Techne TC-3000X - Manual (Page 49)

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NOTES ON TRANSFERRING PROTOCOLS FROM OTHER THERMAL CYCLERS
The TC-3000 and TC-3000X can heat up to 3.6°C/s and provides the highest levels of temperature
uniformity. Many slower machines have historically begun the countdown on hold times before the set
temperature is reached in order to avoid any overshooting in sample temperature. The slower the
heating rate the more significant the loss in hold time, i.e. if a 30 second hold time is set at 55°C then
perhaps 5 to 10s will be lost in between the start of the time countdown and actually reaching the set
temperature. The overall effect of this method of control is that your sample, if cooling from a higher
temperature, is subjected to an environment with an elevated temperature compared to the target
temperature for a significant part of the hold time.
The TC-3000 and TC-3000X provide the user with 'what-you-program-is what-you-get'. Due to the
rapid and responsive nature of the Peltier heating system, the time between the timer countdown
initiating and actually reaching the set temperature has been reduced to as little as 1s. This ensures
that the sample is only subjected to the exact temperature required.
Taking the above into consideration it must therefore be noted that care must be taken when re-
optimizing protocols from a slower machine.
Trouble Shooting
1. The optimum annealing temperature may in fact be higher than the set temperature used in the
slower machine. Try increasing it by 1 or 2°C.
2. The hold time can be reduced once the optimum temperature has been found. Try reducing it by 5
to 10s.