Advanced Instruments 4C3 User Manual Download Page 79

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F. Troubleshooting

There are several levels of troubleshooting available to users of the

Advanced Model 4C3 Cryoscope. The lowest level simply involves

requesting help as recommended in section C, but it will facilitate

obtaining help if you can do some simple guided troubleshooting.
Before assuming that the instrument itself is faulty, carefully review

the operational requirements listed in Appendix B and the recom-

mended setup and operating procedures in Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4. If

the problem involves apparently anomalous results, the procedures

and recommendations in Chapter 2 should be reviewed, and the stan-

dards and reference solutions verified, as recommended in Chapter 3.
The middle level of troubleshooting involves choosing and making

whatever common sense checks and tests you are comfortable with

and, if a solution is not quickly apparent or readily accomplished on

site, then requesting help. This level is, for the most part, covered

by two sets of built-in tests designed to aid service diagnosis in the

field, the power-up tests and the diagnostic menu tests, as well as the

troubleshooting table and sections G and H which follow.
Each time the instrument is turned on, it performs power-up tests

to determine whether it is operable. When

“Cryoscope Ready”

appears on the display, the instrument is ready to operate.
If the instrument displays an error message during a test, the first

corrective action in most cases simply involves repeating the test,

paying more careful attention to procedure and technique. If an error

message again results, the message will either be self-explanatory or

will be described in the troubleshooting table.
The troubleshooting table contains a selected list of instrument

problems and corrections which may be accomplished by most tech-

nicians. If recommended in the troubleshooting table, running an

appropriate diagnostic menu test from those described in section G

may provide more information. Section H contains some additional

tests and adjustment and replacement instructions.
The highest levels of troubleshooting and field service may require

much more technical ability and probably should be accomplished by

your dealer or at the factory.

Troubleshooting & Service

Summary of Contents for 4C3

Page 1: ...The Advanced Cryoscope Model 4C3 User s Guide Part No 4C35 Rev17 042318 ...

Page 2: ...nted and are not intended to be representations or warranties concerning the product described Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries All other trademarks are the property of Advanced Instruments Hot Line Service If you have any questions or problems regarding the proper operation of your instrument please contact our Hot Line Service de...

Page 3: ...etup 1 A Things to do in advance 1 B Sample tubes and sample sizes 2 C Storage and handling of supplies and accessories 2 D Additional unpacking installation 5 E Load printer paper 6 F Power up 9 G Heat transfer fluid installation 10 H Self diagnostic test 11 I Functions of major parts and controls 12 J Optional barcode scanner 18 K Setup 19 Figure 2 Model 4C3 Cryoscope and Accessories 3 Figure 3 ...

Page 4: ...on 32 D Sample test procedure 33 E Testing batch numbered or barcode scanned samples 38 F Insert tests 40 G Repeatability tips 40 H Recall 42 Figure 8 Operating Head 34 Figure 9 Operating Head Loading or Unloading a Sample Tube 36 Chapter 3 Standards Quality Control 43 A Purpose of quality control 43 B Repeatability and accuracy 43 C Standards and controls 44 D Maintenance of standards 44 E Qualit...

Page 5: ...justment 77 Table 6 Test Mode Options 59 Table 7 Serial Loop Test Connections 62 Appendices 79 Appendix A Troubleshooting table 79 Appendix B Product specifications 95 Appendix C Regulatory notices 97 Appendix D Warranty and warranty duties 101 Appendix E Supplemental RS 232 information 105 Appendix F Symbol Definitions 107 Appendix G Product Disposal and Recycling 111 Appendix H Service log 113 F...

Page 6: ...vi The Advanced Model 4C3 User s Guide Notes ...

Page 7: ... Evaporation Cover Sample Tubes 2 mL 2 5 mL Sample Tube Cassettes 1 5 Sample Tube Cassettes 6 10 Sample Tube Cassettes 11 15 Sample Tube Cassettes 6 15 Sample Tube Calibration Cassette Sample Tube Rack Heat Transfer Fluid Cooling Reservoir Fill Funnel Thermal Printer Paper Paper Roll Holder Printer Maintenance Kit with Instructions Box of 100 Probe Wipers PART NO 4C3329 3LA823 4C3050 4C3060 4C3070...

Page 8: ...non metallic with one 10 mL ampule of Probe Bin Setting Fluid Mandrel Clapper Replacement Assembly Yoke Stir Freeze Coil Serial Port Computer Cable with DB9S 3 Meter Shielded RS 232 6 Meter Shielded RS 232 9 Meter Shielded RS 232 4C3 User s Guide 4C3 Service Manual Barcode Reader with Stand and Instructions Fluid Fill Plug vented PART NO 3D2340 3D3185 4C2243 4C3700 3LA700 4C3701 3LH500 3C2241R 3LH...

Page 9: ...USA and Canada US 781 320 9000 elsewhere 781 320 3669 fax NOTE Advanced Instruments cannot guarantee the stated instrument performance specifications and accuracy of test results unless Advanced Instruments brand consum ables are used with the instrument Use of consumables from manufacturers other than Advanced Instruments is not recommended and may adversely affect system calibration performance ...

Page 10: ...x The Advanced Model 4C3 User s Guide Notes ...

Page 11: ...t within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important oper ating and maintenance servicing instructions in the litera ture accompanying this product The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equi lateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the product s enclo sure that may be of sufficient ma...

Page 12: ...d at least 20 greater than the ampere ratings marked on the product s electrical ratings label The cord end that connects to the product must have an IEC 60320 connector Plug the product into an approved grounded electrical outlet Do not disable the power cord s grounding plug If an extension cord or power strip is used make sure that the cord or strip is rated for the product and that the total a...

Page 13: ...his equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules These limits are designed to provide reasonable pro tection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with th...

Page 14: ...Notes xiv The Advanced Model 4C3 User s Guide ...

Page 15: ...ure Most solutes impede the crystallization of water and depress its freezing point in proportion to their concentra tion Milk is a water based solution with various solids in sus pension The solutes normally present in milk lower its freezing point by a nearly constant amount Instrumentation The Advanced Cryoscopes are instruments designed for the extremely precise determination of the concentrat...

Page 16: ...intervening materials to conduct heat The equilibrium temperature is by definition the freezing point of the solution Optimum precision by this method results from a carefully engineered instrument In the 4C3 the sample environment is temperature con trolled to maximize the efficiency of the instrument without distorting the freezing plateau A sensitive probe monitors the sample temperature contro...

Page 17: ...trably more repeatable somewhat earlier on the plateau where the freezing and melting processes are more adiabatically balanced Commercial cryoscope users observing that similar samples have sim ilarly sloped freezing point curves under similar conditions tradition ally have solved this dilemma by taking timed plateau measurements and calibrating accordingly it simply is not economical to wait for...

Page 18: ...eezing points of authentic samples of pure fresh milk from healthy cows in the U S and Canada average 540 4 m H 521 8 m C 2 The freezing point average was 543 m H 524 m C in England and Wales3 As soon as it leaves the cow however milk becomes susceptible to both dilution and contamination Cows milk found to have a freezing point warmer than established regional norms may be suspected to have been ...

Page 19: ...ften thought the solute concen tration of milk to be more constant than it actually is Contemporary milk cryoscopy literature often referred to a concept called added water which it was thought could be calculated using a fixed base without actually measuring the sample with no added water This con cept assumed that milk samples with freezing points equal to or colder than the local average usuall...

Page 20: ...this manner can provide a guideline for estimating the quality of milk samples in respect to the base established All unknown samples of milk run against this base value will show a deviation above or below the base The 4C3 calculates the percent deviation from the base DFB as fol lows DFB base value observed value base value x 100 As noted part of this deviation is attributable to natural variati...

Page 21: ...n cooled below its freezing point Crystallization Temperature Aqueous solutions can be induced to freeze i e crystallize most reliably when supercooled The crystalliza tion temperature is the temperature at which crystallization is induced During crystallization the heat of fusion raises the temperature of the sample to an ice water freezing point plateau Heat of Fusion The heat released when the ...

Page 22: ... Standard Methods for Determination of the Freezing Point Depression of Milk BS3095 Part 1 1988 6 IDF 1S0 A0AC Method Water Added in Milk Thermistor Method Section 96LO7 AOAC METHODS Association of Official Analytical Chemists 15th edition 1990 7 Added Water in Milk section 19 2 of STANDARD METHODS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF DAIRY PRODUCTS American Public Health Association 14th edition 8 Concentrativ...

Page 23: ...en air circulation NOTE Bright light shining directly into the cassette deck area can interfere with the operation of the instrument 2 Locate and Test Grounded Outlet A three prong grounded earthed 100 250V 50 60Hz outlet capa ble of continuously supplying 2 5 amperes at 250V to 5 amperes at 100V is required within five feet of the instrument WARNING This instrument must be properly grounded earth...

Page 24: ...2 5 mL may be tested but their equilibrium plateaus develop more slowly and their results are no more precise Maintaining parameter consistency is more important than the exact value Cryoscopes should always be calibrated with the same sample size used for testing Different sample tube sizes and styles should not be used together because each may require a different instrument adjustment and or ca...

Page 25: ... Return Wipers 1 package of 10 5 packs 3LA823 Sample Tubes packs of 12 1 set 4C3050 Sample Tube Cassettes set of 5 1 pack 3LA023 422 m H Calibration Standard 408 m C 1 pack 3LA033 621 m H Calibration Standard 600 m C 1 pack 3LA030 530 m H Lactrol 530 Reference Solution 512 m C 2 Rolls of Thermal Printer Paper re order pack of 5 as FLA835 1 FL0425 Printer Maintenance Kit with Instructions 1 4C3448 ...

Page 26: ...ing the usual precautions against breakage of light weight glass items The standard plastic cassettes however may distort under extended exposure to high heat Sample Tube Cassettes Do not expose the sample cassettes to tem peratures above 180 F 82 C 4 The Advanced Model 4C3 User s Guide Figure 3 Major Parts and Controls MEASUREMENT CONTROL CIRCUIT BOARDS INSIDE DISPLAY PANEL KEYPAD PRINTER DOOR CA...

Page 27: ...ied to the instrument 1 Open the magnetically held drop down cassette deck cover see figure 3 by pulling its frame forward and down 2 Remove the two screws and top half of the operating head ship ping fixture see figure 4 store them in case of possible future transport of the instrument 5 Installation Setup Figure 4 Additional Unpacking Steps ...

Page 28: ...reeze wire and from the insert STAT test well Then manually rotate the operating head for ward to the position shown in figure 5 and gently lower the probe between decks to avoid damage 5 Install a new drip catcher sponge see figure 5 Make sure that the new installation is lined up so that it does not obstruct the head motion 6 Install two wiper sponges as probe wipers see figure 5 6 The Advanced ...

Page 29: ...r shipment E Load printer paper A roll of thermal printer paper and a paper roll holder are supplied with the instrument as illustrated on the packing list These must be installed in the printer as follows 1 Unroll 6 8 25 30 cm of paper from the paper roll 2 Fold one corner of the end of the paper to form a 4 6 15 25 cm blunt tipped tapered point Crease the fold so that the dou bled part will not ...

Page 30: ...jammed under the print head a protective circuit will shut off the printer with out deactivating the display or the rest of the instru ment To reactivate the printer shut off the 4C3 Clear the paper jam and turn the power back on If the paper jam has been successfully cleared the instrument will com plete the power up cycle described in section H and reactivate the printer 7 Insert the paper roll ...

Page 31: ...rnet address and then displays and prints the instrument model software version copyright notice serial number date and time and the probe bin numbers Your readout should look similar to the following Advanced Instruments Inc Two Technology Way Norwood MA 02062 USA Phone US 781 320 9000 Service fax US 781 320 0811 Supplies fax US 781 320 3669 INTERNET http www aicompanies com Model 4C3 Version 4 0...

Page 32: ...of the 4C3 by pulling its frame forward and down 3 With the cassette deck cover dropped down open the heat trans fer fluid port in the divider between the two sides of the sample tray deck by removing the fluid fill plug see figure 5 4 Insert the funnel into the heat transfer fluid port 5 Paying attention to the display carefully pour heat transfer fluid into the heat transfer fluid port As the re...

Page 33: ...el reaches the Fluid Level Empty indicator heat transfer fluid will again be required The heat transfer fluid reservoir status may be checked before it reaches Empty by means of the Reservoir Status SETUP menu item see section K H Self diagnostic test During power up the scrolled display Press START to Continue indicates that the instrument is required to check for proper operation by running a te...

Page 34: ...ols described below before proceeding further Functionally this microprocessor controlled instrument consists of automatic sample holding and centering devices a precision digital thermometer cooling and freezing chambers measurement and con trol circuitry a keypad and a message display panel These basic systems include the following parts and controls 1 Power Module see figure 7 Contains the foll...

Page 35: ...display purposes most messages consist of less than 20 characters but longer messages which scroll across the display are transmitted no differently The 4C3 transmits a significant amount of information via the communication port Almost every item of information displayed by the instrument can be transmitted over the port including test results all error messages and most display data from the TES...

Page 36: ... paper FEED and RECALL functions the Supervisor keyswitch posi tion additionally allows access to the SETUP CALIB rate and TEST functions If the SETUP or TEST button is pressed while the Supervisor Operator keyswitch is in the Operator horizontal position a Supervisor Key Needed Press STOP to Continue message is continually scrolled across the display until STOP is pressed When STOP is pressed the...

Page 37: ...esting 11 Insert Test Well see figure 5 For single priority tests 12 Sample Freezing Chamber see figure 5 Thermoelectric for reliability and precise control Contains a small amount of heat transfer fluid for optimum cooling capacity 13 Heat Transfer Fluid Pre cooling Chamber inside Thermoelectrically pre cools heat transfer fluid for faster opera tion 14 Operating Head see figure 5 Contains an ele...

Page 38: ...f alphanumeric messages on the illuminated display panel located at the top of the keypad and printed on paper tape These mes sages report the instrument function currently being performed the next operator function required and the results of tests The messages are displayed either in English French German or Spanish as selected via the setup menu the default language is English The keypad contai...

Page 39: ... K TEST Activates a test menu for checking selected components and subsystems see Chapter 5 Section G CALIB Activates calibration prompts for calibration of the instrument Pressing STOP during a calibration test will cancel re calibration and retain the previous calibration see Chapter 4 1 0 Allow prompted numeric operator input as required during SETUP CALIB and TEST procedures and Allow stepping...

Page 40: ... TTL level signal pro viding asynchronous serial data containing 1 start bit 8 data bits 1 stop bit and no parity The barcode port pin out is shown in table 4 on next page A suitable barcode scanner is available from Advanced Instruments To interface with the 4C3 the barcode scanner must be pro grammed as follows referring to the scanner users guide 1200 bps CR suffix disable beep after good decod...

Page 41: ...ssi ble additional setup items or refinements The follow ing list includes all currently implemented setup func tions in the order in which they appear in the SETUP menu however the order in which they appear may change slightly if the firmware is later updated to include additional SETUP items The operating parameters that may be checked and set via the setup menu are listed in table 5 Enter SETU...

Page 42: ...s the START button to select the item display the current setting and enable changing the set ting The current setting is indicated either by the symbol or a numeric value and may be changed by pressing or or using the item specific instruc tions below Press ENTER to store a new setting or STOP to restore the original set ting The display will revert to the title of the parameter selected Then you...

Page 43: ...nging the bin setting requires recalibration of the instrument At Set Block Bin press the START button The display will report the current block bin setting Compare the current block bin setting with the new block bin number recorded in the service log If the current block bin setting is the same as that recorded in the service log simply press the STOP button to return to Set Block Bin If the cur...

Page 44: ...n to Set Sample Bin If the bin number is not the same enter the required bin number by means of the numeric keypad Press ENTER to store the new setting or STOP to restore the orig inal setting Recalibrate the instrument as instructed in Chapter 4 Be sure to record the new sample bin setting in the service log inside the back cover of the user s guide 3 Select Batch This menu item enables a means o...

Page 45: ...g device connected to the barcode port in the back of the instrument see figure 7 and section J At Select Barcode press START to display ON Barcode OFF The current setting is indicated by the sym bol At ON Barcode OFF press or to toggle the Barcode option on or off Press ENTER to store the new setting or STOP to restore the orig inal setting NOTE Barcode selection automatically includes batch numb...

Page 46: ... Time press START to display the current date and time Any change must be made in this order a Press CLEAR to clear the entire setting and display the present format b Use to toggle to the date format you require mm dd yyyy or dd mm yyyy c Use to toggle to 24hr format am or pm as required d Enter the current date and time including zeros via the numer ic keypad one digit at a time from left to rig...

Page 47: ... Rate xxxx the serial port baud rate may be reset by means of the or button to either 300 1200 or 9600 bps Press ENTER to store the new setting or STOP to restore the orig inal setting 9 Select Data Capture The EIA 232 V 24 communication port normally communicates only the final result of each test When implemented this menu item enables or disables communication of data taken throughout each free...

Page 48: ...e orig inal setting 11 Select Plateau Mode This menu item enables changing the way the 4C3 evaluates the plateau The rationale for each evaluation mode is outlined in the Foreword This instrument is equipped to use several methods of plateau determination These are grouped into two types TIMED and SEEKING Setup menu item 10 Select Plateau Mode is used along with the or keys to cycle through the ch...

