Why CO₂ Laser Tubes Break or Crack

People usually assume that a CO₂ laser tube fails because of “quality issues,” but the truth is often more complicated. These tubes work in a delicate environment—glass, gas, electrodes, cooling water—all linked together. Once something in the chain goes wrong, the tube may show cracks, stress marks, or even have the cooling head fall off.

So instead of guessing, it helps to slow down and look at a few simple but important points.

A CO₂ laser tube depends on stable cooling.

Not too cold. Not too warm.

The general safe range is 25–30°C.

If the water gets too hot, the tube starts accumulating thermal stress. If it gets too cold—common in winter—the water may freeze inside the glass. Frozen water expands, and that expansion can easily crack the tube.

For users in cold regions, draining the water after each use isn’t “optional”—it’s necessary.

The laser tube shouldn’t fire unless cooling water is actually flowing.

Sounds obvious, but many failures happen exactly because the machine was turned on before the pump was running, or the water protection system wasn’t enabled.

No circulation → rapid heat buildup → glass stress → micro-cracks → bigger cracks.

A worn or loosely connected pipe may not look like much, but it can cause inconsistent flow, water leakage, or pressure drops.

Sometimes, a small leak goes unnoticed and the tube runs half-cooled. Over time, the temperature difference between front and back sections causes stress and cracking.

Too weak, and the tube overheats.

Too strong, and the cooling head may experience uneven pressure.

A CO₂ tube doesn’t need extreme water pressure—it needs stable flow.

Just enough to carry heat away continuously.

Bubbles interrupt cooling.

Where a bubble sits, the glass surface heats faster than the rest, creating a small “hot spot.”

Given enough time, that hot spot becomes a structural weak point.

If you see bubbles in the line: stop, refill, or adjust until the water path is clean.

Yes, direction matters.

The water should flow through the tube in the intended direction so heat distribution stays balanced.

Reverse flow often leads to uneven cooling and, again, stress on the glass.

CO₂ laser tubes are not fragile by nature—they simply follow physics.

A stable environment keeps them stable.

At PURI LASER, we design our CO₂ laser tubes to handle long working hours and complex workflows, but even the best tube can fail if basic cooling principles are ignored.

Taking a few minutes to check temperature, flow, and water condition often saves hours of troubleshooting—and saves the tube itself.

Our PURI laser tubes can truly be called the “kings of cost-performance.” Why do we say that?

In terms of details, from glass tube firing, chip mounting, to gas filling, our PURI laser tubes use a scientific and complete quality-control system to manage every process, laying a solid foundation for producing laser tubes with small size, good beam quality, and high-speed cutting.

In terms of craftsmanship, PURI laser tubes use a unique catalyst technology, ensuring a chemical lifespan of up to 10,000 hours.

In terms of performance, our laser tubes deliver stable output, long service life, and we offer multiple models for you to choose from—40W, 80W, 130W, 260W, 450W, and more.

In terms of service, we support customization and retail orders, with a delivery time of 3 to 7 days.

In terms of after-sales, we provide a one-year extended warranty. As long as the tube fails within the warranty period, we replace it with a new one for free.