Common Support Issues

I see spots or blurry areas inside the microscope.
The perception of spots or blurry dots in the microscope can be caused by many different things. Often, the spots are actually in your eye and only become perceivable when looking into the scope. You can identify these spots because they will not move when you turn the ocular lens, and they may seem to float around in the viewing field.
Sometimes, the spots are caused by dirt on the mirror inside the microscope body tube, or on the eyepiece tube. If you see the same spots regardless of the objective lens you are using, then the spots are most likely in one of these two places. Remove the eyepiece tube by twisting and pulling it gently off. Clean the mirror inside the body tube with a cotton swab and some rubbing alcohol. Clean both ends of the eyepiece tube in the same manner, replace the eyepiece tube and test the scope again.
If the spot or dust appears to be inside the eyepiece tube, or inside one of the objective lenses, call Customer Service at 800-587-2872 for a replacement.

The Projector Attachment does not work.
Here are some tips for getting the Projector Attachment to work:
• You must be in a completely dark room, with no light coming into it. A small closet or bathroom with no windows works well.
• Make sure that there are no filters on the filter wheel blocking light from going through the hole in the stage.
• Make sure that you are using brand new, fresh batteries.
• Make sure that the slide you are using has sufficient transparency (light can come through the specimen on the slide).
• Set up the slide in the stage and focus the lens on it so that you can see it clearly through the eyepiece (as you normally would, without the projector attachment). Lowest magnification power is best. Then put the projector attachment on.
• Make sure that the opaque white screen is removed from the projector attachment at first, and make sure that the light is on and pointed up into the hole in the stage.
• Place the microscope very close to a white wall in the completely dark room. If there is no white wall, use a piece of white cardboard or foam core. It should be only a few inches away. Orient the scope so that the projector attachment is facing towards the wall.
• You should see a projection of the specimen image on the wall, but it will not be very bright, because the light produced by the bulb is not very bright. You may need to adjust the tray up or down to focus the image or get a brighter image. Also try adjusting the light bulb a little to see if the image can get any brighter.

The microscope stage has become wobbly and the microscope will not focus.
Call Customer Service at 800-587-2872.