Page 49: ...n a sample test is started will display Recalibration Needed if no calibration has yet been stored for the mode selected Press ENTER to store the new setting or STOP to restore the orig inal setting 12 Set DFB This menu item enables storing a base freezing point in the instru ment memory and displaying with each sample test result the per cent difference between the test result and the stored base...

Page 50: ...us setting At Set DFB you may want to repeat the setting sequence to make sure the desired base reading has actually been record ed c At Set DFB press stop to return the display to Cryoscope Ready When any non zero base is set every sample test result will be displayed with a DFB value When the base is set to 0 no DFB will be displayed Thus if you wish to eliminate the DFB display simply press the...

Page 51: ...ial 123 Press ENTER to return to the setup menu 15 Product Test Product Test is for factory use only and has no field function 16 Reservoir Status This menu item provides information when filling the heat transfer fluid reservoir At Reservoir Status press the START button The display will report the present state of the reservoir If the reservoir is empty the display will be Fluid Level EMPTY As t...

Page 52: ...for the display panel and printed messages in this instrument When other choices are provided lan guage selection may be accomplished as follows a At Select Language press START to display the current setting b Press or to step through the available selections c When the desired language is displayed press ENTER to store the setting or STOP to restore the original setting At this time multiple lan...

Page 53: ...es may be loaded and tested as soon as Cryoscope Ready is displayed the first few samples will exhibit a slightly longer test time until the reserve heat transfer fluid cooler reaches its operating temperature For maximum throughput speed the 4C3 may be left on continuously Your 4C3 was calibrated at the factory The probe and cal ibration parameters are stored in RAM which is powered by an interna...

Page 54: ...Heat transfer fluid can become contaminated with sample mate rial which may be considered a biohazard Use appropriate cau tions during removal and cleaning of sample tubes after testing to prevent heat transfer fluid remaining on the tube exterior from contacting personnel or the instrument surface If a biohazardous material is spilled on or inside the equipment decontaminate the equipment using a...

Page 55: ...ternal battery when the instrument power is off or disconnected Thus when Cryoscope Ready is dis played your 4C3 is calibrated and ready to run However the cal ibration should always be verified during operation to be sure that none of the parameters affecting calibration have changed In the recommended procedure which follows calibration verification is accomplished by starting with the Lactrol 5...

Page 56: ... standard selected 4 Select two clean sample tubes Pipet or measure identical sam ples of the selected reference solution or NaCl standard into the clean sample tubes and place the tubes in the first two positions of the first cassette 5 Depending upon your required protocol pipet or measure additional samples of reference solution or NaCl standards into identical sample tubes and load them into t...

Page 57: ...ple at a fixed crystal lization point follow the plateau development determine the freezing point as defined by the plateau mode selected see Chapter 1 Section K and display and record the results After completing the test the 4C3 will return the first sample tube to the cassette wipe the probe and return to the cassette for the second tube Figure 9 shows the operating head either loading or unloa...

Page 58: ...hile the instrument is in operation use care to avoid injury to your self and damage to the instrument whenever introducing any part of the body inside the cover during operation b Be careful not to place a cassette behind the cassette pusher when it is in operation c If operating in a low humidity environment use the evapo ration cover to minimize sample loss due to evaporation 36 The Advanced Mo...

Page 59: ...cribed in the NOTE in step 8 and section G should be reviewed Obtain Hot Line service as instructed in Chapter 5 if necessary 10 As the 4C3 tests the samples in each cassette the cassette is pushed into the right deck where as many as six cassettes can accumulate As the cassettes accumulate in the output deck they may be refilled with new samples and reinstalled in the left deck unless barcoding h...

Page 60: ...the reserve heat transfer fluid cooler reaches its operating temperature E Testing batch numbered or barcode scanned samples If either batch numbering or barcode scanning has been enabled via the setup menu it is highly recommended that you minimize sample exposure by pressing START before loading samples If either batch numbering or barcode scanning has been enabled when the START button is press...

Page 61: ...ntered the operator will be prompted to activate the barcode reading device and scan the bar codes Note that standards and controls must also be provided with barcodes and scanned in the order in which they will be placed in the cassette After each 10 barcodes scanned the operator will be prompted to enter the next cassette number When finished scan ning the barcodes of the specified number of sam...

Page 62: ... dry sample tube as recommended in Chapter 1 Section B place it in the insert STAT test well see figure 5 and press START The inserted sample will be tested recorded as Insert x and replaced in the insert STAT test well then routine testing will be resumed Additional priority tests may be inserted the same way as necessary G Repeatability tips 1 Gently wipe the mandrel probe and stir freeze wire s...

Page 63: ...ifications listed in Appendix B 9 If an occasional sample produces irregular results discard obvi ously discrepant readings as long as the instrument has been producing accurate readings repeatedly Repeat the reading in question on another aliquot 10 To reduce the effects of evaporation use the evaporation cover provided in the accessory kit Refer to the instructions on the cover for installation ...

Page 64: ...inserted and the instrument reverts to the standby mode and displays Cryoscope Ready When the recall button is pressed at Cryoscope Ready Recall 1 Run is displayed Only the results from the last run are available if barcoding has been selected but if barcoding was not selected the operator may either recall the last run accomplished or may select up to 9 runs by means of the numeric keypad or the ...

Page 65: ...y is sometimes called reproduc ibility or precision Repeatability is a measure of the ability of a method to obtain the same result time after time on the same sample Repeatability is usually quantified as the standard deviation S D of a set of measurements normally distributed about a mean 1 S D about the mean denotes the range of values within which 68 of the measurements will fall 2 S D 95 By c...

Page 66: ...trations of sodium chloride solutions therefore is only one measure of cryoscope accuracy Another measure should involve determinations on solutions or controls formulated to synthesize biological solutions Please check with your associations and regulatory bodies for their guidelines and or control requirements D Maintenance of standards Doubts about the accuracy of standards destroy confidence i...

Page 67: ...Appendix B It depends to a certain extent upon operator technique and can usually be improved by carefully following the suggestions in Chapter 2 4 Instrument accuracy is determined by comparing your results on precisely known standards and or controls with their specified values The instrument accuracy is adjustable if it is unsatis factory it should be corrected by re calibrating as instructed i...

Page 68: ...46 The Advanced Model 4C3 User s Guide Notes ...

Page 69: ...hen if allowed it performs the necessary calculations and calibrates the output accordingly CAUTION If a power interruption occurs during calibration turn the instrument off at once and remove any sample tube that may be on the operating head After power has been restored leave the instru ment turned off for at least 5 seconds to ensure internal circuitry is restarted properly even if power restor...

Page 70: ...mples in any following cassettes NOTES a If the supervisor operator keyswitch is not in the super visor vertical position when the CALIB button is pressed or an automatic calibration cassette is introduced Supervisor Key Needed will be displayed and the instrument will await operator response Switch to super visor to continue or press STOP to cancel re calibration b If the sample probe is replaced...

Page 71: ...e of two freezing point scales Advanced cryoscope standard labels include both m H and m C val ues Model 4C3 cryoscopes are factory calibrated and shipped with the display set for m C but test results may be displayed and calibration accomplished in either m C or m H as selected via the setup menu see Chapter 1 Changing between these two scales does not require re calibration However to avoid conf...

Page 72: ...u are using In the past most regulations have intended Hortvet correlation whether Celsius was specified or not Verify by checking the standard solution freezing points referenced if 422 and 621 or not specified at all the regulations probably were Hortvet correlated 50 The Advanced Model 4C3 User s Guide ...

Page 73: ...rst line service and factory liaison may be most rap idly and satisfactorily obtained through your authorized Advanced Instruments dealer Alternatively Advanced Instruments may be contacted directly as indicated in sec tion C below Our Hot Line service helps provide good fast easy ser vice and includes Direct user to factory service consultation On site sales and service engineers Modular internal...

Page 74: ...sons unplug the product from the electrical outlet and refer service to a qualified service technician The power cord extension cord power strip or power input module is damaged Liquid has been spilled into the interior of the product A foreign object has fallen into the product The product has been dropped or damaged by a falling object There are noticeable signs of overheating or a burning odor ...

Page 75: ...ent on appropriate packaging and marking C How to get service Before contacting Advanced Instruments for Hot Line Technical Service be sure to read through this user s guide for instructions on routine adjustments instrument care and troubleshooting If this information does not solve the problem call the appropriate number below 800 225 4034 toll free within the USA and Canada after normal busines...

Page 76: ... place near the largest diameter of the plug 5 Gripping the freezing chamber plug handle push the tapered part of the plug with the O ring in place into the sample freezing chamber with enough force to hold both in place during ship ment to avoid any instrument damage from fluid remaining in the cooling system 6 Place a clean dry probe wiper over the tips of the probe and stir wire as shown in fig...

Page 77: ...eparate aliquots of the same standards should not deviate beyond the repeatability and drift limits indicated in the product specifications in Appendix B As required replace Probe wipers The probe wiper sponges should be replaced when they begin to appear dirty about every 50 tests Drip catcher sponge The drip catcher sponge should be replaced when it becomes dirty worn or ineffective Heat transfe...

Page 78: ...l provide fluid level information to facilitate this process and help avoid over filling the reservoir Monthly maintenance Clean the air filters monthly replace as necessary A dirty filter affects the ability of the fan to cool internal components a rise in internal temperature may adversely affect reli ability E Shutdown and storage Overnight or weekend 1 Rinse the probe clean with distilled wate...

Page 79: ...osis in the field the power up tests and the diagnostic menu tests as well as the troubleshooting table and sections G and H which follow Each time the instrument is turned on it performs power up tests to determine whether it is operable When Cryoscope Ready appears on the display the instrument is ready to operate If the instrument displays an error message during a test the first corrective act...

Page 80: ...y press the button to step the display forward or to step the display backward through the list The list is cyclic pressing at the last item cycles the display to item 0 Continue pressing or until the desired test is displayed While the desired test is displayed press the START button Or at Select Test Item press the START button The dis play will change to Test Menu 0 From the list above type the...

Page 81: ...reading or duty cycle The display is in the form off Blk NNNN NN ohm where off indicates that a target temperature has not yet been selected Blk indicates that the block probe channel is being tested NNNN NN is a numeric readout of the probe or resistor substituted for the probe and ohm indicates the units of the readout These read ings are updated continuously Pressing the button sequen tially ch...

Page 82: ... A D channel is 4 990 to 10 558 ohms so the display should continuously indicate 4990 00 ohms until a target cooling well block temperature has been selected Press STOP to exit to the TEST menu 2 Stir Freeze Test This menu item enables visually and aurally checking the stir and freeze vibration amplitudes Please refer to section H for instruc tions 3 Probe Bin Test This test is used to determine t...

Page 83: ...splay will be the test result in ohms and the sample probe bin number e g 12345 67 Ohms Bin 10 A test in progress can be stopped by pressing the STOP button Another test may be run by replacing the sample and pressing START again At a specific freezing point each probe has a unique resistance which should vary very little from test to test Therefore the results of this test may be used as a troubl...

Page 84: ... check of the serial port NOTE Before pressing the START button to begin this test a tem porary jumper connector must be installed on the communi cation port COMM PORT on the back panel of the 4C3 see figure 7 to make the following loop back connections On entry the serial loop test will display START Loop Ready Press the START button to run the test The instrument will begin to continuously send ...

