Gilson Pipetman DIY Maintenance

[@quetzal4042]

Great to see this is still getting some views. I wish I could have made more lab videos but I retired shortly after making this one. Thanks for commenting.

[@bustamove9877]

Anyone watching, please remember to rinse the tip before your first aliquot and never hold the pipette horizontal when there is liquid in the tip.

[@dorotheed9965]

Unfortunately, this is only one among the multiple mistakes on this video...

[@Condotier]

Great video. Thank you for sharing. This exactly what I was looking for.

[@quetzal4042]

Thanks so much, glad you liked it. L.

[@bottager]

A little cleanliness and order wouldn't be bad

[@DJ400246]

Nice tutorial. If you have other videos on pipette calibration an maintenance please share

[@Necoy666]

Very informative and complete! Thank you

[@quetzal4042]

Thanks so much. Glad you found it helpful.

[@johnadams143]

Can you please show the operation rod replacement, or just how to disassimble the upper body? Thank you.

[@andreygr8704]

Hi Lawrence, thank you for your video. I have a multichannel Gilson pipette with an electronic display for the volume. The display isn't working although the pipette does. The volume selection happens exactly as in a regular mechanical pipette by rotating a barrel. I think it's just the battery that needs to be replaced. Do you know how to disassemble a head of a pipette (the upper part that we grab in our palm) to get the old battery out?

[@quetzal4042]

Andrey, No, sorry, I haven't worked on the multichannel models.

[@andreygr8704]

Hi Lawrence, thank you for a quick reply. I played with my pipette more yesterday. Apparently, to change the battery, you don't need to disassemble the head. There's one lid where the tip ejector is, which you lift up and the battery is right there.

[@박상온-m8o]

Great video. I am currently using a P5000 (5 mL) Gilson pipette. It has been about a month since the new product was opened. We measure the weight with water every week and manage it. From the first opening to last week, about 4.7 to 4.8 g came out. However, I measured it today and found it to be 4.5g. I only unscrew the connecting nut and tightened it again. After that, only about 4.2 g keeps coming out. Could something go wrong? When I first unscrew the connecting nut, I didn't really touch any other parts, and after that, only 4.2g came out and I only saw that the piston was mounted well when I loosened it again. How can I get it to come out over 4.7 g again?

[@quetzal4042]

I'm not that familiar with P5000, don't think I've ever used one. But I can't imagine why just loosening and tightening the nut would cause a big change in readings. I can only suggest that you go through the whole procedure, do the leak test, try replacing the seal, inspect the piston etc.

[@GENETICSIGNATURE]

Great video. Thanks for your help

[@BilalKhan-pb5xc]

Informative video, can you please share me the counter replacement video & required tools information.

[@quetzal4042]

Hi. Here's the adjusting tool: www.pipettesupplies.com/product/gilson-pipetman-rainin-classic-calibration-tool-pipette-supplies/ Here is a Craftsman snap ring tool that appears to be identical to the one I used: www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-6-5-in-Insulated-Automotive-Snap-Ring-Pliers/1000594981 I have never tried to replace the counter (micrometer) mechanism. Thanks for your interest, -LF

[@ashleystewart2809]

Any ideas for fixing a Gilson P1000 that is consistently delivering about 40 microliters below what it should be? I have replaced the seal and o-ring, and cleaned the piston (piston was rusted and damaged). I adjusted the zero to where there is no extra "give" per the video instructions. Any other ideas?

[@quetzal4042]

It's possible the piston was just too heavily damaged, in which case the solution is to buy a new piston assembly. But first I would try to see if there is a problem with the shaft, it is possible the tip is not sealing properly on the shaft, or the O-ring is not sealing against the lip inside the shaft. You can try reaching into the shaft with a Q-tip to clean around the lip where it contacts the O-ring. I'd also try swapping the shaft from a working pipette just as a test, and if that fixes it of course the solution is to buy a new shaft. I've tried resurfacing the end of the shaft where it holds the tip, but never had much success with that.

[@ashleystewart2809]

Thanks for that feedback! I was getting a little desperate trying to find answers on google! The issue I'm running into now is that I can adjust the calibration on this pipette for the maximum or the minimum volume (by using the adjustment key). But then when I change to test at the other extreme, it is about 20 microliters too low for the max volume, and 20 microliters too much for the min volume. When I follow the procedure to readjust the zero per the video, I end up being about 40 microliters off when I measure actual values. Any ideas? Would that be an issue with the counter?

[@quetzal4042]

@@ashleystewart2809 Of course when you remove rust and resurface the piston you are decreasing the volume of the piston slightly and so the volume dispensed will also be slightly less. Usually this difference is negligible but if enough material was removed that could account for your decreased uptake. A problem with the counter? Not impossible but I think unlikely. It's just a screw in a chamber and a micrometer to count the turns. Difficult to see would could go wrong as long as it is still counting out the turns. So I would try putting in a new piston assembly (~$50) or temporarily swapping in the piston from a good pipette as a test.

[@ashleystewart2809]

Thank you for that additional insight - I had not thought about how removing the rust on the piston could effect it's volume. I do have an alternate piston that I can use - I will try that! Thanks so much for the recommendations!

[@sandritta84]

Great video. Do you have any video to help with a Gilson P5000?

[@quetzal4042]

Thanks. No, sorry, I've never used or owned a P5000.

[@sandritta84]

@@quetzal4042 Thank you anyway!

[@mattross6902]

They are exactly the same just much larger

[@milesmcinerney5594]

I've never repaired a gilson before, do you need to grease/regrease the internal shafts like you do on finni pipettes etc? I'll have to do some maintenance on a gilson soon.

[@quetzal4042]

No, I never use grease. I don’t know whether it’s harmful, but Gilson doesn’t recommend it and their pipettes were designed to work without it. If the barrel, piston, O-ring and teflon ring are all clean, undamaged and seated properly, they form an airtight seal without grease.

[@josearcaya8570]

great video thank you veru much.

[@FM-in9sg]

Great video! Thank you!

[@OpenBiolabsGuy]

Is there a link to the worksheet you used? Or did you just make it on Word?

[@quetzal4042]

I have uploaded a PDF of the worksheet to ResearchGate. The link is: dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.22219.52003 It was composed in OpenOffice. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@joea2r]

Great video. Where do you order the pipette parts?

[@quetzal4042]

Thanx. I get parts from pipettesupplies.com They stock both genuine Gilson parts and cheaper generics.

[@gahme]

Thank you!!

[@foc2241]

Hey can you please send me the Link for the tool in 5:30 ? thanks a lot :)

[@quetzal4042]

www.pipettesupplies.com/product/gilsonpipetman-rainin-classic-calibration-tool-pipette-supplies/

[@kemptonbryan]

Casually not wearing gloves

[@dorotheed9965]

OMG, what a joke! Dirty conditions, stained liquid so not pure ddH2O, plastic cup with static condition, scale not accurate enough for volume below 20µL, autoclaved tips what means that their quality may be affected by heat, user who hits the pipetman on tips... the list of mistakes is so long that it should be a "not to do" video!!!

[@Equinox601]

At least the dude posted a video. What have you done other than complain?

[@ArisWertin]

What’s wrong with autoclaved tips? My lab uses them. We work with Salmonella so it’s a necessity.