OMAX 40X-2000X LED Binocular Microscope

I was very disappointed with this item…I expected it to be of better qualilty, but it is poorly made. Upon opening the styrofoam box, a metal piece fell out, which I later identified as the broken part of the Head Lock Thumb Screw…it that item is broken before I even had a chance to take the microscope out…I can only guess that the microscope will be defective as well. So, I am returning the item for a refund and will look at another item…problem is, I now have to repack the styrofoam into the cardboard box, and drive to the post office, and pay for insured mail back to Amazon…will I get a refund on my mailing cost ????

Your post: Feb 21, 2013 10:45:57 AM PST
Kalea says:
ASIN:B0094JTZOU OMAX Promotion Set: 40X-2000X Lab LED Binocular Compound Microscope with Double Layer Mechanical Stage + 100 Glass Blank Slides & Covers + 50 Lens Cleaning Paper

This is a follow up on the original OMAX Microscope order which arrived with a broken Head Lock Thumb Screw. I am now recinding my original rating of 1 Star…which was based solely on the broken screw and not on the operation of the microscope. The Canadian Manufacturer OMAX contacted me directly to discuss the problem with the broken screw, and offered to send me a replacement. I found that gesture to be incredibly generous, and a strong indication of their business credibility.

The replacement microscope was in perfect condition, and packed even better than the original…which leads me to believe that somewhere along the line from the manufacturer and Amazon warehouse, the box was opened and repacked, with damage to the screw.

The microscope is more than I expected for this price…it was easy to set up following the User Manual, and easy to operate even for an amateur like me !! The magnification is super, and the focusing is spectacular, superior image and focus qualities. It is definitely worth the price…and surely a good investment learning tool. There are optional parts you can order, as well as an optional camera to view images on your computer. So…although I was inconvenienced by the original item, the replacement microscope gives the true picture of a very efficient and desirable product. I now believe this item to be a 5 STAR product.

I recently decided to get into microscopy, and this was an excellent entry level microscope at a reasonable price point.

I’m pleased with the overall quality of this microscope, although, after a few hours of use, the light source, stopped working.

I have a basic knowledge of circuitry, so instead of sending it back, I opened it up to see what was wrong. I quickly discovered that the LED was burnt out as the rest of the electronics seem to be providing power correctly. I was able to replace the LED pretty easily but someone without the ability to do so, would be dead in the water.

I took a chance and bought a pack of what seemed like the same LEDs, and got lucky first try. You can get a 100 pack of these for about 10 bucks:
Xiaoyztan 100 Pcs White Light LED Bead Chips DC 3.0-3.2V 280mA 1W Emitting Diodes LED Emitters (White Light) https://a.co/d/anzfruT

Warning: I am not that great at circuitry, so there are likely subtleties I missing here.

When I opened up the unit, I found that the LED was a fixed to a heat sink. I measured the power coming from the microscope and found it to be delivering:
4.735 Volts
0-0.3 Amps (brightness dial modulates amperage)
0-1.4205 Watts (depending on brightness dial)

I’m unsure if the original LED had the same specifications as the ones I found, but they appeared visually identical. The specifications for the LEDs I found are as follows:
Power: 1 Watt
Forward Current: 350mA
Voltage: 3-3.2 Volts

It is my (quite amateur) guess that if the original LED shares specs with the ones I found the reason the LED burnt out is it that was running too hot. These LEDs generate quite a lot of heat, and the microscope is able to deliver a higher wattage than is specified. I imagine if the heat sink and thermal paste were installed properly, this might not be a problem. Either way I installed a new LED, reapplied a fresh layer of thermal paste, then measured where the safe 1 W mark would be on the brightness dial and marked it with a sharpie and paint. For those curious, one watt is about a quarter turn less than the highest you can turn the brightness dial.

So for some who get unlucky and have a faulty light source, this will be a very frustrating experience. For me, it was an opportunity to expand my circuitry knowledge, and take on a simple project to avoid waste, which I found engaging.

OMAX – 40X-2000X Binocular Microscopio Compuesto LED Lab Con Doble Perfecto para laboratorio, clases y en casa. Las muestras se ven perfectamente. Al ser binocular se ve mucho mejor y puedes adaptarlo. Se lo compré a mi hijo que está con prácticas de laboratorio y está muy contento. Fácil manejo, buena calidad y precio. El producto llegó en perfecto estado y en su día. Muy contenta con el producto.

I have a lab grade Celestron that I gave $800 for almost 20 years ago. The glue on one of the inside lens gave out not long ago blocking one of the eyepieces. If it hadn’t been for that, I’d still be using it. I literally couldn’t find anyone to repair it, nor could I find a replacement head that wouldn’t cost me as much as buying a new one. This one has the same quality that I was used to. I used to be a vet tech and use one at home for fecals and skin scrapings. I had to test it on gnat but am happy with focus and clarity.