MJ Research PTC-0200, Operation Manual

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DNA Engine & DNA Engine Tetrad Operations Manual
Cleaning the DNA Engine
Cleaning the Chassis and Block
Clean the outside of the DNA Engine and Alpha unit with a damp, soft
cloth or tissue whenever something has been spilled on it or the chassis
is dusty. A mild soap solution may be used if needed.
Clean block wells with swabs moistened with water, 95% ethanol, or a
1:100 dilution of bleach in water (see the
Twin Tower Block Operations
Manual for instructions on cleaning the Twin Tower’s slide slots). If using
bleach, swab wells with water afterward to remove all traces of bleach.
Clean spilled liquids out of the block as soon as possible; dried fluids can
be difficult to remove. Do not clean the block with caustic or strongly
alkaline solutions (e.g., strong soaps, ammonia, bleach at a higher con-
centration than specified above). These will damage the block’s protec-
tive anodized coating, possibly causing electrical shorting.
If you use oil in the block (a practice not recommended by MJ R
ESEARCH
;
see “Using Oil to Thermally Couple Sample Vessels to the Block,” chap-
ter 4), clean the wells whenever the oil has become discolored or contains
particulate matter. Use a swab to determine whether cleaning is needed.
Clean the block with 95% ethanol as described above.
Oil buildup must
be prevented. Old oil harbors dirt, which interferes with vessel seating
and diminishes thermal coupling of sample vessels to the block.
Caution: Caution:
Caution: Caution:
Caution: Do not pour any cleaning solution into the block’s wells
and then heat the block, in an attempt to clean it. Severe
damage to the block, the heated lid, and the chassis will
result.
Cleaning the Air Vents
Clean the air intake and exhaust vents with a soft-bristle brush, a damp
cloth, or a vacuum cleaner whenever dust is visible in them. The air in-
take vents are located on the bottom, lower front edge, and back of the
machine; the air exhaust vents are located on both sides (see figs. 2-1, 2-3,
and 2-4). If these vents become clogged with dust and debris, airflow to the
Alpha unit’s heat sink is hampered, causing performance problems re-
lated to overheating. The air intake vents are particularly likely to collect
dust since their holes are much smaller than those of the air exhaust vents.
Tip: Tip:
Tip: Tip:
Tip: To prevent problems with overheating, institute a regular pro-
gram of checking for dust buildup, particularly for robotics
installations.
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