Fiber optic illuminators can be expensive and there are some very basic things you can do to maintain and extend the life of the illuminator. Here are some maintenance tips that you should follow so you can enjoy many hours with your fiber optic illuminator. Please note, when performing all maintenance on your fiber optic illuminator, make sure the power is off and make sure the unit is not warm. If you plan to maintain your fiber optic illuminator, make sure you shut down the power at least two hours before performing maintenance.

These basic maintenance tips apply to all fiber optic illuminators that are installed both indoors and outdoors.

1. Make sure power is turned off to the fiber optic illuminator.

2. Make sure the fiber optic illuminator is cool and has not been running for at least the past 3 hours.

3. Open the cover to the fiber optic illuminator.

4. Do not touch the bulbs since they are fragile, also if the oil from your fingers transfers to a metal halide light bulb, it will cause it to explode when the bulb heats to operating temperature.

5. If there is debris in the fiber optic illuminators such as leaves or dirt and you can easily remove them by hand, go ahead and do that.

6. For debris in a hard to reach spot, you can either use a vacuum or a can of air duster.

7. Once the illuminator is cleaned out, visually inspect all components to look for any damage.

8. If there are any components that are damaged, contact a certified electrician in your area for repair. Keep in mind that we sell repair parts for fiber optic illuminators and it will save you money if you properly repair your illuminator rather than replacing the fiber optic illuminator.

9. If there is no physical damages that you can see, close the fiber optic illuminator cover and replace any screws if you removed them.

10. Turn the power to the illuminator on and listen to the cooling fan. The cooling fan is a very important component that keeps the fiber optic illuminator cool. If the cooling fan is not operating or sounds like the ball bearings are damaged shut off the illuminator immediately and contact a certified electrician for repair. In most cases replacement cooling fans will cost less than $50 and are easy for any certified electricians to replace.

11. If the cooling fan is properly operating, make sure your fiber optic cable is lighting and plan when you will perform your next maintenance.