Q.  What temperature do I need to seal an ampule?
A. Our ampules are manufactured from 33 expansion borosilicate glass and require temperatures of 820°C in order to seal them.

Q. Does WHEATON sell a machine to flame-seal ampules?
A. No. However, there are companies that do sell sealing machines. Probably the most popular is called the Ampulmatic manufactured by Bioscience Inc.

Q. Can I store sealed ampules directly in the liquid phase of liquid nitrogen?
A. We do not recommend storage directly in contact with the liquid phase, only the gas phase.

Q. Are the General Purpose glass bottles autoclavable?
A. All the glass bottles are autoclavable. However, only the black phenolic caps with rubber liners are autoclavable.

Q. What is the maximum temperature of the glass?
A. The glass bottle can withstand temperatures up to 500°C.

Q. What is the shelf-life of a glass bottle?
A. Glass containers do not have an expiration date or a limit to their shelf-life.

Q. Is a glass bottle with a poly-vinyl liner chemically compatible with DMSO?
A. No. The glass is OK, but not the liner material. Please check the Chemical Resistance Chart found in the Technical Data under eCatalogs in Resources on our web site for more compatibilities.

Q. How much pressure/vacuum can the glass bottles handle?
A. None of the containers we sell are tested for pressure or vacuum.

Q. How can I tell the thread size my bottle?
A. Please refer to “Determining a Glass Container Thread Finish” found in the Technical Data under eCatalogs in Resources of our web site.

Q. What percentage of a molded glass bottle is made from recycled glass?
A. Up to 60% of the batch used to make bottles is recycled glass.

Q. Are WHEATON molded containers free of heavy metals?
A. We meet the CONEG requirement of less than 100 ppm combined total lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium.

Q. Can the glass Dropping Bottles be used with acids?
A. They can be used with most acids with the exception of hydrofluoric acid.

Q. Are the HDPE Leak-Resistant bottles chemically compatible with ethyl alcohol?
A. Yes. Please check the Chemical Resistance Chart found in the Technical Data under eCatalogs in Resources on our web site for more compatibilities.

Q. Are the General Purpose plastic bottles autoclavable?
A. Only those bottles manufactured from polypropylene can be autoclaved. Sterilization information can be found in the Technical Data under eCatalogs in Resources on our web site.

Q. Can any of the plastic bottles that WHEATON sells, be centrifuged?
A. None of our plastic bottles have been designed or tested for use with a centrifuge.

Q. How can I tell the thread size my bottle?
A. Please refer to “Determining a Plastic Container Thread Finish” found in the Technical Data under eCatalogs in Resources on our web site.

Q. Can the Sterile PET Media Square Bottles be autoclaved?
A. No. The maximum use temperature of PET is 60°C. PET may be sterilized with Eto gas or irradiation.

Q. Does WHEATON sell plastic fluorinated bottles?
A. No. We can provide the names of some companies that can fluorinate customer-supplied bottles. Please contact Technical Services.

Q. What type of glass are your chromatography vials made from?
A. Our clear glass vials meet the requirements of ASTM E-438 Type I, Class A borosilicate glass.

Q. What size tubing do I need for the Reagent Sprayers?
A. Any flexible tubing with an ID of 5-6 mm will work with the Reagent Sprayers.

Q. Do the rubber stoppers that WHEATON sells, contain natural rubber latex?
A. Stoppers made from natural red rubber and stoppers made from chlorobutyl-isoprene blend contain natural rubber latex. All of the other stoppers are latex-free.

Q. What is the maximum dry-heat temperature the stoppers can withstand?
A. Stoppers made from silicone or FKM can withstand dry-heat temperatures up to 200°C. All of the other stoppers can withstand dry-heat temperatures up to 100°C. It should be noted that all of the stoppers can be steam autoclaved at 121°C. The given temperature limits are for dry heat environments.

Q. Which stopper is usually used when packaging contact lenses in serum vials?
A. Our item 224100-178 is made from silicone and was originally referred to as the contact lens stopper.

Q. Is a polypropylene cap with a poly-vinyl liner compatible with DMSO?
A. No. Please check the Chemical Resistance Chart found in the Technical Data under eCatalogs in Resources on our web site for more compatibilities.

Q. How can I tell the thread size of my cap?
A. Please refer to “Determining a Cap’s Thread Finish” in the Technical Data under eCatalogs in Resources on our web site.

