Why Balance Your Centrifuge?
Balancing your centrifuge is crucial for ensuring smooth operation, preventing damage to the unit, and improving sample separation.
Balancing Instructions:
Load Balancing:
- Always Balance the Load: Ensure each tube or container is balanced with another of equal weight across from it on the rotor.
- Equal Weight Distribution: Tubes should be evenly distributed across the rotor, with pairs of tubes of equal weight placed opposite each other.
- Balancing with Even Increments: On an 8-place rotor, only balance 2, 4, 6, or 8 tubes at a time. For a 24-place bucket rotor, balance in similar even increments.
- Balancing with Additional Tubes: When spinning a single tube, balance it with another tube filled with equal fluid or water to ensure proper weight distribution.
- Consideration for Fecal Samples: If spinning fecal samples, use the same fecal solution in the balance tube to match the density of the load.
Importance of Proper Balancing:
- Proper balancing improves sample separation and extends the life of your centrifuge.
- Out-of-balance loads may lead to tube breakage and cause damage to the unit.
Visual Confirmation:
- Visually confirm that test tubes or containers are positioned across from each other. An imaginary line drawn from one tube to its counterpart should cross over the center rotor nut for proper balance.
