Using the RGB Light Source

Printable PDF: 6400-18 RGB Light Source installation and operational instructions

Instructions for installing the 6400-18 RGB Light Source onto the LI-6400/XT Portable Photosynthesis System.

The 6400-18A RGB Light Source is designed to be used with the 6400-17 Whole Plant Arabidopsis (WPA) Chamber, the 6400-24 Bryophyte Chamber, or with the LI-6400XT and any clear-topped chamber. The LED calibration is retained in the light source, making it possible to switch from instrument to instrument without the need to enter calibration constants. The red, green and blue LEDs can be independently adjusted to allow users to select any desired color combination. Photosynthetic response differs with illumination wavelength, and is explained in more detail in Application Note 5.

The assembly requires a Phillips head screwdriver, and takes about 15 minutes to complete.

Follow these steps to install the 6400-18A:

  1. Install the 6400-17 or 6400-24 Chamber as per the instructions included with the chamber.
  2. Remove the 4 Phillips head screws on the bottom of the RGB Light Source. Make sure that there is a Propafilm covering over the aperture on top of the chamber top plate. With the Propafilm facing the bottom of the RGB Light Source, attach the chamber top plate to the bottom of the light source using the 4 Phillips head screws (Figure 1).
  3. Connect one end of the gray control cable to the Control connector on the side of the light source, and the other end to the 37-pin Auxiliary connector on the LI-6400/LI-6400XT console (Figure 2).
  4. Connect one end of the power supply cable to the light source. Connect the power supply to mains power (Figure 2). When first plugged in, the RGB light source cooling fan may run momentarily; this is normal. The power supply will automatically adjust for varying voltage inputs (100-240VAC, 1.4A max., 50-60 Hz). The power supply can be attached to the LI-6400/LI-6400XT console using the supplied Velcro kit, if desired (Figure 3).
Figure 1‑1. Attach the chamber top plate to the bottom of the RGB Light Source using 4 Phillips head screws.
Figure 1‑2. Connect the gray control cable to the LI-6400/LI-6400XT console, and the power cable to the AC power supply.
Figure 1‑3. Affix the power supply to the console, if desired.

Configure the Software

  1. The 6400-18A requires OPEN version 6.1 or above. OPEN 6.1 can be installed on 200 MHz (previous version OPEN 5.x) or 400 MHz (previous version OPEN 6.x) digital boards. Older boards require a digital board upgrade. Contact LI-COR for more details.
  2. To complete the installation, choose the Config Menu (f2) from OPEN’s main screen. Highlight New and press Enter. Scroll down and choose the 6400-18 RGB Source. Choose a chamber, adjust settings as needed, and press N to save the configuration under a new name. See the LI-6400/LI-6400XT Instruction Manual, Section 8, Light Sources and Sensors, for more information.
    1. Choose New from the Config Menu...
    3. Scroll down to 6400-18 RGB Source...
    5. Choose 6400-17 Whole Plant or 6400-24 Bryophyte Chamber.
    7. Adjust settings as needed...
    9. and press N to save as a new configuration.