Quick Answer: The Micro-TRI-gloss gloss meter, listed as ‘Micro-TRI-gloss Brillancemeter’, is a handheld instrument that shines light onto a surface at a fixed angle and measures how much is reflected in the mirror direction. The listing photo shows a compact blue unit with a display window and an ‘operate’ button, used to compare the shine of paints, coatings and plastics.

How a Gloss Meter Puts a Number on Shine

‘Brillancemeter’ comes from the French ‘brillancemètre’, meaning gloss meter. Gloss is how mirror-like a surface looks, and the eye judges it inconsistently under different lighting. A gloss meter removes the guesswork: a light source inside the unit sends a beam onto the surface at a set angle, a detector positioned at the mirror angle measures the reflected light, and the result is expressed in gloss units (GU) relative to a calibrated reference.

Gloss measurement uses standard geometries: 60° as the general-purpose angle, 20° to separate high-gloss finishes, and 85° for matt surfaces, where reflection at the other angles is too weak to tell samples apart. The ‘TRI’ in this model’s name points to a three-angle meter, so one instrument can cover matt, satin and high-gloss samples; the angles and range should be confirmed for the unit supplied.

In teaching and research labs a gloss meter makes surface finish measurable. Students can follow how the gloss of a paint film changes as it dries, compare coatings applied at different thicknesses, or record how abrasion and weathering dull a plastic surface. The photo shows a blue housing with the display window on top, an ‘operate’ button on the front and a small indicator lamp.

Specifications

Applications

• Following the gloss of paint films as they dry or cure
• Quantifying scratch and abrasion damage on plastic or lacquered test panels
• Materials projects on surface finish, such as polishing metal coupons to increasing smoothness
• Checking that sample panels in a coatings practical start with a consistent finish

Care & Handling

• Calibrate the Micro-TRI-gloss against its reference tile at the start of each measuring session, following its instructions.
• Keep the measuring aperture and the reference tile clean; a fingerprint on either changes the readings.
• Place the meter flat on the sample and lift it off rather than sliding it, so the aperture is not scratched.
• Store it in its case away from dust, and remove the batteries if it will not be used for a long period.

Why Choose LabEquip

University and college labs teaching paints, polymers and surface coatings, along with quality-control training courses, are the typical buyers of a gloss meter like this. It is listed among LabEquip’s chemistry lab equipment; ask about angles and accessories through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a gloss unit?

It is the scale gloss meters report on. A polished black glass reference is defined as 100 GU at the chosen angle, and other surfaces are measured relative to it, so a matt wall paint reads low and a polished lacquer reads high.

Which measuring angle should I use?

Start at 60 degrees. If the reading is above about 70 GU, a 20 degree measurement separates high-gloss samples better; if it is below about 10 GU, 85 degrees gives more useful results on matt surfaces.

Why is it called a brillancemeter?

The name comes from the French brillancemètre, which means gloss meter. It is the same type of instrument that English-speaking labs call a glossmeter.

Can it measure curved or textured surfaces?

Gloss meters give their most reliable results on flat, smooth samples larger than the measuring aperture. Curved or heavily textured surfaces scatter light unevenly, so treat readings on them as comparative only.

How often does the meter need calibrating?

Check it against its reference tile at the start of every session, and again if the room temperature changes or after a long series of readings. A dirty or scratched tile gives a false calibration.

Does gloss relate to surface roughness?

Yes. A smoother surface reflects more light in the mirror direction and gives a higher gloss reading, while a rough one scatters light in many directions. That is why polishing raises gloss and abrasion lowers it.

Last Updated: September 2026

Quick Answer: The Technibec 2.0 microbiology pack combines the Technibec 2.0 electric burner with the microbiology table made for it, listed as ‘Technibec 2.0 Electric Beak Pack + Table for Microbiology’. The listing photo shows the burner inside a raised table with a row of tube holes along the front and room for Petri dishes beside the heat.

Burner and Table as One Aseptic Station

Buying the burner and table as a pack means the two parts arrive matched. The Technibec 2.0 electric burner supplies flameless heat, and the table stands around it to turn the bench in front of the student into an organised aseptic area. ‘Beak’ in the title is the French ‘bec’, meaning burner.

