FACSCanto I fluorescence sensitivity question

Hi all,
 
We think we have a problem with the PE-Cy7 and FITC sensitivity of our FACSCanto I. As a weekly performance check on our machine we were told by the BD people here that we should run standard 8-peak fluorescent beads (Sphero Rainbow Calibration particles 3um) and adjust our PMT voltages such that the most intense peak should have a MFI of around 200 000 for fluorescence detectors measuring from the blue laser, and 100 000 for detectors measuring from the red laser. What we are finding is that to do this for our PE-Cy7 signal we have to set the voltage to 980V (maximum allowed 1000V). What I would like to know from any other FACSCanto I users out there who also use these beads is what HV settings do they have to set their PE-Cy7 voltage to? To me 980V seems too high; it is nearly the maximum voltage. We have had nearly everything replaced in the Canto in the past few months (lasers, flow cells, fibre optics, optical filters, etc) and nothing has changed this.
 
The problem we are having with the FITC sensitivity is that we cannot fully resolve all the 8 different intensity peaks in the FITC channel; in particular the two dimmest populations merge into each other. I don’t think it is a problem with the beads because for PE we can distinguish all 8 peaks. Can other FACSCanto I users see all 8 peaks in FITC? 
 
Thanks in advance,
 
Paul Hutchinson PhDUnidade de Citometria de FluxoInstituto de Medicina MolecularLisboa, Portugal  
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