Applied Biosystems GeneAmp PCR System 9700 User manual

GeneAmp®PCR
System 9700
Base Module
GR0873
GeneAmp
®

PCR System 9700
POWER
F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
STOP
123
456
789
ENTER 0CE
P/N N805-0200
User’s Manual

GeneAmp®PCR System 9700
Base Module
User’s Manual

© Copyright 2003, Applied Biosystems. All rights reserved.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Applied Biosystems assumes no responsibility for any errors that may appear in this document.
This document is believed to be complete and accurate at the time of publication. In no event shall Applied Biosystems be liable for incidental, special, multiple, or
consequential damages in connection with or arising from the use of this document.
NOTICE TO PURCHASER: LABEL LICENSE
The GeneAmp®PCR System 9700 thermal cycler is covered by one or more of US Patents Nos. 5,038,852, 5,333,675, 5,656,493, 5,475,610, 5,602,756, 6,703,236,
and corresponding claims in their non-US counterparts, owned by Applera Corporation. No right is conveyed expressly, by implication, or by estoppel under any other
patent claim, such as claims to apparatus, reagents, kits or methods such as 5’ nuclease methods. Further information on purchasing licenses may be obtained by
contacting the Director of Licensing, Applied Biosystems, 850 Lincoln Centre Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, USA.
ABI Prism, Applied Biosystems, and BigDye are registered trademarks of Applera Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or certain other countries.
AB (Design) and Applera are trademarks of Applera Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or certain other countries.
AmpliCyle, AmpliTaq, AmpliTaq Gold, and GeneAmp are registered trademarks of Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.
All other trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners.
05/2006
Part Number 4303481 Rev. G

Contents
iii
1 Introduction and Safety
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
About This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
In This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
About This Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Instrument Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Before Operating the Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Documentation User Attention Words. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Symbols on Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Electrical Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Safety Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Safety Labels on Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-5
Chemical Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Chemical Hazard Warning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Chemical Waste Hazard Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
About MSDSs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Ordering MSDSs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
About Waste Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
GeneAmp PCR System 9700 Labels and Warnings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Instrument Safety Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Instrument Warnings Diagram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Danger of Burns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Grounding and Electrical Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Laboratory Environmental Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Temperature, Humidity, and Environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Pollution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Emission/Immunity Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Routine Maintenance for Safe Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
U.S. and Canadian Safety Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Canadian EMC Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
European Safety and EMC Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Australian EMC Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12

iv
2 Product Overview
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
About This Chapter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
In This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
About the GeneAmp PCR System 9700 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
About the Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Control Panel Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Using the Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Selecting a Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Entering Numeric Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Transfer or Storage of Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Upgrading the Firmware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
How the 9700 Differs from the GeneAmp PCR System 9600 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
3 Instrument Setup
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
About This Chapter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
In This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Unpacking the Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Inspecting the Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Additional Part Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Setting Up your Laboratory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Choosing a Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Operating Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
What to Avoid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Do Not Block Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Fuse Service Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Input Voltage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Interchangeable Sample Block Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Double-Line Fuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Fuse Part Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Power Entry Module Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Turning On the Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Turning On the Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Setting Custom Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Displaying the Configuration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Setting the Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Setting the Date. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Enabling or Disabling a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8

v
Turning the Run-Time Beeper On or Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Setting the Pause Time Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Defining the Idle State Setpoint Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Defining the Baud Rate for Your Printer Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Configuring the Contrast and Screen Saver Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Setting the IP Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Running Instrument Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-13
Viewing the Diagnostic Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Testing the Electrical Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Testing the Display Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Testing the Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16
Using the TmCalculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
How to Use the TmCalculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Upgrading the System Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Upgrading Through the Serial Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Downloading Firmware Using Windows 95 or Windows NT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Downloading Firmware Using Windows 3.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Upgrading Firmware from a PCMCIA Flash Memory Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Copying Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
How to Copy Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Connecting and Configuring a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Connecting a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Configuring the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
4 Running PCR Samples
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
About This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
In This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Selecting a Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-2
What Is a Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Predefined Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Selecting a Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Viewing Method Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Searching for Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Sorting Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Running a Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Starting a Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-6
About the Run Time Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Viewing Method Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8