In this pack photo the table is pale grey and raised on legs, with a slatted enclosure in the centre where the burner sits. Along the front edge is a row of holes, shown holding glass tubes upright, and on the right a flat area where Petri dishes can be set down within reach of the warm zone. A cable leads away at the back. The same table is also listed on its own as the microbiology table for Technibec, for schools that already have the burner.

Working at this station, a student can take a loop to the heat, open a culture tube standing in the table, transfer to a plate and close the lid without putting anything down on the open bench. The table has no heating of its own, and the area around the burner enclosure becomes hot during use.

Applications

• Streak-plate practicals in which every student works at an identical station without an open flame
• Broth-to-broth subculturing with both tubes held upright in the table
• Inoculating plates on the flat area beside the heat
• Microbiology rooms where benches are wiped with ethanol and gas flames are unwelcome

Care & Handling

• Assemble the Technibec 2.0 pack with the burner cold and centred in the table’s enclosure before plugging in.
• Keep plastic Petri dishes on the flat area and away from the enclosure, where the heat is concentrated.
• Wipe the table with disinfectant only after switching off, and let alcohol-based wipes dry before switching on again.
• Unplug and allow both parts to cool before lifting the table off the burner.

Specifications

Why Choose LabEquip

Microbiology teachers setting up several identical student stations tend to order the Technibec 2.0 as this pack rather than as separate items. It belongs to LabEquip’s chemistry lab equipment range; say how many stations you need on the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is in the Technibec 2.0 pack?

It pairs the Technibec 2.0 electric burner with its microbiology table. The table can also be bought separately by schools that already own the burner.

Does the table heat anything itself?

No. It has no element of its own. The heat comes from the Technibec burner in the centre, and the table organises tubes and dishes around it.

Can the burner be used without the table?

Yes. Lifted out of the table, the Technibec 2.0 works as an ordinary electric bench burner for heating test tubes and small vessels in chemistry lessons.

Why use an electric burner for microbiology?

Benches are often wiped with ethanol, and an open gas flame beside wet disinfectant is a fire risk. An electric burner removes the flame, although its hot surfaces can still ignite vapour, so wipes must dry first.

How is a loop sterilised at this station?

Hold the wire loop in the burner’s heating zone until the whole wire glows red, let it cool in the air for a few seconds, then take the sample. Sterilise the loop again after use before putting it down.

Where should Petri dishes be placed?

On the flat area beside the burner, close enough to work near the heat but not touching the enclosure. Plastic dishes soften and distort if they are pushed against hot parts.

Last Updated: September 2026

Quick Answer: The Serenit reaction plate, listed as ‘Reaction plate for Sérénit electric burner’, is a shallow, dished metal plate that rests over the burner’s heating element. The listing photo shows a bright metal dish with an angular rim, bent locating tabs and a flat handle tab, used to heat small quantities of solids in full view of a class.

A Shallow Dish That Sits on the Heat

On a gas burner, a solid is usually heated in a crucible on a pipe-clay triangle or in a test tube held in the flame. The Sérénit electric burner has a flat spiral element instead of a flame, and this plate is made to rest over it. In the photo the plate has a shallow circular well pressed into its centre, a rim cut into straight segments, small tabs bent downwards to locate it on the burner, and a flat tab projecting from one side for lifting.

Because the well is open and shallow, everyone around the bench can see what happens to the sample: blue crystals turning white as their water of crystallisation is driven off, a solid melting and then charring, or a powder changing colour as it decomposes. Thin metal passes heat into the sample quickly, so changes begin soon after the burner is switched on.

The reaction plate has a different job from the solid fuel burning plate, which holds fuels such as charcoal while they burn. This one is for heating and decomposing small samples to watch a chemical change. Anything that releases irritant or toxic gas belongs in a fume cupboard, whichever plate is used.

Applications

• Heating blue hydrated copper(II) sulfate until it turns white, then adding a drop of water to reverse the change
• Comparing how sugar, salt and candle wax behave when heated: melting, charring or no visible change
• Thermal decomposition of green copper(II) carbonate to black copper(II) oxide as a class demonstration
• Drying a small portion of a damp, heat-stable solid before weighing

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Seat the Sérénit reaction plate on the burner while both are cold, and check that the tabs hold it level.
• Use small amounts; the tip of a spatula of solid is enough to see a change.
• Lift the plate only with tongs by its handle tab, and set it down on a heat-resistant mat to cool.
• Scrape out residues once cold and wash the plate before the next class; soak stubborn deposits rather than scouring hard.

