Bio-Rad S3™ Cell Sorter - Manual (Page 108)

98 | S3 and S3e Cell Sorters
Maintenance
Cleaning the nozzle tip:
The nozzle tip may be clogged visibly, but there may also be a clog that is not visible. A syringe
wash may solve the problem. Often the tip will need to be sonicated to remove micro clogs or
stuck debris. In some instances the cleaning may need to be repeated several times to resolve
the issue.
Sonication:
8. Place the tip into a tube of DI water.
9. Cap the tube.
10. Place the tube into a sonicator for 10–30 min.
11. Perform a syringe wash after sonication.
Syringe wash:
12. Using a 1 ml syringe filled with DI water or ethanol, press the syringe against the base of the
nozzle tip and force liquid through the nozzle tip.
13. Perform the same wash by pressing the syringe tip against the top of the nozzle tip and
ejecting the liquid.
14. Repeat as needed by rotating between top and base of the tip to free clog.
15. Watch the resulting stream. If the tip is clean, the fluidic stream should be coming out
straight from the tip with no bend or significant spraying.
16. Repeat if necessary until the stream is coming out straight.
17. Place the O-ring at the edge of the base of the nozzle tip (Figure 116).
18. Place the nozzle tip back onto the nozzle assembly by pushing it in, touching only the sides
of the tip. Avoid touching the end.
19. Secure the black retaining collar until finger tight.
Fig. 116. AutoGimbal Swap Tip window.