vi
Pausing a Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
Stopping a Run Before It Completes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Reviewing the History of a Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
How to Review the History of a Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
History Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
History File Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
When a Run Completes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
End of Run Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Method Not Stored Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
5 Creating and Editing Methods
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
About This Chapter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
In This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Adding or Changing Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Adding a New User Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Protecting Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Changing a User Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Deleting a User Name. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Creating Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
About the Default Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Basic Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Displaying the Create Methods Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Entering Temperature Control Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Defining Pre-PCR Holds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Defining PCR Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Defining Post-PCR Holds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Modifying Cycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Changing Temperature Control Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Modifying Ramp Rates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Inserting Holds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Deleting Holds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Inserting Cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Inserting Programmed Pauses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Editing Programmed Pauses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Naming and Storing Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Printing a Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Printing a Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Editing or Deleting Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18

vii
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Editing a Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Deleting a Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
6 Converting Hold Times
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
About This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
In This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
About Setting Hold Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-2
Hold Time Differences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Guidelines for Converting Hold Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-3
What to Base the New Hold Times On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Setting Up Ramps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Table of Conversions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Up Ramp Example. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Setting Down Ramps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Table of Conversions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Down Ramp Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
7 Routine Maintenance
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
About This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
In This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Changing the External Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-2
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-2
Power Entry Module Diagram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Changing Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
8 Troubleshooting
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
About This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
In This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
If There Is a Power Failure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-2
During a Power Failure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2
Display Screen Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Error Messages Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Troubleshooting Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-6
Troubleshooting Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6

viii
A Instrument Specifications
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
About This Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
In This Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
System Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
Power Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
Electrical Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
Control Panel Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4
Display Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4
Sample Temperature Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4
Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4
Printer Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4
Serial Interface Board Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4
Cable Part Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4
B Supplied Methods
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
About this Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
In This Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
About the Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2
AmpliCycle Sequencing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2
AmpliTaq Gold DNA Polymerase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2
BigDye Terminators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3
General PCR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3
LMS2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4
Time Release PCR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4
Touchdown PCR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5
XL PCR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5
C Contacting Services and Support
D Limited Warranty Statement
Computer Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1
Limited Product Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-1

ix
Damages, Claims, and Returns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-3
Damages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-3
Claims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-3
Returns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-3
Index

Introduction and Safety 1-1
Introduction and Safety 1
Overview
About This Chapter This chapter provides information to help you safely operate the GeneAmpPCR
System 9700.
In This Chapter The following topics are covered in this chapter:
Topics See Page
About This Manual 1-2
Instrument Safety 1-3
Chemical Safety 1-6
GeneAmp PCR System 9700 Labels and Warnings 1-9
Laboratory Environmental Requirements 1-11
1

1-2 Introduction and Safety
About This Manual
Overview This manual describes how to use the GeneAmp®PCR System 9700. It includes the
following chapters and appendixes:
♦Chapter 1, “Introduction and Safety,” contains safety information.
♦Chapter 2, “Product Overview,” describes the instrument, its components, and
requirements for installation.
♦Chapter 3, “Instrument Setup,” provides information on how to set up the
instrument and place it correctly in the laboratory, how to configure the instrument,
and how to connect and configure a printer.
♦Chapter 4, “Running PCR Samples,” provides information on selecting a method,
starting and stopping a run, reviewing the history of a run, and what to do when
the run is completed.
♦Chapter 5, “Creating and Editing Methods,” describes how to create and edit PCR
methods and how to work with stored methods.
♦Chapter 6, “Converting Hold Times,” provides information about setting hold times
for the GeneAmp®PCR System 9700 compared to the DNA Thermal Cycler or
DNA Thermal Cycler 480.
♦Chapter 7, “Routine Maintenance,” provides procedures for routine maintenance
on the instrument.
♦Chapter 8, “Troubleshooting,” lists error messages and suggestions for dealing
with other problems you may encounter.
♦Appendix A, “Instrument Specifications,” describes the dimensions, power, and
electrical specifications of the GeneAmp®PCR System 9700 system, including
the control panel, sample temperature information, and printer specifications.
♦Appendix B, “Supplied Methods,” contains information about the methods that are
supplied with the instrument.
♦Appendix C, “Contacting Services and Support,” explains how to contact Applied
Biosystems’ Technical Support staff.
♦Appendix D, “Limited Warranty Statement,” contains the instrument warranty
statement.

