Edvotek EdvoCycler User manual

E DVOTEK® • 1.800.EDVOTEK (1.800.338.6835) • FAX: [phone]
www.edvotek.com • [email protected]
1
The Biotechnology
Education Company®
Catalog #541
Congratulations on your
purchase of the EdvoCycler™
Thermalcycler.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 2
Warnings 2
Operator Safety 2
Installation 2
After Use 2
User Maintenance 3
Guarantee 3
Contact Information 3
EdvoCycler™ Quick Guide 4
Getting Started 5
Load Saved Program 5
Modify Saved Program 6
Create New Program 6
Delete Saved Program 7
Temp Hold Params 7
Run Saved Program 8
Pause or Escape 8

EDVOTEK® • 1.800.EDVOTEK (1.800.338.6835) • FAX: [phone]
www.edvotek.com • [email protected]
2
Introduction
Please read all the information in this booklet before using the unit.
Warnings
HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DANGEROUS: they can cause serious burns to operators and ignite com-
bustible material. EDVOTEK® has taken great care in the design of these units to protect operators
from hazards, but users should pay attention to the following points:
• USE CARE AND WEAR PROTECTIVE GLOVES TO PROTECT HANDS.
• DO NOT put hot objects on or near combustible objects.
• DO NOT operate the unit close to flammable liquids or gases.
• DO NOT place any liquid directly in your unit.
• At all times, USE COMMON SENSE.
Operator Safety
It is important that only suitably trained personnel operate this equipment, in accordance with the
instructions contained in this manual and with general safety standards and procedures. If the
equipment is used in a manner not specified by EDVOTEK® the protection provided by the equip-
ment to the user may be impaired. All EDVOTEK® units have been designed to conform to interna-
tional safety requirements and are fitted with an over temperature cutout. The cutout is preset to
protect the unit. If a safety problem should be encountered, switch off at the mains socket and
remove the plug from the supply.
Installation
1. All EDVOTEK® units are supplied with a power cable.
2. Plug the main cable into the socket on the rear of the unit.
3. Place the unit on a dry suitable bench or flat work space, ensuring that all air inlet vents are free
from obstruction and liquid.
4. Symbols on or near the power switch of the unit have the following meanings:
I : main switch On
O: main switch Off
After Use
When you have finished processing samples, remember that parts of the unit –
the tubes, blocks and associated accessories – may be very hot. Take precau-
tion to avoid potential burns.
Warning !
The heated lid
will get very hot –
use extreme
caution to avoid
getting burned

E DVOTEK® • 1.800.EDVOTEK (1.800.338.6835) • FAX: [phone]
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User Maintenance
NOTE - THIS EQUIPMENT SHOULD ONLY BE DISMANTLED BY PROPERLY TRAINED PERSONNEL.
REMOVING THE SIDE, FRONT OR REAR PANELS EXPOSES POTENTIALLY LETHAL MAINS VOLTAGES.
THERE ARE NO USER MAINTAINABLE PARTS WITHIN THE EQUIPMENT.
In the unlikely event that you experience any problems with your unit that cannot easily be rem-
edied, you should contact EDVOTEK® to explain the problem and obtain a Return Goods Authori-
zation #. After obtaining the RGA #, return the unit if necessary and include any details of the fault
observed. Remember to return the unit in its original packing. EDVOTEK® accepts no responsibility
for damage to units that are not properly packed for shipping. See the Decontamination Certifi-
cate supplied with your unit.
1. Cleaning
Before cleaning your unit ALWAYS disconnect from the power supply and allow to cool below
50°C. The unit can be cleaned by wiping with a lightly damp, soapy cloth. Care should be
exercised to prevent water from running inside the unit. Do not use abrasive cleaners.
2. Fuses
The unit is protected by one fuse. This fuse should only be changed by suitably qualified person-
nel. If the fuse blows persistently, a serious fault is indicated and you may need to return the
unit for repair. The fuse is located in the back of the unit in the AC adapter.
Guarantee
The unit is guaranteed against any defect in material or workmanship for two years. Please fill out
the warranty card as soon as possible to ensure proper warranty coverage. The warranty period is
from the date of purchase, and within this period all defective parts will be replaced free of charge
provided that the defect is not the result of misuse, accident or negligence. Servicing under this
guarantee should be obtained from EDVOTEK. Notwithstanding the description and specification(s)
of the units contained in the User’s Manual, EDVOTEK hereby reserves the right to make such changes
as it sees fit to the units or to any component of the units. This Manual has been prepared solely for
the convenience of EDVOTEK customers and nothing in this Instruction Book shall be taken as a
warranty, condition or representation concerning the description, merchantability, fitness for pur-
pose or otherwise of the units or components.
Warning! Please note that the keypad on the EdvoCycler™ is easily damaged by sharp objects
such as pens, pencils and fingernails. Damage of this sort will be considered as misuse and will
invalidate the guarantee on this unit.
Contact Information
For technical, sales or servicing information, contact:
EDVOTEK, Inc.,
PO Box 341232
Bethesda, MD 20827
Telephone: 1.800.EDVOTEK
Fax: [phone]
email: [email protected]
Web site: www.edvotek.com

