The Accuris myGel InstaView Gel Tank is a real-time DNA-electrophoresis platform that integrates an in-tank Blue LED transilluminator (465 nm) with the gel tank, allowing the operator to view DNA migration as it happens without removing the gel from the tank. The integrated blue-light illumination excites common green fluorescent stains (SmartGlow, SYBR Green, Gel Green) at the standard 465 nm excitation wavelength without damaging DNA (vs UV transilluminators that nick DNA strands during prolonged visualization). An orange filter is incorporated into the lid for direct band visualization without UV-protection glasses; the bundled gel imaging enclosure allows any smartphone camera to capture high-resolution images without removing the gel from the tank.
Power-supply pairing required. This SKU is the gel tank + transilluminator only — it does not include a power supply. Pair with E2100 myVolt Mini, E2301 myVolt Touch, or another compatible electrophoresis power supply. For the complete system with integrated power supply, order the E1201 SKU instead ($1,136).
Voltage options: This unit can be ordered with European voltage requirements (230V/50Hz). Contact us to order.
Key Specifications
| SKU | E1200 |
| Voltage | 115 V, 60 Hz |
| Output voltage (when paired with PSU) | 35 V, 50 V, or 100 V |
| Timer | 0–99 min, continuous |
| Safety | Magnetic switch interlock between gel tank and lid (current cuts off when lid not properly seated) |
| Buffer volume | 230 ml |
| Gel capacity | 1 × 10.5 × 10 cm gel OR 1 × 10.5 × 6 cm gel (0.5 cm thick) |
| Transilluminator | Blue LED, 465 nm |
| Compatible stains | SmartGlow, SYBR Green, Gel Green (standard green fluorescent DNA stains) |
| Lid filter | Orange filter integrated for direct band visualization |
| Imaging accessory | Gel imaging enclosure included for smartphone-camera documentation (smartphone not included) |
| Dimensions (with enclosure) | 10 × 8.25 × 5 in / 25.5 × 21 × 14 cm (W × D × H) |
| Weight | 2.3 lb / 1.04 kg |
| List price | $870 |
Why InstaView — Real-Time Migration Visualization
Traditional DNA-electrophoresis workflow:
- Pour gel, load samples
- Run electrophoresis (timer-based, no visualization mid-run)
- Stop run, remove gel from tank, transfer to UV transilluminator
- View bands under UV (with eye protection); document via separate gel-doc imaging system
The myGel InstaView collapses steps 2–4 into the gel tank itself:
- Pour gel, load samples
- Run electrophoresis with the blue LED illuminator on — view DNA migration in real time through the orange filter in the lid
- Document via smartphone camera through the bundled imaging enclosure — no gel removal
Operator workflow advantages: the operator can stop the run when bands are well-separated — no over- or under-running, because migration is visible in real time. There is no DNA damage, since blue LED excitation does not nick DNA strands the way UV does (supporting downstream cloning / sequencing workflows). And there is no separate gel-doc capital, because smartphone-camera documentation through the enclosure replaces the dedicated gel-doc imaging system for routine workflows.
Stain Compatibility
The 465 nm blue LED is the standard excitation wavelength for green fluorescent DNA stains including:
| Stain | Mechanism |
| SmartGlow | Accuris green fluorescent gel stain |
| SYBR Green | Standard green fluorescent stain for DNA in agarose gels |
| Gel Green | DNA-binding green fluorescent stain |
Stains NOT compatible with the InstaView's blue LED: ethidium bromide (requires UV excitation) — labs running EtBr-stained gels cannot use the InstaView visualization workflow and should use a UV transilluminator instead. Workflows running blue-light-compatible stains (the recommended modern alternative to EtBr) get the full InstaView benefit.
