POP-4™ Polymer, for 3500/SeqStudio™ Flex, 384 Samples - FAQs

When placing the array on the instrument, the last step in the process is to loosen the array knob and the instrument forces any air bubbles around the array tip through the threading and the middle of the array knob. Some polymer gets pushed through as well and when it dries up, it appears as a white, flaky residue. Use a damp, lint-free cloth to remove it.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Capillary Electrophoresis Instruments Support Center.

On the Applied Biosystems 3500 Series Genetic Analyzer, the polymer pouch may not be sitting properly or the check valve may be stuck in the open position. Carefully detach the polymer pouch by pulling down the handle next to it, and then pull the handle up while guiding the pouch into place and secure it by pushing up on the plastic head of the pouch. If this fails, perform a wash on the system using the conditioning pouch. If reseating the tube/pouch and cleanup do not fix the problem, a service call may be required.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Capillary Electrophoresis Instruments Support Center.

Some of the other causes of an Unstable Electrophoresis current detected error message are:

1.Leak on the system
2. Polymer that:
-Has expired
-Has been left on the instrument for more than the recommended time
-Is a mixture of expired polymer and non-expired polymer
3. Running Buffer that was:
-On the instrument longer than 2 weeks
-Not filled to the fill line or evaporated below the fill line
4. An arcing event that was not cleaned afterwards using the water wash wizard
5. Not performing regular maintenance on the instrument
6. Hardware issues

Inspect the system for leaks. If you do not see any leaks on the system, perform the wash the pump chamber and channels wizard using the conditioning pouch and place fresh, non-expired polymer and fresh Anode and Cathode buffer containers. If the problem persists, a service call may be required.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Capillary Electrophoresis Instruments Support Center.

If we do not specify the expiry date or number of uses, the warranty will last for 12 months from the date of shipment.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Capillary Electrophoresis Instruments Support Center.

Thermo Fisher Scientific can only provide warranty on performance on non-expired reagents. Using reagents past their expiration date is a risk and may compromise your data integrity.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Capillary Electrophoresis Instruments Support Center.

If the instrument is not in use, it is not necessary to replace the buffer every 14 days. However, the buffer level needs to remain at the fill line to prevent the capillary or array from drying out. Top off the buffer volume with water if necessary. Replace the anode and cathode buffer containers prior to starting a new run.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Capillary Electrophoresis Instruments Support Center.

For the Applied Biosystems 3500 Series Genetic Analyzer, the buffer will keep for 14 days if room temperature is <25 degrees C and for 7 days if >25 degrees C.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Capillary Electrophoresis Instruments Support Center.