Laser tube vapor locked and crushed itself?

Community Laser Talk
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Woke up to a horrible howling sound. Ran in laser room and found the coolant empty in the laser tube and the coolant return reservoir crushed like a tin can. I opened the lid and high pitched hissing and whistle…added coolant but it turns out the internal loops have been killed.

Has anyone heard of vapor lock or some form of vacuum breakage occurring? I am 10 days out of warranty. It is very cold but the laser is in a heated room. Is there an alternative to a glass tube that is susceptible to breakage?
Losing my mind here as I am in the middle of a school fundraiser with orders in queue.

I am looking at weeks out from Monport for a new tube if I buy from them…

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Never seen a black coolant, what kind is it?

The inner cooling tube has broken allowing coolant to leak out into the outer tube.

If the room is heated, I can’t imagine how this could have happened.

You said it, don’t buy from them… Hunt around on Cloudray or OMTech for a replacement that has a distribution in your local area and they can get it too you pretty fast. Ensure the tube length and diameter are the same.

Good luck

:smile_cat:

1 Like
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It is actually pink in the jug, no idea why it appears that color through the glass. To my eyes it appears dark blue.

The coolant has been slowly disappearing mysteriously over the last couple months…my guess is it had a pinhole leak or something and finally broke.

Trying to source the tube now but having issues. Appreciate the reply.

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Pink in the Jug? You are using anti-freeze in the coolant?

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Yes absolutely. RV antifreeze is what the manufacturer/community recommends. It is used in heat pumps as well for heat exchange.

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This isn’t engine antifreeze. It’s for the water lines…

You can pick up propylene glycol at a local tack shop they use it on cattle, including milk cows.

:smile_cat:

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Thanks… My shop is always heated, so not an issue for me.

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I no longer buy tubes from anyone but LightObject in Calif- they actually test and certify their tubes. I got burned on two Reci 130w tubes in the past from two suppliers. Expensive.