amazingchemistry - 16-7-2013 at 19:57
Searching the web for spectrometers, I have found that the new ones are incredibly expensive, and the cheap ones are sold "as is" with god-knows how
many problems. Given that I have neither the expertise nor the time to attempt a repair myself, but still would love to have spectrometers at my
disposal, I wanted your opinion on whether it'd be cost-effective to buy a used spectrometer from sites like Ebay and then contact a repair company
(like this one or this one ) so they can get the instrument up and running and ready for fun 
Dr.Bob - 17-7-2013 at 09:12
I think that you will find that to be a disaster. But it could be hit or miss, some of the items might be great, some might be useless hunks of
rust. But the repair cost on instruments is huge, so if you can't do some of the work yourself, you will likely spend a fortune. You would be
better to find a local place that does repairs and ask them if they can help you find a used system somewhere. If you do buy an old one, I would buy
two or three of them if they are cheap enough, then you have spare parts available. But fixing old instruments is not trivial and inadvisable unless
you know what you are doing. Just like buying an old car from the junk yard and asking the dealership to make it like new.
Lambda-Eyde - 17-7-2013 at 09:52
It can be done, but comissioning a company to do the repairs for you will be incredibly expensive. If you can't do it yourself it will be costly.
Benzylchloride1 has repaired a PE 1310. He also tried to repair a PE 4XX (something something) but didn't suceed because certain parts weren't
available anymore (the detector IIRC).
phlogiston - 17-7-2013 at 14:56
I am currently repairing a uvikon 941, at a -very- slow rate (for lack of time).
The time it takes depends very much on the defect. Some things can be solved just by uploading new software, whereas other machines need work on the
optical components, etc.
neptunium - 17-7-2013 at 21:04
uvikon? oh you are looking for a spectrophometer...because I have this 200 dollars USB spectrometer that works great form sciencesurplus.com...they do
have them on ebay from time to time
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Compact-Fiber-Coupled-CCD-Spectromet...
it says do it yourself but its not that big of a deal to align it and the math for the calibration is fairly simple.
amazingchemistry - 17-7-2013 at 21:41
Last time I checked there were a couple of "working" (as in, powers on, dials function and such) spectronic 20 and 20d spectrophotometers on ebay for
about 250 bucks. That's a steal if you ask me. Not much can go wrong with those I think. As far as spectrometers go, they seem to be on the simple
side of things.
phlogiston - 18-7-2013 at 02:52
Well, A deuterium lamp can be pretty costly to replace, last time I ordered one it was around $600.
But I guess that is not really 'repair', bur rather 'maintenance' costs.
It would be a cool project to convert one of those old instuments to a computer-controlled modernized instrument.
bfesser - 18-7-2013 at 04:17
I've got a deuterium lamp sitting in storage that I <em>might</em> be willing to part with. I picked it up at a local surplus shop a few
years ago, but it appears brand new. It's an <a
href="http://www.chem.agilent.com/en-US/products-services/Parts-Supplies/Chromatography-Spectrometry/LC-and-LC-MS/Detector-Lamps/Pages/default.aspx?ci
d=8652&gclid=CLTNvu2ezLgCFTRo7AodeywA4Q" target="_blank">Agilent Technologies Deuterium Lamp J3, part № 2140-0590</a> <img
src="../scipics/_ext.png" />. It's in the original package with the Test Certificate from 2003. Manufacturer listed retail is approx. 650 USD; my
price/trade is negotiable to ScienceMadness contributors only. Institutional and corporate labs need not apply.
<table><tr><td><img
src="http://www.chem.agilent.com/en-US/products-services/Parts-Supplies/Chromatography-Spectrometry/LC-and-LC-MS/Detector-Lamps/PublishingImages/Large
/2140-0590.jpg" width="300" /></td></tr><tr><td align="center">(stock
photo)</td></tr></table>
If nobody absolutely needs it, it will remain lovingly cared for and admired in my collection of shiny science stuff. 
[Edited on 7/26/13 by bfesser]