Page 85: ... matrix This makes it possible to distinguish any dots that no longer work on the printer as well as the display Press STOP to exit to the test menu 6 Beeper Test This test exercises the beeper On entry on beeper off is displayed Press the button to cause the beeper to beep repeatedly press the button to stop the beeper Press STOP to exit to the test menu 7 Keypad Test This test enables checking e...

Page 86: ...ntry START Test STOP is displayed Press START to begin the test Press STOP to raise the operating head and exit to the test menu NOTE Tests 8 through 11 are designed to test only the function listed to check cassette positioning and sample tube han dling run the tube transport test test 12 9 Cassette Index Test This test continuously cycles the cassette index mechanism On entry START Test STOP is ...

Page 87: ...d On entry Test Insert NO is displayed To select the first test mode press ENTER When ENTER is pressed at Test Insert NO START Test STOP is displayed At START Test STOP press START to begin the test Press STOP to stop the action at any time during the test Press STOP a second time to exit to the test menu b The second test mode rotates the operating head between the probe wipers the sample tube lo...

Page 88: ...e test will pause and the display will report No Cassette until STOP is pressed The operating head will wipe the probe and stir freeze wire pick up a sample tube from the next loaded position in the cassette rotate it to a position over the sample freezing chamber then return it to the cassette it will not be lowered into the freezing chamber Each cassette position will be indexed and displayed Ea...

Page 89: ...nthly or whenever they become clogged with dust to the point where samples cool more slowly than normal a Remove the filters by gripping the edge of the square fin ger hole and pulling straight out b With the open sides of the finger holes down push the new air filters firmly straight in as far as they will go 2 Fuse Replacement The power switch and fuse holder are located beside the power cord co...

Page 90: ...pulling and bumping damage Such damage often causes varying electrical leakage to ground through the sample and may usually be detected via close visual inspection or disconnecting the connector and checking the probe resistance This can be done in place without disturbing the physical adjustment of the probe The following procedure is recommended for testing and or replac ing the sample probe ple...

Page 91: ...ement a The 4C3 should be disconnected from the power source the back cover removed and the sample probe disconnected as instructed in steps 3 a through 3 c above b Push pull out the pivot plate pin and remove the pivot plate see figure 8 c Pull the tube gripper see figure 8 down and off of the mandrel leave the large coil spring in place d Loosen the probe setscrew see figure 8 Gently push and pu...

Page 92: ...t Proper alignment and adjustment of the probe and stir freeze wire are of utmost importance to assure accuracy precision and proper operation of the instrument The probe bead must be exactly centered in the sample and the stir freeze wire must also be properly positioned for optimum perfor mance To facilitate positioning the probe and stir freeze wire a probe alignment tool is included with the i...

Page 93: ...he mandrel Recheck and readjust the probe position as necessary e If aligning a metal probe bend the metal probe stem gently by hand as necessary to align the probe along the raised V center line of the probe alignment tool If aligning a non metalic probe rotate the probe so that any cur vature in the probe is in the back to front direction parallel to the stir wire action f The bottom of the stir...

Page 94: ...ndby position with the probe and stir wire slightly behind the probe wipers see figure 5 If the operating head is not in this position remove all cassettes from the cassette decks and press START the 4C3 should re position the operating head so that the probe and stir wire are behind the probe wipers and report No Cassette b Manually move the operating head to the sample tube pickup position shown...

Page 95: ... such that the stir freeze wire vibration will be unimpeded by the wipers and clearly visible in front of the probe Watch the stir freeze wire vibrate as you press again The freeze pulse vibration blur at the very tip of the stir freeze wire should span at least 1 2 or 13 mm for one second then cease If the freeze vibration is inadequate do not proceed further but refer the problem to a qualified ...

Page 96: ...tton then press ENTER The display will change to Set Stir Amplitude this menu item may alternatively be located by stepping for ward or backward from Select Setup Item with the or button n At Set Stir Amplitude press the START button The stir freeze wire will begin to vibrate and the display will change to Amplitude xx with xx being some two digit number around 50 o Looking across the stir freeze ...

Page 97: ...ear p When the stir amplitude is correct you may wish to record the stir amplitude xx value in the service log at the end of Chapter 5 for reference Press ENTER to store the new setting The display will change to Set Stir Amplitude q At Set Stir Amplitude press STOP to exit the SETUP pro gram or or to step to another SETUP item r When STOP is pressed the display will change to Press Start to Conti...

Page 98: ...nd press the START button The 4C3 will run special freezing point tests to deter mine the sample probe resistance and bin number NOTE In emergency H2O may be used in place of bin setting fluid for this test The bin number thus determined will be acceptable for bin setting though the probe resistance displayed is that at the freezing point of the H2O sample used and will be different from that for ...

Page 99: ...eeze wire should be about 1 mm 1 32 away from the probe Bend the wire if neces sary The tip of the wire should be 1 5 mm 1 16 below the probe tip Loosen the stir freeze wire setscrew to enable vertical adjustment Figure 12 Mandrel Probe and Stir Wire Adjustment j If the current sample probe bin setting is the same as that just determined simply press the STOP button twice to return to Cryoscope Re...

Page 100: ...vanced Model 4C3 User s Guide k Press the CALIB button and calibrate the instrument as recom mended in Chapter 4 As advised in Chapter 4 the 4C3 proba bly will not allow automatic calibration at this time 78 ...

Page 101: ...ecker or replacement fuse to check continuity if there is any doubt Check the values marked on the fuses For 100 130V oper ation they should be 2 Amp fuses for 200 240V operation they should be 1 Amp fuses Symptom Check Suggested Action a Have the power restored b Make sure the power cord is firmly plugged into both the wall outlet and the socket on the back of the instrument c Replace the fuses i...

