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Molecular Devices SPECTRAmax 340PC Operator's Manual

Microplate spectrophotometer
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SPECTRAmax
Microplate Spectrophotometer
Operator's Manual
Part # 0112-0049
Rev. A
®
340PC
Molecular Devices Corporation
1311 Orleans Drive
Sunnyvale, California 94089

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  • Page 1 ® SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual Molecular Devices Corporation 1311 Orleans Drive Sunnyvale, California 94089 Part # 0112-0049 Rev. A...
  • Page 2 1) All labor charges to repair the product for a period of one (1) year from the original date of delivery will be paid by Molecular Devices Corporation. 1) This warranty covers the SPECTRAmax 340PC instrument only, and does not extend to any com- puter, printer, software, reagents, or disposables used with the instrument.
  • Page 3 Molecular Devices Corporation service facility. You must call or write to the nearest Molecular Devices Corpora- tion service facility to schedule warranty service. You may call Molecular Devices Corporation at the telephone number or address below to locate the nearest service facility.
  • Page 4 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    Setting Up for Computer Control ......2-4 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...
  • Page 6 Long-Term Shutdown ........4-7 Moving the SPECTRAmax 340PC ......4-7 Chapter 5—Troubleshooting .

  • Page 7: Table

    Figures Figure 1.1 SPECTRAmax 340PC ......1-5 Figure 1.2 Control Panel ........1-5 Figure 1.3...

  • Page 8: Conventions Used In This Manual

    Conventions The names of keys that appear on the SPECTRAmax 340PC control panel are shown in boxed Helvetica type. Example: Used in this [Setup] Italic and boldface type are used for emphasis. Examples: “Press carefully to Manual engage,” “ Do not press down. ”...

  • Page 9: Chapter 1- Instrument Description

    Chapter 1 Instrument Description Introduction........1-3 General Overview.
  • Page 10 Chapter 1 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 11: Introduction

    ELISAs). Standard 96-well microplates, strip wells and filter-bottom microplates can be used in the SPECTRAmax 340PC. The contents of the wells in a microplate can be mixed automatically by shaking before each read cycle, which makes it possi- ble to perform kinetic analysis of solid-phase, enzyme-mediated reactions (mixing is not critical for liquid-phase reactions).

  • Page 12: Pathcheck™ Sensor

    Factory-stored values derived from deionized water are used to normalize the OD data for microplate wells. This pathlength correction is accomplished only with ® the use of SOFTmax PRO software from Molecular Devices which also pro- vides full instrument control and statistical data analysis. SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 13: Component Description

    TRAmax 340PC. The control panel can be used to configure the instrument set- tings, store and recall assay protocols, and to initiate readings. When you press a control panel key, the SPECTRAmax 340PC begins the desired action. When using Molecular Devices’ SOFTmax PRO software to control the...

  • Page 14: Lcd

    (850 nm) and continue pressing the up ( ) arrow, the display returns to the lowest possible setting (340 nm) and begins incrementing from there. The inverse is true for decrementing by pressing the down ( ) arrow. SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...
  • Page 15 CANCEL [CANCEL] Stops the reading in progress. is invoked by pressing the [CANCEL] [Shift/ key combination. remains active when the instrument is in READ] [CANCEL] remote control mode. SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 16: Status Indicators

    Status Indicators At the far right of the LCD are indicators as shown in Figure 1.3. These indica- tors will be illuminated when the SPECTRAmax 340PC is performing certain actions as described below. Figure 1.3: LCD Indicators CALIBRATING Illuminated during the automatic calibration cycle before the instrument reads the microplate.

  • Page 17: The Microplate Drawer

    A1 Indicator Figure 1.4: Microplate Drawer The microplate drawer, located on the right side of the SPECTRAmax 340PC, holds microplates and blanking templates. The drawer slides in and out of the microplate chamber. Springs on two sides of the drawer automatically position and hold a microplate in the proper position.

  • Page 18: The Back Panel

    (RS-232) Port Port Label Figure 1.5: Components on the Back Panel of the SPECTRAmax 340PC The following components are located on the back panel of the SPECTRAmax 340PC: • Power switch—a rocker switch, labeled I/O (for on and off, respectively).

  • Page 19: Functional Description

    • Temperature set point Assay protocol settings that you save under numbers 1 through 9 are retained by the SPECTRAmax 340PC in non-volatile memory—they are retained even when power to the instrument is turned off. At power up, the SPECTRAmax 340PC always reverts to the default protocol 0, but the other saved settings are available.

  • Page 20: Modes Of Stand-Alone Operation

    ELISAs and other solid-phase, enzyme- mediated reactions. The SPECTRAmax 340PC calculates the rate of reaction for each well, for either positive or negative kinetic rates, using the first reading as the starting OD base- line value for each well and a limited OD excursion of 0.2 OD. The on-board, microprocessor-based, linear regression package reports the slope value for the line fit to each kinetic plot as the kinetic rate in mOD/min.

