How did you manage to make the Centrifuge 5424 so quiet?The Centrifuge 5424 has a soundproof rotor chamber which reduces the noise down to a low level.

Which material are the rotor chamber and the inner centrifuge lid made of?The rotor chamber and the inner centrifuge lid of the Centrifuge 5424 are made of aluminum with a chemically resistant coating.

Can the Centrifuge 5424/ 5424 R be opened in case of a power failure?Yes, in case of a power failure, the device can be opened with the help of the rotor key. Before opening the centrifuge, pull the power plug and wait until the rotor stops spinning. The emergency lid release is on the right-hand side of the centrifuge. Remove the plastic cap and insert the rotor key into the nut behind the cap. Turn the rotor key counter-clockwise. The centrifuge lid will be unlocked and can be opened. Then remove the rotor key and replace the plastic cap.

How can the Centrifuge 5424/ 5424 R be cleaned?The Centrifuge 5424/ 5424 R can be cleaned with neutral detergents. For disinfection, we recommend alcohol or alcoholic disinfectants. Make sure that the relevant legal requirements and directives are observed when choosing the disinfection method.

What is the minimum selectable rotational speed with the Centrifuge 5424/ 5424 R?The minimum selectable rotational speed is 100 rpm. This is equivalent to an rcf of approx. 1 x g.

In which increments can the rotational speed/g-force be adjusted?The rotational speed can be adjusted in increments of 50 rpm, the g-force can be adjusted in increments of 50 x g.

How can the speed display be switched from rotational speed (rpm) to relative centrifugal force (rcf, g-force)?The display is switched back and forth between rpm and rcf by pressing the "rpm/rcf" key.

In which increments can the time be adjusted?For run time up to 10 min., the increments are 0.5 min. steps, after that it is set in increments of 1 min. up to 9:59 hrs. The function for continuous run mode can be found above 9:59 hrs. and below 0.5 min. The symbol "oo" is displayed to indicate the continuous run.

My Centrifuge 5424/ 5424 R displays "EP". What does that mean?EP is displayed when the automatic standby function is active. It is not an error code. If the centrifuge remains unused for more than 15 min., the standby function is activated, indicated by "EP" on the display. By using any key or knob or closing the centrifuge lid, the centrifuge is re-activated and ready to use. The letters "EP" were chosen because a lot of Eppendorf products already have this prefix in their name.

Can the fixed-angle rotor FA-45-24-11 be operated without a rotor lid?The fixed-angle rotor FA-45-24-11 can be used with or without rotor lid. With rotor lid the centrifugation is aerosol-tight and the Centrifuge 5424/ 5424 R is even quieter. The aerosol-tight centrifugation can only be carried out with the rotor lid. Especially when working with pathogenic microorganisms, we recommend the usage of the aerosol-tight lid. When centrifuging filter devices like spin columns or other comparable tubes, the aerosol-tight rotor lid must be used in any case. This protects the centrifuge from damage – e. g. by torn-off tube lids.

Which material is the fixed-angle rotor for micro test tubes made of?The fixed-angle rotor is made of massive, anodized aluminum. This material is durable and has got a good chemical resistance. The rotor lid is made of the same material.

What is the benefit of the so-called coated rotors?The coated rotors are available for the Centrifuges 5424/ 5424 R and 5430/ 5430 R. The special coating provides an enhanced chemical resistance against phenol, acetonitrile, DMSO, acetone, trichloroacetic acid, acetic acid and sodium hypochlorite. It is a PTFE coating which is applied on top of the actual anodic coating. Autoclaving (121°C, 20 min.) improves the chemical resistance of the coated rotor due to the material properties of the coating.

Which tubes can be used in the Centrifuge 5424/5424 R?With the Centrifuge 5424/ 5424 R, 1.5 mL and 2.0 mL Eppendorf® tubes can be spun in the rotors FA-45-24-11 und FA-45-24-11-Special. With the help of adapters, the centrifugation of 0.2 mL PCR tubes, 0.6 mL Microtainer, 0.5 mL and 0.4 mL micro tubes is also possible. Even so-called spin columns can be centrifuged in the rotor F-45-18-11-Kit (e.g. Qiagen, Macherey-Nagel, Vivascience). For centrifugation of spin columns, the rotor lid must be used. In the rotor F-45-32-5-PCR, 0.2 mL PCR strips can be used directly.

