LS3020 pro power loose

[green1]

Hello

I use machine like above about 14months and before Christmas I noticed that I cannot do properly my Cermark steel engraving.
I clean the lens and check the mirrors - seems to be ok. I have some dirts who unfortunately get into the wather and stay in the tube.
Propably this can be reason but any advise how to clean bulb inside and how to fix the problem very welcome.

Thank You

[tweakie]

Hi Green1,

IMO a few particles in the water jacket will not affect the laser power. If the particles are restricting the water flow and compromising the cooling then it is a totally different story.
Cleaning them out may only be possible by removing the tube and flushing through with the tube mounted vertically, or whatever angle works.

Tweakie.

[green1]

But still do not know what is the main reason of loosing power.
If not dirty tube ?
Most I do is steel cermark engraving so 100% power and 120mm speed now I have to use 80mm speed and still not like before.

[Spooky]

Does Cermark have a shelf life? it could also be the tube on it's way out, 14 months at 100% power is enough to kill off the smaller 35 watt tubes.

best wishes

Dave

[green1]

The cermark is a little bit easy to scratch compare to previous hard marking

[Spooky]

Could well be the tube losing power, as I mentioned 14 months of 100% power is enough to see the end of a tube, if so it will slowly lose power until it can no longer generate a beam and sometime before that point you will need to replace the tube.

best wishes

Dave

[green1]

Yes 100% but engraving not cutting. However it is few hours a day runing. Also is it possible that some dirts in the bulb can reduce a litle power ?

Thank You

Simon

[PhillyDee]

It is still 100% power, although it is in smaller bursts.

[Spooky]

Hiya Simon,

One of the problems with Far eastern power supplies is the power levels they supply, on occasion this can be over what the tube is designed to take however this isn't too much of a problem short term. It does give a machine that "punches above its weight" but over time will lead to early failure of the tube. Where possible never run the tube at 100% , always go to a maximum of 90% to allow for power fluctuations from the supply.
As Phil said, it's not *what* the machine is doing it's the amount of power you are forcing into it, a tube running at 100% for 14 months is really good for a small tube and is above what I would usually expect from it.
Even at 4 hours a day 5 days a week that's lasted for 1120 hours which is already above what I would expect of a tube running at 75% let alone 100%.

As Tweaks said, dirt in the tube IF it restricts the water and causes the tube to overheat will *possibly* reduce power but it is very unlikely to be honest.

I'd be looking at getting a tube in sometime soon as my general opinion is your tube is entering the final stages of it's useful life.

best wishes

Dave

[green1]

Thank You for advise the problem is that HPC laser do not sent the tube by post so propably I have to go to them (it is 3h by car from me)
Is anybody now better way to get this tube ???