorted out at pacolem

[daedal]

Very nice! I'd like to see some beam shots of this laser's split beams...

I would also agree that although a HUGE hassle, gas lasers somehow trump DPSS lasers IMO

Congrats;
DDL

[GooeyGus]

Very nice! I'd like to see some beam shots of this laser's split beams...

I would also agree that although a HUGE hassle, gas lasers somehow trump DPSS lasers IMO

Congrats;
DDL

I'll see if I can find my big prism and get some pics tonight

Somehow a 6-8" prism with a >2" hypotenuse has gone missing.... dont ask me. My work area is like a black hole

[daedal]

I'll see if I can find my big prism and get some pics tonight

Somehow a 6-8" prism with a >2" hypotenuse has gone missing.... dont ask me. My work area is like a black hole

I'd rather not compete in that aspect, but Allthatwhichis knows what my work 'area' looks like, and how much 'stuff' is lost in there...

I've tried really hard to organize stuff, but until I buy the neighbourhood walmart and make it my storage shed, things will inevitably end up in boxes... thereby lost since they're out of view

--DDL

[Laserman532]

I'd rather not compete in that aspect, but Allthatwhichis knows what my work 'area' looks like, and how much 'stuff' is lost in there...

I've tried really hard to organize stuff, but until I buy the neighbourhood walmart and make it my storage shed, things will inevitably end up in boxes... thereby lost since they're out of view

--DDL

I know exactly what you guys are talking about. I have lost things I didnt know I had

[Diachi]

I'm so jealous, I want a 168

Keep the pics coming though GG, your first pictures are niceee

-Adam