Why Choose LabEquip

Teachers who have moved to Sérénit electric burners but still want to show dehydration and thermal decomposition reactions buy this plate. LabEquip includes it in the chemistry range, and you can match plate numbers to your burners through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can be heated on the reaction plate?

Small amounts of solids such as hydrated salts, carbonates, sugar or wax. Keep each sample to a spatula tip, and heat anything that gives off irritant gases only in a fume cupboard.

Can liquids be heated on it?

The well is shallow, so only a few drops fit and they may spit as they boil. For solutions, use an evaporating basin or a small beaker supported safely over the burner instead.

Will the plate fit burners other than the Sérénit?

It is listed for the Sérénit electric burner, and its tabs are shaped to locate on that unit. Fit on other burners should not be assumed, because a plate that is not seated properly can slide off a hot element.

How is it different from the solid fuel burning plate?

The solid fuel plate holds fuels such as charcoal or wood while they burn. The reaction plate is a dished well for heating and decomposing small samples, where the aim is to watch a chemical change rather than a combustion.

Why does blue copper sulfate turn white on the plate?

Blue copper(II) sulfate crystals contain water of crystallisation. Heating drives that water off and leaves white anhydrous copper(II) sulfate; adding a drop of water back restores the blue colour and gives out heat.

How should the plate be cleaned?

Let it cool completely, scrape off loose residue, then wash it with warm water and detergent. Soaking loosens baked-on deposits; avoid harsh scouring, which roughens the surface so that later residues stick.

Last Updated: September 2026

Quick Answer: The electric burner dimmer, listed as ‘Electric Beak Dimmer’, is a bench control box that sets the heat output of a compatible electric laboratory burner. Its front panel in the listing photo is printed ‘Réglage Temporisé MICROBIO OU TECHNIBEC’, naming the two burner families it is meant for, and carries a numbered dial between two indicator lamps.

Reading the Panel: What This Dimmer Controls

‘Beak’ in the title is the French ‘bec’ once more, the ordinary word for a laboratory burner, so this is a dimmer for an electric burner. The panel states its purpose in French: ‘réglage temporisé’, roughly ‘timed adjustment’, followed by the names MICROBIO and TECHNIBEC. In this range those names point to the LAB Microbiology electric Bunsen burner and the Technibec 2.0 electric burner.

The photo shows a small dark box with a white front panel. A rotary dial with a numbered scale sits in the middle, with a green lamp marked by a thermometer symbol on its left and a red lamp on its right, and a plug-and-socket symbol in the top corner. Regulators described as ‘temporisé’ generally vary heat by switching the heater on and off in timed cycles rather than dimming it continuously, so a low setting gives short heating periods with longer pauses between them. Follow the instructions supplied with the unit for the exact behaviour.

Why regulate at all? Sterilising a wire loop needs full heat, but many chemistry tasks do not: warming a broth tube, evaporating a few millilitres of solution, or holding a small beaker of water below the boil. With the dimmer placed between the wall socket and the burner, one burner can cover both kinds of work. The panel names only the Microbio and Technibec models, so use with other burners should not be assumed.

Specifications

Applications

• Setting a Technibec burner to low heat for warming tubes of culture medium without boiling them over
• Gentle evaporation of salt or copper sulfate solution in a small dish before crystallisation
• Switching one Microbio burner between loop sterilising at full setting and slow warming at a low one
• Keeping the heat modest during younger students’ first heating practical

Care & Handling

• Connect the electric burner dimmer only to a Microbio or Technibec burner, as named on its panel; never plug in hot plates, kettles or other heaters.
• Turn the dial to zero before connecting or disconnecting the burner.
• Keep the control box to one side of the burner, out of the rising heat and away from spills.
• Unplug both units after use and include them in the school’s routine electrical safety inspections.

Why Choose LabEquip

Schools that already own Microbio or Technibec electric burners buy this dimmer when a single fixed heat is not enough for their practicals. It is listed with LabEquip’s chemistry lab equipment; tell us which burner model you use through the contact page so the plug and supply can be matched.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which burners does this dimmer work with?