EDVOTEK® • 1.800.EDVOTEK (1.800.338.6835) • FAX: [phone]
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EdvoCycler™ Quick Guide
MAIN MENU ( Screen A)
Move cursor UP and DOWN; select by pressing ENTER; escape by pressing ESCAPE.
LOAD PROGRAM
(Screen B)
Select one of 20 saved
programs by using UP or
DOWN and pressing ENTER.
Modify Saved Program
Select one of 20 saved
programs by using UP or
DOWN and pressing ENTER.
Create NEW Program
To modify the temperature, time, and number of cycles, scroll to value to be changed;
press ENTER. Using keys 0-9, punch in desired value. NOTE: You will need to keep
same number of digits; so if 45 sec., you will need to enter 0045.
Can enter 001 - 999 for program numbers; 1 - 60 for # of cycles, 15 - 99 for tempera-
ture, and 0 - 1800 seconds for time. (Screen D)
Once finished, ESCAPE back to MAIN MENU.
TEMP HOLD PARAMS
(Screen E)
Use to select whether or not
you want the unit to keep the
block at a constant tempera-
ture after an experiment is
complete. Press ENTER for
YES or NO.
Select the hold temperature by pressing ENTER, then use the UP or DOWN keys to
choose between 10 - 94, Press ESCAPE when the desired temperature is selected.
Scroll to RETURN and press ENTER to go back to MAIN MENU.
NOTE: The heated lid shuts off when the unit finishes a program and goes to hold.
WARNING: Running the unit for long periods of time at high or low temperatures will
shorten the lifespan of the unit.
Change values by pressing ENTER and keying in numerical values.To modify the tempera-
ture, time and number of cycles, scroll to value to be changed; press ENTER. Using keys
0-9, punch in desired value. NOTE: need to keep same number of digits; so if 45 sec.,
enter 0045. Once finished, ESCAPE back to MAIN MENU.
NOTE: There are only 20 program slots; if you create a program in addition to 20, the
last one will be deleted.
Delete Saved Program
Use DELETE SAVED PROGRAM to create a space for a new program when all program
space is full. Press ENTER to select one of 20 saved programs. Press ENTER to choose
and select YES or NO.
Once complete, you will automatically be placed back into the MAIN MENU.
PROGRAM SCREEN (Screen C)
Shows temperatures, times, and number of cycles; Press RUN to start.
Once running, press PAUSE to pause. “P” will flash by the time.
Press RUN again to continue.
To abort the program while running, press ESCAPE. Then choose YES or NO.
Scroll UP or DOWN to choose. NO will return to experiment. YES will return to
MAIN MENU.
IMPORTANT - Always check the PCR cycling parameter in the EDVOTEK manual that
accompanies your experiment. Compare the program to ensure that it matches the
pre-programmed cycles. If there has been a change, it will be necessary to modify the
existing program to match the new parameters.

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MAIN MENU
> LOAD SAVED PROGRAM
MODIFY SAVED PROGRAM
CREATE NEW PROGRAM
DELETE SAVED PROGRAM
TEMP HOLD PARAMS
LOAD PROGRAM
> 330 336 341 669
331 337 701 000
332 952 004 000
333 961 371 111
334 962 764 000
PROGRAM 330 TEMP TIME
Init Denat
Denaturation 94 0040
Annealing 45 0045
Extension 72 0045
Final Ext 72 0300
Cycles 01 30
PROGRAM >000 TEMP TIME
Init Denat 00 0000
Denaturation 00 0000
Annealing 00 0000
Extension 00 0000
Final Ext 00 0000
Cycles 00 00
TEMPERATURE HOLD MENU
TEMP HOLD ON
> SET HOLD TEMP 010
RETURN
Quick Guide Screens
A
B
C
D
E
GETTING STARTED
Turn on the power switch (“|” mark is on, “O” mark is off).
Use the up or down button on the front panel to select the desired
function (the arrow to the left of the menu will allow you to choose
that selection).
The five options are as follows:
LOAD SAVED PROGRAM
MODIFY SAVED PROGRAM
CREATE NEW PROGRAM
DELETE SAVED PROGRAM
RUN PROGRAM
LOAD SAVED PROGRAM
Use this function if you are running
an EDVOTEK® kit. The programs for
most EDVOTEK® PCR kits are pre-
loaded on the EdvoCycler™ and
ready-to-run. Simply follow ED-
VOTEK instructions for preparing
DNA samples for PCR and place
tubes in the EdvoCycler™. The
block holds only 0.2 ml PCR tubes -
if PCR sample is prepared in a
different tube, you must transfer
sample to a 0.2 ml thin-wall PCR
tube (supplied in all EDVOTEK®
PCR kits).
1. Scroll to LOAD SAVED PROGRAM and press enter.
2. Scroll up or down to the desired program and press enter. Check
with the kit instructions to make sure parameters match with
screen display. If they do not, reference MODIFY SAVED PRO-
GRAM section and make the necessary changes to the existing
program.
continued
IMPORTANT
Always check the PCR cycling
parameters in the EDVOTEK®
manual that accompanies your
experiment. Compare the
program to ensure that it
matches the pre-programmed
cycles. If there has been a
change, it will be necessary to
modify the existing program to
match the new parameters.

