This Technical Specification provides basic requirements for the installation, performance and maintenance of thermal cyclers. Although thermal cyclers are robust technical equipment, they do require regular maintenance. Their cooling/heating elements, either Peltier or other technology, have a limited lifetime. Proper functioning of the cooling/heating element depends both on the quality of the cooling/heating devices and proper use and care. In addition to outlining the requirement for a defined maintenance programme, procedures are described for the determination of thermal cycler performance by biochemical or physical methods (see Annexes A and B).