{"id":3159,"date":"2022-10-25T02:10:06","date_gmt":"2022-10-25T02:10:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.priorclave.com\/en\/?p=3159"},"modified":"2022-10-25T02:10:06","modified_gmt":"2022-10-25T02:10:06","slug":"proper-steam-autoclave-care-and-feeding-is-easy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.priorclave.com\/en\/2022\/10\/25\/proper-steam-autoclave-care-and-feeding-is-easy\/","title":{"rendered":"Proper Steam Autoclave Care and Feeding is Easy!"},"content":{"rendered":"

We love to hear from labs around the world about how reliable their Priorclave steam autoclave is. Sometimes reports reach us from the field of our steam autoclaves running for 10, 12, or 13+ years with basically no care or maintenance!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While we\u2019re always pleased to hear tales of one of our brave little autoclaves soldiering on, definitely do not recommend a \u201czero maintenance\u201d approach\u2014especially because a few simple steps can so dramatically increase the reliability and lifespan of your autoclave.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Lee Oakley, Priorclave’s Sales Director, like just about anything, “The more you care [for] your autoclave, the longer it will last\u201d. But that doesn\u2019t mean a labor-intensive cleaning regimen: a few low-effort interventions consistently result in the longest possible working lifetime for your Priorclave steam autoclave.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cleaning Best Practices for a Priorclave Steam Autoclave: Embrace Simplicity, Avoid Abrasives<\/span><\/h2>\n

The best way to maintain your steam autoclave is as simple as it gets. Change out the water and clean weekly (or every-other-weekly, if you don\u2019t use your Priorclave every week) by wiping it down with a soft sponge, cloth, or plastic scouring pad treated with soft water or a 1:4 vinegar\/water solution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can also consider the occasional use of a chlorine-free all-purpose cleaning spray. Avoid ammonia- and chlorine-based cleaners. These could, over time, corrode the vessel and door. And please don\u2019t use steel wool or other abrasives\u2014which you shouldn\u2019t need, because a weekly wipe down usually prevents scale and gunk buildup (regardless of your load types, water composition, or water quality). <\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes things don\u2019t go as planned, though, and the cleaning schedule goes neglected for a time.\u00a0 If limescale builds up in your chamber, you can remove it with <\/span>CLR<\/span><\/a> or similar hardware\/grocery store products. Pro-tip: if you can use it in your coffee pot, you can use it in your steam autoclave.<\/span><\/p>\n

Troubleshooting “F004 Faults”\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Oh no! The dreaded <\/span><\/i>F004 Fault<\/i><\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

But wait: you\u2019ve got this!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The \u201cF004\u201d error is the most common, and the most easily remedied. It\u2019s the \u201clow water\u201d warning.<\/span><\/p>\n

First, check the water level. On manual-fill autoclaves, you may need to top off the water in the reservoir. In autofill autoclaves, the reservoir may not have filled completely because the door was shut too quickly (like a top-loading washing machine, it\u2019s best to let the autoclave fill with the door open, to prevent mishaps).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Next, check your water quality. Priorclaves rely on the conductivity of the water in order to sense the water level\u2014which is why we recommend softened water. (Find more information in our <\/span>Water Quality document<\/span><\/a>.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But the most common cause of an F004 Fault is dirty probes in the autoclave chamber. These probes (shown below) sense the water level. Regular cleaning should prevent them getting gunked up, but if maintenance has been irregular or you\u2019re cleaning after a long period of time or a spillage, you may need to use hot water, mild soap, and vinegar or CLR to clean the probes. Be sure to thoroughly rinse out the chamber afterwards to prevent electrolytes from concentrating in the water reservoir over time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"diagram

diagram of standard steam autoclave water sensing probes<\/p><\/div>\n

Once you\u2019ve corrected water levels, quality, and\/or vessel\/probe cleanliness, you should be able to cancel the fault messages. Just turn the setting lock key switch to the enable position (position 3). If a key switch is not fitted, you can just press the reset button.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re still having problems, don\u2019t hesitate to <\/span>contact us<\/span><\/a> for a helping hand.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We love to hear from labs around the world about how reliable their Priorclave steam autoclave is. Sometimes reports reach us from the field of our steam autoclaves running for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":2634,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[365,86],"tags":[375,376,377,96,176,378],"class_list":["post-3159","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lab-practices","category-steam-autoclaves","tag-autoclave-care","tag-autoclave-tips","tag-care-and-feeding","tag-lab-practices","tag-laboratory-maintenance","tag-sterilizer-machine-maintenance"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nProper Steam Autoclave Care and Feeding is Easy!<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Your steam autoclave can run for years without maintenance\u2014but don't take that gamble! 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