Q. Can I steam autoclave aluminum crimp seals?
A. Yes. The aluminum seals can be steam autoclaved at 121°C at 15 psi for 30 minutes.

Q. Which cap lining material provides the best gas/moisture barrier properties?
A. If compatible with the product, a metal foil liner would provide the best barrier to gas and moisture transmission.

Q. What is the recommended application torque for a 20 mm screw cap?
A. The industry rule-of-thumb for determining application torque in inch-pounds, is to divide the screw thread size in half. For a 20mm screw cap, the application torque would be 10 in-lbs. The rule-of-thumb should be used for guidance only.

Q. Will the Celstir Spinner Flasks function with other manufacturer's magnetic stirrers?
A. The Celstirs function with major manufacturer’s magnetic stirrers.

Q. How can I attach a pipe through the sidearm to add/remove media?
A. Silicone stoppers that fit the Celstirs with 45mm sidearms are available with 0, 1, 2 and 3 holes (¼” diameter). Also available are open-top caps to secure the stopper to the sidearm.

Q. Can I sterilize the staining dishes/jars using an autoclave?
A. No. However, they can be dry heat sterilized (except for units with plastic caps). They must be put into the oven when it is at room-temperature, and they must be allowed to cool in the oven before removal. The staining dishes/jars can be heated to 500°C.

Q. Does WHEATON offer a staining dish made from borosilicate glass?
A. Not at the present time.

Q What type of stainless steel are the slide racks made from?
A. The slide racks are manufactured from 304 stainless steel.

Q. What type of fuel should be used in an alcohol burner?
A. There are 3 fuels generally used; 90% ethanol, 50% isopropyl or 100% methanol. Isopropyl is the safest of these fuels.

Q. I’d like to use a vial with a 24-400 thread as an evaporator flask on my rotary evaporator. The vapor passage tube has a standard inner joint of 24/40. Do you have any suggestions?
A. Our item 139663 is a standard outer joint with a 24/40 taper on one end and a 20-400 thread on the other end. This would connect to the vapor passage tube. Our item 125499 is a WHEATON Connection with a 20-400 thread on one end and a 24-400 thread on the other end. This would connect to the outer joint and the vial.

Q. What are the inner diameters and lengths of the 3 extractor chambers for the Soxhlet Extraction Apparatus that WHEATON sells?
A. The inside chamber dimensions for item 415000 is 28mm diameter x 100mm tall. The inside chamber dimensions for item 415005 is 40mm diameter x 120mm tall. The inside chamber dimensions for item 415010 is 49mm diameter x 170mm tall.

Q. What are the approximate liquid volumes of the bottom jars of the desiccators?
A. The bottom jar for WHEATON item W365885 holds approximately 2,250mL and the bottom jar for WHEATON item W365887 holds approximately 7,500mL.

Q. What is the center hole diameter on the #5 stopper used with the 25mm Filtration Assembly?
A. The hole is 8.5mm in diameter.

Q. What is the center hole diameter on the #8 stopper used with the 47mm and 90mm Filtration Assemblies?
A. The hole is 13.9mm in diameter.

Q. What is the inside diameter of the 15mL, 25mm glass funnel 419330?
A. The approximate inside diameter is 15.8mm.

Q. What is the inside diameter of the 50mL, 25mm glass funnel 419331?
A. The approximate inside diameter is 43.4mm.

Q. What size cables do I need for the Stainless Steel Bomb Sampler?
A. The eye bolt opening is 18.4mm in diameter and the opening in the plunger rod is 4mm in diameter.

Q. Can I use the E-Z Sampler with any bottle?
A. The bottle must have a 33-400 or 33-430 GPI thread finish.

Q. Why are some of the glass Coliwasas prescored?
A. In some instances it may be OK to snap the sampler in half after use and leave in the sampling container.

Q. What are the smallest and largest diameter bottles that can be used with the bottle clamps supplied with the Grab Sampler I?
A. The smallest diameter bottle would be 64mm and the largest diameter bottle would be 114mm.

Q. Can the BOD Aerator 227700 be used with the 60mL BOD bottles?
A. No. It only fits the 300mL BOD bottle. Any type of sparger will work. The top of the bottle does not have to be sealed. The smaller the bubble size, the greater the air dispersion.

Q. What is the maximum bottle diameter that will fit into rack W227729?
A. The rack was designed for use with WHEATON 60mL BOD bottles, but will work with bottles up to 48mm in diameter and 125mm in height.

