- NEVER twist a violet wand electrode in or out. Always push it in and pull it out with a straight motion. It could pull the end cap right off, meaning a repair. For glass electrodes, twisting could weaken the gas seal and suddenly you have a leaking electrode that won’t light!
- NEVER jam them in the wand. Just insert them far enough to seat them comfortably. Again, you can weaken the bond between the electrode and the end cap which can detach the end cap and/or leak the electrode.
- If the electrode works when you received it, its not defective. Gas cannot leak through glass, but it will definitely leak out if the glass breaks, even in tiny cracks you can’t see!
- Do NOT put any sideways pressure on your electrode. Since the end cap is metal, sideways pressure can put force on the glass inside the end cap, break the glass, and gas will leak out.
- Wash with warm soapy water, or scald with boiling water if they have come into contact with fluids.
- If your glass electrode scratches, it may be just fine to use as long as the gas hasn’t leaked. You can remove fine scratches with toothpaste or glass polishing compounds!
- For deeper scratches, just be careful not to put to put too much pressure on the electrode that will stress it. We don’t recommend using fillers, as they could be flammable.
If you twist your electrode, or push it in too hard, causing your silver end cap to come off, you can re-affix the cap with super glue. Allow to dry completely before attempting to use.
To achieve different colors of gas for glass electrodes, we use different mixes of noble gases, resulting in the colors of electrodes in gradations. Color match will be close, but the exact color hue is not guaranteed.