Our CO2 supply is outside in a cage and there is fairly long distance pipework going around the outside of the wall to the entry point in the wall of the lab. Since turning late Autumn/early winter, some of our cells are starting to look a bit odd. It seems to get worse the colder it gets. The incubators are reading 5% CO2 (so unlikely a leak), the temperature is correct too. They are newish incubators, only serviced recently (we are getting our own CO2 meter to check soon too). All reagents were replaced (several times). Two different people have had the same problem, so not user error either (both experienced users). Different batches of cells have been tried too. Its the first time Ive ever used a supply from outside, (its usually next to the incubator) so I was wondering if it had an effect on anything as Im running out of ideas. Many thanks
The cylinders are outside for health and safety reasons. This is common practice for larger cylinders of any gas. The only effect long piping should have is the gas coming in would be ambient temperature for the outside. Still most incubators should prewarm the injected gas making it a nonissue. Only potential issue is if the wrong grade of pipes was used as carbon dioxide is acidic so could react with some coatings which might fume.
It seems easily testable by grabbing a small cylinder (e.g. homebrew store) and carrying it inside. Just don't tell the control freaks.
If the temperature and the CO2 concentration is good, I don't see what would be related to the location of the CO2 cylinder.
Bill Chi Shun Ho Like I said Im getting desperate now, it is way down on my list of suspicions, but I had to ask.
My former company had the CO2 manifold next to the warehouse that had huge garage door. It was not outside but just a pull up door away and we have below 0°F outdoor temperature almost every winter. As it has a long tubing bringing the CO2 into the lab through the ceiling and then down into the lab with heat/AC, the CO2 is not that cold entering the incubator. We never notice any seasonal change in culture.