BioRad Termociclatore

C1000 TouchTM Thermal Cycler Manual
7 Maintenance and
Troubleshooting
Read this chapter for information on maintaining the C1000 TouchTM thermal cycler and
troubleshooting problems.
• Cleaning and maintaining the C1000 Touch thermal cycler (page 43)
• Maintaining sufficient airflow (page 45)
Cleaning and Maintaining the C1000 Touch Thermal

Cycler
The C1000 Touch thermal cycler requires little maintenance for proper operation and precise
thermal control. However, with long and constant use, the thermal cycler requires some
cleaning and other maintenance. Information on cleaning the thermal cycler base and reaction
module is included in this chapter. In addition, instructions on replacing the fuses are provided.
Cleaning the C1000 Touch Thermal Cycler

The C1000 Touch thermal cycler should be cleaned on a regular schedule to remove any
debris or dirt that might interfere with proper function. Clean the base to prevent damage to
the air intake or reaction module bay.
NOTE: For instructions on handling and cleaning radioactive or biohazardous
materials, consult the guidelines for radiation safety and biosafety provided by your
institution. These guidelines include cleaning, monitoring, and disposal methods
for hazardous materials.
To clean the thermal cycler base, follow the instructions below; pay careful attention to the
warnings:
WARNING! To prevent electrical shock, always turn off and unplug the instrument
before cleaning it.
• Clean the air vents. Remove dust with a soft brush, damp cloth, or vacuum cleaner.
Remove any heavy dust that is deep in the vents with a vacuum cleaner. Cleaning the
vents allows sufficient airflow for precise thermal control during a run
• Clean the touchscreen. Clean the touchscreen with any commercially available
touchscreen cleaning agent. Use a soft cloth to clean the touchscreen
WARNING! Do not spray or pour cleaning agent directly onto the touchscreen
43
WARNING! Do not use abrasive detergents or rough material; they can scratch the
control panel.
• Clean the reaction module bay. Clean with a damp soft cloth to remove debris and
spilled liquids. Cleaning the bay allows precise heating and cooling of the reaction block
WARNING! Never use cleaning solutions that are corrosive to aluminium. Avoid
scratching the surface of the bay; surface scratches can interfere with precise
thermal control.
WARNING! Never pour water or other solutions in the reaction module bay. Wet
components can cause electrical shock when the thermal cycler is plugged in.
• Clean the outside case of the thermal cycler base. Use a damp cloth or tissue to
clean spills off the outside case. If needed, use a mild soap solution and remove the
residue completely. Cleaning the outside case prevents corrosion
Cleaning the Reaction Modules

Clean the reaction modules of the C1000 Touch thermal cycler on a regular schedule to
prevent reagents from accumulating and interfering with the ability of the reaction block to
change temperature quickly.
To clean the reaction module, follow these instructions, paying careful attention to the
warnings:
WARNING! To prevent electrical shock, always remove the reaction module from
the thermal cycler base before cleaning it.
• Clean the cooling fins. Remove dust from the cooling fins with a soft brush or damp
cloth. Remove any heavy dust that is deep in the fins with a vacuum cleaner. Use water
and a soft cloth to remove debris that is stuck to the fins. Avoid scratching the surface.
Never use cleaning solutions that are corrosive to aluminum, such as bleach or abrasive
cleansers. If needed, use a mild soap solution, and rinse well to remove the residue
completely. Cleaning the fins improves precise sample heating and cooling
• Clean the outside cover of the reaction block. Use a soft cloth and water to
remove debris from the outer block
WARNING! Never clean the block with strong alkaline solutions (strong soap,
ammonia, or highly concentrated bleach). Never use corrosive or abrasive cleaning
solutions. These cleaning agents can damage the block and prevent precise
thermal control.
• Clean the block wells. Clean spills immediately to prevent them from drying inside
wells. Use disposable plastic pipets with water (recommended), 95% ethanol, or a 1:100
dilution of bleach in water. Always rinse the wells with water several times to remove all
traces of ethanol, bleach, or soap
WARNING! If left in the block wells, bleach, ethanol, or soap could corrode the
block and/or destroy tubes and microplates during a run. Always rinse the block
well after cleaning it with any solution other than water.
• If oil is used, the wells must be cleaned thoroughly and often. Use of oil in the
wells is not recommended. Clean the oil when it is discolored or contains dirt. Use a
solution of 95% ethanol to clean oil. Do not allow oil to build up in the block
WARNING! Never heat the block after adding a cleaning solution. Heating the
block with cleaning solution damages the block, lid, and thermal cycler base.
• Clean the inner lid of the reaction module. Use a soft cloth and water to remove
debris and solutions from the inner lid surface. Never use abrasive detergents or rough
material that scratch the surface. Cleaning the inner lid improves precise sample heating
and cooling
44
• Clean the outer lid surface of the reaction module. Use a damp cloth or tissue to
clean spills off the outside case. If needed, use a mild soap solution and rinse the surface
with a damp cloth. Cleaning the cover prevents corrosion
Maintaining Sufficient Airflow

