Beckman Coulter CEQ 8000, User Manual

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Hardware
User’s Guide 3
The capillary array (Figure 2) has three components: Electrode Block (inlet), eight
capillaries and the Array Fitting (outlet).
• The Electrode Block is the DNA sample inlet side of the array. It holds eight
hollow, stainless-steel electrodes. Each stainless-steel electrode holds a capillary in
the center. These electrodes are designed such that they can be immersed into an
entire row (8 wells) of a 96-well microplate (8-rows x 12-columns).
• The capillaries pass through and exit the Array Fitting. When the fitting is
installed, the ends of the capillaries are inserted into the Gel/Buffer Manifold
Reservoir.
• The Array Fitting contains the Detection Window and is the outlet side of the
array. The Detection Window of the fitting is used to expose the eight capillaries to
laser excitation (the external polyimide coating of the capillaries has been removed
for this purpose).
When the capillary array is not installed, e.g., during shipping and
storage, the Manifold Plug is inserted into the Manifold (Array Fit-
ting outlet) to prevent any gel (inside of the CEQ) from drying.
Figure 2: Capillary Array
Plenum
The CEQ System is supplied with a Capillary Heater Plenum suitable for use with a
33cm long capillary array. This “Short” plenum assembly has a capillary array
Routing Notch and a Conical Depression on the back as shown in Figure 3.
The “Short” plenum assembly is not suitable for use with 53cm long
capillary arrays. If 53cm long capillaries are used, a “Long” plenum
assembly must be used which does not have the routing notch or con-
ical depression shown in Figure 3. This “Long” plenum can be pur-
chased as a separate item and is not supplied with the CEQ System.
900505e.AI
Electrode Block
Capillaries (8)
Array Fitting
(inlet)
(outlet)
900505e.A1