E-Gel
™
Power Snap Electrophoresis System User Guide
35
Appendix A
Troubleshooting
Observation
Cause
Recommended action
No current
Cassette improperly
Inserted, defective or expired
Remove and re-insert cassette or try using new
cassette. Use properly stored gels before the specified
expiration date.
Incorrect adaptor used
Use only UL Listed Class 2 Direct Plug-in Adaptor
included with the E-Gel
™
Power Snap Electrophoresis
Device
Poor resolution or
smearing of bands
Sample is overloaded
Use correct amount of sample as described in Sample
Preparation.
High salt concentration
Dilute your samples 2- to 30-fold depending on the E-
Gel
™
type
Total sample volume is too low
Load recommended sample volume-based gel type.
Keep all sample volumes uniform. Load deionized
water in all empty wells
Physical gel damage
Avoid touching the gel well with the pipette when
loading the sample
Band distortion caused by air
bubbles
Avoid introducing bubbles while loading the samples
Gel was not electrophoresed
immediately after sample
loading
Run the gel within 1 minute of sample loading.
Gel was not loaded with the
sample for an extended time
Load the opened gel within 15 minutes after opening
Expired gel used
Use properly stored gels before the expiration date
Gel was frozen
Always store gels at room temperature. Gels exposed
to temperatures below 4°C exhibit smears
Extended electrophoresis run
time
Extended run times resulting in poor band migration
or a melted gel