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LOAD SAVED PROGRAM, continued
3. Load tubes in block. If all spaces will be used, it may be necessary to “nest”
tubes (place tubes aligned with one another and facing the same direc-
tion). See Figure 1. Close lid.
4. Press the RUN button. The lid starts to preheat or the cycling will begin im-
mediately.
5. When the cycling steps begin, you can monitor the progress on the
screen display. The flashing arrow indicates the current status. The
bottom row (Cycles) shows current cycle to the left and the total # of
cycles to the right.
6. To end the cycling at any time: Press the escape button and scroll
with the up or down button, enter YES to stop the experiment.
MODIFY SAVED PROGRAM
Use this function to modify or to make an adjustment to an existing pro-
gram.
1. Scroll to MODIFY SAVED PROGRAM and press enter.
2. Scroll up or down to the desired program and press enter.
3. Scroll to the setting you wish to change and press enter. When the item disappears, enter the
new parameter.
4. Scroll to another setting you wish to modify. After you are satisfied with the changes to the
program, press the escape button and the changes will be saved. Time is entered as seconds
(i.e. 30 seconds is displayed as 0030, 2 minutes is displayed as 0120).
5. To run the modified program, scroll to LOAD SAVED PROGRAM and follow the directions running
a saved program.
CREATE NEW PROGRAM
Note - if an incorrect entry is made at any time during CREATE NEW PROGRAM, simply scroll up or
down to the wrong entry and press enter. When the item disappears, enter the correct parameter.
1. Scroll to CREATE NEW PROGRAM and press enter.
2. Press the enter button and then enter the new program number.
3. If an initial denaturation is not desired, scroll down to Denaturation (see below for entering PCR
cycles).
4. If an initial denaturation is desired, press the enter button and enter the Initial Denaturation
temperature. Next, press the enter button again and enter the Initial Denaturation time (i.e. for
3 min., enter the time as 0180).
continued
Warning !
The heated lid
will get very hot –
use extreme
caution to avoid
getting burned
Figure 1

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CREATE NEW PROGRAM, continued
5. Enter the three PCR cycling steps.
6. Press enter at the Denaturation TEMP and enter the desired temperature. Press enter at the
Denaturation TIME and enter the desired time (i.e. for 30 seconds, enter the time as 0030).
7. Press enter at the Annealing TEMP and enter the desired temperature. Press enter at the An-
nealing TIME and enter the desired time.
8. Press enter at the Extension TEMP and enter the desired temperature. Press enter at the Exten-
sion TIME and enter the desired time.
9. If a final extension is not desired, scroll down to the Cycles default (see below for entering the
number of cycles).
10. If a final extension is desired, press the enter button and enter the final ex-
tension temperature. Next, press the enter button again and enter the final
extension time.
Finally, press the enter button at the Cycles default.
Enter the number of cycles for the PCR cycling steps.
The number to the right is the total number of cycles and the number to the left
will display as the current cycle in progress.
DELETE SAVED PROGRAM
The EdvoCycler™ can hold 20 saved programs. From time to time it may be necessary to delete
old programs to make room for new programs. Remember, once a program is deleted, it cannot
be retrieved. You will need to re-enter the program (you may want to record the PCR cycling steps
for programs that are deleted).
1. Scroll to DELETE SAVED PROGRAM and press enter.
2. Scroll to the program you wish to delete and press enter. When prompted “ARE YOU SURE?”
press enter YES to delete the program or scroll up or down to enter NO to keep the program.
TEMP HOLD PARAMS
From the Main Menu: TEMP HOLD PARAMS
Enter into that menu:
• Temp Hold (scroll for on/off)
• Set Hold Temp: 10°C or Higher (cannot go down to 4°C)
• Return (enter here to go back to main menu)
NOTE: Running the thermal cycler on hold for long periods of time will shorten the life of the unit.
NOTE:
Time is entered
as seconds.
(For example:
30 sec. = 0030,
2 min. = 0120.)

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RUN SAVED PROGRAM
This option will run the last program entered.
1. Scroll to RUN SAVED PROGRAM and press the enter button. The last program entered will begin
cycling.
PAUSE or ESCAPE
Use this option to pause or end a program.
1. While a program is running, push PAUSE to temporarily hold a cycle at a certain point. USE
EXTREME CAUTION WHEN OPENING THE LID AND REMOVING SAMPLES FROM THE BLOCK – THE
HEATED LID AND BLOCK WILL BE VERY HOT.
2. When ready to return to the program, replace samples to the block, close the lid and push the
RUN button.
3. To stop the program while it is running, press the escape button. Press the up or down button to
YES and press enter to abort the program.
If at any point the unit freezes-up, turn power off at the switch located at the back, wait a few
minutes to allow the unit to cool, and turn it back on.