Dangerous?

[Chris Pedersen]

Chinese laser 180 W Cloudray Powersupply.

Have been running for mostly trouble free, with 1850 mm and 1650 mm tubes. However recently got an arc. I powered down, replaced the connectors (cloudray HV laser connectors), and I replaced the tube out of an abundance of caution.

In investigating this - it is clear that the manufacturer had encountered the same issue - as they install a sheet rubber under the tube head end, Just noticed it, as it blends in really well.
When I use a larger tube - the foam is no longer under the laser head end. Most of the time, not an issue. However as I said recently: spark.

So I got some sheet rubber and extended the rubber sheet, as well as adjoining areas on the cover.

So the question is: Did I do anything dangerous or stupid? I'm going to try it out tomorrow, and would feel better with some expert opinion.

[John Lifer]

No. My tube has a silicone rubber boot over the connection end of the tube. Factory placed. seems like a good idea to work to eliminate any arcing. And the cable has a silicone tube over it.

[Clark Pace]

I've only used one laser machine that had that came with a rubber cover. That machine did Arc as well it did help. I have had that happen with my own machine when the tube was going bad or there was a slight crack. But either way I actually insulate that area of my laser with ceramic tiles. Just in case

[Kev Williams]

I've been knocked on my butt more than once in my life by expensive silicone spark plug wires, and have traced several engine misfires to silicone spark plug wires arcing off exhaust manifolds, headers and accessory mounting bolts... So in my personal experience, silicone insulation seems to be lousy solution to preventing high voltage electrical arcing-!

Not long ago I checked the insulation on the HV wire to my Triumph's 80w RECI tube- no insulation at all other than what's on the wire itself. And TTBOMK in the 9 years I've owned and used the thing, it's never arced...

If it ever DOES start arcing, I'll probably get something like this fiberglass sleeving. Maybe this stuff to go OVER silicone insulation would be a good solution-?
fglassleeve.jpg

[Chris Pedersen]

So the tube has the standard silicone rubber sleave, to which I've added generous dolops of 488 silicone, at both ends. I don't really understand how the arch is occuring, as it seemed to have originated off the water inlet.

The reason I ask is that a previous post here suggest that the machines are supposed to arc to the i-beam, that by insulation I was increasing the likelihood of grounding somewhere undesirable.

[Chris Pedersen]

Thank you everyone

[Bill George]

So the tube has the standard silicone rubber sleave, to which I've added generous dolops of 488 silicone, at both ends. I don't really understand how the arch is occuring, as it seemed to have originated off the water inlet.

The reason I ask is that a previous post here suggest that the machines are supposed to arc to the i-beam, that by insulation I was increasing the likelihood of grounding somewhere undesirable.

No machine is ever designed to arc to a ground! Once it has arced a carbon trail is left and it will do so again. The tube has two connections the HV end and the grounded end. Wire should be kept away from metal and mine always had a clear plastic tubing added over the HV wire.