“Can I run my laser if it is below freezing in my shop?”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The answer is pretty simple and has its origin from physics. If your laser is in your shop and below freezing, DO NOT<\/strong> run your laser. You have the high chance of it being damaged by what is called “thermal shock”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We recommend never allowing your laser to get below freezing as well. If your shop is in the cold, bring in just your laser head to the nice warmth of the house. This way, you don’t risk any damage from temperature issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n From the specifications of the laser head you can see the recommended operating and storage temperatures are both above zero degrees Celsius (freezing).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thermal shock refers to the stress and potential damage that can occur in materials when they are subjected to a sudden change in temperature. When a laser is in operation, it generates heat, and if this heat is not evenly distributed or if the laser medium is subject to rapid temperature changes, thermal shock can occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are semiconductor mirrors inside the diode cavity that are sensitive to thermal shock.\u00a0 If it goes below freezing and then when you turn it on the temperature will rise to about 50 degrees C, the change in temperature will cause the mirrors to expand so quickly that they will crack. This is also true of the glass lens and lens cover.<\/p>\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/jtechphotonics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/laser-specifications.png\")
<\/a>So, what is thermal shock and what can happen to my laser?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n