Greatly reduced power after move overseas

Hello All,

I just had my GFpro shipped with all the rest of my household to our current assignment in Bangkok. It arrived in fine physical condition and I used all the original packing and all the orange stops and such. It runs connects and prints just as always …. Except…… the power output seems to be about 1/4 of what it was before i moved, I have some designs that i did on a very regular basis before that are not cutting as they were.

I have recorded settings for my material and I am using material from the same stock and getting some where about 1/4 to 1/3 the actual power. The material is 1.5mm Baltic and held with magnets to ensure its tight, and the lack of power is uniform, same issue with the basic ruler test file from GF.

I have cleaned the the mirror, bottom lens, and the side lens on the head also the side lens on the left of the carriage facing the head. And other Ideas would be greatly appreciated,

It has been a long time (11 months since my last use due to huge covid shipping delays if that could have had any affect.

Thank you in advance for any thought and help,

One other thought for someone from the GF staff, is it possible the power supply doesn’t like the 220v power here?

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Staff no longer interacts thru the forums, you only options for contacting them are phone and email.

As to power input, the power supply is regulated switch-mode and uses complex feedback circuitry to ensure stable voltages. A change in input power would not affect the laser,

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I took some photos of the ruler print on draft

It looks like on the cut processes it starts and then just stops it finishes the head travel just no output in those areas

If those were using default cut/score/engrave settings, then it looks like either the power supply or tube are faulty.

Are you sure your machine is on a balanced table? Even if it is the table it was on before, is it a flat even surface?

Thank you everyone,

I really appreciate all the replies.

Unfortunately the Support group at Glowforge has determined that my Laser tube is the issue and as they still do not sell replacements my only repair avenue is a 1200$ (est) exchange process where they will ship me a USED replacement Glowforge Pro and then I ship mine back in the same box. I would be willing to do that (even though it is very expensive and not what was promised multiple times by @dan in the past), except I am posted with the US Diplomatic Mission in Thailand and the cost for me to get my Glowforge Pro to the states is about 600 to 800 each way. My out of pocket to get the tube replaced looks like around 2400$ to 2800$ and that is not reasonable to get a used one. I am afraid I will need to try to find some other option,

I am so Very Disappointed with this turn of events. I really loved my Glowforge and what I was able to do with it! I have bought lots of materials and have designs I made while waiting for it to catch up with us in Thailand, (Covid shipping is horrible) just sitting that I now can’t test and share, I just can’t justify such a huge expense to get something that I have no idea how it was treated or used… My other wory about an exchange is that if the Shipping to thailand caused my tube to fail then I may have the same issue with a replacement. I just want to fix my machine and not think I may have to do this again in a couple years.

I have asked them to come up with some other option but have not heard back at this time, I’m still hopeful someone there will figure out how to do wat was advertised when I bought mine and sell me a tube, they have to have them if they can make new machines and do inhouse repairs.

Finger Crossed, :crossed_fingers:

So a quick update for those interested. Glowforge has created a situation where I am unable to get my GF pro working again due to them not making replacement tubes available as @dan said they would be when I purchased my unit. I knew I would be traveling the world and we were told that consumables (C02 tubes) would be available. I now have a 5500$ paperweight… I am so horribly disappointed right now.

Thank you everyone who reached out to try and help…

Here you go. Half the price you were expecting, and they ship to Thailand.

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I Can’t believe this is available. Thank you so much Dan for letting me know about this. You have just made such a huge difference in my life, I know that you have to focus on the majority of your customers and not the one off situations like mine. I really really don’t know how to thank you other than with saying again that this is huge,

Thank you again!!
Bill

I’m not @dan the CEO, just another GF owner named Dan. The eBay seller is not Glowforge, they seem to be some kind of manufacturer and have a few Glowforge parts in their store including the tube and lid. They do have 11 past sales of this part and 3 reviews, one of which says they successfully used it to replace the tube in their Glowforge Pro.

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LOL, Sorry for my confusion. You (not CEO Dan) have still made my day, I am also planning on trying to do a video of when I do the replacement, maybe save someone in the future the same angst I have had for the last month. I will be back in Bangkok where my GF is in about 6 weeks so wish me luck, I plan on hand carrying the new tube with me just to make sure it is not bounced around…I think I will also take this opportunity to do a super good clean of the insides and remove the rear fan and grating, I use 2 external inline fans and they work great rather than the internal jet engine fan. just ordered that tube from ebay and it shows a arrival at my alaska home by the 16th

Whoo Hoo, Hope is alive. If this works I will order another one to have as a spare.

Thanks again

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