Read this operating manual completely before using the device for the first time. Also
observe the instructions for use of the accessories.
This operating manual is part of the product. Thus, it must always be easily accessible.
Enclose this operating manual when transferring the device to third parties.
You will find the current version of the operating manual for all available languages on
our webpage under www.eppendorf.com
.
1.2Danger symbols and danger levels
The safety instructions of this operating manual indicate the following danger symbols
and danger levels:
1.2.1 Danger symbol
BiohazardToxic substances
Hazard pointMaterial damage
1.2.2 Danger levels
DANGERWill lead to severe injuries or death.
WAR NI NGMay lead to severe injuries or death.
CAUTIONMay lead to light to moderate injuries.
NoticeMay lead to material damage.
1.3Symbols used
Depiction Meaning
1.
2.
Actions without a specified order
• List
TextDisplay text or software text
Actions in the specified order
Additional information
5
Page 6
Product description
1
23
4
6
Varipette ® 4720
English (EN)
2Product description
2.1Delivery package
QuantityDescription
1Varipette 4720
1Varitip P
1Dispensing unit (Varitip S)
2Maxitip
10Valves
2.2Main illustration
Abb. 1:Varipette
Fig. 1:Varipette
1 Selection dial for setting the volume
2 Pipetting lever
When pressing the pipetting lever down
to the lower stop, the device aspirates
the liquid. Dispense the liquid by
pressing the lever again.
3Volume display
4 Clamping lever
For fastening the piston of the Varitip.
Page 7
Abb. 2:Varitips
1
3
2
Fig. 2:Varitips
Product description
Varipette ® 4720
English (EN)
7
1 Varitip S, dispensing unit (2.50 mL –
10.00 mL)
(Varitip S = Varitip System)
2 Varitip S, Maxitip
The Maxitip is attached to the
dispensing unit and can be replaced.
3 Varitip P (1.00 mL – 10.00 mL)
(P = Positive displacement)
2.3Features
The Varipette is a universal millimeter pipette with a 1.00 to 10.0 mL range for variable
use. It allows you to set and dispense any required volume in increments of 10 μL.
Use the versatile Varipette to dispense:
• aqueous solutions,
• organic liquids,
• liquids with elevated levels of viscosity, and
• liquids that differ substantially from water with regard to their densities or vapor
pressures
can be dispensed.
The Varipette is not operable without a Varitip: This unit is composed of a piston, a
cylinder and a tip, and is used for aspirating the liquid.
Features of the Varitips:
• Varitip P
Dispensing volume 1.00 to 10.00 mL, with short tip and positive displacement.
• Varitip S with Maxitip
Page 8
Safety
8
Varipette ® 4720
English (EN)
Dispensing volume 2.50 to 10.00 mL. The long Maxitip can be used to remove liquid
from high and narrow-necked vessels (diameter = 10 mm, fitting measuring flasks with
standard 12/21 ground joint). The liquid will only enter the Maxitip. As a result, the
samples or reagents can be dispensed consecutively without entrainment by changing
the Maxitip.
The valve that can be inserted to the tip of the Maxitip S reduces the risks associated
with transmitting aggressive or toxic solutions, or liquids with radioactive or
pathogenic components.
You can use an adapter for storing the Varipette in the pipette carousel 3115 or the pipette
carousel 4923.
2.4Areas of application for the Varitips
Varitip P and Varitip S complement each other in their function.
Please refer to the following table for the recommended areas of application:
aqueous solutions + +
extraction of liquids from deep receptacles – +
organic liquids (alcohols, org. acids, etc.) + +
solvents with high vapor pressure (e.g. diethyl
ether)
high density liquids + +
viscose liquids + –
2.4.1 Materials
The pistons inside the Varitip S and Varitip P are made of polyethylene (PE).
The cylinder of the Varitips, the Maxitips and the Maxitip valve (both of which for
Varitip S) are made of polypropylene (PP).
Vari tip P Vari tip S
– +
3Safety
3.1Intended use
The Eppendorf Varipette 4720 is intended for dispensing liquids. In-vivo applications (in
or on the human body) are not allowed.