The panel is printed with the names MICROBIO and TECHNIBEC, so it is intended for those electric burner models. Other burners, including the Hofmann burner that has its own regulator, should not be connected unless compatibility has been confirmed.

Why is it called a beak dimmer?

Beak is a mistranslation of the French word bec, which means burner. The item is a dimmer, or power regulator, for an electric laboratory burner and has nothing to do with a beak.

What does réglage temporisé mean?

It translates roughly as timed adjustment. Regulators described this way usually control heat by switching the burner on and off in cycles, with longer on periods at higher settings, rather than lowering the power continuously.

Is a low setting enough to sterilise an inoculating loop?

Sterilising a loop needs the whole wire to glow red, which is normally done at full heat. Keep the lower settings for warming and evaporating, and turn the dial up before flaming loops.

Can the dimmer make a burner hotter than normal?

No. A regulator can only reduce the power reaching the burner, so its highest setting gives at most the burner’s normal full output. It cannot push a burner beyond its own design.

Can I leave the burner running on a low setting unattended?

No. Even at a low setting the burner surface gets hot enough to burn skin or ignite paper and solvent vapour. Turn the dial to zero and unplug when the practical ends.

Last Updated: September 2026

Quick Answer: The Serenit protection grid is a wire guard for the Serenit electric burner, listed as ‘Serenit Electric Spout Protection Grid’. The listing photo shows three horizontal metal rings joined by vertical legs, forming an open cage that stands over and around the heating element.

What the Grid Protects Against

The Serenit burner’s heating element sits exposed in the top of the unit, and when it is hot it may glow only faintly or not at all. The protection grid puts a ring of wire between the element and anything that might touch it: a hand reaching across the bench, a sleeve, a worksheet or a plastic item that could melt.

Its design is open. The photo shows a cage of three rings on long legs, so heat still rises freely and a tube, loop or small vessel can be brought to the heat through the top. Compare this with the perforated cylinder of the Hofmann burner guard, which suits a differently shaped burner.

The word ‘Spout’ in the title comes from the French ‘bec’, which means both spout and burner; the grid belongs to the Serenit electric burner. Because the wire rings heat up in use, the grid reduces accidental contact with the element but does not make the burner safe to touch.

Specifications

Applications

• Shielding the element during practicals with younger students
• Shared benches where several people reach past one burner
• Class demonstrations, where the teacher moves around the burner while talking
• Reducing the chance of worksheets or plastic items drifting onto the element

Care & Handling

• Fit the grid with the burner off and cold, and check that it sits evenly without touching the element.
• Do not rest heavy vessels on the rings unless the burner instructions allow it; thin wire bends.
• Clean off residues when cold with warm detergent solution and a soft brush, then dry.
• Straighten or replace a grid that has been bent, since a distorted ring may touch the element.

Why Choose LabEquip

Schools buying the Serenit burner for lower-secondary classes usually want the grid too, to keep hands off the element. It is part of LabEquip’s chemistry lab equipment listings, and burner, grid and rod can be requested together through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the protection grid stop the burner from being hot to touch?

No. It keeps hands and objects away from the element itself, but the wire rings warm up in use and can burn. Treat the grid as part of the hot zone.

Can I still heat a test tube with the grid fitted?

Yes. The top of the grid is open, so a tube held in a holder, or a wire loop, can be lowered into the heat through the rings.

Why is it described as a ‘spout’ grid?

The listing name was translated literally from French. ‘Bec’ can mean spout, but in the laboratory it means burner, so this is a protection grid for the Serenit electric burner.

Is the grid needed for adult users?

It is most useful with students and on shared benches, but anyone can brush against an exposed element. Many labs leave a grid fitted permanently and remove it only for cleaning.

Will it fit the Hofmann or Technibec burners?

It is listed for the Serenit burner. The Hofmann burner has its own cylindrical guard, and other models have their own accessories, so choose protection by burner name.

How do I clean the grid?

Remove it when cold and wash it in warm detergent solution with a soft brush. Dry it fully before refitting, and never clean it while it sits on a burner that is plugged in.

Last Updated: September 2026