Ion Torrent Initialization Problems

[slm1816]

Hey all,

Anyone have any tips on initializing PGM? We seem to have initialization fail frequently for one reason or another. It is never the same issue. Sometimes it asks us to replace/re-position the chip, sometimes it is the pH of W2 being over/under shot. Bottom line, it is always something and it happens frequently. Anyone else with similar problems?

Thanks!

[AmpliSeqMan]

We are commonly getting initialization failures. Getting between 30-50% of the time. Beginning to suspect that the water might not be 18 megaOhms as required and as the meter reports. Any advice???

[ECO]

Moving to Ion forum.

[RonanC]

When you do your initialization you have to have an old chip in place in the PGM. Make sure that the chip in place is NOT a chip that you have used for a chlorite cleaning run. If it has been used in a chlorite cleaning run then it can cause problems with the initialization process.

[cmccabe]

I add 50ul of 100MM NAOH to the W2 and that seems to help a lot with the pH. Usually takes 2 or 3 iterations to balance the W2 pH on intialization

[snetmcom]

Originally Posted by cmccabe

I add 50ul of 100MM NAOH to the W2 and that seems to help a lot with the pH. Usually takes 2 or 3 iterations to balance the W2 pH on intialization

this.

also, stop using old chips when performing an init. just use a new chip for init, and then use that chip to load your sample.

These two items combined have stopped init issues.