Spikes - Agilent Technologies 2100 Maintenance And Troubleshooting Manual

5
Troubleshooting the DNA Application
Symptoms (DNA)

Spikes

Most probable causes
Vibration of 2100 Bioanalyzer instrument.
Chip or gel-dye mix contaminated with particles.
Dye agglomerates present in the gel-dye mix.
Probable causes
Chip prepared with cold reagents.
Back to
44
Solution
Do not touch 2100 Bioanalyzer instrument during a run.
Remove vibration devices, such as vortexers and vacuum
pumps, from bench.
Prepare new chip with new gel-dye mix:
Wear powder-free gloves only.
Do not touch the underside of the chip.
Do not touch the wells of the chip.
Clean the electrodes.
Load the chip immediately after taking it out of its sealed bag.
Use dye concentration according to the Kit Guide.
Let the dye warm up to room temperature for 30 minutes before
preparing the gel-dye mix.
Protect the dye from light during this time.
After centrifugation, the gel-dye mix should be taken up from
the top of the tube.
Solution
Prepare a new chip. Allow all reagents and reagent mixes to
warm up to room temperature for 30 minutes before use.
"Symptoms (DNA)" on page 37
Maintenance and Troubleshooting