T100 Thermal Cycler
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T100
™
Thermal Cycler
Instruction Manual
Catalog #186-1096
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Copyright ©2011 Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Reproduction in any form, either print or
electronic, is prohibited without written permission of Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
LICENSE NOTICE TO PURCHASER
This base unit, Serial No. ____________, conveys a limited non-transferable immunity from suit for the
purchaser’s own internal research and development and for use in applied fields under U.S. Patent No.
5,475,610 (claims 1, 44, 158, 160-163 and 167 only), or corresponding claims in their non-U.S.
counterparts, owned by Applera Corporation. No right is conveyed expressly, by implication or 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, California, 94404, USA.
This product is covered by one or more of the following U.S. patents, their foreign counterparts, or their
foreign patents pending, owned by Eppendorf AG: US Patent Nos. 6,767, 512 and 7,074,367.
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T100 Thermal Cycler Manual
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Bio-Rad Laboratories Resources
Bio-Rad Laboratories provides many resources for scientists. The following web sites contain
useful information for running PCR and real-time PCR experiments:
• Life Science Research web site (discover.bio-rad.com)
This site includes links to technical notes, manuals, product information, and technical
support. This site also provides many technical resources on a wide variety of methods
and applications related to PCR, real-time PCR, and gene expression.
Table 1 lists Bio-Rad Laboratories resources and how to locate what you need.
Warranty
The T100™ thermal cycler and associated accessories are covered by a standard Bio-Rad
Laboratories warranty. Contact your local Bio-Rad Laboratories office for the details of the
warranty.
Writing Conventions Used in This Manual
This manual provides instructions on how to safely set up and operate the T100 thermal cycler
and uses the writing conventions shown in Table 2 to quickly provide relevant information.
Table 1. Bio-Rad resources.
Resource How to Contact
Local Bio-Rad Laboratories
representatives
Find local information and contacts on the Bio-Rad
Laboratories web site (www.bio-rad.com). Find the nearest
international office in the list on the back of this manual.
Technical notes and literature Go to the Bio-Rad Laboratories web site (www.bio-
rad.com). Type a term in the Search box and select
Documents to find links to technical notes, manuals, and
other literature.
Technical specialists To find local technical support on the phone, contact your
nearest Bio-Rad Laboratories office. For technical support
in the United States and Canada, call 1-800-424-6723
(toll-free phone), and select the technical support option.
Table 2. Manual convention.
Convention Meaning
TIP: Provides helpful instructions, including information explained in further detail
elsewhere in this manual
NOTE: Provides important information, including information explained in further detail
elsewhere in this manual
WARNING! Explains crucial information about a topic that may lead to injury to the user,
instrument damage, or data loss
Touch X Touch X using your finger. For example, touch New Protocol means use your
finger to touch the New Protocol button on the screen.
Touch X > Y From the menu X, touch Y. For example, touch Tools > About means touch the
Tools button, then touch About from the Tools menu.
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Safety and Regulatory Compliance
The T100 thermal cycler heats and cools very quickly during operation. We strongly
recommend that you follow the safety specifications listed in this section and throughout this
manual.
Safety Warning Labels
Warning labels posted on the instrument and in this manual warn you about sources of injury
or harm. Refer to Table 3 to review the meaning of each safety warning label.
Instrument Safety Warnings
The following warning labels display on the instrument and refer directly to the safe use of this
T100 thermal cycler (Table 4).
Table 3. Instrument safety warning labels.
Icon Meaning
CAUTION: Risk of danger! This symbol identifies components that pose a risk of
personal injury or damage to the instrument if improperly handled. Wherever this
symbol appears, consult the manual for further information before proceeding.
CAUTION: Risk of electrical shock! This symbol identifies components that pose a
risk of electrical shock if improperly handled.
CAUTION: Hot surface! This symbol identifies components that pose a risk of
personal injury due to excessive heat if improperly handled.
Table 4. Instrument safety warning labels.
Icon Meaning
Warning about risk of harm to body or equipment.
Operating the T100 instrument before reading this manual can constitute a personal
injury hazard. Only qualified laboratory personnel should operate this instrument.
Warning about risk of harm to body or equipment from electrical shock.
Do not attempt to repair or remove the outer case of this thermal cycler, power
supply, heat pump, or other accessories. If you open these instruments, you put
yourself at risk for electrical shock and void your warranty. All repairs must be done
by an authorized repair service.
T100 Thermal Cycler Manual
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Safety and Regulatory Compliance
This instrument has been tested and found to be in compliance with all applicable
requirements of the following safety and electromagnetic standards (Table 5).
SAFETY COMPLIANCE
This instrument has been tested and found to be in compliance with all applicable
requirements of the following safety and electromagnetic standards:
• IEC 61010-1:2001 Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement,
control, and laboratory use —Part 1: General requirements
• IEC 61010-2-010:2003 Safety requirements for electrical equipment for
measurement, control, and laboratory use —Part 2-010: Particular requirements
for laboratory equipment for the heating of material
• CAN/CSA-C22.2 NO. 61010-1-04 Safety Requirements for Electrical Equipment
for Measurement, Control, and Laboratory Use - Part 1: General Requirements
• CAN/CSA-C22.2 NO. 61010-2-010-04 Safety Requirements for Electrical
Equipment for Measurement, Control, and Laboratory Use - Part 2-010: Particular
Requirements for Laboratory Equipment for the Heating of Materials
• EN 61010-1:2001 Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement,
control, and laboratory use —Part 1: General requirements
Never remove the outer case of a thermal cycler base. This may cause you to
receive an electrical shock.
