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View Full Version : is there a "breaking in" period/protocol for new RECI tubes?



daniel coyle
01-17-2014, 1:55 PM
Just installed a new 100 W Reci tube. Is it ok to run it full tilt right away or is there a recommended break in spec?

Dan Hintz
01-17-2014, 2:55 PM
You should never run them full tilt, if you have the option. Keep power to under 90% (or adjust the pot on the mainboard to let 100% == 90%). There were some further posts on the subject a couple of months back. Look for posts by Dave Sheldrake.

Dave Sheldrake
01-17-2014, 4:48 PM
Dan H is right Daniel, I'd never recommend running any DC pumper at 100%, Chinese companies tend to gauge the power of a machine by output beam strength and not input current. On occasion I have seen a new 80 watt machine giving a good 80+ watts on a beam power meter but when checked the PSU was kicking out 35 - 36mA. They will work for a while like that but over current will reduce the life of a tube by the inverse square of the amount of current over their design limits.
To keep the warranty on a RECI tube there is a limit on current, to get the full 10,000 hours from it there is another even lower limit.

Dan's got the method right, reduce the Max power to 90% to give yourself a little le-way if the PSU is pumping a few too many mA.

If possible check the current with a meter at the negative end of the tube, adjust the maximum until you are at 28mA to keep both the warranty and top tube life.

Please DON'T try to measure voltage on the PSU hot end, there is very little in the way of home user kit that will withstand 26,000+ volts.

cheers

Dave

Kev Williams
01-17-2014, 5:06 PM
I wouldn't mind knowing how to make adjustments from "keyboard" power to actual power. My 80w tube output tested 110w @30mv, and during a cut test I hit about 32mv on the meter with an 85% power setting- around 74-75% entered shows 25mv. I'd really like 100% entered to = those 25mv...

Dave Sheldrake
01-17-2014, 5:32 PM
On the PAD03 Kev hit Menu, scroll down to "Laser SET"

Scroll down to Power:100% and drop it down to the number you want.

From there any figure you put in the software will be a percentage of the figure on the PAD

cheers

Dave

David Somers
01-17-2014, 5:54 PM
Dave,

How is the manufacturer/seller able to tell the tube received power over spec if you are asking for warrantee help? And how can they grouse at you if the system is setup so that you choose what your manual implies is an acceptable power level, their pre-set 100%, if it is actually providing a higher than allowed power level to the tube? You would think they would actually need to say somewhere that you should never exceed , say %80 or %90 power or you will exceed their warrantee terms? Kind of like an auto manufacturer telling you that while you can physically run the engine RPM beyond the red line doing so will void the engine warrantee. If there is no redline and no warning like that how could an engine manufacturer grouse at you legitimately?

By the way....I am not trying to grouse at you about their requirements. <grin> It just seems odd to allow %100 power levels to be used, then not to provide a warrantee warning about it so you are at least told not go beyond a lesser power level or risk the wrath of the warranttee fairy, AND the only way you have to determine what power level IS within the warranttee conditions would be to use a multimeter and figure it out?

Or am I misreading all this?

Dave

Dave Sheldrake
01-17-2014, 6:18 PM
Nope you're not missreading my friend :)

RECI EFR TongLi, YongLi Golden Laser don't make machines :) just tubes so if a manufacturer of machines sets it up to run hot they have a get out clause.

Tube show certain characteristics if they have been run too hot, electrode erosion and a sandy deposit in the resonator tube are the normal ways it shows up, excessive colours on the electrode containment also is a hint things have been running hot.

The tube makers do supply a warning but the machine makers rarely if ever warn users and yup the only way to be sure is by using a meter. One chap on here got a ThunderLaser machine recently, the 80 watt pipe was running 34mA (well above safe limits for tube reliability) so had to dial it back.

Don't get me wrong, Chinese machines make me a lot of money but I tend to ignore most of the claims they make about anything.It's also the reason I won't import machines direct, the chances of restitution if anything is wrong is pretty much nill. Being right and getting the problem fixed can often be two different things with import machines.

http://www.recilaser.com/en/newsInfo/fc9181e93db565be013db94bf98b123b.htm


Note that if using any supply other than a RECI matched version they can void the warranty as well ;)

cheers

Dave

David Somers
01-17-2014, 6:56 PM
Thanks Dave!

