Running Laserscope ALE YD-LS from three phases

[weartronics]

I've been running Laserscope ALE YD-LS from a single phase, but I only have 20A per phase circuits in the lab. I want to run the lamp at higher powers, so I tried using three phases, but the 12 ohm resistor on the inrush board smokes immediately when power is applied. The board isn't complicated, but the logic is a mystery to me.

* Is there some trick to running YD-LS from three phases?

* Do you have a schematic for the inrush board?

Thanks in advance, weartronics

[DMills]

That schematic is clearly for a single phase input, and I dont think you have quite the same version of the supply that I do, as mine has a three phase bridge at the input with neutral wired to one phase and live to another for single phase (240V) use.

If you are trying to modify for three phase, it will need to be 208 - 240V DELTA, not 415V which I suspect is what you have.

You could do a profoundly nasty three pulse rectifier hack, but it is unclear if that would actually really help.

If you actually have a full (or almost full) set of schematics for that supply, I would be VERY interested in a PM, as they would be a big help with some modifications I am trying (I want to put the igniter in the head enclosure).

The ALE schematic seems to be pretty much onobtainium.

Regards, Dan.

[mixedgas]

Have you tried Lambda EMI Americas? If you have a model, a serial, and a date code, they tend to be very helpful.

Steve

[DMills]

Thanks Steve, I did not know where ALE had ended up.

They actually have a lot of their older 'legacy' products up on their website with downloadable manuals and (in some cases) schematics....

I now have the YD4/6 manual and schematics which I am 90+% sure (I am not where the supply is) is what my rig has.

There do seem to be a few variations on the theme out there, and I suspect that this basic design has been rehashed a number of times.

Regards, Dan.

[Laserman532]

That schematic is clearly for a single phase input, and I dont think you have quite the same version of the supply that I do, as mine has a three phase bridge at the input with neutral wired to one phase and live to another for single phase (240V) use.

If you are trying to modify for three phase, it will need to be 208 - 240V DELTA, not 415V which I suspect is what you have.

You could do a profoundly nasty three pulse rectifier hack, but it is unclear if that would actually really help.

If you actually have a full (or almost full) set of schematics for that supply, I would be VERY interested in a PM, as they would be a big help with some modifications I am trying (I want to put the igniter in the head enclosure).

The ALE schematic seems to be pretty much onobtainium.

Regards, Dan.

the schematic is for a single phase supply...what about the ALE supply.

no trick to running it on three phase...if it is a 3 phase supply.

208 vac =/- 10% line voltage and you are golden

I would increase your line capabilities and run it on single phase.

[DMills]

No trick in the US, but a bit of a pain in the UK or Australia (415V three phase), you end up with a transformer that weighs as much as the laser!

Fortunately stuffing our 240V single phase up two legs of the three phase bridge works fine as long as ~4KW is sufficient.

Regards, Dan.

[weartronics]

That schematic is clearly for a single phase input, and I dont think you have quite the same version of the supply that I do, as mine has a three phase bridge at the input with neutral wired to one phase and live to another for single phase (240V) use.

It's true, the schematic only shows single phase input, but the supply has a three-phase bridge (probably the same as yours).

If you are trying to modify for three phase, it will need to be 208 - 240V DELTA, not 415V which I suspect is what you have.

I'm using a transformer 415V -> 200V (from some Japanese equipment).

If you actually have a full (or almost full) set of schematics for that supply, I would be VERY interested in a PM, as they would be a big help with some modifications I am trying (I want to put the igniter in the head enclosure). The ALE schematic seems to be pretty much onobtainium.

The schematics I have don't match the supply exactly (but neither do the YD4-6-8 schematics from the web site). If you want a different set of wrong schematics, they're on something like A0 paper, but I can photograph them for you. PM me if you still want them (given that you already found the YD4-6-8 schematics yourself).

Have you tried Lambda EMI Americas? If you have a model, a serial, and a date code, they tend to be very helpful.

It's a good idea. I can't get a service email off their web site, but I will try calling them tomorrow.

Thanks for all the ideas, everyone. I studied the supply in more detail, and it looks like there isn't any significant difference between single phase and three phase operation. All the phases are rectified together through the three-phase bridge, and the rest of the electronics just parasite off one of the phase-to-phase voltages. The fault occurs with single phase operation too now, so I don't think it's related to three phase input any more. I guess I will start board-swapping with another supply to narrow it down. I'll post back here to let you know what I find.

[weartronics]

So, I swapped a few boards and blew those up too. Then I checked the transformer secondary voltages. Somebody, somewhere, has rewired the terminal block to badly disagree with the markings, and I did not check it. Some windings were connected in series to produce 400V, instead of 200V as I expected. It raises some questions about the equipment I borrowed it from (also supposedly 200V delta), but it explains why the ALE was receiving some killer voltages.

Although killer voltages burned the control board transformer primary and some resistors on the inrush board, the voltage regulators on the control board protected the logic chips, and the capacitor bank appears to have survived some overvoltage. I replaced the control board transformer and inrush board resistors, tidied up the main transformer wiring disaster, and it's running happily from three phases now!

[smogthemog]

AArrrgggg - unsoldered crimp connectors - you bad

Get em soldered and save yourself a burn up.

[DMills]

Miswired transformers are always fun.

I remember encountering one ion rig back in the day that a shiny new laser company tried to supply to a gig I was working, the thing was brand new but they didn't have three phase at their site (Major problem one would think as ion was the way it was done then), so they bought this thing in and turned up expecting it to work...... Lets just say the transformer had a phase/neutral reverse on the output (smokin laser rig!).

If the crimps are done right they will be just fine (a correctly done crimp is more reliable then a soldered joint), it is cheap, uncalibrated crimp tools that give crimp connectors a horrible reputation.

Regards, Dan.