Technical Support

You have water inside your system, which is being pulled into the cold trap and freezing. Please check your solvents to make sure they were not left open and that you are using the correct grade reagents. Make sure the scientific glassware is as dry as possible by using a desiccator or an oven to dry your glassware. Check for vacuum leaks as moisture may be leaking into the system.

Specific temperatures will require different mixtures of varying substances to achieve certain set points. It is recommended that you check your owner’s manual first for suggestions.

Please refer to your owner’s manual that came with your chiller.

Depending on the application, one should have chosen their media based on what they are trying to achieve. When the media is chosen, take the column and pack the bottom with a small amount of sand so it fills the bottom tapered section. When the tapered section is full of sand, take a long stick or a glass rod to push a small ball of glass wool down the column so it covers the top of the sand completely. The column should then be made wet with the chosen solvent. Fill the solvent so the cotton and sand are completely wet (no air bubbles), do this by adding more solvent than there is sand and wool and letting some pass through the column. A funnel should then be added to the top of the column and silica should then be poured in. Silica will most likely get stuck during this process, a tapping stick of some sort to slightly tap on the column will help column packings settle. Once your column is packed and settled, make sure to have enough solvent above the packing when you start and keep adding more as it is being used. You do not want a dry column! There are various other ways and methods to pack and use a column.

Depending on the filter being used, a filter adapter or a rubber cork with a hole must be used to create the air-tight seal, allowing the vacuum pump to pull liquid through the filter paper and filter out the particulates. Also, be sure that all vacuum lines fit nice and tight and that the vacuum is on.

Once you have selected the correct filter paper, remove a piece from the box. Make sure it is the correct size and speed for your application. Place filter paper on/over the filter funnel holes; draw vacuum and use a wetting agent. Wetting agents will vary based on different experiments. Wet the filter paper with the decided wetting agent and allow vacuum to pull on the wet filter paper seating it to the holes. This should help reduce the chance of contaminants flowing around the filter paper into the filtration vessel.

Freezer size depends on application; bigger objects need a larger area to fit in a freezer. If you are looking to scale up in the future, a bigger freezer may be a better option rather than buying another one further down the road.

This question depends on the application of the freezer. If your compounds need to be at a temperature that falls outside of a certain range, you will need to buy a temperature-range-specific freezer in that set range value. If one were dealing with highly volatile compounds, one would want an explosion-proof freezer where all the electrical components are wired on the outside, preventing sparking and an explosion.

Most glassware breakage is due to user error, such as screwing a cap on too tight, heating a piece of glass, cooling it too fast or knocking it against something. Glass can break in various other ways, but glass does simply not break by itself. It is for this reason that glass will very rarely be warrantied. However, there are special circumstances. If you feel that your glass falls under a special circumstance, please call technical support.

Make sure the plug in the back of the heating mantle is pushed all the way in, then turn clockwise to lock in place.

Try plugging the mantle directly into the wall. If you start to feel heat, the mantle is fine and you should remove the plug from the wall immediately. NEVER LEAVE A NON-REGULATED MANTLE DIRECTLY PLUGGED INTO THE WALL.

If one is not worried about vapor and keeping temperatures consistent in the vapor portion of the reaction, a simple heating plate should be sufficient. However, if one wants to keep the reaction vessel at a stable temperature including the vapor, one should employ the use of a top and bottom heating mantle. Having a full heating mantle ensures the most even heating of both the vapor and the liquid in the reaction vessel.

This depends on what size glassware you are using. If one has a two-litre heating mantle and a one-litre round bottom flask, the flask will fit but will not heat sufficiently as there will be a gap. However, if keeping the reaction temperatures of vapor is of no concern, a hot plate designed for that size glass or larger will be sufficient. Heating mantles, however, should be snug to the glass and are designed specifically for certain sizes of glassware.

