Bio-Rad ChromLab™ Software - Manual (Page 89)

System Information
User Guide | 87
Detector Tab
This tab displays details about UV or UV/Vis lamp usage, from which you can
determine whether the lamps need to be replaced. The system determines which
detector module is installed and displays information specific to that module.
Single-Wavelength Detector
The system retrieves the lamp status for both lamps (255 nm and 280 nm) and
displays the reference voltage, pulse-width modulation (PWM) percentage, and total
lamp hours for each lamp on the Detector tab.
The system must have stopped running before lamp status can be determined. If
the pumps are running, a warning message appears when you click Get Lamp
Status, informing you that the system is unable to acquire the lamp status because
the system is busy.
The system turns off the lamp if it is on when the pumps stop running. The system
then turns the lamp on, which updates the PWM percentage data. The system sets
the wavelength to 255 nm, waits for the reference signal to stabilize, and reads the
reference signal data. The system then sets the wavelength to 280 nm and follows
the same protocol. The values appear on the Detector tab after the data for both
wavelengths have been determined.
You can use the lamp usage hours or the PWM percentage to determine how close
the lamp is to its end of life. Higher percentage values indicate lower usefulness.
After you change the lamps, reset the lamp hours to reflect the new lamps’
usefulness.
To display the signal and lamp usage time
1. Select File > System Settings to open the System Information dialog box.
2. Choose the Detector tab. The empty detector screen appears.
3. Click Get Lamp Status.
4. Click Close to close the System Information dialog box.