Re: DNASyn: Failed valve blocks

Marc Lemaitre (m.lemaitre@eurogentec.be)
Thu, 22 Jan 1998 11:04:51 -0800

Mark Lively wrote:
> 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.

We have used some 392 and 394 DNA synthesizers some years ago.
We also experienced the same problems several time.
As there was no solution except fix the problem and pay (service
contract
or full price), as the explanation was always 'you don't use ABI reagent
but Glen reagent & 'blablabla'' ...
They even refused to fix the problem under warranty because of the use
of Glen reagents !
So we switched to PBio's Expedite machine and we are now happy.
Moreover this Expedite costs less money and uses less reagent, so ...
For everybody in oligo production, with machines working almost 24h/day
these valve blocks are a pain ... When you've to produce several hundred
oligos per day I just can't imagine (and afford) the cost of servicing X
394's with these problems.
This is my personnal opinion, but I guess I'm not alone.

-- 
Marc LEMAITRE, Ph.D.
EUROGENTEC Bel S.A.
Parc de Recherche Cense Rouge
B-4102 SERAING (BELGIUM)
Tel : (+ 32) 4 366 01 50 
Fax : (+ 32) 4 367 45 00
E-mail : <mailto:m.lemaitre@eurogentec.be>
Web site : <http://www.eurogentec.be>   <-------- check it out !