I have a OMTech MF2028 100w. What are the wear-and-tear considerations of leaving the Main Power turned on with the laser turned off when in-between projects? For example, I may laser a project and then spend some time designing or preparing the next project. Is it better to leave the Main Power on, or to turn on and off multiple times throughout the day?
Ultimately, I am looking for an understanding of the wear-tear impact on longevity of the machine. Does leaving the Main Power on really impact it that much?
You will get a surge when you first turn it on and that’s when its most likely to fail. That said, it probably doesnt matter. I’vd done both on electronic devices. Left them on all the time and only turned on when needed and i’ve never seen any difference in failure rates.
See different opinions below:
Electronics generally have a longer lifespan if they are switched off when not in use. Constantly leaving electronics on can contribute to wear and tear on components, leading to a shorter lifespan. Additionally, keeping electronics on all the time can contribute to higher energy consumption and increased risk of overheating. Therefore, it’s generally recommended to switch off electronics when they are not in use to prolong their lifespan and reduce energy consumption.
If you are talking about electronic gadgets especially power electronic gadgets, the active electronic component is subjected to greater stress during switch on and hence more failure prone. But in a well designed gadget all these stresses are factored in and the reliability levels are very high. A fridge, a light bulb are few devices which will last longer when not switched on /off frequently.
But, and this is my opinion. Having a good quality surge protector at least, or a UPS Battery Backup with Surge Protection will definitely extend the life of any electronics. Spikes and surges will kill electronics very quickly. Power companies sometimes have very poor quality of incoming power and a lighting strike, even though it may not hit your house will induce voltage spikes into your electrical system. I’ve had that happen. Cloud to cloud lighting strike near my house took out the alarm system, stereo, and two computer power supplies. I now have UPS power supplies on all my computers and good quality surge protectors on all my other electronic components.
