The Xenon lamp in our lab's qPCR machine has just past its max number of usage hours. It is now at 1004 hours, but the maximum set by Roche is 1000.

I have ordered a replacement lamp, but this will take ~4 weeks, so i'm wondering if it is okay to keep running reactions in the mean time? Machine and software still run. But wondering if the results will still be accurate? Or if there is any other risk that may come from continuing to use the old lamp? I have limited cDNA so also don't want to waste using it on runs that may not work well.

I have read in the manual, that "If the lamp intensity falls below 50% of its initial intensity, you are automatically warned by the LightCycler® 480 Software that the Xenon lamp must be exchanged". I don't think our machine has given any such warning..... though i can't see a way to check if it is close to the 50%??

Thanks for your help!