X-Cite
®
Guide
Look at the quartz at the other end of the LLG
3.
Bubble-free: quartz end will appear as a bright, solid circle; you may also be
a.
able to see a thin circular outline at the quartz/liquid interface.
Bubbles at/near the quartz end: appear as dark spots, as small as 0.5mm in
b.
diameter or even as larger more defined spheres.
Bubbles in the middle of the light guide: may not be well-defined spots, but
c.
will appear as dark shadows.
In extreme cases, where the bubble is blocking the entire diameter of the
d.
light guide, no light will come through, even when pointing the distal end at a
light source.
2.3 Can a bubbled light guide recover?
Yes, light guides with small bubbles can sometimes recover. Disconnect the light guide from the X-Cite® unit, and
leave the light guide undisturbed on a shelf for 1-2 weeks. For this to be effective, it is important to catch the
bubble when it is small.
2.4 When should light guides be replaced?
It is usually time to replace a light guide when:
Illumination is low and replacing the lamp does not improve brightness
•
Dark or uneven areas become visible in the field of view (a bubble is blocking part of
•
the light)
A section of the light guide becomes noticeably warmer than the rest of the guide (a
•
bubble is blocking transmission of light, forcing the light guide to absorb the energy)
It is 2-3 years old OR has been in use for 4000-6000 hours (2-3 lamp changes), when
•
handled properly in a well maintained unit.
Appearance and % output of light guides with
bubbles relative to an LLG without bubbles (100%).
