Laser power does not increase from 30% -100%

Community Laser Talk
1

Hi,
I have a problem with the laser power setting500x700 red + black 80W China laser. Originally with Topwisdom, upgraded to Ruida RD6445G (because of Lightburn :slight_smile: )
I noticed it yesterday.
If I cut a 3mm MDF, you can watch it.
At about 20mm/s and 30% power, the cut almost gets through.
If I increase the power now, the cut should be through, but it doesn’t. Nothing changes from 30-100%.
The power value is shown in the controller display as it is set in the software (RD + LB). Laser setup in Ruida is from 8-99%.
What could that be?
Unfortunately my ampere meter is still on the way, so I can´t check current.
The tube is KH (80 / 85W) and the power supply ZYE MYJG80R (black housing, RJ45 socket, without display - not the blue one), both less than 20 hours .

Greeting
Henk

2

Unfortunately, until you have an ammeter, the diagnosis is a little harder. If the problem is the power supply (and ZYE is a brand you should just always have a spare PSU of) the ammeter will show no gain as you increase the percentage.

Here are other things to consider however:

  1. Smoke - this is your enemy. Make sure you are blasting the smoke away with air assist and the machine is adequately evacuated with effective fume extraction.

  2. Optic Quality - Cheap mirrors and cheap lenses rob you of power. It is here where I have found historically that no matter how much power you send, if it is going through a bad lens, the wrong type of lens, a cheap lens, the wrong type or cheap mirrors (or dirty lens / mirrors), nothing seems to change (except the shortening of the life of the lens and mirrors).

For a machine with only 20 hours of use, maybe it is not the PSU.

3

OT:
Say @Stroonzo would you recommend upgrading to another power supply? If so, which one would you would be the best bang for your buck?

4

Jeff,
It is strange that there is no increase in power from 30% to maximum. I can see it from the fact that the cut through the MDF does not get through. Always the same depth.

Smoke is not the problem. The suction and the airassist work great.
Optic is all clean and has no burn marks.
Which power supply is better?
ZYE has another one. 80-100W (Cloudray HY-Z80) Beveled corner on the housing and data bus to the Ruida controller. That is better?
The test button on the laser power supply does not work either. Perhaps an indication that there is an error.

5

Are you using air assist?

6

Yes, but only the included air pump. Switched by the ´wind´ out of the controller.

7

Henk,
Don’t forget to check your min power is set high enough to cut…just thinking
Nev

8

Test button often only works when the other connections to your dsp are disconnected

9

Post a shot of your complete/expanded settings window for that cutting layer.