worth paying for service contract on Olympus Fluoview confocal?

[Vernita Gordon]

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Hello,

I am a new assistant professor still settling into my lab (and still working
entirely off startup funds).  A little less than a year ago, I bought an
Olympus Fluoview laser-scanning confocal microscope.  This came with a
one-year service contract.  Renewing that service contract for next year
will cost $20k.

We don't do very demanding things on this confocal and so far haven't had
problems with it.  My question is, does anyone have perspective on whether
paying for this service contract is worthwhile?

I am leaning toward not doing so and hoping things continue to go well, but
this is also my first time working with an Olympus confocal and I don't have
a good sense for whether or not I should expect problems (and, if they
arise, if they're likely to cost more than $20k to fix).

Thanks,

Vernita

[Julian Smith III]

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We have an FV1000 and carry a contract for the confocal, but not the
lasers.  Your quote seems high, so does that $20k also cover the lasers?

We average around 750 user hours per year; I'd guess you could add
10-15% to that number and get the total number of "on" hours/year.
Do you need a contract?  It depends
1. Rated lifetime on the lasers is accurate, or perhaps a slight
over-estimate.  I was foolishly running the system 24x5 during the first
18months (newbie error), and we went through both the 405LD and the
568DPSS.  They were replaced under the  warranty that came with the
instrument.  The engineer went ahead and replaced the 488 gas laser at
the same time, as he wasn't satisfied with the output.  My dean and
chair know that we'll eventually need to pay to replace the lasers again.
2. Aside from having a computer card replaced (again under the two-year
initial warranty), a computer monitor replaced, and routine annuals and
maintenance software upgrades, we've had no problems with the system.  
Unfortunately, I have absolutely no idea what it would have cost to do
these things off-contract.

I plan to keep the contract.  We're a small PUI  with a sizeable
quantity of undergrad research going on, the confocal is rather heavily
used, and we can't afford to have it down for three weeks while I wait
for a non-contract service call.  I also don't have time to try to learn
to fix it myself.

Julian

On 7/17/11 12:38 PM, Vernita Gordon wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Hello,
>
> I am a new assistant professor still settling into my lab (and still working
> entirely off startup funds).  A little less than a year ago, I bought an
> Olympus Fluoview laser-scanning confocal microscope.  This came with a
> one-year service contract.  Renewing that service contract for next year
> will cost $20k.
>
> We don't do very demanding things on this confocal and so far haven't had
> problems with it.  My question is, does anyone have perspective on whether
> paying for this service contract is worthwhile?
>
> I am leaning toward not doing so and hoping things continue to go well, but
> this is also my first time working with an Olympus confocal and I don't have
> a good sense for whether or not I should expect problems (and, if they
> arise, if they're likely to cost more than $20k to fix).
>
> Thanks,
>
> Vernita
>

--
Julian P.S. Smith III
Director, Winthrop Microscopy Facility
Dept. of Biology
Winthrop University
520 Cherry Rd.
Rock Hill, SC  29733

803-323-2111 x6427 (vox)
803-323-3448 (fax)
803-524-2347 (cell)
Research Website www.birdnest.org/smithj
Personal Website www.rociada-east.net

[Rosemary.White]

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We have a Leica SP2 which has always been under a full service contract in
its nearly 11-year life.  If your contract covers all parts including
lasers, which the cost would seem to indicate, it's well worth it in the
long run.  
cheers,
Rosemary

Dr Rosemary White
CSIRO Plant Industry
GPO Box 1600
Canberra, ACT 2601
Australia

T 61 2 6246 5475
F 61 2 6246 5334
E [hidden email]


On 18/07/11 3:58 AM, "Julian Smith III" <[hidden email]> wrote:

>*****
>To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
>http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
>*****
>
>We have an FV1000 and carry a contract for the confocal, but not the
>lasers.  Your quote seems high, so does that $20k also cover the lasers?
>
>We average around 750 user hours per year; I'd guess you could add
>10-15% to that number and get the total number of "on" hours/year.
>Do you need a contract?  It depends
>1. Rated lifetime on the lasers is accurate, or perhaps a slight
>over-estimate.  I was foolishly running the system 24x5 during the first
>18months (newbie error), and we went through both the 405LD and the
>568DPSS.  They were replaced under the  warranty that came with the
>instrument.  The engineer went ahead and replaced the 488 gas laser at
>the same time, as he wasn't satisfied with the output.  My dean and
>chair know that we'll eventually need to pay to replace the lasers again.
>2. Aside from having a computer card replaced (again under the two-year
>initial warranty), a computer monitor replaced, and routine annuals and
>maintenance software upgrades, we've had no problems with the system.
>Unfortunately, I have absolutely no idea what it would have cost to do
>these things off-contract.
>
>I plan to keep the contract.  We're a small PUI  with a sizeable
>quantity of undergrad research going on, the confocal is rather heavily
>used, and we can't afford to have it down for three weeks while I wait
>for a non-contract service call.  I also don't have time to try to learn
>to fix it myself.
>
>Julian
>
>On 7/17/11 12:38 PM, Vernita Gordon wrote:
>> *****
>> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
>> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
>> *****
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I am a new assistant professor still settling into my lab (and still
>>working
>> entirely off startup funds).  A little less than a year ago, I bought an
>> Olympus Fluoview laser-scanning confocal microscope.  This came with a
>> one-year service contract.  Renewing that service contract for next year
>> will cost $20k.
>>
>> We don't do very demanding things on this confocal and so far haven't
>>had
>> problems with it.  My question is, does anyone have perspective on
>>whether
>> paying for this service contract is worthwhile?
>>
>> I am leaning toward not doing so and hoping things continue to go well,
>>but
>> this is also my first time working with an Olympus confocal and I don't
>>have
>> a good sense for whether or not I should expect problems (and, if they
>> arise, if they're likely to cost more than $20k to fix).
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Vernita
>>
>
>
>--
>Julian P.S. Smith III
>Director, Winthrop Microscopy Facility
>Dept. of Biology
>Winthrop University
>520 Cherry Rd.
>Rock Hill, SC  29733
>
>803-323-2111 x6427 (vox)
>803-323-3448 (fax)
>803-524-2347 (cell)
>Research Website www.birdnest.org/smithj
>Personal Website www.rociada-east.net

[Glen MacDonald-2]

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Dear Vernita,
You will pay for service one way or another.  some of the lasers are inexpensive, others are very pricey, but you will need someone to select the correct laser, launch it and align it.  Our FV-1000 has been running 2800 hrs/yr for the past 5 years.  All lasers have been replaced at least once, a couple were replaced twice.  Only 1 minor repair to the IX-81, but a lot of fussing with their old dual monitor computer configuration which was resolved by replacing with a single 30" monitor.  These probably averaged less than $20,000/yr in out of pocket expenses.  The peace of mind, troubleshooting time and coverage for catastrophic events is priceless.  What happens when (not if) 2 or 3 lasers go out at once?  Its not the sophistication of your imaging methods that causes service calls, its about user hours, mechanical problems, user impact (figuratively and literally), computer issues and advice for configuring filters, etc.  


Regards,
Glen
Glen MacDonald
Center for Human Development and Disability
Box 357920
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-7920  USA
[phone]
[hidden email]


On Jul 17, 2011, at 9:38 AM, Vernita Gordon wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Hello,
>
> I am a new assistant professor still settling into my lab (and still working
> entirely off startup funds).  A little less than a year ago, I bought an
> Olympus Fluoview laser-scanning confocal microscope.  This came with a
> one-year service contract.  Renewing that service contract for next year
> will cost $20k.
>
> We don't do very demanding things on this confocal and so far haven't had
> problems with it.  My question is, does anyone have perspective on whether
> paying for this service contract is worthwhile?
>
> I am leaning toward not doing so and hoping things continue to go well, but
> this is also my first time working with an Olympus confocal and I don't have
> a good sense for whether or not I should expect problems (and, if they
> arise, if they're likely to cost more than $20k to fix).
>
> Thanks,
>
> Vernita