Hamilton Pipette Calibration
Calibration of SoftGrip™ pipettes is a simple procedure that requires only a single calibration key. For your convenience, a calibration key is available that fits any SoftGrip Pipette volume range or model.
A convenient feature of your Hamilton pipette is its ability to be calibrated gravimetrically in the lab. To perform calibrations gravimetrically, you will need a good analytical balance. We suggest a 6 place balance with an accuracy of ± 1.0 µg to calibrate pipettes of total volumes of 25 µL or less. For pipettes of 50 µL or greater, a 5 place balance with accuracy of ± .01 mg will be adequate. All items used to perform the calibration must be allowed to equilibrate to room temperature.
- After affixing a pipette tip to your pipette, pre-wet the tip prior to taking any measurements by pipetting and dispensing distilled water at least 3 times.
- Make 10 measurements of distilled water per tip, recording the weights. Adjust the data for environmental factors.
- Determine the mean and standard deviation.
- Adjust the volume if necessary; (see figure 1.)
- Remove the calibration label and locate the calibration reference mark.
- Remove the plunger cap and insert the calibration key.
- Turn the calibration key clockwise to increase volume; counter-clockwise to decrease volume. Each vertical line on the calibration key is approximately 0.2% of the pipette.
- Remove the calibration key and replace the plunger cap. Repeat the gravimetric procedure until results are satisfactory.
- Initial and date a new calibration label, and place it on the pipette hilt.
Figure 1: Pipette calibrations
Volume Settings
When setting the volume on adjustable volume pipettes, start your settings from the top digit and work down. The full units are expressed in black digits. Red digits are to the right of the decimal point. The vernier scale at the bottom provides you with the least significant digit. For the 2, 10, 25, and 50 µL pipettes, and the 1 mL pipette, the red digits on the scale reading are to the right of the decimal point. For the 100, 150, and 300 µL pipettes, only the last digit, obtained from the vernier scale, is to the right of the decimal point. See figure 2.
Figure 2: Adjustable volume pipette settings
| Pipette Volume |
2 µL |
10 µL |
25 µL |
50 µL |
100 µL |
150 µL |
300 µL |
1 mL |
 |
| Color |
Aqua |
Purple |
Forest Green |
Sandstone |
Violet |
Ochre |
Brick Red |
Sky Blue |
|
| Recommended Volume Range |
0.2-2 µL |
1-10 µL |
2.5-25 µL |
5-50 µL |
10-100 µL |
15-150 µL |
30-300 µL |
0.100-1 mL |
|
| 100% Volume Setting |
2.000 µL |
10.00 µL |
25.00 µL |
50.00 µL |
100.0 µL |
150.0 µL |
300.0 µL |
1 mL |
|
| Reading |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| 10% Volume Setting |
0.200 µL |
1.00 µL |
2.50 µL |
5.00 µL |
10.0 µL |
15.0 µL |
30.0 µL |
0.100 mL |
|
| Reading |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Smallest Increment of Vernier Scale* |
0.002 µL |
0.02 µL |
0.02 µL |
0.02 µL |
0.2 µL |
0.2 µL |
0.2 µL |
0.002 mL |
|
