Sudden less power Reci 130W z6

[Giles Duinslaeger]

Hello!

First, I must say this is the most helpful forum on the internet if you have questions concerning lasercut! I own a machine since August this year and you guys answered a lot of my questions. This time, sadly, I am concerned I am dealing with a real big problem.

The machine I bought has the following specs:

- Swordsman laser
- 130W z6 Reci laser tube
- 90x120 cm worktable
- Focus lenses: 50.8mm and 63.8mm
- RDCAM 8.0
- Koi compressor as air supply
- industrial chiller (temp: 18-20C )

The problem is the machine has less power than it had before. I can't even cut through 3mm wood. This is what happened:

First I cut a prototype for a table in 3mm plywood with the 50.8mm lens (speed:30, pow:70), without any problem. Then I wanted to cut the actual table in 8mm plywood, meranti. I swapped the focus lens for the 63.8mm lens and used these settings: speed:7 pow:90. After 30min of cutting the cut changed to a blurry engraved line. I stopped the machine to check what the problem was.

At first I tought it had something to do with the mirror allignement but after checking the focus lens I realised the problem was much bigger. The lens broke in pieces and looked black, probably because it got to hot cutting at 90 percent and slow speed.

After this I put the 50.8mm lens back in, cleaned and alligned the mirrors (for 2 hours, did a total revision). I did a test trying to cut 3mm plywood (speed:30, pow:70) and it wasn't even close to cutting through, even a second passage did not do the job.

What do you guys think made the first lens burn up and is it possible I fried my laser tube? If I pulse with 80 percent power pulse meter goes up to 40 mA. But the laser seems to have less power.

Hope you guys can provide me with some possible answer.

Thank you!

[Jerome Stanek]

when you say 90 power how high is the MA. Did you over power the tube

[Giles Duinslaeger]

It goes a bit over 40 mA

[Rich Harman]

It goes a bit over 40 mA

I run my Reci 130 at 26 mA, 28 mA max.

[Jerome Stanek]

I see it says 30 MA max operating 25 to 27 MA

[Kev Williams]

If your machine at 80% fires at 'a bit over 40mA', and you've been running it at 90%, that may be the root of the problem? However, I don't know if max suggested mA output raises with a tubes power output? But 40-anything seems way high to me!

I've fried and broken 2 lenses with my 80w Reci since I've owned it. In both my cases it wasn't too much power, it was simply too much ash & soot hitting the lens. The smoke & flames carries wood sap, it hits the lens, and the laser immediately welds it to the glass. Now you have a speck of charcoal attached to the glass, which the laser light can now super-heat, which the glass can't tolerate...

[Keith Winter]

Rich and Jerome are correct and so is Kev. I have a 130w it cuts all day, never cracked a lens.

You are overpowering your tube, running much higher than the manufacturer recommended MA.

On the lens Kev is right you probably aren't ventalating it well enough and/or not using enough air assist causing buildup leading to the eventual crack.

[Dave Sheldrake]

I run my Reci 130 at 26 mA, 28 mA max.

^^^^^^^^^ this

40mA will kill pretty much any tube up to 210 watts :( it causes electrode breakdown and contamination of the gas in the tube.

40mA for a 130 watt tube will take it's life down to roughly 8 to 12% of the expected life (exponentiation progression)