It came on my new Biorad Radiance 2000.  It was one of the standard
options - my recollection is that I was given a choice of either the
detuned Kr/Ar + red diode or the regular 3-line Kr/Ar for the same
price.  My Biorad sales rep said they favored the detuned Kr/Ar
because of the previous problem and I needed no convincing after our
experience that was similar to what Lloyd is facing now.  We got to a
point where Biorad was letting us install the lasers ourselves to
save time.  The new laser needs periodic fine tuning to get a maximal
even light but seems much more stable.

>Dear Tom Phillips
>         Could you tell us on which confocal you installed the red
>diode and how it
>was done?
>Thanks
>Milton Charlton
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Confocal Microscopy List
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Tom Phillips
>Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2001 4:37 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Laser upgrade
>
>
>I know the problem well.  We went through a whole bunch of Kr/Ar
>lasers on our first scope.  We now have a Kr/Ar laser in which the
>far red line has been tuned out and use a separate red diode laser
>(638 line) for Cy5.  much more stable than trying to get all three
>lines out of a Kr/Ar.  We get ours thru biorad but, of course, they
>are buying them elsewhere and you can probably get them directly from
>the supplier.  good luck.  tom
>
>
>
>>Dear List
>>
>>We have a Kr/Ar laser on our Leica confocal and because of considerable
>>hassles with short lifetimes (often <100 hours) and long delays in getting
>>replacements we are considering changing to an alternative laser system. I
>>am aware that Ar - HeNe combinations can offer longer lifetimes and greater
>>reliability. Does anyone have experience with upgrading a Leica (or other
>>brand) to this system ? We are also looking at the new solid state lasers
>>although Leica don't offer these systems at the present time as far as I am
>>aware. Does anyone have experience with solid state lasers (violet, blue or
>>red) and can comment on reliability in comparison to gas lasers.
>>
>>Our main concern is minimising downtime. We are also considering replacing
>>lasers prior to failure based on degradation in performance. Has anyone
>>tried to do this ? This does not necessarily solve the problem of
>>installing a new laser only to have it fail within a week or so by which
>>time we have returned the old laser to the factory.
>>
>>Regards
>>Lloyd Donaldson - Microscopist
>>Future Forests
>>Forest Research, Rotorua, New Zealand
>>Ph 64 7 343 5581
>>email [log in to unmask]
>>www.forestresearch.co.nz/mnz
>
>--
>Thomas E. Phillips, Ph.D.
>Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
>Director, Molecular Cytology Core Facility
>
>3 Tucker Hall
>Division of Biological Sciences
>University of Missouri
>Columbia, MO 65211-7400
>(573)-882-4712 (voice)
>(573)-882-0123 (fax)

--
Thomas E. Phillips, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
Director, Molecular Cytology Core Facility

3 Tucker Hall
Division of Biological Sciences
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211-7400
(573)-882-4712 (voice)
(573)-882-0123 (fax)