Fixing Microstar 4 Advice

Everything relating to microscopy hardware: Objectives, eyepieces, lamps and more.
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Dennis
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Fixing Microstar 4 Advice

#1 Post by Dennis » Mon Nov 28, 2022 4:54 am

https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21A ... 02&o=OneUp

I have a manual PDF you can refer to if needed.-
https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21A ... 02&o=OneUp

Also this may be helpful to others who buy this as a non working "Parts microscope." I intend on fixing it.

UPDATE- I am incorrect in stating my Nikon S has a shorter fine focus. Sometimes you have to go back on a microscope to get reacquainted.
Last edited by Dennis on Wed Nov 30, 2022 8:36 pm, edited 3 times in total.

MichaelG.
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Location: North Wales

Re: Fixing Microstar 4 Advice

#2 Post by MichaelG. » Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:04 am

.

Thanks for sharing the parts manual, Dennis
and good luck with the “doing-upping”

You should have a fine ‘scope there.

MichaelG.
.

Edit: __ Just noticed that the document was only $1 in 1986 !!
Too many 'projects'

Dennis
Posts: 674
Joined: Wed May 13, 2015 3:19 pm
Location: New Jersey, USA

Re: Fixing Microstar 4 Advice

#3 Post by Dennis » Mon Nov 28, 2022 12:40 pm

Michael,

I have a few more on my PC, one when American Optical owned or and when Reighert Jung.
Just a fast web search found them all. Here I put them all up at my OneDrive-
https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21A ... C6AC252667
Last edited by Dennis on Wed Nov 30, 2022 8:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Dennis
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Location: New Jersey, USA

Re: Fixing Microstar 4 Advice

#4 Post by Dennis » Mon Nov 28, 2022 9:14 pm

https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21A ... 02&o=OneUp

I sort of fixed 2 out of the 3 problems. It still does not light up and it burnt my bulb out from my good Microstar 4 !
The video shows all what I did. Now I could use light advice. (cheap light advice)
Last edited by Dennis on Wed Nov 30, 2022 8:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

lorez2
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Re: Fixing Microstar 4 Advice

#5 Post by lorez2 » Mon Nov 28, 2022 10:33 pm

I've had good success replacing the original lighting system with a 3W LED. There is plenty of room for everything and it is not a difficult job. I've done well over 100 retrofits on a wide variety of scopes. The 3W LED is a suitable replacement for systems up to 30W halogen.

lorez
Nikon 80i

Dennis
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Location: New Jersey, USA

Re: Fixing Microstar 4 Advice

#6 Post by Dennis » Mon Nov 28, 2022 10:49 pm

The first problem at hand is to get a replacement bulb for the good Microstar-
I was figuring on this-
https://www.amazon.com/OSRAM-64250-Tung ... 73&sr=8-13

I know it should be Halogen, 20 watts, 6 volts, G4 base

Would be nice if tip was round but I am also on a budget.
This would sub for a
GE 778 or a Philips 7388

Lorez2- Can you describe more of your LED set up?

lorez2
Posts: 113
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2021 2:06 am

Re: Fixing Microstar 4 Advice

#7 Post by lorez2 » Mon Nov 28, 2022 11:45 pm

You should use the ESB you have specified.

My LED "kit" has a circuit board, potentiometer, and 3W LED. It has leads for the switch so you can use the existing switch. You can find equivalent items on the web. The 410 is an easy frame to work within because it is relatively large/huge.

lorez
Nikon 80i

Dennis
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Joined: Wed May 13, 2015 3:19 pm
Location: New Jersey, USA

Re: Fixing Microstar 4 Advice

#8 Post by Dennis » Mon Nov 28, 2022 11:51 pm

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Halogen- ... cdf793f87d

I am going with that bulb for my good scope. The other scope can wait for now for a lighting solution.

dtsh
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Joined: Wed May 01, 2019 6:06 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Fixing Microstar 4 Advice

#9 Post by dtsh » Tue Nov 29, 2022 3:18 am

Not sure it qualifies as cheap, but I have a working illluminator circuit (knobs, boards, socket, door, etc) from a 410 (Microstar IV) I salvaged a while back, tested as working. Have a few parts here and there (no blue filter or holder!) so if you are interested might want to review other parts or objectives you might be interested in to save on shipping. Been meaning to make a post with the spare parts to unload after settling on the AO10 as my preferred platform, just haven't gotten around to it.

Objectives I have are...
Plan achro: 4x, 10x, 100x(oil)

Neoplan: 10x, 10x Ph, 40x, 50x(oil), 100x(oil)

Have a variety of condensers and some stages in fair to excellent shape, nothing rare, plus the aforementioned random parts and illuminator circuit, a spare bino head and a trinocular.

I think if it were me, I would do as lorez suggested and convert it to LED, but I understand that sometimes a person wants to use a thing and not tinker with it all the time.

Dennis
Posts: 674
Joined: Wed May 13, 2015 3:19 pm
Location: New Jersey, USA

Re: Fixing Microstar 4 Advice

#10 Post by Dennis » Tue Nov 29, 2022 9:20 am

dtsh,

Thanks. I don't have to fix it any time soon.

Dennis
Posts: 674
Joined: Wed May 13, 2015 3:19 pm
Location: New Jersey, USA

Re: Fixing Microstar 4 Advice

#11 Post by Dennis » Tue Nov 29, 2022 7:43 pm

Well it is turning out that I am giving my advice actually (in the videos)
Here is the 3rd and final video in the series-
https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21A ... 02&o=OneUp

I found a LED light for $1.69 that works fine. Harbor Freight Tools 144 Lumen Ultra-Bright Portable LED Worklight/Flashlight
https://www.harborfreight.com/144-lumen ... 63878.html

UPDATE- That $1.69 light is doing me okay as a "fill in" solution.
Last edited by Dennis on Wed Nov 30, 2022 8:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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