Smolke:Protocols/Pipet-Aid

Common Problems

 * My pipet-aid suddenly stopped working!
 * Did you aspirate liquid into the nosepiece? If so, you probably clogged the filter. Unscrew the bottom half of the nosepiece, pull out the filter, and replace it with a new one (from the drawer of 'syringe filters').


 * My pipet-aid is drawing up liquid very slowly!
 * The battery is probably at a very low charge. First, try charging the pipet-aid overnight. If that doesn't solve the problem, you'll need to replace the battery. Replacements are stored with the flints on the shelves near the stacks of filtered pipet tips. If we need more batteries, they're VWR #53498-063.
 * To replace your battery, unscrew the five screws on the side of the pipet-aid. Take off any stickers that cover the gap between the two halves of the pipet-aid, and take off the side without screw holes. The battery is attached to the side of the pipet-aid with foam tape - pull off the battery, remove the tape, and replace both the tape and battery with fresh ones. The old battery can be recycled in the yellow atrium.


 * My pipet-aid is getting stuck on (either aspirating or dispensing)!
 * The lever that turns the pipet-aid on is getting stuck in the springs which control the up/down buttons. The clearance is very tight, so if you bend the lever (say while you're replacing the battery) it can easily get stuck. Open the pipet-aid as above. Pull out the valve and buttons, giving you access to the lever. Bend the lever slightly downward (towards the side of the pipet-aid). If you bend the lever too far, the buttons won't be able to activate it. Don't bend it far enough and it'll still get caught. The problem gets worse when the pipet-aid is closed up again and everything is squeezed a little tighter.


 * My pipet isn't sealing to the nosepiece of the pipet-aid!
 * If you're having trouble getting your pipet-aid to seal to the pipet (particularly the 25mL pipets), you'll notice that the pipet tends to drip a lot - the poor seal means you can't maintain a vacuum, so the liquid in the pipet leaks out. Replace the rubber insert at the end of the pipet-aid nosepiece (replacement inserts are with replacement filters). If we run out, they're VWR #53498-192.