Zeiss LSM 510 META laser & power-supply replacement

[Graham Wright-5]

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Hello,

We are having some problems with our Zeiss LSM 510 META argon laser (488 et al). Basically it's getting old and due a replacement, it's no longer producing the power it should and we're also getting frequent error messages:

Object: COM3
Read time out
Object: COM3
Read time out
Object: AOTF Driver
IsHwAccessible failed

which means we need to restart part, or all, of the system. Zeiss have told us that we should replace the laser and power-supply and the problem will be resolved. We will be replacing the laser as soon as possible, but I wondered what the advice from the list is regards whether or not we need to replace the power-supply too? It adds quite a lot to the price. So, from your experiences, should the power-supply be replaced at the same time as the laser? If we don't could our communication problems persist?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Graham

-----
Dr Graham Wright
Microscopy & Imaging Facility

 

Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory
1 Research Link
National University of Singapore
Singapore 117604

 

P:     [phone]
E:     [hidden email]
W:    http://www.bioinformatics.tll.org.sg/labs/microscopy/index.htm

[Dale Callaham]

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This is just a general comment about the laser power supply electronics.
To keep sizes small, modern power supply components are worked fairly
hard; most use switchmode power conversion technology and the capacitors
run a very high ripple current. All electronics have a lifetime that is
dependent on the conditions of use and these components are probably run
at good design parameters but still operate at elevated temps and are
probably "tired". With aging, the Equivalent Series Resistance of the
capcitors increases and the ripple voltage increases. What I am saying
then is that it may operate the laser if you keep the old one, but the
performance is likely dropping off or may do so in the near future. From
the company perspective it is more likely to give good performance and
happy customers if they are cycled at the same time.

I can't comment on the error messages. I would trust Zeiss since they
know these messages. Our Zeiss service has been very good with getting
the correct parts first time based on the system messages and symptoms.

I have no association with any commercial interests.

Dale Callaham

Graham Wright wrote:

> Search the CONFOCAL archive at
> http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
> Hello,
> We are having some problems with our Zeiss LSM 510 META argon laser (488
> et al). Basically it's getting old and due a replacement, it's no longer
> producing the power it should and we're also getting frequent error
> messages:
> /Object: COM3
> Read time out
> Object: COM3
> Read time out
> Object: AOTF Driver
> IsHwAccessible failed/
> which means we need to restart part, or all, of the system. Zeiss have
> told us that we should replace the laser and power-supply and the
> problem will be resolved. We will be replacing the laser as soon as
> possible, but I wondered what the advice from the list is regards
> whether or not we need to replace the power-supply too? It adds quite a
> lot to the price. So, from your experiences, should the power-supply be
> replaced at the same time as the laser? If we don't could
> our communication problems persist?
> Thanks in advance for your help.
> Graham
> -----
> Dr Graham Wright
> Microscopy & Imaging Facility
>  
> Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory
> 1 Research Link
> National University of Singapore
> Singapore 117604
>  
> P:     [phone]
> E:     [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
> W:    http://www.bioinformatics.tll.org.sg/labs/microscopy/index.htm

[Zoltan]

Search the CONFOCAL archive at http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal

I'd try to have it refurbished; we just did that with an old, non-functional Ar laser, including an overhaul of the power supply, replacement of the laser tube, and increase of power output, for significantly less than the price of a new one.  The work was done by Dynamic Laser in Salt Lake City, Utah.  No commercial interest of course, just a happy customer.  Let me know if you'd like further details. 

 

Zoltan

On Feb 12, 2008 2:28 AM, Graham Wright <[hidden email]> wrote:

Search the CONFOCAL archive at http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal

Hello,

We are having some problems with our Zeiss LSM 510 META argon laser (488 et al). Basically it's getting old and due a replacement, it's no longer producing the power it should and we're also getting frequent error messages:

Object: COM3
Read time out
Object: COM3
Read time out
Object: AOTF Driver
IsHwAccessible failed

which means we need to restart part, or all, of the system. Zeiss have told us that we should replace the laser and power-supply and the problem will be resolved. We will be replacing the laser as soon as possible, but I wondered what the advice from the list is regards whether or not we need to replace the power-supply too? It adds quite a lot to the price. So, from your experiences, should the power-supply be replaced at the same time as the laser? If we don't could our communication problems persist?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Graham

-----
Dr Graham Wright
Microscopy & Imaging Facility

 

Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory
1 Research Link
National University of Singapore
Singapore 117604

 

