Power Blotter Cassette XL - FAQs

An alternative for the discontinued Power Blot Cassette (Cat. No. 22835) is the Power Blotter Cassette XL (Cat. No. PB0003). It functions in the same way but is a different color.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

The Power Blotter System (Cat. No. PB0012) comes with the Power Blotter Station (Cat. No. PB0010) plus Power Blotter Cassette (Cat. No. PB0002). The Power Blotter System can transfer one midi or up to two mini gels at the same time. The Power Blotter XL System (Cat. No. PB0013) on the other hand comes with the Power Blotter Station (Cat. No. PB0010) plus Power Blotter XL Cassette (Cat. No. PB0003). The Power Blotter XL System can transfer up to two midi or four mini gels at the same time.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

Even though the Power Blotter System/Power Blotter XL System does not have the staining program, this can be introduced. Please see the user guide for our Pierce Mini/Midi Gel Power Staining Kit (https://assets.thermofisher.com/TFS-Assets/LSG/manuals/MAN0017799_22839_22840_powerstain_midi_minigel_UG.pdf) for how to create a Custom Staining Method.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

The top (cathode) is stainless steel and the bottom (anode) is platinum-coated stainless steel.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

Yes, you may purchase the Universal Cable Kit (Cat. No. 4377117).

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

Here are the SKUs for the power cord. Please order the one appropriate for your region:

- Cat. No. 84858: Power Cord with C13 Connector, North America
- Cat. No. 84859: Power Cord with C13 Connector, Continental Europe and South Korea
- Cat. No. 84860: Power Cord with C13 Connector, United Kingdom and Singapore
- Cat. No. 84855: Chinese 10 Amp Cordset w/ C13 Connector
- Cat. No. 84856: Japanese 15 Amp Cordset w/ C13 Connector
- Cat. No. 84857: Australian 10 Amp Cordset w/ C13 Connector

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

Yes, Power Blotter Select Transfer Stacks are compatible with immunofluorescence detection.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

Yes, both PVDF and nitrocellulose membranes are compatible with the Power Blotter System/Power Blotter XL System. You can use 0.2 µm and 0.45 µm pore size membranes. Our Power Blotter Pre-cut Membranes and Filters (PVDF and nitrocellulose) come with 0.45 µm pore size membranes. Our Power Blotter Select Transfer Stacks (PVDF and nitrocellulose) come with 0.2 µm pore size membranes.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

This may be due to salt deposited on moving parts inside the cassette. We recommend rinsing the cassette top and bottom under warm water while removing any sticky salt residue with a gloved hand. Briefly rinse with deionized water and place in a rack to dry. For more thorough cleaning, immerse the unassembled cassette in warm water and use a gloved hand or clean sponge to remove any sticky salt residue. Rinse with deionized water and place perpendicular in a rack to dry.
Note: Failure to keep the cassette top (cathode) and bottom (anode) clean will result in the sticking of moving parts and lead to poor transfer efficiency.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

Yes. You may use the same method that was used with the G2 Fast Blotter: https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/protein-biology/protein-biology-learning-center/protein-biology-resource-library/protein-biology-application-notes/transfer-emsa-gels-using-g2-fast-blotter.html

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

No, revalidation is not necessary. The firmware is the same and the blotting efficiency is the same.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

You can use your own consumables (membrane, filter paper with 2.48 mm thickness, and buffer) for standard semi-dry transfer on the Power Blotter System/Power Blotter XL System following the parameters recommended on page 20 of the Power Blotter System User Guide (https://assets.thermofisher.com/TFS-Assets/LSG/manuals/MAN0017053-PowerBlotterSystem-UG.pdf).

For fast semi-dry transfer on the Power Blotter System/Power Blotter XL System, you can use your own membrane and filter paper (with 1.8 mm thickness), however, the Power Blotter 1-Step Transfer Buffer or the Pierce 1-Step Transfer Buffer would need to be used.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

Yes, but you need to ensure that the total thickness of the filter paper stack on either side of the gel/membrane does not exceed 1.8 mm.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

Yes, utilization of the Power Blotter 1-Step Transfer Buffer (5X) allows fast transfer (within 5 min for low MW proteins/within 7 min for mixed range MW proteins/within 10 min for high MW proteins). The Power Blotter can also be used with the Pierce 1-Step Transfer Buffer (Cat. No. 84731, 84731X5, or 84742) for fast transfer.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

Yes, the Power Blotter System/Power Blotter XL System is an open system and you can use your own transfer buffer. However, keep in mind that your own transfer buffer will result in a prolonged transfer time (˜60 min), whereas a fast transfer (5-10 min) can be achieved using the Power Blotter 1-Step Transfer Buffer (5X) or the Pierce 1-Step Transfer Buffer.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

Yes, you can order the Power Blotter Cassette XL (Cat. No. PB0003).
Note: The Power Blotter Cassette (Cat. No. PB0002) is not compatible with the G2 Fast Blotter.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

The Power Blotter Cassette (Cat. No. PB0002) is designed to blot 1-2 mini gels at a time or 1 midi gel and the Power Blotter Cassette XL (Cat. No. PB0003) is designed to blot 1-4 mini gels or 1-2 midi gels at a time. Both cassettes can be used with the Power Blotter. On the other hand, the traditional G2 Fast Blotter is only compatible with the Power Blotter Cassette XL (Cat. No. PB0003); the Power Blotter Cassette (Cat. No. PB0002) will not work with the G2 Fast Blotter.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

You can purchase the Power Blotter Station (Cat. No. PB0010) and the G2 Fast Blotter cassette is compatible with it. The new Power Blotter System is designed for Western transfer alone and does not have a staining module; therefore, the G2 Fast Blotter staining cassette cannot be used on the Power Blotter Station.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

We do not offer a staining cassette for the Power Blotter System/Power Blotter XL System but it can be programmed to stain gels. Please see the user guide for our Pierce Mini/Midi Gel Power Staining Kit (https://assets.thermofisher.com/TFS-Assets/LSG/manuals/MAN0017799_22839_22840_powerstain_midi_minigel_UG.pdf) for how to create a Custom Staining Method.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.

No, 1-2 mini gels and 1, 2, or 4 mini gels can be transferred at the same time with the same transfer efficiency using the Power Blotter System and Power Blotter XL System, respectively.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Electrophoresis and Western Blotting Support Center.