The Eppendorf Varipette 4720 may only be operated by trained specialists. All users must
read the operating manual carefully and must have become familiar with the device's
mode of operation.
Page 9
3.2Warnings for intended use
WARNING! Damages to health due to infectious liquids and pathogenic germs.
When handling infectious liquids and pathogenic germs, observe the national
regulations, the biological security level of your laboratory, the material safety
data sheets, and the manufacturer's application notes.
Wear personal protective equipment.
For full instructions regarding the handling of germs or biological material of
risk group II or higher, please refer to the "Laboratory Biosafety Manual"
(Source: World Health Organization, current edition of the Laboratory Biosafety
Manual).
WARNING! Damage to health due to toxic, radioactive or aggressive chemicals.
Wear personal protective equipment.
Observe the national regulations for handling these substances.
Observe the material safety data sheets and manufacturer's application notes.
CAUTION! Danger to individuals due to careless use
Never point the opening of the device towards yourself or other people.
Only initiate liquid dispensing if it is safe to do so.
With any dispensing task please ensure that you do not endanger yourself and
other persons.
CAUTION! Poor safety due to incorrect accessories and spare parts.
The use of accessories and spare parts other than those recommended by
Eppendorf may impair the safety, functioning and precision of the device.
Eppendorf cannot be held liable or accept any liability for damage resulting from
the use of incorrect or non-recommended accessories and spare parts, or from the
improper use of such equipment.
Only use accessories and original spare parts recommended by Eppendorf.
Safety
Varipette ® 4720
English (EN)
9
Page 10
Operation
10
Varipette ® 4720
English (EN)
4Operation
4.1Inserting and removing the Varitip
Hold down the pipetting lever throughout the entire insertion and removal process.
Abb. 3:Inserting the Varitip
Fig. 3:Inserting the Varitip
Abb. 4:Valve in the Maxitip
1. Press the pipetting lever sufficiently often for
the locking clamp to move right to the bottom.
Keep the pipetting lever pressed down.
2. Raise the clamping lever.
3. Slightly turn the Varitip P or the dispensing unit
of the Varitip S while pushing it into the clamp
or pulling it out of it.
When inserting the piston its coupling block
will slide into the shaft of the locking clamp by
itself.
4. Carefully apply pressure to push the coupling
unit into position, if required.
5. Lower the clamping lever and push it into
place.
6. Let the pipetting lever slide back slowly to the
upper stop. Do not let the pipetting lever snap
back.
7. For the Varitip S: The valve may be inserted
into the Maxitip in any orientation.
The valve seals the tip of the Maxitip,
preventing the liquid from dripping out.
8. Plug the Maxitip onto the dispensing unit.
Fig. 4:Valve in the Maxitip
Page 11
Operation
Varipette ® 4720
English (EN)
4.2Setting the volume
Abb. 5:Setting the volume
Turn the selection dial until the required volume is
displayed. The individual digits of the volume
display must entirely show in the viewing window.
The volume is displayed in mL in 4 digits with two
decimal spaces.
Fig. 5:Setting the volume
4.3Pre-wetting
Precise pipetting requires the preliminary wetting of the Varitip P and the Maxitip.
Aspirate and dispense liquid three times.
The tip is pre-wetted.
After pre-wetting, the amount of dispensed liquid corresponds exactly to the previously
aspirated volume that was set.
4.4Pipetting with the Varitip P
4.4.1 Aspirating liquid
1. Immerse the tip of the Varitip P in the liquid.
2. Slowly press down the pipetting lever up to the lower stop.
3. Wait for 2 seconds before letting the pipetting lever slide upward slowly.
A small air bubble is left behind in the cylinder of the Varitip P after filling. This has
no effect on the accuracy and precision of dispensing.
4.4.2 Liquid dispensing
You can dispense the liquid from the Varitip P freely or against the inner wall of the vessel.