Introduction and Safety 1-3
Instrument Safety
Before Operating the
Instrument
Ensure that everyone involved with the operation of the instrument has:
♦Received instruction in general safety practices for laboratories
♦Received instruction in specific safety practices for the instrument
♦Read and understood all related MSDSs
Avoid using this instrument in a manner not specified by Applied
Biosystems. Although the instrument has been designed to protect the user, this protection can
be impaired if the instrument is used improperly.
Documentation User
Attention Words
Five user attention words appear in the text of all Applied Biosystems user
documentation. Each word implies a particular level of observation or action as
described below.
Note Calls attention to useful information.
IMPORTANT Indicates information that is necessary for proper instrument operation.
Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result
in minor or moderate injury. It may also be used to alert against unsafe practices.
Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could
result in death or serious injury.
Indicates an imminently hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will
result in death or serious injury. This signal word is to be limited to the most extreme situations.

1-4 Introduction and Safety
Symbols on Instruments
Electrical Symbols The following chart is an illustrated glossary of all electrical symbols that are used on
Applied Biosystems instruments. Whenever such symbols appear on instruments,
please observe appropriate safety procedures.
Safety Symbols The following is an illustrated glossary of all nonelectrical safety alert symbols found
on Applied Biosystems instruments. Each symbol may appear by itself or in
combination with text that explains the relevant hazard (see “Safety Labels on
Instruments” on page 1-5). These safety symbols may also appear next to DANGERS,
WARNINGS, and CAUTIONS that occur in the text of this and other product-support
documents.
Indicates the On position of the main power switch.
Indicates the Off position of the main power switch.
Indicates the On/Off position of a push-push main power switch.
Indicates a terminal that may be connected to the signal ground reference of
another instrument. This is not a protected ground terminal.
Indicates a protective grounding terminal that must be connected to earth
ground before any other electrical connections are made to the instrument.
Indicates a terminal that can receive or supply alternating current or voltage.
Indicates a terminal that can receive or supply an alternating or direct current
or voltage.
Symbol Description
Indicates that you should consult the
manual for further information and to
proceed with appropriate caution.
Indicates the presence of an electrical
shock hazard and to proceed with
appropriate caution.
Indicates the presence of a hot
surface or other high-temperature
hazard and to proceed with
appropriate caution.

Introduction and Safety 1-5
Safety Labels on Instruments
The following CAUTION, WARNING, and DANGER statements may be displayed
on Applied Biosystems instruments in combination with the safety symbols described
in the preceding section.
Indicates the presence of a laser
inside the instrument and to proceed
with appropriate caution.
Indicates the presence of moving
parts and to proceed with appropriate
caution.
Symbol Description
English Francais
CAUTION Hazardous chemicals. Read the
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs)
before handling.
ATTENTION Produits chimiques
dangeureux. Lire les fiches techniques de
sûreté de matériels avant la manipulation
des produits.
CAUTION Hazardous waste. Read the
waste profile (if any) in the site preparation
guide for this instrument before handling or
disposal.
ATTENTION Déchets dangereux. Lire les
renseignements sur les déchets avant de
les manipuler ou de les éliminer.
CAUTION Hazardous waste. Refer to
MSDS(s) and local regulations for handling
and disposal.
ATTENTION Déchets dangereux. Lire les
fiches techniques de sûreté de matériels et
la régulation locale associées à la
manipulation et l'élimination des déchets.
WARNING Hot lamp. AVERTISSEMENT Lampe brûlante.
WARNING Hot. Replace lamp with an
Applied Biosystems lamp.
AVERTISSEMENT Composants brûlants.
Remplacer la lampe par une lampe
Applied Biosystems.
CAUTION Hot surface. ATTENTION Surface brûlante.
DANGER High voltage. DANGER Haute tension.
WARNING To reduce the chance of
electrical shock, do not remove covers that
require tool access. No user-serviceable
parts are inside. Refer servicing to
Applied Biosystems qualified service
personnel.
AVERTISSEMENT Pour éviter les risques
d'électrocution, ne pas retirer les capots
dont l'ouverture nécessite l'utilisation
d'outils. L’instrument ne contient aucune
pièce réparable par l’utilisateur. Toute
intervention doit être effectuée par le
personnel de service qualifié de
Applied Biosystems.
CAUTION Moving parts. ATTENTION Parties mobiles.

