*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
*****

Hi everyone



We have as a policy that we only turn off our argon lasers if the next user scheduled to use it has booked more than 2h later. Users book the microscope and mention if they will use the argon laser or not. This allows the previous user to know when the next is coming and if they will use the argon.



Over the years we have had very few changes of our argons (we have 4 argons at our facility).

Our two most popular systems with argon got new lasers in 2013 (one in May and one in September). They both now counts 7700h which is an average of respectively 4.6 and 5h/day (counting every day of the year) for each argon laser (more for the microscopes)! I think that we get to these high numbers because we do not turn them off/on very often.

We also have them on half power all the time (20 mW instead of 40 mW) and simply set the AOTF % higher.



The warranty runs 5000h or 1 year, which ever comes first. 1 full year is 8760h so it is likely that the warranty is in reality 1 year.



My understanding of the 457 and 514 nm lines of an Argon lasers is that their power is quite variable between one argon and the next and that only the power of the 488 is specified by suppliers. The other lines are bonus lines. When you get a new argon, you should specifically ask if you want one with specific 457 and 514 lines power. Otherwise the power of these lines is anyway quite a lot lower than the 488 but it is also random.



I have a related question about argon refurbishing but I mail it in a different mail.



Med vänlig hälsning / Best regards



Sylvie



@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Sylvie Le Guyader, PhD

Live Cell Imaging Facility Manager

Karolinska Institutet- Bionut Dpt

Hälsovägen 7C,

Room 7362/7840

14157 Huddinge, Sweden

mobile: +46 (0) 73 733 5008

LCI website







-----Original Message-----

From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pedro Camello

Sent: den 6 februari 2018 10:00

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: Re: Hours of use in an argon laser



*****

To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:

http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy

Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.

*****



Craig and Konstantin, thanks for your reply.



I found easily the counter (it was partially hidden by other equipment) and it states 1020.2 hours.

I thought the laser was specified for 5000 hours; what problems can I expect beyond 2000 hours?

To save hours, would 10-15 min ignition before the use be enough?



Thanks for your help