Full Spectrum 45W arrived

[Bert Kemp]

I thought it had to be something like that, maybe the local natives have a wattage dance they do. its been pretty well documented that their tube's don't come close to what they say they are. I'm sure the GF's are the same way as their case's are considerably shorter then a 40 watt tube.Also FSL is claiming that it will cut 1/2" material, well maybe but it will take a whole bunch of pass's

I used to have a FSL Hobby 45W. I used a laser power meter and it tested at 29W (cooling water at 15C), but FSL support assured me that was incorrect.
From what I can gather they enchant the tube before shipping it. That along with the fairy dust that you mix in with the cooling water produces a combined 45W.

[Kev Williams]

Some of these companies are obviously stating the tube wattage's at the extreme maximum. A recent post of a 45w Ebay laser showed an 'as tested maximum' of 45 watts printed on the tube. Problem is, they 'as test' them at around 32 millivolts. I know that RECI does, I read it in some of their literature. Problem is, you can't run a tube at 32mV (unless you want to buy a new one every month) and therefore, the actual USABLE wattage is substantially lower. My machine was sold to me with "an 80 watt tube", and right on the tube is the 'as tested maximum' of 110 watts. But as I said, THAT figure came via a 32mV test. The typical 'agreed to' maximum you should run a tube is around 25mV, which is 78% of 32mV, and 78% of 110 watts is 86 watts... factoring a little +/-, then I wasn't being fibbed to by Triumph, and I have a tube I can run all day at 80 watts. 78% of 45 watts is 35 watts, which is a more accurate description of what Andrew's actual output should be at 25mV.

I just think it's sad that companies will use figures outside normal operating limits as a marketing tool. Just because the figure is technically legal, doesn't mean it's ethical...

Reminds me of a '200 watt' car stereo power amp I saw for sale at one of those 'everything must go' clearance sales once. It was as big as a hard drive, weighed as much as a pack of cigarettes, and was $19.95. I asked the salesman if it could actually put out 200 watts... I loved his answer:

"Yeah, if it gets hit by lightning!"

[Rich Harman]

32 millivolts.... 32mV test....around 25mV, ... of 32mV, ... 25mV.

The units you are looking for are mA (milliamps).

[Matt McCoy]

I used to have a FSL Hobby 45W. I used a laser power meter and it tested at 29W (cooling water at 15C), but FSL support assured me that was incorrect.
From what I can gather they enchant the tube before shipping it. That along with the fairy dust that you mix in with the cooling water produces a combined 45W.

Not doubting you, but can you pass along what meter you used and how long you owned the laser when you tested it? Just curious.

[Bert Kemp]

Right Kev as my Rabbit 60 watts is 71 watts max 60 watts nominal, so I wasn't mislead either

Some of these companies are obviously stating the tube wattage's at the extreme maximum. A recent post of a 45w Ebay laser showed an 'as tested maximum' of 45 watts printed on the tube. Problem is, they 'as test' them at around 32 millivolts. I know that RECI does, I read it in some of their literature. Problem is, you can't run a tube at 32mV (unless you want to buy a new one every month) and therefore, the actual USABLE wattage is substantially lower. My machine was sold to me with "an 80 watt tube", and right on the tube is the 'as tested maximum' of 110 watts. But as I said, THAT figure came via a 32mV test. The typical 'agreed to' maximum you should run a tube is around 25mV, which is 78% of 32mV, and 78% of 110 watts is 86 watts... factoring a little +/-, then I wasn't being fibbed to by Triumph, and I have a tube I can run all day at 80 watts. 78% of 45 watts is 35 watts, which is a more accurate description of what Andrew's actual output should be at 25mV.

I just think it's sad that companies will use figures outside normal operating limits as a marketing tool. Just because the figure is technically legal, doesn't mean it's ethical...

Reminds me of a '200 watt' car stereo power amp I saw for sale at one of those 'everything must go' clearance sales once. It was as big as a hard drive, weighed as much as a pack of cigarettes, and was $19.95. I asked the salesman if it could actually put out 200 watts... I loved his answer:

"Yeah, if it gets hit by lightning!"

[Kev Williams]

The units you are looking for are mA (milliamps).

opps. I must've forgot my memory pills... If I start calling them millivanillivolts, shoot me!

[Andrew Holloway]

Not doubting you, but can you pass along what meter you used and how long you owned the laser when you tested it? Just curious.

Hi Matt,
I don't recall what brand meter it was but it is owned and used by my local Trotec tech. He used the same meter to test my 60W Speedy 100 when I got it (it tested at 65W).
The FSL was about 1-2 months old so not new but close to it (it had probably done about 5 hours).
I don't remember the mA setting I used but it was what FSL recommend in their instructions - you can change it in the laser software (Retina Engrave).

[Matt McCoy]

Hi Matt,
I don't recall what brand meter it was but it is owned and used by my local Trotec tech. He used the same meter to test my 60W Speedy 100 when I got it (it tested at 65W).
The FSL was about 1-2 months old so not new but close to it (it had probably done about 5 hours).
I don't remember the mA setting I used but it was what FSL recommend in their instructions - you can change it in the laser software (Retina Engrave).

Thanks Andrew.