firefly displays error messages in red in the execution log, if there is a problem with your protocol or the instrument.
| Error Message | Response |
| Validation | |
| This would display the first validation error as the reason for not executing the protocol | Make sure the Protocol has no errors before trying to execute it |
| Tip change errors | |
| Pipette Head failed to load Tips. | This is usually because tips are already loaded |
| Pipette Head failed to unload Tips. | This is usually because no tips are currently loaded |
| Pipette head errors | |
| Failed to set Pipette Head to volume mode. | Pipette head error. It may need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this. |
| Failed to set Pipette Head aspirate speed. | Pipette Head error. If this persists, try power cycling your instrument. |
| Failed to aspirate Blowout Volume. | Pipette head error. It may need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this. |
| Failed to aspirate Volume. | Pipette head error. It may need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this. |
| Failed to set Pipette Head dispense speed. | Pipette Head error. If this persists, try power cycling your instrument. |
| Failed to dispense Air Transport Volume. | Pipette head error. It may need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this |
| Failed to dispense Volume. | Pipette head error. It may need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this |
| Failed to dispense Blowout Volume. | Pipette head error. It may need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this |
|
Failed to aspirate Mix Volume.
|
Pipette head error. It may need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this |
| Failed to dispense Mix Volume. | Pipette head error. It may need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this. |
| Failed to set Pipette Head Post Mix aspirate speed. | Pipette Head error. If this persists, try power cycling your instrument. |
| Failed to aspirate Post Mix Aspirate Volume. | Pipette head error. It may need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this. |
| Failed to dispense Post Mix Aspirate Overshoot Volume. | Pipette head error. It may need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this. |
| Failed to aspirate Post Mix Aspirate Air Transport Volume. | Pipette head error. It may need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this. |
| Failed to set Pipette Head Post Mix dispense speed. | Pipette Head error. If this persists, try power cycling your instrument. |
| Failed to dispense Post Mix Air Transport Volume speed. | Pipette head error. It may need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this. |
| Failed to dispense Post Mix Dispense Volume. | Pipette head error. It may need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this. |
| Failed to dispense Post Mix Blowout Volume. | Pipette head error. It may need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this. |
| Firefly HvHead Error[Aspirate] | Pipette head error during aspiration. May need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this. |
| Firefly HvHead Error[Dispense] | Pipette head error during dispense. May need purging and resetting. You will need access to the manual controls to do this. |
| Dispense head errors | |
| Dispense run cancelled | Dispense head error. Purge syringes of any liquids before continuing. You will need access to the manual controls to do this. |
| Stopping dispense run, due to problem | Dispense head error. Purge syringes of any liquids before continuing. You will need access to the manual controls to do this. |
| Take off | |
| Can't move item: {item name} off stack. No empty locations found | All deck positions are occupied. Was a user interaction to remove a plate missed? |
Not all errors will lead to an error message; some are managed in the software e.g., if you accidentally loaded a 384 ATL tip box when the protocol required a 96 tip array, the head will pick up tips leaving column 24 behind.
If ATL tips have not loaded properly, use the manual controls to unload them to an empty tip box. Check they are undamaged. If they are fine, restart your protocol and try to load them again. If they are damaged or not straight, unload them to any suitably sized holding container, e.g. a trough plate, if they will not unload to a tip box, and contact reliance for assistance.
If you cannot unload the tips at all, perhaps because there is a problem with the hooks holding the ATL tip box adapter, contact reliance for assistance.
If your protocol failed to complete because the tablet lost communication with the firefly control boards, use the recovery wizard.
Contact reliance if you have a problem with your firefly or firefly+ instrument, as it has no user-repairable parts.
If the vertical laminar flow module displays a 'Low Airflow' alarm message, contact reliance.
13.1.1 Restarting a protocol from a specific step
If you have had to stop a protocol, you may want to restart from a specific step partway through, if you have permission to do so.
Select the step from the dropdown list. firefly will ask you to confirm your choice.
Before you select Start, check that you are re-starting at a sensible point e.g., you are not about to dispense when there is no liquid aspirated into the syringes.
firefly will ask you to confirm the deck layout before allowing you to restart the protocol
Check that the illustration is correct before restarting, or your protocol will fail again.
If you had run an ODTC pre-method before the protocol stopped, you will need to re-run it before you can run the main method. Restart your firefly protocol so that running the ODTC pre-method is the first step.