PowerEase™ 90W Power Supply (115 VAC) - FAQs

Yes, the PowerEase 300W Power Supply (230 VAC) (Cat. No. PS0301) as well as the PowerEase 90W Power Supply (Cat. No. PS0090) are both compatible with the Owl chambers; confirmed for the Owl EasyCast B2 Mini Gel Electrophoresis System (Cat. No. B2) and the Owl A2 Large Gel System, 2.3L, 37.5 x 32.5 x 10.5cm (L x W x H) (Cat. No. A2). Also, vice versa, Owl 300XL power supply + adapters can be used with the Mini Gel Tank (Cat. No. A25977), XCell SureLock Mini-Cell (Cat. No. EI0001) and XCell4 SureLock Midi-Cell (Cat. No. WR0100).

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Gel Electrophoresis Chambers, Power Supplies, and Accessories Support Center.

For detailed instructions on replacing the fuse on the PowerEase 90W Power Supply, please refer to Page 17 of the manual (https://tools.thermofisher.com/content/sfs/manuals/PowerEase_90W_PowerSupply_man.pdf).

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

The PowerEase 90W Power Supply requires no periodic maintenance with the exception of an occasional dry wipe-down of the instrument.

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

The PowerEase 90W Power Supply is capable of operating at limiting voltage, or limiting current. However, we recommend operating it at limiting voltage for most applications as it provides the following advantages:

For most electrophoresis methods, resistance increases throughout the run. Under limiting voltage, current and power decrease throughout the run, providing an improving margin of safety over time.
The same voltage setting can be used regardless of the number or thickness of gels being electrophoresed.
Note: With the current limiting setting, the voltage will increase as resistance increases to satisfy Ohm’s law (V=IR). If no voltage limit is set and a local fault condition occurs, such as a poor connection, very high local resistance may cause the voltage to increase to the maximum capacity of the power supply. This may lead to local overheating and damage to the electrophoresis cell or create unsafe conditions. When operating under constant current conditions, we recommend setting a voltage limit on the power supply at or slightly above the maximum expected voltage.

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

For best results, we do not recommend using the PowerEase 90W Power Supply at its maximum electrical load limits. Variations in buffer conditions can result in exceeding the power supply’s maximum voltage, current, or power output capacity and produce undesirable variations in performance.

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The product specifications for the PowerEase 90W Power Supply are listed on Page 16 of the manual (https://tools.thermofisher.com/content/sfs/manuals/PowerEase_90W_PowerSupply_man.pdf).

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The PowerEase 90W Power Supply includes the following components:

PowerEase 90W Power Supply
Extra fuse
Power cord
Note: Please use the power cord approved for your country/region. North America customers should use the Type B power cord; Japanese customers should use the JIS 8303 power cord; Chinese customers should use the GB 15934-2008 power cord; Australia/New Zealand customers should use the Type I power cord.

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The PowerEase 90W Power Supply is a microprocessor-controlled power supply designed specifically for mini-gel electrophoresis. The straight-forward, intuitive interface makes the powering of DNA and protein gel runs a simple and easy process. In addition, the PowerEase 90W Power Supply features:

Constant voltage or current settings
Built-in timer for walk-away gel electrophoresis
Four sets of output jacks that are compatible with most electrophoresis devices

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The PowerEase 90W Power Supply accommodates the running of 2 Mini gels, or 2 Midi gels.

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This is not really recommended, but it is always possible to increase run time by lowering the voltage of the run. In general, the relationships are linear - i.e., decreasing voltage by half will double the run time.

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

If you are running the gel at constant voltage, you do not need to increase the voltage regardless of the thickness of the gel.

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

Using constant voltage allows the current and power to decrease during the run, providing a safety margin in case of a break in the system. Having lower power is a safety benefit and will also decrease the chances of experiencing an overheating of the gel. Further, the constant voltage setting does not need adjustment to account for differences in number or thickness of gels being run.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within ourProtein Gel 1D Electrophoresis Support Center.

One extra fuse is supplied with the PowerEase 90W Power Supply. For detailed instructions on replacing the fuse, please refer to Page 17 of the manual.

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

Here are the scenarios for this error with likely causes and solutions:

- Voltage changes to current. Current limit was set too low due to which the ceiling for current was hit and constant mode changed from voltage to current. Increase current limit to 500 mA.
- Current changes to voltage. Voltage was set to low due to which the ceiling for voltage was hit and constant mode changed from current to voltage. Increase voltage limit to 300 V.

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

Here are likely reasons why this might happen:

- Electrophoresis systems were added or removed during a run
- Buffer leaking in a connected system
- Excessive temperature increase
- Excessive buffer evaporation
- Loose connection in a connected system
- Current set too low

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Here are possible causes and solutions:

- Load exceeds 500 mA. The output maximum on the power supply is 500 mA, so make sure that it is not exceeded.
- Blown fuse in the power supply. Replace fuse following instructions on Page 17 of the manual.
- Incorrect input voltage. Check input voltage switch near power inlet.

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This is due to overheating of the power supply. Please do the following:

- Turn off power supply. Check for sufficient airflow around the power supply fan. After cooling down, restart the power supply by turning the Power switch to the on position.
- If you cannot restart the instrument, turn off the power, disconnect the power cord from the outlet, and contact Technical Service by sending an e-mail to techsupport@thermofisher.com.

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This is most likely due to a ground leak detected during the run. Check the electrophoresis system for improper grounding and restart the power supply by turning the Power switch off and on.

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Here are some suggestions: - Verify that the running buffer is correct.
- Verify that all cables are attached correctly.
- Turn the Power switch off and on again; restart application.
- If you cannot restart the instrument, turn off the power, disconnect the power cord from the outlet, and contact Technical Service by sending an e-mail to techsupport@thermofisher.com.

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

Here are the possible causes and suggested solutions:

- Electrophoresis leads are not connected to the power supply or to the electrophoresis unit(s), or there is a broken circuit in the electrophoresis cell. Check the connections to the power supply and on your electrophoresis cell to make sure the connection is intact; check condition of wires in electrophoresis unit. Close the circuit by reconnecting the cables. Press Start/Pause to restart the run.
- High resistance due to tape left on a pre-cast gel, incorrect buffer concentration, or incorrect buffer volumes in the electrophoresis cell. Correct the condition by making sure the tape is removed from the pre-cast gel, buffers are prepared correctly, and the recommended volume of buffer is added to the electrophoresis unit.
- Current has dropped below acceptable rating (4 mA). The power supply has a built-in “No Load Detection” feature that can detect when the current drops below the acceptable rating of 4 mA.

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

Here are possible causes and solutions:

- AC power cord is not connected. Check AC power cord connections at both ends. Use the correct cord.
- The fuse has blown. Replace the fuse.

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