Thermo HERAcell VIOS 250i CO₂ Incubator – used lab equipment from American Instrument Exchange! 

For years we were fans of the classic Thermo Forma 3110 CO2 incubators. So when Thermo released the Thermo HERAcell VIOS 250i CO2 Incubator we eagerly anticipated the chance to get a look at these new models and see if they held a candle to the classics.

And you know what? So far we haven’t been disappointed. The Thermo HERAcell VIOS models are well designed and easy to operate. They can support a range of culturing needs and are at home anywhere, from a small, basic startup lab to a major pharmaceutical or production facility. Let’s take a closer look at the larger 250i model.

Benefits of the VIOS 250i

With 9.0 cubic feet (255L) of storage space per chamber they offer plenty of sample space, but at the same time the footprint is compact and the units are easily stackable. The interior can be configured either with electropolished stainless steel or copper chamber, depending on your preference or application. The in-chamber fan gently distributes clean, humidified air throughout the chamber ensuring homogeneous conditions. We are also impressed with the fast recovery of both temperature and CO2 levels after door opening. Specifications from Thermo indicate recovery of all parameters in 10 minutes or less for stable culturing conditions, but we’ve observed recovery times to be consistently quicker than this. The auto-stop function disables fan operation during door openings to minimize air exchange.

Like the Thermo Stericycle units, an in-chamber HEPA continuously filters the entire chamber air volume every 60 seconds so that ISO Class 5 clean room air quality is achieved in the culture chamber within 5 minutes. This continuous protection minimizes airborne contaminants settling on interior surfaces, preventing contamination.

While we were nervous about the iCAN touchscreen controls, these proved both more durable and more intuitive to use than we expected. The screens are bright and easy to read and the performance trend graphing, error and usage logs are great for traceability. The Thermo HERAcell VIOS 250i CO2 Incubator also features Thermo Scientific DeviceLink HUB, an easy-to-install solution that works with the Thermo Fisher Cloud to monitor conditions inside CO2 incubators.

Drawbacks

Our one criticism of the Thermo HERAcell VIOS 250i is that the stacking isn’t particularly stable. While the old Thermo 3110s, 3307s and 3310s could be attached to a cart or to each other with a metal bracket and bolts, this isn’t an option with the newer units. With the optional cart and platform from Thermo, the rubber feet of the VIOS models simply sit in place. There’s no mechanism to physically link them to the cart, the platform, or to one another. We can see how this might lead to users inadvertently damaging the units while relocating them around a lab, or even just moving them to access electrical outlets, CO2 connections, ports, etc.

Other features

Direct heat chamber

• 255 L (9.0 cu.ft.) electropolished stainless steel or copper chamber with compact footprint, easily stackable
• Standard left hand door swing, field reversible by qualified service support

THRIVE active airflow

• In-chamber fan gently distributes clean, humidified air throughout the chamber ensuring homogeneous conditions
• Fast recovery of all parameters in 10 minutes or less for stable culturing conditions
• Auto-stop function disables fan operation during door openings to minimize air exchange

ISO Class 5 HEPA filtration

• In-chamber HEPA continuously filters the entire chamber air volume every 60 seconds
• ISO Class 5 clean room air quality is achieved in the culture chamber within 5 minutes
• Continuous protection minimizes airborne contaminants settling on interior surfaces

Covered Integrated humidity reservoir

• Directly heated water reservoir provides stable high relative humidity levels, preventing culture desiccation
• Cover limits particles and spilled media from settling into the reservoir, keeping water clean
• Separating water provides a condensation free incubation chamber, limiting areas for contaminants to breed
• 5X faster humidity recovery than traditional water pan designs
• Easy water handling: humidity reservoir may be filled or drained without removing shelves or cultures
• Water level sensor indicates when a refill is needed
• Steri-Run on-demand high temperature sterilization cycle
• Independently validated overnight cycle ensures complete elimination of all biological contaminants
• 180°C cycle designed for uniform 12-log sterilization on all chamber surfaces
• Simplifies cleaning and eliminates the need for separate autoclaving and reassembly of components

Intuitive, interactive iCAN touchscreen control

• Bright LED screen to monitor all incubator interactions
• Provides visibility to changes in culture environment with performance trend graphing, error and usage logs
• Convenient on-screen user prompts and reminders for easy navigation
• Selectable languages simplify operation: English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Japanese and Mandarin

Wireless Monitoring Solution

Thermo Scientific DeviceLink HUB, our easy-to-install solution, works with the Thermo Fisher Cloud to monitor conditions inside your CO2 incubators.

• DeviceLink HUB monitors chamber temperature, gas levels, alarms, and alerts from the incubator data output connection, RS-232 or USB
• Alarms and notifications are also sent to the user by email and mobile push notification
• DeviceLink HUB is an optional accessory for models with the iCAN touchscreen interface
• DeviceLink HUB is available in the following regions
  • United States and Canada
  • 28 members of the European Union
  • Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland

In situ sensors and probes designed for precise control

• Dual temperature probes for over temperature protection with operational back up
• Thermal conductivity (TC) CO2 sensor with rH compensation designed for fast recovery and stable operation

Why purchase the Thermo HERACELL VIOS 250i from American Instrument Exchange?

At American Instrument Exchange, we pride ourselves on providing the highest level of customer satisfaction in the used lab equipment industry. We achieve this by focusing on several key areas that set us apart from competitors. First, we sell high-quality used and refurbished lab equipment at reasonable prices, ensuring our customers get the best value for their investment.

Additionally, our experienced, knowledgeable, and courteous staff are always available to assist customers, offering expert guidance and personalized service.

Since 1969, we at American Instrument Exchange have provided reliable, used laboratory and scientific equipment. We serve various labs, including biotech, biomedical, medical research, chemical, pharmaceutical, and university or hospital laboratories. Our expert technicians recondition each piece of surplus equipment to meet the highest industry standards.

All the lab equipment listed on our website is in stock and ready to ship from our 30,000-square-foot warehouse in Haverhill, MA. In our fully equipped shop, highly trained technicians thoroughly test and inspect each instrument to ensure it performs optimally before reaching your lab.

We test all equipment using the manufacturer’s parameters and specifications to confirm that the unit operates properly.  Our technicians test incubators using a calibrated digital chart recorder to verify the accuracy of temperature controls and readouts. We replace any hardware or parts as is necessary and clean all incubators thoroughly prior to shipment. We verify accurate CO2 levels of all cell culture incubators. While we may not be able to test for specific analytical applications we do our best to simulate the conditions under which the equipment will be used in your lab. If you have particular testing requirements please let us know and we’ll work with you to make sure these are addressed during testing.