1300-87072-1A, REV 0
Spex® SamplePrep
Page 20 of 26
7.1 Preparing the Titer Plates
While the precise details are left to the individual user, each well in the titer plate can be
loaded with a seed, plant tissue, or other sample, and an eluent, solvent, etc. If it is necessary
to disrupt the sample, a grinding media is typically added first. The #2100 Grinding Ball
Dispenser available for the Genomax will deposit one 5/32 in (4 mm) steel ball layer in each
well of the titer plate. Dry grinding may require a second ball in each well, possibly sandwiching
the sample between them during grinding.
When stacking 4 or 6 titer plates, do not add more
than five 4 mm steel balls to a single titer plate well. Dynamic loads greater than 2 lb can
create a rate error.
To use the #2100 Grinding Ball Dispenser, fill the tray with more than enough steel balls to
cover the bottom, and shake it gently until a steel ball falls into every hole. Then place the
dispenser over an empty titer plate and push in the slide, releasing the balls caught in the slide.
Set the dispenser aside and check that a ball is in each well of the titer plate.
Sealing the loaded titer plate is a matter of choice, which can vary with the brand of titer plate
and the necessity of sealing a fluid in each well. Some manufacturers of titer plates make
sealing systems; many technicians have also developed other methods for plugging the top of
each well. Users must decide for themselves which method is most effective. What matters
most is that the contents of one well do not contaminate the sample in an adjacent well.
NOTE:
Because the action of the Genomax is so energetic and efficient, run times are short,
typically 2 minutes or less. When developing a procedure, always start with a short running
time and increase it only if needed.
7.2 Manual Lid Release Latch
To open the cabinet if the power to the Genomax fails, press and hold the metallic button on
the back of the unit (at the top left) while lifting the red Lid Handle at the same time.
7.3 Running the Genomax
Press the green RUN button to initiate a programmed
run. The screen will display a countdown of the time
remaining in a run, as shown in Figure 9. The Genomax
will stop automatically at the end of the run. When the
grinding program has ended, the screen will display
RUN COMPLETE, as shown in Figure 15. Touch the
screen to return to the Control Panel.
To stop the Genomax during a run, press the red STOP
button on the screen. Operation will cease and the timer
will reset.
Figure 15