When I FINALLY get to the point of ordering a Rabbit someday I will be sure to make certain how Ray handles this, and if possible make sure he sets it correctly to match the limits, or we at least go over how to do it myself.

Thanks!!!

Dave

daniel coyle
01-18-2014, 1:51 AM
Thanks Guys. I neglected to share that I was already aware not to truly run the tube "full Tilt" at any point. I was just wondering if I needed to run it at, say 15% for the first 2 hours or some sort of thing like that. Sounds like I can get more or less right to using it at up to 80% (I try never to go above this).

Thanks again!

Rodne Gold
01-18-2014, 3:00 AM
Just make sure you have no bubbles in the coolant system and water jacket etc .. and its flowing well , I would flow the coolant for a bit before firing just to make sure.

Dan Hintz
01-18-2014, 8:02 AM
Thanks Guys. I neglected to share that I was already aware not to truly run the tube "full Tilt" at any point. I was just wondering if I needed to run it at, say 15% for the first 2 hours or some sort of thing like that. Sounds like I can get more or less right to using it at up to 80% (I try never to go above this).

I see nothing wrong with starting at a low value and ramp it up over a minute or two, suss out any issues... but I wouldn't worry about running it for hours at a low rate. Start at 20%, then ramp it up to max over a minute or so to make sure there's no arcing, etc.

daniel coyle
01-18-2014, 4:58 PM
well, this is just one of those things i guess. i want to love my chinese machine but it is sometime hard!

i ran the machine at a relatively moderate power yesterday for 4 hours with the new 100 watt tube cutting .25 inch cork. probably at around 50% power. Ran it slow so it would actually cut. Cork is surprisingly hard to cut.

Anyway, it did a good job and today i tried again on the same settings and had no luck. even increasing the power and slowing it down didn't do enough to create cuts. no clue what is going on. may be something that is right in front of my face but...

Dave Sheldrake
01-18-2014, 5:40 PM
Where was the cork stored overnight Dan?

Cork is horrible to cut with a DC pumped tube, the beam profile isn't very good and the power fluctuates so making cork one of the more troublesome materials.

cheers

Dave

daniel coyle
01-18-2014, 5:55 PM
Where was the cork stored overnight Dan?

Cork is horrible to cut with a DC pumped tube, the beam profile isn't very good and the power fluctuates so making cork one of the more troublesome materials.

cheers

Dave

Well, the cork was stored the same way i always store it, on a shelf in my shop (which is not heated, so it was relatively cold though not freezing). the sheet i cut yesterday cut just fine and had been stored the same way and temperature.

i am using a machine that runs off 220 volt.

Dan Hintz
01-18-2014, 7:22 PM
I'd suggest checking your lens/mirrors... cork can be very smoky, and a dirt-covered lens/mirror would definitely require a higher power to cut the same material. If that's not it, try another material that you are happy with the settings on... if it still requires increasing the power, you know it's not the cork.

Kev Williams
01-18-2014, 9:29 PM
Agree with checking the lens, I cut 300 3x10" pieces of lamacoid over a couple of days with no problem except for the last few I had to raise the power a couple of percent to reach the same 'almost but not quite' full cut. The day after that I was trying to engrave some black anodized aluminum couldn't get the lettering to crispen up at all.. then I pulled the lens out, wow-- I'm surprised it still cut the plastic, guck was caked on both sides bad- after I cleaned it off, voila!

It amazes me how fast this lens gucks up...

George Courson
07-16-2014, 12:44 PM
On the PAD03 Kev hit Menu, scroll down to "Laser SET"

Scroll down to Power:100% and drop it down to the number you want.

From there any figure you put in the software will be a percentage of the figure on the PAD

cheers

Dave

We have a SK-1290 from China with a RECI Tube. The pad on the machine has a Max Power set: This is where you are talking about setting... correct? I'm asking because a couple of answers have refered to the 'pot'.....
Actually, I found where it is in the pad. It's not accessible, because it's in the manufacture settings and is set to 80%.

One question: has anyone tried using anti-freeze as part of their cooling liquid? We have the CW-5000 Ind. Chiller and when we mounted on the wall in the corner, we put in a gallon with the water.... because we had problems with it getting a bit too hot on long runs.... 28-29C now it stays around 25C, but it's winter here... lol max low around 20C.