Hi there,
First post,I have scoured the internet and cannot find any information about this I come here hoping someone maybe can answer this burning question, so I am after a co2 laser I see one on ebay its a chinese blue/white one, it needs a new tube, it comes with a 40w psu and a 100 w psu, if I get an 80w tube can that wok with a 100w psu or does the wattage of the psu have to match the tube?
Thanks
Andrew
In general, yes, because the tube’s wattage rating determines the length of the tube. That length sets the threshold voltage of the gas inside and the current required to produce the rated power.
Although a power supply intended for a tube with a higher wattage rating may seem to work with a smaller tube, it will apply a higher voltage than the tube requires to operate and the output current will be too high for the tube to withstand.
So, unless you have a compelling reason to mismatch the supply and the tube, don’t do that.
The table in this tube description shows how the tube size varies with the power rating:
Thank you for your reply, I wasn’t sure if the tube would just take what power it needed or if the psu would just send the full power to it, well at least I know now I need a 100w tube for it then.
Thanks again been searching for days for this answer