P:     [phone]
E:     [hidden email]
W:    http://www.bioinformatics.tll.org.sg/labs/microscopy/index.htm

--
--
Zoltan Cseresnyes
Facility manager, Imaging Suite
Dept. of Zoology University of Cambridge
Downing Street, Cambridge
CB2 3EJ    UK

Tel.: (++44) (0)1223 769282
Fax.: (++44) (0)1223 336676

[Fred Mast]

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Hi Graham,

We had a similar issue this past fall and had Zeiss replace our 488 argon and the power supply, another issue we found was that the voltage coming into the room was no where near 220V (it was in the low 190's if I remember). So we installed a buck booster as well, to raise the voltage. Depending on the age of your building and any new construction going up around you, you might want to look into conditioning your power line so that your microscope won't have to work as hard in the future.

Hope this was helpful,

Fred

On 11-Feb-08, at 7:28 PM, Graham Wright wrote:

Search the CONFOCAL archive at http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal

Hello,

We are having some problems with our Zeiss LSM 510 META argon laser (488 et al). Basically it's getting old and due a replacement, it's no longer producing the power it should and we're also getting frequent error messages:

Object: COM3
Read time out
Object: COM3
Read time out
Object: AOTF Driver
IsHwAccessible failed

which means we need to restart part, or all, of the system. Zeiss have told us that we should replace the laser and power-supply and the problem will be resolved. We will be replacing the laser as soon as possible, but I wondered what the advice from the list is regards whether or not we need to replace the power-supply too? It adds quite a lot to the price. So, from your experiences, should the power-supply be replaced at the same time as the laser? If we don't could our communication problems persist?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Graham

-----
Dr Graham Wright
Microscopy & Imaging Facility

 

Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory
1 Research Link
National University of Singapore
Singapore 117604

 

P:     [phone]
E:     [hidden email]
W:    http://www.bioinformatics.tll.org.sg/labs/microscopy/index.htm

Fred D. Mast

Department of Cell Biology

Medical Sciences Building Room 5-14

University of Alberta

Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H7

Canada

Tel: [phone]

[hidden email]

[Gert van Cappellen]

Search the CONFOCAL archive at
http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal

In the past we had some laser replacements without power supply or
replaced power supply without laser and it often tuned out that we
needed a second replacement a few weeks later. Nowadays the laser and
power supply are replaced together leading to less down time and less
service visits.

The error message doesn't seem to indicate a problem with the laser, but
with your AOTF.

Good luck,
Gert van Cappellen

Graham Wright schreef:

> Search the CONFOCAL archive at
> http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
> Hello,
> We are having some problems with our Zeiss LSM 510 META argon laser
> (488 et al). Basically it's getting old and due a replacement, it's no
> longer producing the power it should and we're also getting frequent
> error messages:
> /Object: COM3
> Read time out
> Object: COM3
> Read time out
> Object: AOTF Driver
> IsHwAccessible failed/
> which means we need to restart part, or all, of the system. Zeiss have
> told us that we should replace the laser and power-supply and the
> problem will be resolved. We will be replacing the laser as soon as
> possible, but I wondered what the advice from the list is regards
> whether or not we need to replace the power-supply too? It adds quite
> a lot to the price. So, from your experiences, should the power-supply
> be replaced at the same time as the laser? If we don't could
> our communication problems persist?
> Thanks in advance for your help.
> Graham
> -----
> Dr Graham Wright
> Microscopy & Imaging Facility
>  
> Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory
> 1 Research Link
> National University of Singapore
> Singapore 117604
>  
> P:     [phone]
> E:     [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
> W:    http://www.bioinformatics.tll.org.sg/labs/microscopy/index.htm

[Frank-Peter Schoew]

Search the CONFOCAL archive at
http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal

Hello,
the error message about the COM port is not related to the Argon laser
head or the laser power supply. It seems more a problem with the AOTF
driver in the system.
We ll get in contact with our Service team in Singapore to solve the
problem immidiately.

Best regards
Frank-Peter Schoew

Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH
Technical Support and Training BioSciences

F r a n k - P e t e r  S c h o e w

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
mailto:[hidden email]
http://www.zeiss.de/micro

Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH, Carl-Zeiss-Promenade 10, 07745 Jena
Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrates: Dr. Michael Kaschke
Geschäftsführung: Dr. Ulrich Simon, Michael Mathias, Wilhelm Nörthemann
Sitz der Gesellschaft: 07740 Jena, Deutschland
Amtsgericht Jena, HRB 210.536, USt-IdNr: DE814503774