This thermal cycler uses neutral fusing, which means that live power could still be
exposed inside the instrument even when the fuse is blown or removed.
Warning about risk of burning.
A thermal cycler generates enough heat to cause serious burns. Wear safety
goggles or other eye protection at all times during operation. Always allow the
sample block to return to idle temperature before opening the lid and removing
samples. Always allow maximum clearance to avoid accidental skin burns.
Warning about risk of explosion.
The sample blocks can become hot enough during the course of normal operation
to cause liquids to boil and explode.
Table 5. Safe use specifications.
Usage Aspect Conditions for Safe Use
Rated input power 100–240 Vac, 50–60 Hz, 700 W Max
Overvoltage category II
Replacement fuses 10 A, 250 V, 5 x 20 mm, fast blow (qty 2)
Environment Indoor use only
Temperature 15–31°C
Relative humidity Up to 80% (noncondensing)
Altitude Up to 2,000 meters above sea level
Pollution degree 2
Table 4. Instrument safety warning labels. (continued)
Icon Meaning
vi
• EN 61010-2-010:2003 Safety requirements for electrical equipment for
measurement, control, and laboratory use —Part 2-010: Particular requirements
for laboratory equipment for the heating of material
• UL 61010-1:2004(R2008) Safety Requirements for Electrical Equipment for
Measurement, Control, and Laboratory Use —Part 1: General Requirements
• UL 61010A-2-010:2002 Standard for Electrical Equipment for Laboratory Use;
Part 2: Particular Requirements for Laboratory Equipment for the Heating of
Material
ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY (EMC)
• IEC61326-1:2005 Electrical Equipment for measurement, control, and laboratory
use —EMC Requirements, Class A
• EN61326-1:2006 Electrical Equipment for measurement, control, and laboratory
use —EMC Requirements, Class A
• FCC Part 15, Subpart B, Sections 15.107 and 15.109 as a Class A digital device.
FCC WARNINGS AND NOTES
WARNING! Warning: Changes or modifications to this unit, not expressly approved
by Bio-Rad Laboratories, could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
• Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the
equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates,
uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to
cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the
interference, at his own expense.
• Note regarding FCC compliance: Although this instrument has been tested and
found to comply with Part 15, Subpart B of the FCC Rules for a Class A digital
device, please note that this compliance is voluntary, for the instrument qualifies
as an “exempted device” under 47 CFR 15.103(c), in regard to the cited FCC
regulations in effect at the time of manufacture.
• Note regarding Canadian EMC compliance: Le present appareil numerique
n’emet pas de bruits radioelectrique depassant les limites applicables aux
appareils numeriques de class A prescrites dans le reglement sur le brouillage
radioelectrique edicte par le Ministere des Communications du Canada.
T100 Thermal Cycler Manual
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Table of Contents
Bio-Rad Laboratories Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Writing Conventions Used in This Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Safety and Regulatory Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Chapter 1. Introduction to the T100™ Thermal Cycler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
System Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Setting Up the T100 Thermal Cycler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Home Screen Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Loading Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Compatible Reaction Vessels and Sealing Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Chapter 2. Creating, Editing, and Saving Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Creating a New Protocol or Editing an Existing Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Sample Volume and Lid Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Saving a Protocol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Chapter 3. Running Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Starting a Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Pausing and Resuming a Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Skipping Steps in a Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Canceling a Run. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Incubating Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Chapter 4. Managing Protocol Files and Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Saved Protocols Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Chapter 5. Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Tools Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Chapter 6. Maintenance and Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
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T100 Thermal Cycler Manual
1
1 Introduction to the T100™ Thermal
Cycler
Read this chapter for information on setting up the T100 thermal cycler.
• System overview (page 1)
• Setting up the T100 thermal cycler (page 2)
• Home screen (page 3)
• Loading samples (page 3)
• Selecting compatible reaction vessels and sealing options (page 4)
System Overview
The T100 thermal cycler has a 96-well block that is compatible with standard height tubes,
tube strips, and plates. It can run sample volumes of 1–100 µL, with volumes of 15–100 uL
recommended for the best reproducibility. It is composed of the following parts:
• Reaction block — holds the plates, tubes or tube strips containing samples
• Heated inner lid — heats the top of the samples to prevent evaporation and
condensation
• Touch screen — provides the means to control the cycler with gloved or ungloved
hands
• USB port — connects to a USB flash drive for data transfer
• Status LED — turns on during normal operation; blinks when the cycler is in standby
• Air vents — provide ventilation to allow the thermal cycler to heat and cool quickly
2
Figure 1. Front view of the T100 thermal cycler.
Setting Up the T100 Thermal Cycler
The T100 thermal cycler package includes:
• T100 thermal cycler
• Power cord
• Support ring for individual tubes
• Instruction manual
Remove all packaging materials and store them for future use. If any item is missing or
damaged, contact your local Bio-Rad office.
Place the T100 thermal cycler base on a flat, dry surface with sufficient cool airflow to run
properly.
1. Before operating the thermal cycler, be sure to read the safety specifications (Safety and
Regulatory Compliance, on page iv) and operating requirements.
2. Plug the supplied power cord into the appropriate electrical outlet.
3. Turn on the thermal cycler using the power switch on the back panel.
4. The thermal cycler runs a self-test to verify proper function, and then displays the home
screen.
Heated inner lid
Reaction block
Air vents
Status LED
Touch screen
USB port
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