Micropipettes are part of my lab routine and every now and then I hear that is necessary to reset micropipettes to their maximum volume in order to avoid the spring to wear out. Is it really necessary? Or should I just be concerned about the annual calibration?
Thanks!
that's a urban myth... Regardless, it is a good practice to reset the volume of the pipette so you remember to adjust it next time you use it. It is also a good practice to every now-and-then double check the volume provided by your pipette with: lets say, its weight. You will notice that even the change of the weather will alter the volume provided by the pipette (change in density of your sample). Therefore, even if your micro-pipette change its error by not resetting it every time, your lab practices play the biggest role to provide reliable data to your research.
also, if you share the micropipette. It is way too anoying to find a micropipette that wasn't reset. So don't be that guy in your lab, reset your pipette and don't forget the annual calibration.
cheers
I found this "It is also wise to set variable volume pipettes to their maximum volume before storage, as in this position the spring inside is in it’s least stressed position."
https://camblab.info/wp/index.php/how-should-i-store-my-micropipettes/
In fact, it is. It is important to relief the tension from the springs. In the long-term, specially for older versions, it may cause some malfunctioning. Consider the lack or loss of oil as well. Also, as aforementioned, it is a good lab practice, and equally important are the periodic calibrations.
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