What's Included vs Operator-Supplied
Included with the E1200 (per universe label): the gel tank with integrated Blue LED transilluminator, the orange-filter lid for direct band visualization, and the gel imaging enclosure for smartphone-camera documentation. A casting set (E1200-CS1) is referenced as a separate SKU — confirm at order whether the chassis ships with one or whether it must be ordered separately.
Operator-supplied or separately ordered: a power supply (E2100 myVolt Mini, E2301 myVolt Touch, or compatible — this SKU does not include one), a smartphone for camera documentation (any smartphone fits the imaging enclosure), standard workflow consumables (TAE / TBE buffer, agarose, DNA loading dye, ladder, samples), and a compatible green-fluorescent gel stain (SmartGlow, SYBR Green, or Gel Green).
Application Profile
Real-time PCR-product screening — the workhorse application. The operator watches the PCR product migrate, stops the run when bands are separated, and documents via smartphone — total run-to-image cycle in under 15 minutes for short amplicons.
DNA-cloning gel verification — restriction-digest patterns and fragment-extraction prep gels benefit from the no-DNA-damage blue-light visualization (downstream ligation / transformation steps work with intact DNA).
Teaching laboratory DNA electrophoresis — undergraduate and graduate labs benefit from the real-time visualization (teaching value of watching the gel run live) plus the safer-than-UV workflow (no UV-eye-protection training required).
Field-deployment workflows — environmental sampling, agricultural diagnostics, veterinary diagnostics labs benefit from the integrated tank + visualization + documentation in a single bench-top unit.
Undergraduate teaching demonstrations — molecular-biology coursework benefits from the live-migration visualization for student understanding of DNA gel mobility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the E1200 include a power supply? No — this SKU is the gel tank and transilluminator only. Pair it with an E2100 myVolt Mini, E2301 myVolt Touch, or compatible power supply, or order the E1201 complete system ($1,136) with an integrated power supply.
What wavelength is the transilluminator, and why does it matter? A Blue LED at 465 nm — it excites common green fluorescent stains without damaging DNA, unlike UV transilluminators that nick DNA strands during prolonged visualization.
Which stains are compatible with the E1200? SmartGlow, SYBR Green, and Gel Green. Ethidium bromide is not compatible — it requires UV excitation, so EtBr workflows should use a UV transilluminator instead.
Can I document gels without a separate gel-doc system? Yes — the orange-filter lid allows direct band visualization, and the bundled gel imaging enclosure lets any smartphone camera capture images without removing the gel from the tank.
What warranty does the E1200 carry? 2 years, per the myGel InstaView brochure.
Ordering & Configuration
Power-supply pairing decision. Confirm at quote which power supply the lab will pair with the E1200:
- E2100 myVolt Mini ($273) — fixed 100 V or 200 V output, 1–2 gel tanks, simple workflow
- E2301 myVolt Touch ($697) — 10–300 V output in 1 V increments, capacitive touch screen, constant voltage / constant current modes, 4-pair output for up to 4 tanks
- Existing lab power supply — confirm output voltage compatibility (35 V / 50 V / 100 V range)
Or: order the E1201 complete system instead ($1,136) which includes a direct-connect integrated power supply and avoids the pairing decision.
Confirm at quote: voltage and plug type, power-supply pairing decision (E2100 / E2301 / existing PSU / step to E1201 complete system), workflow stain chemistry (blue-light-compatible vs EtBr), and lead time.
Warranty: 2 years per myGel InstaView brochure.
Accuris myGel InstaView family:
- E1200 (this product) — Gel tank with Blue LED illuminator only (115 V, no power supply)
- 230 V gel tank only (by special order)
- E1201 — Complete electrophoresis system (gel tank + integrated power supply, 115 V, $1,136)
- Complete 230 V system (by special order, $1,201)
- E1200-CS1 — Extra casting set (10.5 × 10 cm and 10.5 × 6 cm gel formats)
Pick the E1200 (gel tank only) when the lab has a compatible power supply on hand; step to the E1201 complete system for direct-connect integrated power.
