Pressure/Vacuum Washer Parts; External Vacuum Source; Hydrophobic Filter; Internal Pressure Source - Molecular Devices SkanStacker 300 User Manual

Pressure/Vacuum Washer Parts

External Vacuum Source

The instrument requires an external vacuum source. Vacuum is expressed in
millibar (mbar), with reference to absolute vacuum, which equals 0 mbar, and
room pressure, which equals 1000 mbar. (Note: 1000 mbar = 1 bar = 1 atmo-
sphere = approximately 14 PSI). The instrument should be used with a stable
vacuum source with the following minimum requirements:
Capacity: Higher than 30 L/min, free air displacement.
Peak vacuum: Better than 300 mbar.
A dedicated vacuum source is recommended. House vacuum often has fluctu-
ation in vacuum since typically there is more than one user.

Hydrophobic Filter

A hydrophobic filter should be placed between the waste reservoir and vac-
uum pump. The filter is used to protect the pump by preventing liquid from
entering into the pump system. A filter with a pore size of 0.2 µm is recom-
mended. Continuous use of the pump protection membrane filter will cause
reduced flow capacity. The filter should be replaced when condensation is vis-
ible in its housing.

Internal Pressure Source

The instrument is equipped with an internal pressure pump that creates air
pressure in the liquid reservoirs, eliminating the need for gravity feed. The
pressure level can be adjusted between 0.0 and 0.6 bar (approximately 9 psi).
The air pressure is supplied through the small quick couplings on the left side
of the instrument labeled Pressure ports (Figure 2). The default air pressure
value is 0.25 bar (approximately 4 psi). Any value between 0.15 -0.40 bar is
considered a reasonable operating pressure. The air pressure value can be set
for each wash program through the on-board software and adjusted for differ-
ent assays.
SkanStacker 300 User Guide
TIP: Adjusting the level of the
air pressure also adjusts the flow
rate of the liquid entering the
microplate wells. It does not have
an effect on the volume.
Parts and Description
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