We have been having HUGE problems (394, 1.5 years old) with our machine,
but I don't know trghe details without looking att the recent service
records. I do know we have wasted much time and effort (using unnatural
bases) and have had several valve block replacements. I do not think they
have replaced the "pump" or the valve block in the back. ABI is supposed
to be known for their great valve blocks and now they are all going bad.
Must be a materials problem or manufacturing that has gone out of specs.
We just had a valve block replaced before christmas and the machine is
already churning out junk again.
I for one will be a very strong voice to get this problem fixed and fast.
I would be interested to know who your service engineers are and who you
have spoken with at ABI about this problem. I think some letters to higher
ups are in order.
Perhaps a list of machines, age, serial numbers, and what parts have been
replaced could be assembled and then presented to ABI. I would be willing
to help organize such a list.
One of our engineers mentioned that the THF in the capping solution over
time does eat into the valve block, but this doesn't explain the very rapid
failure of these usually very reliable instruments.
Bob Hammer
P.S. ABRF: Please add me to the ABRF mailing list (or let me know how I
may be added)
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Robert P. Hammer
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Department of Chemistry
Louisiana State University Telephone: (504) 388-4025
232 Choppin Hall Facsimile: (504) 388-3458
Baton Rouge, LA 70803-1804 email: chammer@chrs1.chem.lsu.edu
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 15:19:43 -0500 (EST)
From: Mark Lively <lively@mgrp.bgsm.edu>
To: Recipients of ABRF List <abrf@aecom.yu.edu>
Subject: DNASyn: Failed valve blocks
Fellow DNA synthesis labs:
Our 18-month old PE/ABI 394 DNA synthesizer has experienced 5 valve
block failures in its ever-so-short lifetime. The first four failures were
in the 11-port reagent block at the front of the instrument but the
failure that happened yesterday may be in the 5-port block at the back as
well as the 11-port valve. One of the valve block diaphrams develops a
hole such that reagents and solvents are sucked back into the
vacuum-assist system. The vacuum ballast accumulates a lot of reagent, its
fittings get corroded and the vacuum "pump" device also is damaged by the
reagents. The pump and the block must then be replaced, usually.
I am curious to know how many other labs are having this problem. The
PE/ABI service engineers have been very prompt and have repaired our
machine as quickly as they could but replacement parts are getting hard to
find. I suspect there must be many other users with this problem. I would
like to stimulate the company to increase its efforts to find a solution
to this problem as quickly as possible. Additional information about other
labs with this problem will be helpful. It is difficult enough to operate
a DNA synthesis facility that is economical without problems with the
instrument. Each day that we are down costs our users money! In over 8
years of operation, our 380B never had this problem.
Thanks in advance for any input you may provide.
-Mark
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Mark O. Lively, Ph.D. Voice: 910-716-2969
Professor of Biochemistry Fax: 910-716-7200
Wake Forest University School of Medicine email: lively@mgrp.bgsm.edu
Medical Center Blvd.
Winston-Salem, NC 27157
HOME PAGE: http://www.bgsm.edu/molecular_genetics/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
************************************************************************
Robert P. Hammer
Assistant Professor of Organic and Biological Chemistry
Department of Chemistry
Louisiana State University Telephone: (504) 388-4025
232 Choppin Hall Facsimile: (504) 388-3458
Baton Rouge, LA 70803-1804 email: chammer@chrs1.chem.lsu.edu
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