Re: DiVa nozzle salt volcano

We have seen the same on our Vantage DiVa very occasionally (once  
every few months, or so). A quick backflush gets rid of it. We use the	
NERL blood bank saline, an 80 u nozzle and 35 psi sheath pressure.

It has all the hallmarks of a slow seepage around the base of the  
nozzle, as if the seal by the o-ring is not working correctly,	but we	
never investigated it further. The seepage explanation seems to be  
supported by Jaroslav's solution of coating the outside of the nozzle.	
I am wondering if those who experience this regularly would benefit  
from changing the o-ring on the nozzle mount.

Marty Bigos, Director
Gladstone Flow Core

mail:
J. David Gladstone Institutes
1650 Owens Street
San Frnacisco CA 94158

Phones:
(office) 415-734-4821
(mobile) 415-845-8450

fax:
415-355-0855




On Jun 23, 2008, at 1:16 PM, Parmentier, Julie wrote:

> Hi Frank,
> I see that all the time on our Vantage, but I assumed that was  
> normal (well, expected to happen).  I haven't had it happen during a	
> sort, just while I'm running PBS through it to keep it de-bubbled.   
> I flip the switch to fill and back to standby a few times, and it  
> seems to clear it out.  I also haven't seen it affect the stream.  I	
> assumed it was probably a seepage out of the nozzle, although I  
> haven't seen any......If you get any further info, please let me  
> know,  I've just sort of lived with it.......
>
> Julie Parmentier
> Scientist, Cancer Biologics
> AstraZeneca
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WEHICytometry [mailto:facs_copy@wehi.EDU.AU]
> Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2008 11:01 PM
> To: Cytometry Mailing List
> Subject: DiVa nozzle salt volcano
>
> In 31 years of flow cytometry I hadn't seen this before (although I  
> don't get out much).	Lately we experience this   phenomenon on our  
> FACSVantageSEDiVa where, in the course of a few hours, the nozzle  
> grows a salt volcano around the stream (I've attached a picture).   
> This does not affect the breakoff nor the sort streams nor even the  
> acquired data until the volcano grows high enough to impinge on the  
> first laser.	It can also be removed easily by a wipe with a wet  
> swab (although that's really inconvenient if the need arises during  
> a sort).  Note: we are talking about a 70 micron nozzle running PBS  
> as sheath at 30 psi - nothing fancy.
>
> The question is: what causes it?  We *see* no leaks outside the  
> nozzle tip but I'm wondering if the orifice has eroded and that's  
> causing seepage.  Is there anyone who has seen this and/or has an  
> idea of the cause?
>
> Frank Battye.
>
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