[lm-announce] Clarification about "not turning off the microscopes randomly"

[sswift]

Dear All,

There has been a little confusion following Benny's email about "not  
turning off the microscopes randomly".  This relates to the  
DeltaVisions; those of you using the confocals, MPs, TIRFs etc should  
carry on as normal.  To clarify what you need to do on a DeltaVision:

There is a rack of equipment on every DeltaVision that houses an

- Instrument Controller (the box with the circular, green button)
- A softworx workstation (the one you log in to when you start your  
session)
- A power strip (the thin metal box with the red switch on it)
- A QLM (on some microscopes, there is, additionally, this QLM laser  
box at the bottom of the rack)

At the end of a session you are required to move and delete your data  
from the SoftWorx workstation, fill the lamp hours in the log book and  
log out.  If you are the last user (which you can check on the online  
calendar), you are also required to turn off the Instrument Controller  
(by pressing the green button once) and, once it has shut down, turn  
off the power strip.  If you are not using the laser module, don't  
turn it on.  If you have used the laser module, make sure you turn it  
off.

The SoftWorx workstation should never be turned off.  This is what  
Benny was referring to when he asked people not to randomly turn off  
microscopes.

It's worth noting that the order of these boxes is different on the  
LMF DV3 - the Instrument Controller and SoftWorx workstation are not  
in the same order on the rack and it is therefore more likely that  
you'll turn off the SoftWorx workstation by mistake (I've done it -  
it's an easy mistake).  So, please do take a moment to familiarise  
yourself with what these various bits are on whichever microscope  
you're using.  If you're in any doubt, don't be shy about asking me,  
Calum or Markus for a reminder.

Finally - while I've got your attention - could I also remind  
everybody that if you do DIC, anything involving the QLM, or use a  
dichroic mirror other than the quad, you need to:

- remove the DIC parts and return them to LMF, completing the sign out  
sheet when you do so
- return the dichroic mirror to the QUAD position
- put the laser mirror in the OUT position

If the next user doesn't notice you've left these bits in, you will be  
throwing away about 50% of their emitted fluorescence with the DIC  
parts, throwing away 40% of their excitation light with the laser  
mirror, and completely messing with the bandwidths of their emitted  
light by not putting the QUAD back.

Incidentally, if you're using the microscope and you discover you have  
very low fluorescent signal, don't always assume you messed your  
sample up.  It could easily be that the microscope was not returned to  
this standard configuration.  There is a list of common faults next to  
every DeltaVision that you should have been introduced to.  If you  
want a reminder, let us know or, if you sample is dim, you can come  
and give us a shout and we can confirm whether it is a microscope or  
sample problem.

I hope that all makes sense.  If not:

Sam x86412
Calum x88755
Markus x 86414

Thanks for reading,
Sam and co.
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