Biosan
PCR workstation essential maintenance guide
Maintaining your PCR cabinet is crucial to prevent contamination and prolonging the life of your equipment. This short guide will cover:
- The importance of PCR cabinet maintenance
- Cleaning and decontamination
- Routine maintenance
- Periodic maintenance
- Best practices
- Manual and list of spare parts
1. Why Is PCR cabinet maintenance important?
PCR cabinets are designed to protect sensitive biological samples from contamination by providing a controlled, aseptic environment. Proper care ensures:
- Accurate experimental results by preventing cross-contamination
- Recirculated airflow efficiency to maintain a clean working space
- Extended lifespan of the equipment, reducing downtime and repair costs
- Compliance with laboratory safety regulations and best practices
2. Cleaning and decontamination
Cleaning frequency varies based on usage but should be performed as often as necessary to maintain a clean working area.
Cleaning best practices:
- Always clean before and after experiments to prevent contamination
- Use a lint-free cloth and recommended cleaning solution
- Do not use any abrasive materials
- Wipe down surfaces gently to avoid scratching acrylic or damaging coatings
- Dispose of any waste according to the local regulations to prevent biohazard risks
Recommended cleaning solutions:
Due to different materials and finish, each PCR cabinet model may require different cleaning agents. Always refer to the user manual to ensure compatibility (please see section 6 - PCR cabinet manuals, below).
Here are some guidelines:
- Models UVC/T-M-AR, UVT-B-AR, and UVT-S-AR:
These models have a special UV protective coating on the external side of the glass panels. Avoid using aggressive cleaning solutions that may damage this coating on the outside of the cabinet. - Model UVC/T-AR:
This model has Plexiglas (acrylic) transparent surfaces that will permanently cloud or crack when exposed to solvents, for example alcohol, acetone and ammonia. Avoid organic solvent-based cleaners, pure alcohol, and alcohol-based solutions (>20%), and always wipe surfaces with distilled water after decontamination to remove any residue.
3. Routine maintenance
Dust filters
The dust filters on either end of the air recirculating module (see image) play a crucial role in maintaining UV sterilization of the PCR cabinet air during use. If clogged, they can lead to reduced air circulation and a reduction of UV irradiation efficiency, giving a higher risk of contamination. The newer models of Biosan cabinets have an automatic periodic warning to clean the dust filters – please see the image below for an example – for older models without a touchscreen you will have to keep track of this manually. A weekly visual inspection is recommended – clean the filters if they appear dusty, or replace them if they appear deteriorated or damaged. It is recommended to clean the filters once a month even if they do not appear to require it: Gently rinse them with warm (not scalding) tap water and allow to air dry.
4. Periodic maintenance
UV lamps
Biosan PCR cabinets are fitted with two sets of UV lights: One in the cabinet, to sterilize the working area after use, and one inside the air recirculating module that sterilizes the cabinet air. Both lamps are vital to ensuring the correct operation of the cabinet. The operation of the cabinet UV lamp is easy to observe when starting the sterilization cycle when the cabinet is not in use. In order to check if the UV lamp inside the air recirculating module is working, please check the UV indicator placed centrally on the lower side of the air recirculating module (see image), this will be lighted up when the UV light is on, which should always be the case when the cabinet is in use. The air recirculating module completely encloses this light, ensuring that the operator is not exposed to UV light when working. It is recommended to check that the UV indicator is lighted whenever the cabinet is in use.
The UV lamps have a limited lifetime, and due to the special requirements of producing UV light they will deteriorate in efficiency before they go out. The functional lifespan of a UV lamp is 9,000 hours, but efficiency begins to decline after 5,000 hours, falling by 15% for every additional 1,000 hours of operation. The newer models of Biosan cabinets have an automatic counter for UV lamp use, and a warning when it is recommended to replace the UV lights – please see the images below for examples.
For older models without a touchscreen you will have to keep track of this manually, it is recommended to:
- Either calculate approximate replacement intervals based on daily usage, or
- Change the UV lights twice per year.
5. Best practices
To keep your PCR cabinet in peak condition, please follow these recommendations:
| Before use |
|
| After use |
|
| Weekly |
|
| Monthly |
|
| Periodically |
|
Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with a well-maintained cabinet!
| Cat. no. | Description | Number installed in each cabinet | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| BS-000000-S31 | Filter for air recirculator module (2 pcs) | 2 | All cabinets |
| BS-000000-S27 | Visible light lamp 15W | 1 | Regular size cabinets UVC/T-AR UVC/T-M-AR UVT-B-AR |
| BS-000000-S09 | UV-C lamp 25W | 2 (one open, one in air recirculator module) |
Regular size cabinets UVC/T-AR UVC/T-M-AR UVT-B-AR |
| BS-040107-S04 | Visible light lamp 30W | 1 | Extra wide cabinet UVT-S-AR |
| BS-040107-S05 | UV-C lamp 30W | 3 (two open, one in air recirculator module) |
Extra wide cabinet UVT-S-AR |
This text is adapted from the news article “Why It Is Important to Care for Your PCR Cabinet? Essential Maintenance Guide” published by Biosan 27.02.2025.
https://biosan.lv/news/why-it-important-care-your-pcr-cabinet-essential-maintenance-guide/
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