How To Take Care Of A Cordless Microscope
Cordless microscopes need special care and maintenance. While it can be stored and used just like any other microscope, there are certain things that you should do and should not do with it. Know what they are through the article below.
So, you recently bought a cordless microscope. You must have used it several times on your many outdoor adventures then. Using cordless microscopes are no different from the regular ones used in schools, homes, and even inside research facilities. But how should you really take care of these devices?
Cordless microscopes are special types of microscopes. They don’t use electricity to power up its bulbs. Therefore, it employs not the most common types of illumination system that regular microscope uses. The cordless microscope’s lighting source is one of the two things that make these types of microscopes distinct. The second would be its rugged features.
Given these facts, you should take care of microscopes following these tips:
1. Don’t overcharge the batteries. Cordless microscopes are equipped with an LED lighting system that is powered by a battery pack. The battery pack, in turn, have to be recharged so that the microscope can be used over and over again. Check the manual. There is a definite length of time that you can charge your cordless microscope’s batteries with. Usually, manufacturers require an hour or so worth of charging time only. Don’t exceed the time so that the battery won’t leak and get damaged.
2. Clean the cordless microscope properly. Since you use cordless microscopes mostly outdoors, you have to remove and clean all the particles of dust that may have gotten in the stage, the condenser, the turret, and the lenses. Remove dusts by using a blower to gently remove over the dusts. Should you need to clean the objective lenses, check the manual first on how you can do that. Manufacturers uses different optical materials for the every microscope they make. It is important that you clean the lenses with the right type of cloth.
3. Understand how to dismantle the microscope. Should you need to remove certain parts of the microscope, don’t do it without first looking through the instruction pages of the manual. There are some parts that are fixed into the body of the microscope. There are also some that doesn’t have to be removed because if you push it, the microscope may lose its calibration. Never remove any screws on the microscope unless you really have to. Better consult with a technician if you are not so sure about anything.
4. Handle the microscope properly. Not because cordless microscope are build for the rugged out doors you will simply stack it in your backpack without care. Microscopes, cordless or not, are delicate tools. And they doesn’t come cheap either. Don’t treat it like any other portable device. It has small parts and delicate optics that have to be cared for all the time.
5. Store the cordless microscope when not in use. If you don’t intend to use the microscope for an hour or so, cover it with plastic or anything that can protect it. The temperature and the condition outdoors are different from the indoors. Dust are free flying outside. It is very easy for the lenses of the microscope to acquire dust particles in it. If it is not protected, then you might see unnecessary specks when you look through the eyepiece.
6. Make sure your hands is clean when using the microscope. Being outdoors, you might have touched a lot of things prior to using the device. Any unnecessary objects getting in contact with your specimen are going to provide you with wrong observation results. Plus, mishandling may cause damage to it as well.
7. Don’t drain the microscope’s battery. If the battery becomes over drained, it may not be able to provide you with the maximum battery life that it is supposed to have. If you think your cordless microscope is running low on battery, charge it accordingly. But be careful not to charge it when it’s still full, though. Doing that would also create some harm to the battery pack.
These are the different ways on how you can take care of your cordless microscope. Keep in mind that the functionality of microscopes are going to be sustained if they are well taken cared of. Follow these tips and your microscope will surely give you long, faithful years of service ahead.
