How to Blow Osram Bulbs - the Leitz Way

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ebenbildmicroscopy
Posts: 130
Joined: Sun Jul 23, 2017 8:57 pm

How to Blow Osram Bulbs - the Leitz Way

#1 Post by ebenbildmicroscopy » Sat Mar 20, 2021 3:53 am

I cannot take full credit for this story - I am only a story teller - you, in turn must repeat it because it's a good one...

This was told to me by the late Robert Martin, founder of (what used to be called Martin Instrument Co. but is today known as) Martin Microscope Company in Easley, SC. I was visiting him back in probably the mid 1990s to buy a condenser. He would always graciously treat me to lunch at a little place just down the road called "Buck's" that served good ole Southern country food. He and I both were very devoted to the Leitz Ortholux I and I would always ask him about how many of them he had sold as one of the largest Leitz dealers in the South (he also had been one of the largest American Optical distributors in the US as well).

Apparently, he had sold several Ortholux Is to a local hospital that was using them as the routine diagnostic scopes in the main laboratory where they were probably used 8 hrs/day by technicians examining everything a hospital encounters. He started getting complaints that they were having to replace burned out bulbs too frequently, to the point that he was going to have to visit in-person to investigate having to send too many free replacement bulbs...

Pictured is my re-creation of the culprit. Apparently, a tech serendipitously discovered that just the right amount of heat vents off the illuminator housing to keep a mug of coffee, baby bear "just right" warm! I've always loved this story I hope you do as well!
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JeffO, aka "Ortho amore"
Leitz Ortholux I
Leitz Orthoplan
Leitz Macro-Dia Device
Zeiss GFL
Zeiss Standard
Zeiss Photomicroscope III
Zeiss OPMI 6S
B&L Stereozoom and Balplan

MicroBob
Posts: 3154
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2016 9:11 am
Location: Northern Germany

Re: How to Blow Osram Bulbs - the Leitz Way

#2 Post by MicroBob » Sat Mar 20, 2021 9:07 am

Hi Jeff,
I love these stories!

Bob

Sabatini
Posts: 464
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2019 3:09 am

Re: How to Blow Osram Bulbs - the Leitz Way

#3 Post by Sabatini » Sat Mar 20, 2021 3:17 pm

Thanks for sharing , Im already use led on my beautiful Ortholux 1.

Greg Howald
Posts: 1185
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:44 am

Re: How to Blow Osram Bulbs - the Leitz Way

#4 Post by Greg Howald » Sat Mar 20, 2021 6:51 pm

I took a 50 watt g4 halogen bulb and mounted it in the photo tube to do reflective microscopy. It didn't work very well but it got extremely hot. I found that in 15 minutes I could brew a cup of tea.
Greg

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