The C1000 Touch thermal cycler requires sufficient airflow to heat and cool precisely to the
correct target temperature. If the flow of air is blocked, the thermal cycler cannot ramp to the
correct temperature in the specified time. This section includes instructions for testing the
airflow and provides suggestions for fixing low or warm airflow.
Testing for Sufficient Airflow

The airflow is sufficient when the thermal cycler heats and cools to the correct target
temperatures promptly. When the C1000 Touch thermal cycler is first set up in a new location,
use the following steps to determine the presence of sufficient airflow:
1. Set up the instrument in the location where it is going to be used, then turn the power on.
2. Adjust the local environment for typical conditions.

Turn on any nearby equipment, such as fans. Also open any window blinds to reproduce
typical conditions during a run. If more than one thermal cycler is in the area, run a
protocol on all the thermal cyclers at the same time.
3. Run a typical PCR protocol for 30 min.

To run a protocol, samples are not required; however, an empty microplate or tubes
should be included. The lid does not heat correctly if it touches the hot block of the
reaction module.
4. Measure the air temperature at the air intake vents of all the thermal cyclers.
If the air intake temperature increases above 31°C, see “Fixing Insufficient Airflow” to
ensure sufficient airflow.
Fixing Insufficient Airflow

If the air temperature near the thermal cycler is above 31°C, make one or more of the following
changes to increase the flow of cooler air around the thermal cycler:
• Adjust air conditioning to lower the ambient air temperature
• Move the thermal cycler to another location
• Provide more space around the C1000 Touch thermal cycler and between adjacent
instruments. Arrange instruments so that the warm exhaust air from one instrument
does not enter the air intake vents of another
• Shield the thermal cycler from heat sources such as radiators, heat-producing
instruments, and bright sunlight
45
Replacing Fuses
Fuses on the C1000 Touch thermal cycler are designed to blow in case of severe power surges
or other causes of electrical short. This process protects both the user and the instrument from
excessive electric charge. Fuses on the C1000 Touch thermal cycler rarely need to be
replaced. However, some institutions prefer to replace fuses on a regular basis to maintain
uninterrupted operation.
If the thermal cycler does not turn on, first check that the power cord is plugged in to a
functioning power source. Also, check that the power cord and power source are within the
specifications for this instrument. To replace a power cord, contact Bio-Rad Technical Support
(for more details, see “Bio-Rad resources.” on page ii).
Finally, check that the fuses are intact. The C1000 Touch thermal cycler runs with two fuses
(Figure 33). To remove and check the fuses, follow these steps:
WARNING! To prevent electrical shock, always turn off and unplug the instrument
from an electrical outlet before checking the fuses.
1. Use a small coin to open the fuse drawer.
Fuse drawer
Figure 33. The fuse drawer on the back of the C1000 Touch thermal cycler.
2. Pull out the fuse drawer and remove each fuse.
3. If a fuse is damaged, replace it with a new fuse, and close the drawer.
A bad fuse shows a break or burned spot in the metal. A good fuse has intact metal.
46

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C1000 TouchTM Thermal Cycler Manual

Cleaning and Maintaining the C1000 Touch Thermal

Cleaning the C1000 Touch Thermal Cycler

Cleaning the Reaction Modules

Maintaining Sufficient Airflow

Testing for Sufficient Airflow

2. Adjust the local environment for typical conditions.

3. Run a typical PCR protocol for 30 min.

Fixing Insufficient Airflow

2. Pull out the fuse drawer and remove each fuse.

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