Page 102: ... attempting to use CALIB TEST or SETUP Check the key switch postion Supervisor Key Needed Press STOP or Supervisor Key Needed Fluid Required Add heat transfer fluid see Chapter 1 Section G If the error message persists see Chapter 5 Section C for further assis tance No response when the START or TEST button is pressed Switch the instrument off then on If the problem persists see Chapter 5 Section ...

Page 103: ...apter 5 Section C for further assistance If followed by Select Test Item see Symptom item Thermoelectrics Driver Failure Reset Probe Configuration displayed during the power up sequence followed by Select Test Item If not followed by Select Test Item see Chapter 5 Section C for further assistance a Press to advance to Set Block Probe Bin in the SETUP menu and reset the block probe bin see Chapter ...

Page 104: ...ude as necessary to the number recorded in the service log in the back of the user s guide Switch the instrument off then on Retry the test If the error message persists see Chapter 5 Section C for further assistance Cooling System Error Switch the instrument off then on Retry the test If the error message persists see Chapter 5 Section C for further assistance Switch the instrument off then on Re...

Page 105: ...Section C for further assistance Stir Freeze Driver Failure Switch the instrument off then on Retry the test If the error message persists see Chapter 5 Section C for further assistance Switch the instrument off then on Check the sample probe by running the A D Test see Chapter 5 Section G 1 If the error message does not persist and other messages are not displayed ignore this message Replace the ...

Page 106: ...persist and other mes sages are not displayed ignore this message If the error message persists see Chapter 5 Section C for further assistance Switch the instrument off then on Check the sample probe by running the A D Test see Chapter 5 Section G If the error message does not persist and other mes sages are not displayed ignore this message Replace the sample probe see Chapter 5 Section H If the ...

Page 107: ... wrong position or other visible mechanical cause Check for a sample tube in the wrong place possi bly in the operating head or freezing chamber Review procedure and retry the test Remove misplaced tube check the probe and stir freeze wire alignment and retry the test If the error message per sists see Chapter 5 Section C for further assistance Check whether further testing is being impeded by too...

Page 108: ... or other visible cause of the malfunction b Check that the probe and stir freeze wire are still in proper position see Chapter 5 Section H c Press STOP to reset the instrument d Remove the interrupted cassette To finish test ing it remove already tested samples and place the cassette all the way to the left in the input deck e Press START to con tinue testing If the problem recurs see Chapter 5 S...

Page 109: ...ght calibration standards in the right order 1 Was the sample OK 2 Is the block probe bin correct 3 Check the alignment by running the Head Up Down Test see Chapter 5 Section G 8 a Prepare another sample and repeat the test b Check correct the block probe bin c If the error message persists see Chapter 5 Section C for further assistance Calibration Out of Range See Symptom item Results not repeata...

Page 110: ...ion correct a Test another aliquot of that sample in a clean sample tube b Try testing samples known to be within the range of the instrument c Make sure samples contain no bubbles or froth before testing Decrease the sample stir amplitude if neces sary to avoid generat ing bubbles before the freeze buzz occurs d The 4C3 is not designed to test thick or very viscous samples e Check correct the pro...

Page 111: ...ued too ductile 6 Does the clapper and or stir wire coil show excessive wear a Clean all debris from the magnetic gap b Tighten both stir freeze mounting screws firmly see figure 8 c Correct the stir freeze wire alignment as nec essary see Chapter 5 Section G d Correct the stir freeze amplitude as ncessary see Chapter 5 Section H 6 e Replace align and adjust the stir freeze wire see Chapter 5 and ...

Page 112: ...viated by heat ing or filtering the sample 5 Does the clapper and or the stir wire coil show excessive wear a Replace the probe wipers and test another aliquot of that sample in a clean sample tube b Check correct the probe bin numbers c Correct the stir freeze wire alignment and ad justment as neces sary d Try to minimize the effects of materials that tend to cause premature crystallization If th...

Page 113: ...avoid introduc ing unscanned cassettes during batch test runs Try to avoid the use of barcodes longer than 16 characters Truncated barcodes lon ger than 16 characters may appear as duplicate entries 1 Operator procedures and technique 2 Check the sample probe by running the A D test see Chapter 5 Section G Fluid Level Error A wiring or circuit board error is indicated If the error message persists...

Page 114: ...number of runs requested in recall do not exceed number of runs processed a Check printout for test errors or cancellations that may have thrown off count b If completed tests and errors add up correctly disregard Serial Loop Failed Review procedure A sample tube is required for the function requested If the error message persists see Chapter 5 Section C for further assistance Procedure 1 Is seria...

Page 115: ...e enter ing commands a Reseat the cord b Contact Advanced Instruments c Check to see if any other equipment is also experiencing trouble d Contact Advanced Instruments e If this does not work contact Advanced Instruments 1 Turn off power for 15 seconds and restart the instrument Can you reproduce the problem 2 Try reducing the speed at which you are entering commands a Contact Advanced Instruments...

Page 116: ...94 The Advanced Model 4C3 User s Guide Notes ...

Page 117: ...le Capacity Holds up to five continuously loadable 10 sample cassettes plus insertable single sample stat test Readout 20 character digital display and on board thermal print er Units m C or m H Range 0 to 1000 m C or m H Linearity Typically within 0 5 straight line method Resolution 1 m C or m H Repeatability 2 m C 1 S D Communications DTE EIA 232 V 24 RS 232 Storage Temperature 40 to 45 C 40 to ...

Page 118: ...ime from power on Sample Throughput Approximately 40 samples per hour in the 30 second plateau mode at 73F or 23C less at higher ambient tem perature Dimensions inches centimeters Width 21 5 55 Depth 20 51 Height 21 5 55 Weight pounds kilograms Net 66 30 Shipping 105 48 Warranty One year limited warranty on workmanship and all parts except glass plastic and parts warranted by their makers Certific...