There are many kinds of tubing. While some can be used for multiple applications, most are designed for a specific application. An example would be vacuum tubing — it is a thick-walled, anti-collapse tubing generally made from rubber or silicone which allows for a deep vacuum without risking collapse. Tubing made of plastics is easier to manipulate but also more prone to collapse and is best suited for water pump applications where water is pushed rather than sucked through the tube. Tubing may also be braided or have a coil running throughout the tube which may also be used for vacuum applications.

If you have a mercury thermometer, take extra care not to spread the mercury around. All people not aiding in clean up should clear the area. The mercury should be cleaned up using a mercury clean-up kit. If one is not available, put on a pair of latex, nitrile or rubber gloves. Pick up all broken glass pieces carefully and put them in a bag, label as directed by the local health or fire department. Once the glass is removed, locate the mercury beads and use a squeegee or card to slowly sweep them into a pile. An eye dropper or pipette may then be used to suck up the beads. Pipettes or eye droppers should be placed inside a plastic bag and labeled properly for disposal. Check for any leftover mercury — with a flashlight in a darkened room any remaining mercury should glimmer.

Other liquid-based thermometers contain ethanol, toluene, kerosene or isoamyl acetate. These compounds are less hazardous and can be cleaned up similarly. Clear the area of the spill, put on lab gloves and carefully remove any glassware associated with the spill. Once glass is out of the way, a paper towel may be used to soak up the spill. Due to the volatility of most liquids in non-mercury thermometers, the paper towels should never be wadded up and thrown away — they should always be placed under a fume hood and spread out to increase evaporation. Once towels are dried, they can be folded and disposed of properly.

A Gravity Convection Oven is the standard for drying glassware, culture incubations and various other baking requirements which a lab may have.

A Forced Air Convection Oven has a convection fan with a heating element around the fan. The fan circulates and provides even heat throughout the chamber. Some ovens have radiant heat sources at the top, bottom or both which aid in heat transfer. Forced Air Convection Ovens can also be used to dry glass, culture incubations and handle various other baking requirements a lab may have.

A Vacuum Oven aids in the drying and removal process of certain products. Not only does the oven heat the substance to dry it, a vacuum is also applied to reduce atmospheric pressure by lowering the boiling points of compounds, allowing for easier removal of certain contaminants. They can be used to dry glass and culture incubations, but their main use is for various applications that require vacuum while heating.

Equipment can be warrantied only if the products were bought (and broke or were damaged) within a certain time frame and the damage is not due to user negligence. However, replacements can take up to a month or more for repairs. The lengthy replacement process can be a big downtime for labs, which is why we recommend buying multiples of crucial equipment such as Short Path Distillation Heads, Receiving Flasks, Hosing, GL Caps, Pumps, Temperature Controllers and heating mantles. In short, most labs like to have an identical backup setup to prevent any downtime in the event of a breakage.

Glassware getting stuck together can cause various issues, including glass breakage, so care should be taken. A heat gun is the first suggestion for getting two pieces unstuck. Turn on the heat gun and heat the outer joint for 10–15 second increments. This heat should allow the outer joint to expand while the inner joint stays the same size. If done correctly, you should be able to pull the two pieces apart. If the problem persists, a blowtorch may be used — heat the outer joint for around 5 seconds, then try to separate the glassware. Take extra precaution not to burn yourself from the torch or by touching the hot glass after it’s been heated.

To make sure the temperature controller device is outputting electricity, plug a lamp into one of the heating outlets, then turn on the temperature controller. The temperature controller has an analog power knob on the front for outputting electricity in different percentages (up to 100%), denoted by flask volume. One should start at the first setting (1–10ml). This should allow pulses of electricity to hit the light bulb, causing it to pulse. If the lightbulb does not light up, turn the dial to 1–100ml volume size to increase power output. If the problem persists, you may have a problem with your unit and should contact technical support.

Make sure the thermocouple probe connections are thoroughly seated. Plugging the plugs in backwards will cause a reverse polarity, giving a negative reading or in some cases no reading at all.

