Classy Celestron 44206 Light Source Retrofit Using IKEA JANSJO LED Lamp - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2015, 02:55:10 am
content: Not sure if it is actually "classy", but it works. I love my microscope, the optics on this thing are really good for the price I paid (about $550). I never liked the lamp. It gets hot, it takes time to wind up, the first time I used it I thought something was wrong because it emitted a smell which I determined was just a first time heating thing. And for all that, it isn't really all that bright. It leaves a lot to be desired at higher magnifications. After Applied Science recommended the JANSJO Lamp from IKEA ("Tools and Tips #1" from Applied Science at 4:10), I bought one and started using it, for among other things, as an additional lamp for the microscope. It sure helped. The lamp head is supposedly 70 lumens at 2 watts. The halogen lamp on the microscope is supposed to be 15 watts and I don't see any stated number of lumens. Suffice it to say, the LED kicks the ass of the halogen, though it could be partially due to the fact that it can be positioned closer to the specimen (due to the wonderful nature of the JANSJO neck) and possibly the spot-nature of the JANSJO head helps too.I pulled the internal wiring for the halogen down the neck and left it in the base and ran the JANSJO's wiring up instead, removed and set aside the lamp assembly and the screw cap. I can always put it back if I want to sell the thing or make it less of a freak show later. The JANSJO's power supply is shoved into base now along with most of the JANSJO's wiring with the switch removed. The main microscope switch activates the lamp. The dimming feature of the lamp is lost but I never once used it anyway, I always set the lamp to maximum.Anyway, here is my Frankensteinish contraption:

author: crispy_tofu
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2015, 10:24:38 am
content: Simple and elegant.

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2015, 05:28:09 pm
content: Quote from: crispy_tofu on October 24, 2015, 10:24:38 amOther than the electrician's tape. I should do something about that.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2015, 05:53:00 pm
content: Replace tape with appropriate heatshrink, or use a big enough piece to cover the tape entirely.

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2015, 06:30:27 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on October 24, 2015, 05:53:00 pmNot a bad idea. My first thought was removing the cone-like base at the bottom of the lamp's metal flex neck entirely. I had to remove part of it via tin snips. It's all fused together, it cannot really be unassembled without destruction. So I left the top part once I got it to more or less fit into the neck. Without that top part, it would fit even more nicely and allow me to put a screw cap that fits into the microscope's stand's neck back in most likely. However, I was scared to cut into it more. Not that it would be a huge loss, the lamp was only $10 brand spanking new but I wouldn't feel good about destroying one anyway.

author: ralphrmartin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2015, 12:49:05 pm
content: Nice, but I think that Jansjo is junk. Mine has flickered since the day I bought it...

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2015, 12:42:00 am
content: Quote from: ralphrmartin on November 10, 2015, 12:49:05 pmI have three now and they are all solid. Maybe you got a bum lamp. I am pretty sure Ikea would have taken it back if you took it back.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2015, 01:45:03 pm
content: Quote from: ralphrmartin on November 10, 2015, 12:49:05 pmProbably a bad power supply unit. I've got 3 of them as well and they work perfectly, absolutely no flicker (something I am rather sensitive to). Take it back.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2015, 02:08:44 pm
content: i use the jansjo's on my mantis. works just as good as those pesky little halogens that overhead the casing and cost an arm and a leg

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2015, 06:16:46 pm
content: Halogens are great to keep the optics fog free, though if I had a choice I would put a little heater resistor on the metal case to warm it up to 40C using a controller. That way you do not cook any plastic items below the unit or the lens mounts.