Troubleshooting

1. Turn the TEMPEST instrument off.

2. Reconnect the USB cable on the TEMPEST USB port to your computer. Make sure it's connected properly, and then restart the instrument.

3. Next, run the software; the indicator box should be green after it has detected the instrument.

4. If the problem persists, please check your hardware version and don't hesitate to contact FORMULATRIX support.

If you see a red exclamation point button next to a reagent on your dispense list, it means that there is a problem with your dispense list item. In many cases, mousing over the exclamation point will display text that explains how to resolve the issue.

Resolving Dispense List Error

Splashing or rebounding of drops from conical (‘V’ or ‘U’) bottom plates, such as PCR plates, may occur during dispensing with the TEMPEST. This issue is most common when large volume drops land near the center of wells, which causes either splashing onto the top of the plate or the underside of the chips.

Splashing Drops on the 96-well PCR Plate

Splashing Drops Stuck on the Underside of a TEMPEST Chip

There are two primary adjustments to address this issue:

• Adjust the A1 Well Offset
• Set the Min SD Pumps

 

Adjust the A1 Well Offset

Prerequisites:

• You have connected the TEMPEST instrument with the latest software version (optional).
• You have a TEMPEST chip installed in position 1.
• The target plate has been placed on the TEMPEST stage.

 

To adjust the A1 well offset:

1. In the TEMPEST software, go to the Tools menu, and select Plate Type Editor.

2. Open the plate definition of your choice by following the steps below:

   1. Click File and select Open, or press Ctrl+O on your keyboard.

      

      Select Open

   2. In the Plate Library window, select the plate that you want to edit.

   3. Click Open.

      

      Plate Library Window

3. Hover over the Well Group(s) panel, then click on the table of A1 coordinates (#0) to move the TEMPEST stage to the current A1 position and enable the Motion Control pad.

   

   Motion Control Pad

4. Use the Motion Control Pad to move the nozzle to the side of the A1 well so it is not centered above the well.

   Note: The plate preview in the Plate Type Editor window displays the expected position of the chip nozzles toward the wells. You can get a good view of the nozzle location by looking down the row (column) of nozzles from the left-front of the TEMPEST. For reference, see the images below.

   Nozzle Centered Over Well from front view	Nozzle Offset to Edge of Well from side view

5. This offset will cause the drops to catch on the walls of the wells and “roll” down to the bottom of the well. This lessens the momentum of the drop and reduces the likelihood of splashing/bouncing.

   Nozzle Centered Over Well	Nozzle Offset to Edge of Well

6. Save your adjustments by selecting Save under the File menu or pressing Ctrl+S on your keyboard.

7. When you’re done, close the window and run a dispense to test the A1 position configuration.

8. OPTIONAL: Continue to set the Min SD Pump.

    

Set Min SD Pumps

The Min SD Pumps parameter will force the TEMPEST chip to use the Small Diaphragm (SD) for a minimum of ‘X’ pulses in each well prior to using the large diaphragm. This pre-fills the well with small drops so larger drops contact the pre-filled liquid, reducing the likelihood of splashing/bouncing.

Prerequisites:

• You have opened the target plate definition in the Plate Type Editor.

 

To set the Min SD Pumps:

1. In the Plate Type Editor window, expand the Plate settings panel by clicking the Show Advanced Options button.

2. Change Min SD Pumps value to 6. You may be able to reduce this value as low as 2-3 after some testing.

   Set the Min SD Pump value to 6

3. Save the changes by selecting the Save option under the File menu, or pressing Ctrl+Save on your keyboard.

4. Close the window, and run a dispense to test if the splashing still occurs. If the problem persists, adjust the A1 Well Offset. Contact FORMULATRIX support at support@formulatrix.com for further assistance.

   Note: When dispensing, make sure that the Enable Min SD Pump setting is Plate Definition (default).

   

   Enable Min. SD Pump Setting

If you encounter any technical software or hardware issues, you can contact the TEMPEST support team by using the Contact Technical Support option in the Help menu. Follow the instructions below.

Important: Ensure your computer has Internet connection.

1. Click the Contact Technical Support option under the Help menu.

   

   The Contact Technical Support Option under the Help Menu

2. Type a valid email address in the Reply-to Address field. The support team will use this email address to respond to your request.

3. Then, type a brief description of the issue and insert your TEMPEST system serial number in the Subject field.

4. Type more detailed description of the issue in the Description box.

5. OPTIONAL (recommended): You can select the Attach log files option under the Description box if you want to include the latest TEMPEST log file. The main purpose of including the log file is to provide the support team with more information on all recent events that have occured in the TEMPEST software.

6. Finally, click the Send button. If your request has been successfully sent, you’ll see it in the Sent folder of your email. At this point, TEMPEST technical support will investigate the reported issue and contact you promptly.

   Note: If TEMPEST failed sending your report, please check your Internet connection and try again.

   

   Contact Technical Support Window

   Note: If you haven’t included the log file, you can still resend it later. To do so. select the Open Log Folder option under the Tools menu to locate all available log files. Then, open the corresponding support email thread, and send the desired log file(s) as attachment(s) to the TEMPEST technical support team.