How Do I Know If My CO₂ Laser Tube Is Bad?

The laser still fires.But something’s off.Not cutting like it used to. Engraving looks weaker. Jobs take longer. Could it be your CO₂ laser tube?

Let’s walk through a few real signs—and what they might mean.

1. Still lights up, but where’s the power?

This is a common one.

You’ve got a 130W laser tube. Used to slice clean through 10mm acrylic in one pass.

Now? It struggles. Takes two or three passes. Edge starts to burn.

What’s going on?

The gas mixture inside the tube may have degraded.

The reflective coating might be fading.

Or… it’s just nearing the end of its lifespan.

2. Beam’s there, but it’s not focused.

A healthy CO₂ laser produces a sharp, tight beam.

When the beam spreads out or shifts, your cuts get messy. Lines get wider. Details blur.

If you’re doing fine engraving, signage outlines, or precision acrylic work—this becomes a real problem.

It may mean:

The laser tube’s alignment has shifted

Internal optics are damaged

Output mode is unstable

3. Tube turns on, but laser output keeps dropping?

You press “start.” The machine runs.

Then, halfway through the job—no laser.

Sound familiar?

Sometimes, it’s overheating. Weak cooling. Water flow issue.

But other times, it’s internal damage—like cathode wear or internal pressure imbalance—especially in higher-power tubes like 150W or 180W.

4. So what should you expect?

Not every CO₂ laser tube fails early.

Not if it's built right.

Puri Laser offers tubes from 40W to 180W, all engineered with long-life gas chemistry, fine-sealed glass, and stable beam modes. Many of our clients run 8,000 to 10,000 hours with consistent results—because we know what OEMs and machine builders need.

We don’t just ship tubes. We help integrate them. And we pay attention to things like:

Beam stability

Spot quality

Connector compatibility

Heat balance in long-duration use

Final thought.

Laser tubes rarely fail all at once.

They fade. Performance dips gradually. Until one day—it’s obvious.

By then, it may be too late.

So if your 130W tube is losing cutting strength, or your 80W isn’t engraving as it used to, don’t wait. Run some tests. Check your mirrors. And consider replacing the tube before it hits zero.

When you’re ready, Puri Laser is here—with tested, high-performance CO₂ laser tubes for serious work.