  • Page 21: Blank Pattern

    “#” will replace the decimal point in printouts. This feature allows subtraction of values of substrate blanks or other special calibrators. Blank pattern information is provided to the SPECTRAmax 340PC by the use of a blank pattern template. (More information regarding the use of templates can be found in Chapter 3, “Stand-Alone Operation.”) After reading the template,...

  • Page 22: Wavelength Selection

    Temperature Regulation The SPECTRAmax 340PC has been designed to regulate the temperature of the microplate chamber from 4°C above ambient to 45°C. Upon power up, when the incubator is off, the temperature in the SPECTRAmax 340PC microplate chamber is ambient and isothermal.

  • Page 23: Automix

    When Automix is enabled, either “On” or “Once” will be displayed above the key. [Auto Mix] Use of Automix is strongly recommended for ELlSAs and other solid- NOTE: phase, enzyme-mediated reactions to enhance accuracy. SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual 1-15...

  • Page 24: Data Collection

    Printed Data Output During stand-alone operation, results are automatically printed as soon as a plate has been read. A new microplate can be loaded into the SPECTRAmax 340PC while the results from the first reading are being printed. If you have performed a blank reading, the blank values will be sub-...

  • Page 25: Computer Control

    SOFTmax Molecular Devices’ SOFTmax PRO software is a highly integrated program that can be used to control and collect data from the SPECTRAmax 340PC. SOFT- max PRO is easy to use, yet is powerful and flexible, and expands the capabilities of the SPECTRAmax 340PC.
  • Page 26 • Export data in tab-delimited ASCII format for use with Excel or other database programs or as JCAMP-DX format for use with spectral analysis software For a complete description of the features of SOFTmax PRO, refer to the SOFT- max PRO User’s Manual. 1-18 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 27: Specifications

    Instrument Description Specifications Thermal specifications for the SPECTRAmax 340PC apply to flat-bottom microplates with isolated wells. All other specifications apply to standard 96-well polystyrene flat-bottom microplates. Technical specifications are subject to change without notice. NOTE: Photometric Performance Wavelength range 340–850 nm...
  • Page 28 Recommended microplate Flat-bottom microplates with isolated wells and lid Automix with SOFTmax PRO Plate mixing modes Selectable: off, once prior to any reading, and once prior to and between kinetic readings Plate mixing duration Selectable: 1 to 999 seconds (three-second default) 1-20 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...
  • Page 29 Line voltage 90–250 VAC, auto-ranging Line frequency 50/60 Hz Regulatory Safety TUV, GS, CE approved Patents Protected by U.S. Patents 4,968,148 and 5,112,134 Protected by Canadian Patent 1,305,334 Other U.S. and International Patents Pending SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual 1-21...
  • Page 30 Chapter 1 1-22 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 31: Chapter 2-Installation

    Chapter 2 Installation Installation Warnings ......2-3 Installation Cautions ......2-3 Unpacking .
  • Page 32 Chapter 2 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 33: Installation Warnings

    After examining the carton, place it on a flat surface in the upright position. Open the top of the box and lift the SPECTRAmax 340PC, along with the pack- ing materials around the ends, up and out of the shipping box. Remove the pack- ing material from both ends of the instrument and set the instrument down carefully.

  • Page 34: Setting Up For Stand-Alone Use

    Chapter 2 Setting Up 1) Place the SPECTRAmax 340PC on a level surface, away from direct sunlight, dust, drafts, vibration, and moisture. for Stand- Alone Use 2) Turn the instrument around so that the back of the instrument is facing you as shown in Figure 2.1.
  • Page 35 6) Turn the SPECTRAmax 340PC around so that the control panel now faces you. Be sure no cables run beneath the instrument. Leave at least three inches between the back of the instrument and the nearest objects or surfaces to ensure proper ventilation and cooling.
  • Page 36 Chapter 2 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 37: Chapter 3-Stand-Alone Operation

    Chapter 3 Stand-Alone Operation Prepare for a Reading ......3-3 Turn the Instrument and Printer On ..3-3 Set the Temperature.
  • Page 38 Chapter 3 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 39: Prepare For A Reading

    Turn the Instrument and Printer On Reading The power switch for the SPECTRAmax 340PC is located on the back panel. Press the rocker switch to the on position. The instrument will automatically per- form diagnostic checks to ensure that it is functioning correctly. Turn the printer on at this time also.

  • Page 40: Endpoint Mode

    [Save] Endpoint Mode Use the up or down arrows on the key to scroll through the list [Read Mode] until you select Endpoint (shown in the LCD). SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 41: Kinetic Mode

    Kinetic mode during stand-alone operation. In Endpoint mode, dual wavelength is used when you want data from both a measurement and reference wavelength to be acquired by the SPECTRAmax 340PC. Single Wavelength Selection. Select the measurement wavelength by pressing the up or down arrows on the key on the control panel.