1. Slowly press down the pipetting lever until it reaches the lower stop.
2. Remove any residual droplets left behind on the tip by wiping the tip on the vessel wall.
3. Let the pipetting lever slide back slowly to the upper stop.
Liquids remaining in the Varitip P after pre-wetting and pipetting are not part of the
dispensing volume.
11
Page 12
Operation
12
Varipette ® 4720
English (EN)
4.5Pipetting with the Varitip S
Abb. 6:Aspirating liquids
Abb. 7:Dispensing liquids
Fig. 6:Aspirating liquids
Fig. 7:Dispensing liquids
You can pipette in the same way with the Varitip S as with the Varitip P.
Please also observe the following:
Always hold the pipette vertically when aspirating liquids.
Hold the tip of the Maxitip against the inner wall of the vessel when dispensing liquids.
Hold the long tip of the Varitip S against the inner wall of the vessel when dispensing
liquids.
Apply an extra stroke to remove any residual liquid from the tip when working with highly
wetting liquids:
1. Let the pipetting lever slide upward.
2. Press the pipetting lever to slightly raise the piston.
3. Press the pipetting lever again to dispense the liquid.
4.5.1 Pipetting with the Maxitip and valve
The tip of the Maxitip is closed by the weight of the valve (density = 1.78 g/L).
Hold the tip of the Maxitip against the inner wall of the vessel and push back the valve
one time before aspirating liquids.
The aspirated liquid will raise the valve during the aspiration process.
Hold the pipette with filled Maxitip and valve vertically during transport.
Hold the tip of the Maxitip at an angle against the inner wall of the vessel and push up
the valve when dispensing liquids.
Hold the aspiration and dispensing vessels steady with the other hand.
Page 13
Gravimetric check
Varipette ® 4720
English (EN)
4.6Liquids with specific properties
You can use the Varitip S to dispense liquids that differ substantially from water with
regard to their densities or vapor pressures.
Use the Maxitip to determine the required settings.
4.6.1 Adjusting the volume selection dial
Abb. 8:Correcting the volume
1. Attach the Maxitip.
2. Set the required volume using the selection
dial.
3. Keep the pipetting lever pressed down while
aspirating the liquid.
4. Turn the selection dial until the meniscus of the
liquid has reached the corresponding scale
mark. Turn the dial clockwise to raise the liquid
level. Turn the dial counter-clockwise to lower
the liquid level.
5. Read the setting determined for the required
volume from the volume display.
6. Dispense the volume from the Maxitip.
13
Fig. 8:Correcting the volume
• For liquids with high vapor pressure, repeat aspirating and dispensing the liquid
until you can see no more gas bubbles at the tip when dispensing the liquid.
• We recommend the Varitip P for viscose liquids.
5Gravimetric check
The liquid for pipetting, Aqua bidest, must have the same temperature as the ambient air
20 °C – 27 °C (= reference temperature). In order to calculate the volume from the weight
Page 14
New set value =
Weight of pipetted liquid
Density of pipetted liquid
2 x nominal value –
Troubleshooting
14
Varipette ® 4720
English (EN)
of the pipetted liquid, divide the weight by the density of the water. Number of
determinations: 10
Due to its degree of incorrectness, you cannot use the Maxitip for testing the Varipette.
If you wish to dispense liquids with specific properties, you can set the Varipette to
gravimetric instead of volumetric. In this mode, the volume pipetted at the nominal value
is weighed.
Check the determined value gravimetrically and correct it, if necessary.
6Troubleshooting
6.1Error search
Error Cause Remedy
Pipetting lever cannot be
pressed down completely.
Piston cannot be controlled
via the pipetting lever.
Incorrect dispensing volume. Pipetting lever not fully
Varitip drips. Piston does not seal. Exchange Varitip.
Droplets in the tip of the
Maxitip.
Clamping lever is not fully
pressed down.
Pipetting lever is not pressed
down up to the stop.
pressed down during liquid
aspiration.
Clamping lever is not fully
pressed down.
Liquid with deviating
density, high vapor pressure.
Maxitip not firmly fit onto the
dispensing unit.
Liquid with high steam
pressure/low viscosity.
Increased wetting of the
plastic.