1-6 Introduction and Safety
Chemical Safety
Chemical Hazard
Warning CHEMICAL HAZARD. Some of the chemicals used with Applied
Biosystems instruments and protocols are potentially hazardous and can cause injury, illness,
or death.
♦Read and understand the material safety data sheets (MSDSs) provided by the
chemical manufacturer before you store, handle, or work with any chemicals or
hazardous materials.
♦Minimize contact with chemicals. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment
when handling chemicals (e.g., safety glasses, gloves, or protective clothing). For
additional safety guidelines, consult the MSDS.
♦Minimize the inhalation of chemicals. Do not leave chemical containers open. Use
only with adequate ventilation (e.g., fume hood). For additional safety guidelines,
consult the MSDS.
♦Check regularly for chemical leaks or spills. If a leak or spill occurs, follow the
manufacturer’s cleanup procedures as recommended on the MSDS.
♦Comply with all local, state/provincial, or national laws and regulations related to
chemical storage, handling, and disposal.
Chemical Waste
Hazard Warning CHEMICAL WASTE HAZARD. Wastes produced by Applied Biosystems
instruments are potentially hazardous and can cause injury, illness, or death.
♦Read and understand the material safety data sheets (MSDSs) provided by the
manufacturers of the chemicals in the waste container before you store, handle, or
dispose of chemical waste.
♦Handle chemical wastes in a fume hood.
♦Minimize contact with chemicals. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment
when handling chemicals (e.g., safety glasses, gloves, or protective clothing). For
additional safety guidelines, consult the MSDS.
♦Minimize the inhalation of chemicals. Do not leave chemical containers open. Use
only with adequate ventilation (e.g., fume hood). For additional safety guidelines,
consult the MSDS.
♦After emptying the waste container, seal it with the cap provided.
♦Dispose of the contents of the waste tray and waste bottle in accordance with
good laboratory practices and local, state/provincial, or national environmental
and health regulations.

Introduction and Safety 1-7
About MSDSs Some of the chemicals used with this instrument may be listed as hazardous by their
manufacturer. When hazards exist, warnings are prominently displayed on the labels
of all chemicals.
Chemical manufacturers supply a current MSDS before or with shipments of
hazardous chemicals to new customers and with the first shipment of a hazardous
chemical after an MSDS update. MSDSs provide you with the safety information you
need to store, handle, transport and dispose of the chemicals safely.
We strongly recommend that you replace the appropriate MSDS in your files each
time you receive a new MSDS packaged with a hazardous chemical.
CHEMICAL HAZARD. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the MSDSs
before using reagents or solvents.
Ordering MSDSs You can obtain from Applied Biosystems the MSDS for any chemical supplied by
Applied Biosystems. This service is free and available 24 hours a day.
To obtain MSDSs:
1. Go to https://docs.appliedbiosystems.com/msdssearch.html
2. In the Search field, type in the chemical name, part number, or other information
that appears in the MSDS of interest. Select the language of your choice, then
click Search.
3. Find the document of interest, right-click the document title, then select any of
the following:
•Open – To view the document
•Print Target – To print the document
•Save Target As – To download a PDF version of the document to a
destination that you choose
4. To have a copy of a document sent by fax or e-mail, select Fax or Email to the
left of the document title in the Search Results page, then click RETRIEVE
DOCUMENTS at the end of the document list.
5. After you enter the required information, click View/Deliver Selected
Documents Now.
For chemicals not manufactured or distributed by Applied Biosystems, call the
chemical manufacturer.

1-8 Introduction and Safety
About Waste
Disposal
As the generator of potentially hazardous waste, it is your responsibility to perform the
actions listed below.
♦Characterize (by analysis if necessary) the waste generated by the particular
applications, reagents, and substrates used in your laboratory.
♦Ensure the health and safety of all personnel in your laboratory.
♦Ensure that the instrument waste is stored, transferred, transported, and disposed
of according to all local, state/provincial, or national regulations.
Note Radioactive or biohazardous materials may require special handling, and disposal
limitations may apply.