  • Page 42: Read The Microplate

    Overview 1) Turn on the printer and make sure it is properly connected. 2) Turn on the power switch of the SPECTRAmax 340PC (located on the back panel). The microplate drawer will open automatically. 3) If you wish to regulate the temperature inside the microplate chamber, touch the...
  • Page 43 11) Load the prepared microplate into the drawer, being sure to match well A1 with the A1 mark on upper left-hand corner of the drawer. Press the key. [READ] To cancel the reading, press and hold the key and then press the [Shift] [READ] key. SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...
  • Page 44 Chapter 3 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 45: Chapter 4- Maintenance

    Long-Term Shutdown ..... 4-7 Moving the SPECTRAmax 340PC ... 4-7...
  • Page 46 Chapter 4 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 47: Technical Support

    In order to fully benefit from our technical services, please complete the registration card and return it to the address printed on the card. If you have any problems using the SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectro- photometer, in the U.S., contact our Technical Services group at 1-800-635- 5577;...

  • Page 48: General

    flu- ids. Periodically, you should clean the outside surfaces of the SPECTRAmax 340PC using a cloth or sponge that has been dampened with water. Do not use abrasive cleaners. If required, clean the surfaces using a mild soap solution diluted with water or a glass cleaner and then wipe with a damp cloth or sponge to remove any residue.

  • Page 49: Changing The Fuses

    SPECTRAmax 340PC. If power failed while the SPECTRAmax 340PC was already on, check that the power cord is not loose or disconnected and that power to the power outlet is functioning properly.
  • Page 50 Metric: 4-amp, 5 × 20 mm, time-delay). 1) Switch power to the instrument off and then remove the power cord from the outlet and from the SPECTRAmax 340PC power cord receptacle. 2) Remove the printer cable and computer cable (if connected) from the back of the SPECTRAmax 340PC.

  • Page 51: Long-Term Shutdown

    Maintenance 7) It is possible that only one of the fuses may have blown. Molecular Devices recommends that you replace both fuses, however, to ensure continued proper operation. Pull both fuses out of the holder and discard them. Figure 4.4: The Fuse Box and Holder with Fuses Removed 8) Insert new SLOWBLOW-rated fuses into the fuse holder.
  • Page 52 Chapter 4 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 53: Chapter 5-Troubleshooting

    Chapter 5 Troubleshooting Error Codes and Probable Causes... . . 5-3 Error Messages ..... 5-3 Error Code Classifications .
  • Page 54 Chapter 5 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 55: Error Codes And Probable Causes

    This chapter lists error codes that may be seen, followed by their most likely causes and remedies. Maintenance procedures are described in Chapter 4. For problems with the SPECTRAmax 340PC that are not listed here, in the U.S., contact Molecular Devices Technical Services group at 1-800-635-5577; else- where, call your local representative.
  • Page 56 Chapter 5 number and contact Molecular Devices Technical Support or your local represen- tative for assistance. If the instrument is functioning normally when using SOFTmax PRO, NOTE: no errors should be in the buffer (except error number 100). Table 5.1: Error Codes, Messages, and Notes about the Errors...

  • Page 57: Warning Messages

    This action will not harm the instrument, but should only be taken if the first two options have failed to open the drawer. If you are still unable to open the drawer, contact your local Molecular Devices representative.
  • Page 58 Chapter 5 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 59: Appendix A-Printers And Cables

    Appendix A Printers and Cables Compatible In general, to be compatible with the SPECTRAmax 340PC, a printer must be able to emulate Epson graphics mode. This may Printers require changing the dip switch or pin settings on the printer or insertion of an emulation cartridge.
  • Page 60 Appendix A SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

  • Page 61: Appendix B-Accessories Available For Use With The Spectramax 340Pc

    Appendix B Accessories Available for Use with the SPECTRAmax 340PC Part Number SPECTRAtest Validation Package 0200-2405 Cable, RS-232, Macintosh to instrument (8-pin DIN/8-pin DIN) 9000-0091 Cable, RS-232, PC to instrument (9-pin/8-pin DIN) 9000-0149 Cable, parallel printer (25-pin, Centronics) 9000-0145 Power Cord...
  • Page 62 Appendix B SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...
  • Page 63 1-7, 1-13, 3-5 Display 1-5 Drawer 1-8, 1-9, 3-4 open manually 5-5 Labels 1-10 Dual wavelength 3-5 LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 1-5, 1-6, 1-8, 5-3 LCD (Liquid Crystal Display} 3-7 Long-term shutdown 4-7 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...
  • Page 64 1-19 cycle 1-12 reference 1-6, 1-12, 1-14 mode 1-7, 1-8, 3-3, 3-4, 3-6 Selection 1-14 READ key 1-8 single 1-12, 3-5 Read mode 1-7, 3-6 Remote control 1-5, 1-17 Run time Kinetic 1-7, 3-5 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...
  • Page 65 Contents ............v Figures .
  • Page 66 Moving the SPECTRAmax 340PC ........
  • Page 67 Figure 1.1: SPECTRAmax 340PC ........
  • Page 68 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...
  • Page 69 Table 1.1 : Intervals and Number of Readings for Total Kinetic Run Time1-13 Table 5.1 : Error Codes, Messages, and Notes about the Errors5-4 SPECTRAmax 340PC Microplate Spectrophotometer Operator’s Manual...

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