The use of microchannel electron multipliers in laboratory instrumentation as a detecting system coupled to an x‐uv monochromator or spectrograph, or to a low energy particle spectrometer, corresponds to a particular class of operation in which the detectors are exposed to a very low average input current and to stringent operational conditions, imposed by the instrument concept. It is shown in this paper that frequent vacuum breakings in the system containing the multiplier are not harmful to the stability of its performance. The monitoring of the strip current vs the applied potential is shown to be the simplest and most efficient way of assessing the state of the detector, as, in this particular regime of operation, it is necessary to follow a precise operating procedure to limit spurious secondary effects correlated to the water vapor contamination of its emissive surface.