Properly insert the piston,
completely press down
the clamping lever.
Push down the pipetting
lever all the way up to the
stop.
Always press down the
pipetting lever up to the
lower stop; the lower stop
varies with the dispensing
volume.
Properly insert the piston,
completely press down
the clamping lever.
volum./grav. check
Plug in long tip.
Insert valve into the
Maxitip.
Exchange Maxitip.
Page 15
Maintenance
Varipette ® 4720
English (EN)
Regularly check the precision and accuracy of the Varipette to prevent dispensing errors.
An SOP (Standard Operation Procedure) for checking pipettes can be found on our
website www.eppendorf.com
The settings must be adjusted for such liquids whose physical properties substantially
differ from those of water.
.
7Maintenance
7.1Cleaning
NOTICE! Damage to device from unsuitable cleaning fluids or sharp or pointed
objects.
Unsuitable cleaning fluids can damage the device.
Never use corrosive cleaning fluids, strong solvents or abrasive polishes.
Check the compatibility with the materials used.
Do not clean the device with acetone or organic solvents with a similar effect.
Do not clean the device with sharp objects.
Proceed as follows:
To remove any contamination on the outside, dampen a soft cloth with a mild detergent
and wipe the housing.
Wipe the housing with isopropanol (70%) to disinfect the Varipette. wipe.
7.2Decontamination before shipment
If you wish to return the device to Eppendorf AG or an Eppendorf AG service partner to be
checked or repaired, please note the following:
CAUTION! Use of a contaminated device may result in personal injuries and
damage to the device.
Clean and decontaminate the device in accordance with the cleaning
instructions before shipping or storage.
15
Hazardous substances are:
• solutions presenting a hazard to health
• potentially infectious agents
• organic solvents and reagents
• radioactive substances
• proteins presenting a hazard to health
•DNA
Page 16
Technical data
16
Varipette ® 4720
English (EN)
1. Please note the information in the document "Decontamination certificate for product
returns".
You can find it as a PDF file on our webpage www.eppendorf.com
.
2. Enter the serial number of the Varipette 4720 in the decontamination certificate.
3. With the shipment please include the completed decontamination certificate for
product returns with the Varipette 4720.
4. Send the pipette to Eppendorf AG or an Eppendorf AG service partner. The address
details of Eppendorf AG can be found on the last page of this operating manual. The list
of service partners can be found at www.eppendorf.com/worldwide
.
8Technical data
Tab. 1: Varipette 4720 and Varitip S
Volume
in mL
Systematic
(Incorrectness)
in %in mLin %in mL
2.5± 1.0 ± 0.025± 0.2± 0.005
5± 0.4 ± 0.02± 0.2± 0.01
10± 0.3 ± 0.03± 0.2± 0.02
Tab. 2: Varipette 4720 and Varitip P
Volume
in mL
Systematic
(Incorrectness)
in %in mLin %in mL
1± 0.6± 0.006± 0.2± 0.002
5± 0.5± 0.025± 0.1± 0.005
10± 0.3± 0.03± 0.1± 0.01
Error
Random
(Imprecision)
Error
Random
(Imprecision)
Liquid Water (demineralized according to
ISO 3696)
Reference temperature20 °C – 27 °C, ±0.5 °C constant
Number of determinations10
Test conditions according to ISO 8655 with original Eppendorf Varitip P or Varitip S
without valve, liquid dispensed to the inner wall of the weighing vessel.
Page 17
Ordering Information
9Ordering Information
CAUTION! Poor safety due to incorrect accessories and spare parts.
The use of accessories and spare parts other than those recommended by
Eppendorf may impair the safety, functioning and precision of the device.
Eppendorf cannot be held liable or accept any liability for damage resulting from
the use of incorrect or non-recommended accessories and spare parts, or from the
improper use of such equipment.
Only use accessories and original spare parts recommended by Eppendorf.
Varipette ® 4720
English (EN)
17
Order no.
Description
(International)
Eppendorf Varipette 4720
4720 000.011with continuous volume adjustment 1 – 10 mL