How to extend the life of your Microscope Bulb
24th Jun 2014
Microscope bulbs are now manufactured more and more cheaply. They often burn for long periods of time in an enclosed area with too much heat limited ventilation. The cumulative effect is not good for the bulb’s longevity. To optimise the life span of your microscope bulbs, read these useful hints…
Tips for extending scientific bulb life;
- Don’t repeatedly turn on and off. If you are going to use the microscope several times within a fairly short amount of time, leave it on. Lots of power surges can cause the filament inside to literally crack under the pressure.
- Having said that, do turn your microscope off if you will not need it for 30 minutes or more. Some bulbs have a rated life of only 100 – 200 hours so conserving their power efficiently is key.
- Operate the microscope on a low Rheostat setting. Dimming lowers the voltage, which means the bulb doesn’t have to work as hard.
- Ensure the socket and wires are in good condition. Your microscope will not perform to its full capacity if the electrical connection is weak.
- Don’t handle the bulb too much, if at all. The filament inside the bulb will be very brittle as a result of repeated power surges. Handling the bulb is likely to break the filament.