Guys,
I have been using the 5 gal bucket-o-water to cool my laser, but it seems to not be enough for the cutting that I am doing.
I have been running a set of jobs that keep the laser cutting at full power for 1-3 hours (with short breaks to change out the materials) and I have had to go to several buckets that I rotate out to keep it cool.
I was thinking about it, and I have an aquarium chiller lying around that I can use.
http://www.aquacave.com/110-hp-prime-mini-chillerbr-w-dual-stage-thermostat-brby-current-usa-1355.htmlThe chiller is a 1/10hp that is rated for 280w of heat removal. It also has a thermostat that you can set a target temp.
So the questions I have are:
Is 280w enough heat removal?
What is the best temperature to run the laser at to get the best performance / life out of the tube?
Should I add anything to the water (antifreeze)?
Thanks.