For which applications can I use the Centrifuge 5424/5424 R?The four different rotors of the Centrifuge 5424/ 5424 R allow an exceptionally broad variety of applications. Up to 24 micro test tubes can be centrifuged at 21,130 x g/ 15,000 rpm (5424: 120 V, 5424 R: 230 V, 120 V, 100 V) or 20,238 x g / 14,680 rpm (5424: 230 V, 100 V). It can be used with tubes from 0.2 up to 2.0 mL. The potential applications include: - Isolation of DNA, RNA and proteins - Spin columns - Aerosol-tight centrifugation of infectious samples - Pelletizing of cells (bacteria, eukaryotic cells) up to 2.0 mL - Spinning down of PCR mixtures in tubes and strips - Working with aggressive substances (e.g. phenol, chloroform)

In which rotor can I use spin columns (centrifugation columns)?Spin columns or small filtration columns, for example for centrifugation of DNA or RNA, can be used in all rotors for 1.5/2.0 mL micro test tubes, e.g. the aerosol-tight 24-place rotor (FA-45-24- 11) and the aerosol-tight, special coated 24-place rotor (FA-45-24-11-Special). In particular, however, the kit rotor F-45-18-11-Kit is specially suitable for such spin columns, as open tube lids are supported by the raised edge of this rotor type and are no longer torn off (e.g. during elution of the sample from the column into a micro test tube).

In which rotors can I centrifuge 0.2 mL PCR tubes?Up to 32 0.2 mL PCR tubes (or four 8-tube PCR strips) can be centrifuged in the PCR rotor F-45- 32-5-PCR. Furthermore, 0.2 mL PCR tubes can be used in each rotor for 1.5/2.0 mL micro test tubes (FA-45-24-11, FA-45-24-11-Special) using an adapter (Order No. International 5425 715.005; North America 022636260).

In which rotors can I centrifuge 0.5 mL micro test tubes?0.5 mL micro test tubes can be centrifuged in all rotors for 1.5/2.0 mL micro test tubes (FA-45-24- 11, FA-45-24-11-Special) using an adapter (Order No. International 5425 716.001; North America 022636227).

What is the SOFT function?The SOFT function of the Centrifuge 5424/ 5424 R allows slower and gentler acceleration and braking compared to the normal acceleration and braking times. As a result, delicate samples are not stressed unnecessarily. In addition, the risk of the pellets being shaken up again during braking is minimized.

When does the opening of the centrifuge lid take place automatically or manually?Following the end of a centrifuge run, only the lid of the Centrifuge 5424 is automatically opened in order to provide quicker access to the sample and to avoid potential heat accumulation. When working with radioactive material, this function should be deactivated in the device menu and the centrifuge lid manually opened upon conclusion of the centrifugation run. The Centrifuge 5424 R does not come equipped with the option of automatic or manual opening of the centrifuge lid. In order to maintain a consistent temperature in the rotor chamber and in the sample, the centrifuge lid for this device must always be manually opened by pressing the "open" key.

Can I display the centrifugal force (rcf, g force) automatically with the Centrifuge 5424 / 5424 R?Yes. It is possible to display the centrifugation speed in both rpm and rcf on all Eppendorf centrifuges. In line with the new operating concept of the centrifuges 5418, 5424, 5424 R, 5430 and 5430 R, the units now have a separate rpm/rcf conversion button.

What does the number “5424” and the letter "R" in the centrifuge name mean?The last two digits of the numbers of the centrifuges 5418, 5418 R, 5424, 5424 R, 5430 and 5430 R indicate the maximum capacity of the centrifuge for standard micro test tubes. With the Centrifuge 5424, for example, 24 micro test tubes can be centrifuged simultaneously. The letter "R" stands for the word "refrigerated" and indicates for the Centrifuge 5424 R that this device is cooled.

Can the Centrifuge 5424/ 5424 R be operated in the cooling room at 4° C?The Centrifuge 5424 can be operated at an ambient temperature in the range from 2° C to 40° C. Operation in the cooling room at a temperature of down to 4° C is therefore possible. The permitted range of the ambient temperature is between 10 °C and 40 °C for the Centrifuge 5424 R, so that this centrifuge is not to be operated in a cooling room at 4 °C.

Does the lid latch have to be serviced or greased at regular intervals?No, in order to ensure the full functionality of the lid latch, it must not be cleaned or greased. If you feel that this is nevertheless necessary, please contact our Technical Service. The contact address can be found in the operating manual of your centrifuge.