4.0 Care of the Counting Probe
Care should be taken to keep the tip of the counting probe
sharp. If the needle is blunt, small colonies will be difcult to
count and accurately register.
The probe tips touching media and/or colonies should be
cleaned as dictated by good laboratory procedures. Solutions
of 70% isopropyl alcohol, iodine/alcohol, Lysol® Brand or form-
aldehyde may be used to clean the tip without harm.
5.0 Operating the Colony Counter
To count directly on the surface of the nutrient medium, place
the uncovered culture plate on the culture plate holder. Loosen
the two thumbscrews on the holder to center the culture plate
on the counting plate.
Plug the ground contact and the counting probe into either
electric receptacle on the back of the instrument Position the
ground contact with magnetic base near the culture plate so that
the L-shaped tip makes contact with the surface of the agar.
Counts are automatically registered by simply touching each
colony with the needle point of the counting probe (Figure 2).
To prevent the possibility of spurious registration resulting from
the “entry” and “exit” of the probe tip into the medium, a pulsed
delay circuit will admit only one count over a short time period.
This feature does not interfere with the maximum counting
speed of a skilled operator.
6.0 Bulb Replacement
The REICHERT DARKFIELD QUEBEC®Colony Counter
illumination source is a standard 40 watt soft white-type
incandescent bulb. (50 watt for 230V operation)
7.0 Cleaning the Counting Plate
Remove the screw on the left side of the instrument face. Swing
the magnication lens aside and open the black front section
attached to the lower hinge. The counting plate is held in place
with four screws attached to the back of the front panel. Loosen
the screws and slip the plate out of the retainer.
Clean the counting plate with a solution of mild detergent and
water. DO NOT USE AN ABRASIVE CLEANSER. It will dam-
age the white grid on the counting plate.
Dry the counting plate with a lint-free cloth. Place the counting
plate back into the retainer until it is rmly seated. Avoid leav-
ing ngerprints on the surfaces, they may cause inaccurate
readings. Ensure plate is installed with rulings facing bulb to
avoid damage. Tighten the four screws and return the front
section to the operating position. Replace the screw on the
front of the instrument.
The REICHERT DARKFIELD QUEBEC®Colony Counter is
designed to insure reliability, long life and minimal maintenance.
Contact your local Reichert representative for additional operat-
ing or service information.
8.0 Fuses
The REICHERT DARKFIELD QUEBEC® Colony Counter has
two fuses located in a fuse drawer next to the power switch
on the rear panel. The instrument must be unplugged to allow
access to the fuse drawer.
9.0 Specications
The REICHERT DARKFIELD QUEBEC® Colony Counter
bears the following marks: UL, cUL • Models 13332500 and
13332700 are rated 120VAC, 40 watts
• Models 13332600 and 13332800 are rated 230VAC, 50
watts
Operating Conditions
• Indoor use only
• RH 80% up to 31°C decreasing linearly to 50% RH at 40°C
• Pollution degree 2
• Altitude up to 2,000m
• Temperature 5°C to 40°C
• Main supply voltage ±10%
• Installation CAT II