Q. What is the maximum bottle diameter that will fit into rack W227731?
A. The rack was designed for use with WHEATON 300mL BOD bottles, but will work with bottles up to 75mm in diameter and 165mm in height.

Q. What tubing size and pump settings should I use to get the best accuracy?
A. The best accuracy can be obtained by using the smallest size tubing ID and the slowest pump speed setting. Unfortunately, this selection takes the longest to dispense the requested volume. Each user must decide on the dispense time vs accuracy that best suits their requirements.

Q. Can I dispense methyl alcohol using the supplied silicone tubing?
A. Yes. Please check the Chemical Resistance Chart found in the Technical Data section on our web site for more compatibilities.

Q. What is the easiest way to attach the glass sinkers to the tubing?
A. Dipping the end of the tubing in water should make it easier to attach the glass sinker.

Q. How many pump heads can be attached to the Omnispense Elite Dispenser?
A. One additional pump head can be attached (stackable pump head for 2.3 mm wall tubing - WHEATON item W375022).

Q. Can I use the handset from the Omnispense Plus Dispenser with the Omnispense Elite Dispenser?
A. Yes, but it will not work as it does with the Omnispense Plus. The “Start” key on the handset will be the only working key and it will start and stop the dispense cycle. It will no longer pause a dispense cycle.

Q. How can I obtain the best calibration possible when using the Unispense Pro Dispenser?
A. The manual states “for best results, the pump should run for a minimum of 15 seconds. The longer the run time the more accurate the calibration”. This provides the unit with more rotation/ml data to use in its calculations. Also, set the calibration motor speed to what will more closely match the actual dispensing motor speed. The breaking dynamics of the motor is affected by the speed of the motor. This also holds true for the Omnispense Elite Dispenser.

Q. How can I remove a stored process parameter that is no longer being used from a register so it won’t accidentally be used?
A. A stored process parameter cannot be erased. However it can be over-written by entering zeros for the functions, which would alert the user the stored process parameter is not usable. This is also true for the Omnispense Elite Dispenser.

Q. What bottles do you sell that can be used with the Mini Bottle Bench-Top Roller Culture System?
A. Any of our glass bottles 38 – 60 mm in diameter, can be used with this unit. This includes AC Rounds, Boston Rounds, Straight Sided, Wide-Mouth Packers, and our borosilicate Media Bottles.

Q. What are the part numbers for the replacement drive belts for the 9-Deck WHEATON Modular Roller Apparatus 348968-A?
A. The (2) motor belts are WHEATON item number I052719. The (16) deck belts are WHEATON item number I052734. The (36) stretch belts are WHEATON item I052737.

Q. Which Roller Apparatus will provide a digital readout for the bottle speed?
A. Presently, only our R2P Roller Systems provide a digital display of the bottle speed.

Q. On the large roller bottle systems, what is the difference between “modular” and “production” spacing?
A. The production spacing is designed for maximizing space. The spacing between roller decks is shorter. This means it is a bit more difficult to move bottles in and out of the deck, but more bottles can be accommodated with the same space. The modular spacing makes it easier to insert and remove bottles.

Q. What is the maximum weight that can be placed on the Roll-In Incubator shelf?
A. 80 pounds.

Q. What is the difference between the WHEATON Cell Optimizer Bioreactor System and the WHEATON Mini-Pilot Plant Bioreactor System?
A. The only difference is the vessel size. The smaller vessels (3 liter or less) are called Optimizer Systems and the larger vessels (10 – 45 liters) are called Mini-Pilot Systems.

Q. Can I convert my 11 mm Hand Crimper so it crimps 20 mm seals?
A. Although it is possible to convert your crimper by replacing the internal crimping jaws and plunger, it is not advisable. Manufacturing uses special fixtures to help assemble the components.

Q. My crimping head will not close around the 20 mm aluminum seals with the plastic closure.
A. There is a special crimping head for the aluminum seals with the plastic closures that is often termed a “Flip-Off” crimping head. Please make certain your crimping head has the jaws with the internal recess for the plastic button that is part of the seal.

Q. How can I determine what size crimper I have if there are no markings on the crimper?
A. The easiest way would be to measure the diameter of the plunger. The plunger is approximately the same diameter as the seal and contacts the top of the aluminum seal during a crimping operation.

Q. What is the most likely cause of indentations on the sides of a crimped aluminum seal?
A. Usually it is caused by over-tightening. Try adjusting the crimping tool for a looser seal.

Q. Are the silicone tubing assemblies steam autoclavable?
A. Yes. The recommended autoclave cycle is 121°C at 15 PSI for 20 minutes. It is recommended to flush the tubing with distilled water just prior to autoclaving.

Q. Can the silicone tubing be sterilized by irradiation?
A. Yes. The suggested dosage is 25 kGy. The polypropylene nozzles and glass sinkers that attach to the tubing cannot be irradiated.

Q. Do any of the lyophilization stoppers that WHEATON sells contain natural rubber latex?
A. Only those stoppers made from chlorobutyl-isoprene blend contain natural rubber latex. All of the other lyophilization stoppers are latex-free.

Q. What size vial should I use to lyophilize 5mL of product?
A. When freezing product in glass, the container should not be filled more than half full. If you want to lyophilize 5mL of product, you should select a vial that holds at least 10mL.

Q. Can I use the Acura 501 Dispenser to dispense chloroform?
A. Yes. Please check the Chemical Resistance Chart found in the Dispenser section in our catalog for more compatibilities.

Q. Can I fill a tray of vials using the Acura 520 Dispenser without removing the vials from the rack?
A. It is possible with the optional Extension Tubing (844024). The extension tubing allows filling up to a distance of 600 mm (23.5”) from the dispenser.

Q. I disassembled my 20mL Calibrex Dispenser for cleaning and now that it is reassembled, it doesn’t draw up liquid.
A. The most common reason for this is that the outlet valve (located behind the dispensing nozzle) was reinserted backwards. Try reversing the valve. This should correct things.

Q. Can replacement parts for my WHEATON pipettor be purchased directly from WHEATON?
A. Replacement parts are only sold through our distributors. A listing of our distributors can be found on our web site.

Q. How can I get my pipettor fixed? Does WHEATON repair their pipettors?
A. We have a Repair Service that can repair Socorex brand pipettors. Our Technical Service Group can provide you with information for returning your pipettor. Please contact them at 800-225-1437.

Q. The tips our lab uses fit loosely on the Acura multi-channel pipettor. Is there a fix to this problem?
A. The pipettor is equipped with a feature called a “JusTip” for tip ejection. It will be necessary to adjust this for the tips to fit properly. The operating manual will explain how.

Q. I would like to designate some of my pipettors for a particular use in the lab. Do you have any suggestions?
A. We offer colored caps (Smarties) that snap into the plunger button on the top of the pipettor. All the designated pipettors can have the same color Smartie.

Q. I would like to pipette using a glass Pasteur pipette tip. Which WHEATON pipettor can I use?
A. Our 5mL Acura (W810316) and 5mL Acura Electro (W870920-A) when used with adapter W820023 will work with glass Pasteur pipette tips. Also, our 2mL Calibra (851340), which comes supplied with an adapter, can be used with Pasteur pipette tips.

Q. The plunger button on my old Acura pipettor has separated from the unit and I can’t thread it back on. Can you provide any suggestions?
A. The plunger button has a left-hand thread and must be turned counterclockwise in order to reattach.

Q. Can the plastic Cryogenic Vials be stored in the liquid phase of liquid nitrogen?
A. We do not recommend storage directly in contact with the liquid phase, only in the gas phase.

Q. Can WHEATON manufacture custom glass vials? Can I get WHEATON products packaged to meet my specific requirements?
A. Yes to both questions. WHEATON’s premium services offering includes custom containers and custom packaging, bar coding, critical cleaning, surface treatment and pre-weighed containers.

Q. Why doesn’t WHEATON manufacture round bottom skirted CryoELITE Cryogenic vials?
A. Our key reason for not having skirted round bottom is due to the high recovery design of our freestanding cryovials. As compared with many vials on the market, our freestanding vials do not have a true, deep V’d conical bottom. Instead, the vials have a shallow V’d bottom, which allows samples to be spun at low speeds if necessary, but provides a better ability for complete sample recovery. We have found that the available round bottom vials with a skirted bottom do not provide a stable free standing vial.

Q. What is the maximum vial size that will fit into the Cryule Vial Freezer Boxes?
A. 651490 => 12.5 mm diameter x 38 mm tall.
    651492 => 12.5 mm diameter x 50 mm tall.

Q. What is the maximum vial size that will fit into the CryoFile and CryoFile XL Storage Boxes?
A. CryoFile => 12.5 mm diameter x 50 mm tall.
    CryoFile XL => 12.5 mm diameter x 95 mm tall.