Yes, the J-KEM software KEM-NET allows your computer to communicate with your controller and record data. The program can be found on jkem.com.

The analog power knob on the front outputs electricity in different percentages up to 100%, demarcated by flask volume. Each turn of the knob increases power output proportionally in the amount of ramp applied. One should always start on a lower setting and ramp up to avoid flying past set points and providing too much power to the mantle.

A thermocouple is an electrical device consisting of two dissimilar electrical conductors, forming electrical junctions at differing temperatures. A thermocouple produces a temperature-dependent voltage — essentially a reading or measurement — which can then be interpreted by an input device such as a temperature monitor or regulator in the form of actual degrees.

When choosing an adapter, it is important to know what size thermocouple should be used (common sizes are 1/4″ and 1/8″) and what size ground glass joint will be used inside (common sizes are 10/18, 19/22, 24/40, etc.). Providing these two pieces of information to one of our sales representatives will allow us to give you multiple viable options. The next question to answer is: what kinds of materials or products will the adapter(s) be used around? For corrosive environments, PTFE or glass will suffice. For high-temperature operations (internal temperatures over 260°C), PTFE and glass adapters have the potential to fail due to plastic caps or parts.

Some boiling flasks have 1/8″ thermocouple adapters located directly on the round bottom flask (RBF) to reduce the potential for connection leaks. These adapters allow for the probe to slightly move around inside the flask. As long as the probe cannot easily move up and down inside the adapter (meaning the Viton O-Ring is properly seated), the connection will provide an adequate vacuum seal. If the probe moves up and down loosely, inspect the Viton O-Ring — if damaged or degraded by alcohol exposure it may require replacement. After ensuring the O-Ring is malleable, place it on top of the glass fitting, followed by the cap, and begin screwing the cap into place until the O-Ring aperture shrinks down so the probe is snug and cannot move easily up and down unless force is applied.

Yes, you can still use your thermocouple probe. Underneath the PTFE is a stainless-steel probe which can still be used and will remain accurate.

Yes, you can bend your thermocouple probe without harm unless bent to excess. Bending the thermocouple probe will allow for a more accurate reading in most cases, compared to when just the tip of the probe is sitting in the solution or vapor you are trying to monitor.

Please take a close look at any diagrams or manuals that were sent to you with your equipment. Take the time to (re)read them carefully. If you are still having trouble, please call our technical support.

If you think your setup is wrong, please re-read the setup manual carefully. If you are still having trouble, ask a lab partner to help you troubleshoot as they may see things you cannot. A technical support call may be required if you are still having trouble.

Please read your manual. If your piece of equipment can be calibrated, a direct procedure to do so should be listed in your manual.

Depending on the question, most calls about procedures can generally not be answered by our techs as they relate to protected Intellectual Property. We can, however, refer customers to our consulting services for various procedures and guidance.

Our standard vacuum hosing is 1/4 inch ID and works well with all of our Short Path Systems except the new packable heads. Additionally, all kits come with larger 1/2 inch ID Braided PVC Hosing for connection to large ports on vacuum pumps. The PDH-1 has 1/8 inch ID hose connections.

Yes. You need to either purchase a 19/22 adapter to use a thermocouple probe for a Vapor Monitoring Kit, or use a hollow stopper to seal the vacuum at the top of the distillation head. The old adapters for every other head (V1/V1 Silvered, V2/V2 Silvered) utilize a 10mm joint size.

The Standard short path distillation kit comes with a Chinese-manufactured mantle, which is not covered by a warranty. The Precision Complete Short Path Distillation System comes with our LS StirMax, a bottom fabric heating mantle, and a J-Kem Temperature Controller K-type 210. The warrantied StirMax and Fabric Heating Mantle work well with the J-Kem unit to maintain precise control over material temperature throughout the distillation process.

