We officially recommend that the plate septa be used one time only. However, we are aware that some of our customers will rinse the septa with water and re-use them. In those instances, the septa can become sticky and gummy over time and eventually start sticking to the array. In the best case scenario, the array will lift the plate off of the autosampler just enough to break the connection with the plate sensor and abort the run. The Event Log might show that the run aborted due to the user aborting it, so the run will appear to have completed or stopped with no errors and no data. The worst case scenario is that the plate remains on the array as the autosampler starts to move, bending the electrodes and breaking the array. We recommend replacing the plate septa regularly (replacing after each run is recommended). Do not use bleach, detergents, or solvents to clean the septa, it will cause them to dry out faster and also risks contaminating the system.
Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Capillary Electrophoresis Software Support Center.