Page 119: ...applied additional local national or international approvals to this product Consult the distributor or dealer for more information and documentation Connections to this product must be made with shielded cables Use of non shielded cables may violate RFI EMI limits Symbol Conventions 97 Regulatory Notices Appendix C This symbol indicates the product was tested to conform to relevant Canadian and U...

Page 120: ...lectrical Equipment for Measurement Control and Laboratory Use General Requirements Including Amendment Two The C in the lower left of the ETL mark demonstrates this listing EMC This product meets the intent of Directive 2004 108 EC for Electromagnetic Compatibility Compliance was demonstrated using the following standards IEC 61326 1 Group 1 Class A Electrical Equipment for Measurement Control an...

Page 121: ...ding interference that may cause undesired opera tion Canadian ECES 003 This Class A digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES 003 Cet appareil numérique de la classe A est conforme à la norme NMB 003 du Canada WEEE This product does not meet the intent of Directive 2012 19 EU for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment WEEE RoHS This product does not meet the intent of Directive 2011 65 EU ...

Page 122: ...100 The Advanced Model 4C3 User s Guide Notes ...

Page 123: ...onsibilities which constitute contractual warranties and conditions between the seller and the user for the maximum benefit and useful ness of the instrument ADVANCED INSTRUMENTS WARRANTS THAT IT 1 Has produced equipment equal to or exceeding that of any competitive product in the same price range in standards of design material and workmanship ...

Page 124: ...thout written approval from Advanced Instruments 4 Advanced Instruments will be notified immediately if any injury occurs in any association with the instrument and will be allowed prompt and thorough exam ination of the instrument in question 5 Advanced Instruments will be held harmless in cases of injury arising see definitions below a Beyond the useful life of the equipment b From unreasonable ...

Page 125: ...ected repairs d Only for the purpose stated in the instructions provided with the instrument e In which the equipment has been maintained according to the instructions provided 3 Immediate notification is a Recognition that time is of the essence when any accident malpractice or product liability arises which involves Advanced Instruments equipment b Notification to Advanced Instruments immediatel...

Page 126: ...104 The Advanced Model 4C3 User s Guide Notes ...

Page 127: ...ine Feed 0A Hex Note that your instrument is only capable of outputting information At this time there is no protocol for talking to the instru ment Sample RS 232 Setup As a typical example of a communications program setup the following instructions will describe the process necessary for using your instru ment in conjunction with Hyperterminal for Windows 95 or later operating systems and a null...

Page 128: ...ose TTY for the Emulation option 7 Select ASCII setup 8 Set the Sending option to Echo Typed Characters Locally 9 Set the Receiving option to Wrap Lines that Exceed Terminal Width You should at this point see all instrument output in the Hyperterminal window of your computer screen 106 Null Modem Cable Shield connects to metalized connector hous ing at both ends Figure 13 RS 232 External Cable The...

Page 129: ...w Setup Calibration Cancel Delete Functional Arrow Printer Enter RS232 Bar Code Attention Caution Hot Surface Dangerous Voltage Lifting Hazard Calibrator The below list of symbols is for reference only Not all symbols may be used on this instrument or in the accompanying documentation ...

Page 130: ...le Irritant Keep Dry Date Manufactured Sterile Non Sterile Serial Number Solution Do Not Open Top Handle With Care Toxic Use Blade To Open Do Not Re Use For In Vitro Diagnostic Use European Conformity Temperature Limit See Instructions Lot Number Use By Expiration Date Authorized Representative Part Number ...

Page 131: ...s Sufficient for x Tests Open Here Low Fluid Level Keep Hands Clear Manufacturer Biohazard Latex Free Diluent See Instructions for Temperature Guidelines Potential Puncture Hazard Electronic Equipment Dispose of Properly x ...

Page 132: ...110 The Advanced Model 4C3 User s Guide Notes ...

Page 133: ...Since regulations governing the disposal of your instrument and acces sories may vary depending upon your geographic location the following guidelines are provided to assist you in identifying the options available to you once the decision has been made to replace or dispose of this product Contact the supplier who sold you the product Whether this was Advanced Instruments itself or one of its aut...

Page 134: ...roducts can be sent Contact Advanced Instruments Hot Line Service 800 225 4034 toll free within the USA and Canada after normal business hours dial extension 2191 US 781 320 9000 elsewhere 781 320 0811 fax Service personnel will provide you with contact information for local disposal or instructions for returning the product directly to Advanced Instruments 112 The Advanced Model 4C3 User s Guide ...

Page 135: ...Model 4C3 Serial Number Software Revision Sample Probe Number Block Probe Number 113 Service Log Appendix H Date Problem Symptom Action ...

Page 136: ...114 The Advanced Model 4C3 User s Guide Date Problem Symptom Action ...

Page 137: ... beeper test 63 C calibration 47 calibrators ix cassette deck 6 cassette index test 65 cassette pusher test 65 Celsius xviii circuit boards 16 conventions xi crystallization temperature xxi D data capture 25 date time 24 display mH mC 28 display panel 16 display print test 23 E electric outlet availability 1 F freezing curve xvi freezing point xv depression xxi of milk xviii plateau xxi thermodyna...

Page 138: ...ce 53 P packing list 3 added water xxii DFB xxii 27 plateau mode 26 power module 12 power up instrument 9 printer 16 printer paper 7 probe alignment 71 probe bin test 60 product specifications 95 product test 29 Q quality control 43 implementation 45 R recall 42 repeatability and accuracy 43 repeatability tips 40 reservoir status 29 routine maintenance 55 RS 232 105 S safe use xi sample preparatio...

Page 139: ...r 21 date time 24 sample bin number 21 sample probe bin 76 shutdown and storage 56 standards and controls 44 stir amplitude 23 stir freeze test 60 stir freeze wire alignment 71 supercooling xxi supervisor operator keyswitch 14 T test 58 troubleshooting 56 tube transport test 66 W warranty duties 101 X Xon Xoff 26 117 Index ...

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