Cooling a RECI tube

[Greg Holt]

I have just pumped water through my 80w RECI laser tube for the first time.

Very surprised to see that only the inner glass tube, aprox 1" in diameter, fills with water and the outer tube, 3" dia, does not.

Is this normal?

I thought they filled completely with water.

Greg

[Rich Harman]

Yes, completely normal. It would be a bad thing if the outer tube filled with water, that is where the gas mixture is.

[walter hofmann]

yes thats the way how it should be
greetings
walt

I have just pumped water through my 80w RECI laser tube for the first time.

Very surprised to see that only the inner glass tube, aprox 1" in diameter, fills with water and the outer tube, 3" dia, does not.

Is this normal?

I thought they filled completely with water.

Greg

[Greg Holt]

Thanks for the response.

Makes sense that that would be the gas reservoir.

Got the mirrors aligned and actually did some cutting and engraving.

After six weeks building now I get to learn how to drive this thing.

Greg