Beckman Coulter GH-3.8 Instructions For Use Manual page 27

CAUTION
If only two buckets are loaded with blood bags, bottles, or modular disk adapters,
the other two buckets should contain at least a minimal "blank" load (such as
empty modular disk adapters) to achieve optimal results and to avoid rotor
imbalance. If only two blood bags are being run and modular disk adapters are not
available, we recommend using two water-filled blood bags in cups in the empty
buckets. Placing empty blood bag cups or bottle adapters in the open buckets
does not provide enough weight to prevent possible imbalance.
Beckman Coulter supplies buckets in weight-matched sets to make balancing easier (the weight and
warranty expiration date are marked on the side of each bucket). Modular disk adapters are also
sold in weight-matched sets. However, there are variances in weight between sets, as well as
variance in weight between previously purchased adapters. To prevent accidental imbalance it is
important to keep matched sets of adapters together and to weigh other adapters to be sure they
are approximately the same. Marking matched sets will help you keep them together.
NOTE
The light purple 500-mL adapters (349945) replace the previous tan adapters. There is a weight
difference between the old tan adapters and the current purple adapters. If you run a mix of the purple
and tan adapters, be sure to run matching colors in opposing positions or rotor imbalance could occur.
It is not necessary to completely fill all tubes, positions in adapters, or wells in multiwell plates;
however, partially filled adapters or multiwell plates must be balanced with respect to the pivotal
axis of the bucket or carrier as discussed below.
In adapters, each tube should be placed so that its weight is balanced by a tube in a diametrically
opposite position across the pivotal axis in the same adapter (see Figure 4). Adapters placed in
opposing buckets should also be filled the same way.
If you must run only one tube in an adapter, be sure this tube rests over the bucket's pivotal axis.
• Use the center hole of the adapter, if one is available.
• Use a side hole in line with the bails (vertical supports).
• Turn the adapter so that the tube rests across the pivotal axis of the bucket. The bails will no
longer be in line with the pivotal axis; check that they do not interfere with the proper swing
of the bucket.
NOTE
Be sure to run a tube of the same approximate weight in the same configuration in the opposite
bucket.
In multiwell plate carriers, samples should be loaded into the wells symmetrically with respect to
the pivotal axis of the carrier (the pivotal axis runs parallel to the crossbar), and opposing carriers
should contain the same loads (see
PN GS6-TB-003MD
Figure 4).
GH-3.8 Rotor
Loading the Rotor
1-17