[Rockhounds] Advice, please!

[larryrush at att.net]

I hope someone can offer some advice about my UV lamp. I have a Spectroline
"Mini-Max" which is AC and battery, short and long-wave. It has served me
well for maybe 8 years. But, the other day, it would not turn on. 

Neither battery nor household voltage works.

I called the manufacturer, who advised me that they do not service them, and
referred me to their distributor list, which was useless (It was a gift,
without any source references).

 

I replaced the batteries and I tested the voltage, and the AC, (which
converts to DC), and the power supplies are good. I suspect the bulb is
burnt out, or maybe the switch,  but the service desk at Sprectroline says
that is not likely, the light is not old, and gets little use. (Axel can
verify that!)

 

A new bulb (UV5NF) costs $65 (a new lamp is somewhere in the $250 range), a
bit pricey for someone who almost never uses the lamp, and a bit risky as
the failure cause.

I can't seem to find a SW/LW combo cheapie from China..don't they make them
at all?

 

Any advice from you UV pros?  Is it true that the bulbs rarely burn out? My
good source here in Ct used to be Raytech.who is either out-of-business, or
not operating now.

 

Thanks....

 

Larry

 

 



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