BTX ECM630 User manual

User’s Manual
ECM®630 Electroporation System
Publication 5501-003-REV-C
MA1 45-0051 ECM®630 Electroporator only (110V)
MA1 45-0051int ECM®630 Electroporator only (220V)

EU Directives WEEE and RoHS
To Our Valued Customers:
We are committed to being a good corporate citizen. As part of that commitment,
we strive to maintain an environmentally conscious manufacturing operation.
The European Union (EU) has enacted two Directives, the first on product recycling
(Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, WEEE) and the second limiting the use
of certain substances (Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances, RoHS).
Over time, these Directives will be implemented in the national laws of each EU
Member State.
Once the final national regulations have been put into place, recycling will be offered
for our products which are within the scope of the WEEE Directive. Products falling
under the scope of the WEEE Directive available for sale after August 13, 2005 will
be identified with a “wheelie bin” symbol.
Two Categories of products covered by the WEEE Directive are currently exempt
from the RoHS Directive – Category 8, medical devices (with the exception of
implanted or infected products) and Category 9, monitoring and control instru-
ments. Most of our products fall into either Category 8 or 9 and are currently
exempt from the RoHS Directive. We will continue to monitor the application of the
RoHS Directive to its products and will comply with any changes as they apply.
• Do Not Dispose Product with Municipal Waste
• Special Collection/Disposal Required
WEEE/RoHS Compliance Statement

ECM®630 Electroporation System
Page 1 www.btxonline.com
Table of Contents
General Information:
Serial Number................................................................2
Calibration......................................................................2
Warranty ....................................................................2-3
Service........................................................................3-4
Repair Facilities and Parts ..............................................4
General Safety Summary..............................................5-6
Electrical & Technical Specifications ..............................7
General Specifications......................................................8
Introduction:
ECM®630 Features ......................................................9
Operation: Getting Started ............................................10
Quick Start:
Installation ....................................................................11
Connecting ..................................................................11
Initializing......................................................................11
Instrument Controls................................................12-17
Operating Basics ......................................................18-19
Advanced Operation: Programming ............................20
Electroporation ..............................................................21
Applications:
Electroporation ......................................................22-23
Appendix A: ECM®630 Electrode
Operation Ranges................................24-26
Appendix B: ECM®630 RC Time Constants............27-38
Appendix C: Optimization Strategies............................39
Appendix D: Electrical Troubleshooting........................40
Appendix E: Experimental Troubleshooting ................41
Appendix F: Glossary of Electrical Terms ....................42
Appendix G: Glossary of Biological &
Technical Terms ..................................43-44
Appendix H: Electroporation Generator
Compatibility ............................................45
Appendix I: Recommended Reading ............................46
Appendix J: Accessories and Replacement Parts ........47
Appendix K: General Care and Cleaning......................48

ECM®630 Electroporation System
Page 2 www.btxonline.com
General Information
Serial Number
The serial number for the ECM®630 is located on the rear of the
instrument case. All inquiries concerning these products should refer
to the serial numbers on the units.
Calibration
There is no calibration required for the ECM®630.
Warranty
BTX - Harvard Apparatus warranties the ECM®630 for a period of two
years from the date of purchase. At its option, BTX – Harvard
Apparatus will repair or replace the unit if it is found to be defective as
to workmanship or materials. This warranty does not extend to any
instrumentation which has been (a) subjected to misuse, neglect, acci-
dent or abuse, (b) repaired or altered by anyone other than
BTX - HARVARD APPARATUS without BTX - HARVARD APPARATUS’
express and prior approval, (c) used in violation of instructions fur-
nished by BTX - HARVARD APPARATUS. This warranty extends only
to the original customer purchaser.
IN NO EVENT SHALL BTX - HARVARD APPARATUS BE LIABLE FOR
INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. Some states do not
allow exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages so
the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. THERE ARE
NO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR USE, OR OF ANY OTHER NATURE. Some states
do not allow this limitation on an implied warranty, so the above limi-
tation may not apply to you.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, BTX - HARVARD
APPARATUS shall not be liable for any claims of any kind whatsoever,
as to the equipment delivered or for non-delivery of equipment, and
whether or not based on negligence.
Warranty is void if the ECM®630 is changed in any way from its origi-
nal factory design or if repairs are attempted without written authoriza-
tion by BTX - HARVARD APPARATUS.
Warranty is void if parts, connections or cell fusion chambers not
manufactured by BTX - HARVARD APPARATUS are used with the
ECM®630.

ECM®630 Electroporation System
Page 3 www.btxonline.com
General Information (Continued)
If a defect arises within the warranty period, promptly contact BTX –
Harvard Apparatus, 84 October Hill Road, Building 7, Holliston,
Massachusetts, USA 01746-1388 using our toll free number
1-800-272-2775 (US Only) or 508-893-8999
(E-mail: [email protected]). Goods will not be
accepted for return unless an RMA (Returned Materials Authorization)
number has been issued by our customer service department. The
customer is responsible for shipping charges. Please allow a reason-
able period of time for completion of repairs, replacement and return.
If the unit is replaced, the replacement unit is covered only for the
remainder of the original warranty period dating from the purchase of
the original device.
This warranty gives you specific rights, and you may also have other
rights, which vary from state to state.
Service
All service under the warranty will be made at the BTX - HARVARD
APPARATUS, Holliston, Massachusetts facilities or an authorized
service site. Owner will ship instrument prepaid to Holliston,
Massachusetts, USA or the service site. BTX - HARVARD APPARATUS
will return the instrument after servicing, freight prepaid to owner’s
address.
Obtaining Service:
Service During Warranty
1. Write or call the BTX - HARVARD APPARATUS Customer
Support Group and describe the nature of the problem.
2. Carry out minor adjustments or tests as suggested by
BTX - HARVARD APPARATUS.
3. If proper performance is not obtained, BTX - HARVARD
APPARATUS will notify you to ship the instrument, prepaid,
to its Service Department.The instrument will be repaired
and returned at no charge for all customers in the
continental United States.
Customers outside of the continental United States who have
purchased our equipment from distributors should contact the
distributor. If you have purchased your equipment from us, you
should contact us directly. We will repair at no charge, but will not
pay for shipment, documentation, etc. These charges will be billed
at cost.
Note: Under no condition should the instrument or accessories be
returned without prior approval from BTX - HARVARD APPARATUS. An
RMA (Returned Materials Authorization) number must be obtained.

ECM®630 Electroporation System
Page 4 www.btxonline.com
General Information (continued)
Out-Of-Warranty Service
Proceed exactly as for Warranty Service, above. If our Service
Department can assist you by phone or correspondence, we will be
glad to, at no charge.
Repair service will be billed on the basis of labor and materials. A
complete statement of time spent and materials used will be supplied.
Shipment to BTX - HARVARD APPARATUS should be prepaid. Your
bill will include return shipment freight charges.
Disassembly by the user is prohibited. Service should only be carried out
by experienced BTX - HARVARD APPARATUS technicians.
Repair Facilities and Parts
BTX - Harvard Apparatus stocks replacement and repair parts. When
ordering, please describe parts as completely as possible, preferably
using our part numbers. If practical, enclose a sample or drawing. We
offer complete reconditioning service.

ECM®630 Electroporation System
Page 5 www.btxonline.com
General Safety Summary
Review the following safety precautions to avoid injury and prevent
damage to this product or any products connected to it. To avoid
potential hazards, use this product only as specified.
Only qualified personnel should perform service procedures.
To Avoid Fire or Personal Injury
USE PROPER POWER CORD
Use only the power cord specified for this product and certified for
the country of use.
CONNECT AND DISCONNECT PROPERLY
Do not connect or disconnect probes or test leads while they are
connected to a power source.
GROUND THE PRODUCT
This product is grounded through the grounding conductor of the
power cord. To avoid electric shock, the grounding
conductor must be connected to earth ground. Before making
connections to the output terminals of the product, ensure that the
product is properly grounded.
OBSERVE ALL TERMINAL RATINGS
To avoid fire or shock hazard, observe all ratings and markings on the
product. Consult the product manual for further ratings information
before making connections to the product.
DO NOT OPERATE WITHOUT COVERS
Do not operate this product with covers or panels removed.
Use Proper Fuse. Use only the fuse type and rating specified for this
product.
AVOID EXPOSURE TO CIRCUITRY
Do not touch exposed connections and components when power is
present.
DO NOT OPERATE WITH SUSPECTED FAILURES
If you suspect there is damage to this product, have it inspected by
qualified service personnel.
PROVIDE PROPER VENTILATION
Refer to installation instructions for details on installing the product to
ensure proper ventilation.
DO NOT OPERATE IN WET/DAMP CONDITIONS
DO NOT OPERATE IN AN EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERE
KEEP PRODUCT SURFACES CLEAN AND DRY
Should you have any safety concerns, immediately contact BTX
Technical Services (1-800-272-2775)

ECM®630 Electroporation System
Page 6 www.btxonline.com
General Safety Summary (Continued)
Safety Terms and Symbols:
Terms that appear in this manual:
WARNING. Warning statements identify
conditions or practices that could result in injury or
loss of life.
CAUTION. Caution statements identify
conditions or practices that could result in
damage to these products or other property.
Symbols that may appear on the products:
Danger Attention Protective Functional
High Refer to (Earth) Ground
Voltage Manual Terminal

ECM®630 Electroporation System
Page 7 www.btxonline.com
Electrical & Technical Specifications
Standard Capabilities:
Display Type: 20-character by 4-line
liquid crystal Display.
LED backlit
Power Source
Voltage 100 to 240 Vac, 50 to 60 Hz,
CAT II
Power 500 W (Pulsed), 50 W (Idle)
Fusing 2.5 A, T rating 250 V
Environmental Characteristics:
Intended Use Indoor use only
Operating Temperature 10° C to + 40° C
Cooling Convection through
metal case
Relative Humidity 60%
Altitude 2,000 m (operating)
Mechanical Characteristics:
Footprint 12.5” x 12.25” x 5.5”
(W x D x H)
Weight 13.6 lbs (6.2 kg)
Controls Single rotary encoder with
integrated push button

ECM®630 Electroporation System
Page 8 www.btxonline.com
General Specifications
Certifications and Compliances
Overvoltage Category:
CAT III: Products in this Category: Distribution-level mains,
fixed installation.
CAT II: Local-level mains, applications, portable equipment.
CAT I: Signal levels in special equipment or parts of equipment,
telecommunications, electronics.
Meets requirements of Directive 89/336/EEC for Electromagnetic
Compatibility (EC) and Low-Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC for
Product Safety.
Compliance was demonstrated to the following specifications as
listed in the Official Journal of the European Communities:
EN 50081-1 Emissions
EN 55011 Class B Radiated and Conducted Emissions
EN 55082-1 Immunity
IEC 10004-2 Electrostatic Discharge Immunity
IEC 10004-3 RF Electromagnetic Field Immunity
IEC 10004-4 Electrical Fast Transient/Burst Immunity
Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC