[Histonet] RE: Humidity Levels and IHC Staining

[Rick and Sue Boen]

Jason,
     We had 2 DAKO Autostainers before moving up to the Autostainer Link 48. I can't remember what the Autostainers were like, but the Links both had a gap between the metal frame and plastic covers (not the movable lids but the solid mounted plastic. 
     We experienced drying issues during the winter season that even lots of water dishes in the chamber could not overcome. We had a service tech come in work on the problem. He consulted with DAKO engineers they came up with a solution to the problem. The next day, he came in with a roll of black duct tape and taped up all the gaps. Not exactly an aesthetic fix to the problem, especially given the cost of each instrument, but it did solve the drying problem. 
     We were also told of other things to look for, such as instrument leveling, waste sink leveling and warped racks. If you're using the PT retrieval modules, for sure check the racks as the repeated heating/cooling cycles of retrieval makes periodic rack replacement a necessity.