Tube size vs watts

[mitch stephens]

Need to replace my laser tube and my power supply says 100 watts but the 100 watt tubes that I am looking at are about 57 inches long and mine is about 47 inches long which what I am finding is 80 watts. I am not really worried about the 80 to 100 watts as 80 would be fine for me but is
the 100 watt power supply ok to use on a 80 watt tube
Thanks

[Doug Fisher]

It should be as long as you get the maximum long life amp rating for your tube (often different than the stated max rating for a tube) from the manufacturer and have an inline ammeter installed so you can monitor things to make sure you never exceed that amperage.

[Jerome Stanek]

Your is probably an 80 watt tube that puts out 100 watts when over powered

[Bill George]

Your is probably an 80 watt tube that puts out 100 watts when over powered

Ditto, someone published on here at one time tube length vs actual power. Or you can find it on Lightobject dot com

[Kev Williams]

the not-so-scrupulous sellers like to advertise their machines output based on the tubes TESTED output. But they test them at 30-32mA instead of the 25mA 'in use' maximum. The tube in my Triumph tested at 110 watts, but RECI sells it as an 80 watt tube (And so did Triumph)

You CAN run the tubes at 30mA to get at the full 100 watts, but the tube's lifespan drops to about 9 hours ;)

(ok, more than 9, but not much)

[mitch stephens]

Thanks for the replies

[Rich Harman]

Need to replace my laser tube and my power supply says 100 watts but the 100 watt tubes that I am looking at are about 57 inches long and mine is about 47 inches long which what I am finding is 80 watts. I am not really worried about the 80 to 100 watts as 80 would be fine for me but is
the 100 watt power supply ok to use on a 80 watt tube
Thanks

The Reci 80W tubes are about 48" long, the 100W tubes are about 55" long. They are both about 3.5" in diameter (wide body). Other makes of tubes are longer and narrower for the same power, and I believe will have different power supply requirements for equivalent output.

If your existing tube is a 48" wide body then I would not hesitate to replace it with another of the same dimensions using the same power supply. I think the newest Reci of that same physical size is now called a 90W tube.

[mitch stephens]

The one I wound up getting says 80 watt. Adding ammeter so I can set power supply