Microscope Care
Microscope is very delicate equipment. Appropriate maintenance not only improves precision but also rises its life. Following points are useful in the maintenance of microscope:
- Protect from heat.
- Clean it daily. When not in use, keep it covered with a plastic cover or a piece of cloth but not with mesh gauze.
- Clean the objectives with soft tissue paper soaked in xylol and then with lint free cloth.
- Be careful as excess of xylol may dissolve. The cement with which lens is fixed in the objective and may trickle into it.
- Do not clean with alcohol.
- Remove the dust from the eyepieces with the help of soft tissue paper.
- Always use soft tissue paper or lint free cloth for cleaning lenses and never rub but wipe gently.
- This protects lenses from scratches.
- Switch off the power at the end of microscopy session.
MICROSCOPE TROUBLESHOOTING
- No light: This may happen if the power connection is loose, the bulb is loose or fused, brightness control dial is at lowest level, objective is not clicked in place, diaphragm is completely closed or not centered or fuse is blown. The cause should be recognized and removed.
- Insufficient light: This may result from low set brightness control dial, too low condenser and closed condenser diaphragm. Check and correct accordingly.
- Too bright light: Brightness control set too high for the objective being used.
- Flickering: Flickering results from loose power connection, defective bulb socket, corrosion of bulb pins and improperly installed bulb.
- Does not focus with high objective: The specimen slide is placed upside down.
- Bubbles or dark waves across the field: Contact between the oil and oil immersion objective is broken. Clean the slide and add more oil.
Thanks