Executive short path distillation kits come with Lab Society scientific glassware, namely the Distillation Head (V1/V1 Silvered, V2/V2 Silvered, or Packable). The distribution adapter is made to specifically fit our Short Path Distillation heads for minimal material-to-glass contact. The vacuum gauge is the premium Bullseye Digivac with Bluetooth, which performs much more accurately while boasting data logging capabilities. There is also a larger J-Kem unit, model K-type 250, which allows for dual control of the additional top fabric mantle.

Glasses should always be worn when dealing with solvents, glassware or even when stepping foot into a lab. Protective eyewear should be on before entering the lab and be taken off after exiting.

Any chemical waste should be first classified as hazardous or extremely hazardous chemical waste. Designate a container based on the kind of hazardous materials (acids and bases cannot be stored in metal; hydrofluoric acid cannot be stored in glass; solvents cannot be stored in lightweight polyethylene jugs). Label containers clearly, keep waste bottles closed when not adding waste, and store in a fume hood or secondary container that can hold 110% of the primary volume. Do not mix solid and liquid waste, do not overfill, and do not combine organic solvents with toxic metal waste. Contact EH&S for disposal of waste petroleum or oil products.

Flush eyes at the eye wash station for at least 15 minutes, holding eyes open and rolling eyes in every direction while water is flushing. Someone should also call the poison control center at (800) 222-1222 to seek advice on the specific situation. If you work with hazardous chemicals, know where the eye wash is stationed every time you walk into a lab, and check that the station works properly every month.

Make sure the area is clear and that you did not leave anything running that would require attention, such as a Bunsen burner. Analyze the wound and grab the first aid kit. If the wound is big enough, go to the hospital as you may require stitches. If hazardous chemicals were spilled, take extra care not to get any hazardous chemicals in the wound. If the wound is not dire, grab a set of gloves to clean up the accident before going to the hospital. If immediate care must be taken, inform a lab partner or supervisor to watch over the lab or turn off equipment before you leave.

No. No one should be allowed in a lab without proper attire: jeans, closed-toed shoes, no low-cut shirts (shirts should cover at least to near the elbow), and people with long hair should have it tied up. Regular reading or outdoor glasses are not sufficient for lab use.

One should first have a vacuum gauge to check said system for a constant vacuum pull. If one hears leaking sounds coming from joints, caps or any other part of the glassware, it should be inspected thoroughly. Ghost vapors or streams can sometimes be seen near a vacuum leak which will help you identify a leak in the system. If one cannot find a leak but is positive there is one, the system should be dismantled and re-set up. When re-setting up the system, check all joints and properly grease them, as well as check all GL-caps, barbed attachment fittings for cracks and ensure all vacuum lines are snug on the fittings. If the problem persists, isolate the system starting from the pump and test from there.

Your vacuum pump should have an oil gauge located somewhere on the pump. The oil needs to be within the correct levels for correct pump operation. Keeping the levels in check is one of the keys to prolonging your pump’s life. If a pump is not in use and no hoses are connected, use a piece of parafilm to cover the holes to prevent dust or debris from falling in and damaging or contaminating your pump. Oil should be changed based on your manufacturer’s owner’s manual, as each pump will require different maintenance.

Vacuum Filtration (Low Vacuum): Single Funnels/Small Applications — Welch 2019; Multiple Funnels/Manifold System — Welch DryFast 2014, 2037, 2047. Rotary Evaporation (Low to Medium Vacuum): Small to Medium-Sized Systems — Welch DryFast 2014, 2032, 2042; Medium to Large-Sized Systems — Welch DryFast 2042, 2052, 2062, 2163. Distillation (High Vacuum): 2L Systems — Welch DuoSeal 1400, Chemstar 2070, CRVpro 4, Edwards RV3/RV5; 5L Systems — Welch DuoSeal 1402, Chemstar 2070, CRVpro 8, Edwards RV5/nXDS10iC.

A vacuum monitor measures the amount of vacuum being pulled by a system at single or multiple points in time, allowing real-time data of pressures inside the system.