What Are The on And Off Functions of The Fume Hood Lighting System During Use?

Turn on the fume hood lighting system

Seize the opportunity

Experimental preparation stage: When the experimenters start to arrange the experimental equipment and place reagents in the fume hood, the lighting system needs to be turned on. Good lighting enables laboratory personnel to clearly see every corner of the fume hood, accurately place experimental items in appropriate positions, and avoid improper placement of items due to poor visibility, which may affect subsequent experimental operations. For instance, when conducting a chemical titration experiment, it is necessary to precisely place the burette and conical flask at specific positions within the fume hood. Clear lighting can assist the experimenter in completing this operation quickly and accurately.

Experimental operation stage: During the experiment, the lighting system should remain on. Many experimental operations require precise hand movements and careful observation of experimental phenomena. Adequate lighting enables experimenters to clearly observe color changes, sediment formation, bubble production and other phenomena during the experiment, thereby accurately judging the progress and results of the experiment. For instance, when observing the color change in a chemical reaction to determine the endpoint of the reaction, insufficient lighting may lead to misjudgment by the experimenters, affecting the accuracy of the experiment.

Opening method

Control panel operation: The lighting system of most fume hoods can be turned on through the control panel on the fume hood. There is usually a dedicated lighting switch button on the control panel. The experimenter only needs to press this button to turn on the lighting system. Some fume hoods' control panels may also have a brightness adjustment function, allowing laboratory personnel to adjust the brightness of the lighting according to actual needs. For instance, when conducting some experiments that are sensitive to light, the brightness of the lighting can be appropriately reduced to minimize the interference of light on the experiment.

Sensor-activated: Some more advanced fume hoods are equipped with sensor-activated lighting systems. When the experimenter brings their hand or body close to the fume hood, the sensing device will automatically detect the presence of the human body and activate the lighting system. This opening method is more convenient. There is no need for laboratory personnel to manually operate the control panel, which improves the efficiency of experimental operations.

Turn off the fume hood lighting system

Closing time

At the end of the experiment: After the experimental operation is completed, the experimenter should promptly turn off the lighting system of the fume hood. After the experiment is completed, no further operations are needed inside the fume hood. Continuing to turn on the lighting system not only leads to energy waste but may also affect the heat dissipation and service life of the equipment inside the fume hood. For instance, keeping the lighting system on for a long time may cause the lighting fixtures to heat up and accelerate their aging.

Idle stage of fume hood: If the fume hood will not be used for a period of time, the lighting system should also be turned off. For instance, turning off the lighting system after work in the laboratory or when no one is active in the area where the fume hood is located for a long time can save energy and reduce the operating costs of the laboratory.

Closing method

Control panel operation: Similar to the opening method, the experimenter can turn off the lighting system by pressing the lighting switch button on the control panel. After pressing the button, the lighting system will stop working immediately. If the control panel has a brightness adjustment function, before turning off the lighting system, you can first set the brightness to the lowest level and then press the off button. This can reduce the impact on the lamps and extend their service life.

Sensor-activated shut-off: For fume hoods equipped with sensor-activated lighting systems, when the experimenter moves a certain distance away from the fume hood, the sensor device will automatically detect the person's departure and automatically turn off the lighting system after a period of time (usually ranging from tens of seconds to several minutes). The experimenter does not need to operate manually. The lighting system will automatically turn off according to the sensing situation.

Precautions

Regularly inspect the lighting system: Laboratory personnel should regularly check the lighting system of the fume hood to ensure that the lighting fixtures are functioning properly and there are no flickering or non-lighting issues. If any problem with the lighting fixtures is found, they should be replaced in time to ensure the lighting effect inside the fume hood. For instance, the lighting system can be inspected once a month to promptly identify and address potential issues.

Avoid frequent switching: Although the switching operation of the lighting system is relatively simple, frequent switching can cause certain damage to the lamps and shorten their service life. Therefore, when it is not necessary to completely turn off the lighting system, frequent switching should be avoided as much as possible. For instance, when leaving the fume hood briefly during the experiment, the lighting system can be left on instead of being turned off, and energy consumption can be reduced by adjusting the brightness.