LED Lights
With the cover closed it can be difficult to see inside the machine, even with the factory installed light. Adding additional strip lights will greatly increase visibility. Because of the dust generated by laser cutting/engraving, I suggest the use of waterproof LED lights which will make them easier to clean. When purchasing the lights, you can go for a clean look and hardwire them in, or you can run a power supply outside the machine and plug them into an outlet.
LED Light Installation Instructions:
Planning is important for the successful installation of the LED Light Strips. There are three locations where you can pull the power needed to for the new strip lights: 1.) from the existing light, 2.) using the wires by disconnecting the existing light, or 3.) from the 24-volt, blue internal air pump that was removed (if you upgraded your air assist). You can also opt to purchase strip lights with a power supply and route the cable through one of the holes in the laser and into an electrical outlet outside the laser. My preference is to tap into the power of the existing light and leave it connected, but it is a difficult soldering job since you will be soldering upside down, and will require two people.
Clean the inside of the frame where the lights will be installed (see above photo).
If you plan to use power from the existing light, your starting location will be the rear-right. If you plan to use the power from the removed 24V air pump, your starting location will be the rear-left. If you plan to use an external power supply, try to locate a hole on the rear or side of the laser, large enough to fit the LED light power connecter, and start the end of strip light with the electrical connector closest to the hole.
Remove the protective tape from the new strip lights to reveal the adhesive attach them to the area that was just cleaned. Be sure the power wire that is attached to the strip starts in the corner above. Take care not to make the bends too sharp or the light strips can be damaged.
When you are close to the last corner, cut the light strip, at the proper location, as directed by the manufacturer.
Route the wire from the new strip light towards the selected power source taking care to make sure it does not interfere with any of the mechanicals.
Use cable tie mounts and cable ties as needed to secure the wire out of harms way.
If you are going to use a separate power supply, and plug into a wall, you can skip this step. Otherwise, connect the red wire to the positive (+) wire and the black wire to the negative (-) wire. (If the wire colors in your machine are not black and red, you will either need to use a multimeter or trace the wires back to the power supply.)
a. Tapping from Existing Light (preferred method). If tapping power from the existing light, gently pull back the first inch or so of the clear protective membrane where the power wires attach to the existing light strip and solder the black and red wires, observing polarity. When complete, push back the protective membrane, roll up and wire tie any leftover wire, out of the way of any moving parts.
b. Using Wires Disconnected from Existing Light. Pull back the first inch or so of the clear protective membrane where the power wires attach to the existing light strip and unsolder them. Take the red and black wires and use a gray wire connector to connect the wires from the new light to the wires that were previously connected to the existing light, observing polarity. When complete, roll up and wire tie any leftover wire.
c. Connecting to Wires from Removed Air Pump. Take the red and black wires and use a gray wire connector to connect the wires from the new light to the wires from the removed air pump, observing polarity. When complete, roll up and wire tie any leftover wire.
This video shows the process for connecting the lights using wires disconnected from the existing light: Install LED Lights on Chinese / OMTech CO2 Laser.
Notes:
The LED lights listed above are dust and water resistant which will help protect them from the rough laser environment.
Do not use the 110-volt square exhaust fan wires.
An alternative method for lighting would be to purchase an LED strip light with its own power supply, and plug it into the switched outlet on the back of the laser (this is one of the only things you should ever plug into those outlets).
Required Components & Tools to Install the LED Lights: