O-ring maintenance?

Hardware, PWM, and Optics
1

On a few of our pioreactors, I have noticed that inserting or removing the vial from its holder requires significantly more force than usual. It feels like there is excess friction, and I’m wondering if the O-ring inside the holder might be worn or just in need of lubrication.

It looks like those O-rings typically come pre-greased when you order a new unit. What type of grease would be recommended for these O-ring? I am worried that if it sticks to the glass vial that it would affect sensor readings.

2

Hi @mandy-twig,

We use superlube, but any silicone grease should work okay. Remove the o-ring, apply a modest amount, and then wipe off any excess. Sensor readings won’t be too affected, as silicone grease has a similar refractive index as the glass. (but if you’re seeing smears of grease on the glass, probably too much is present)

3

Thanks Cameron! Will order that :slight_smile: