15
Operating Notes / Important Safety Guidelines
The Decloaking Chamber has been designed with many unique safety features. However, when using heating and electrical equip-
ment, basic precautions should be used. This is a heating device under pressure. Please read these operating notes before operating
the instrument.
1.
Lift the lid gently
When operating, make sure the lid is in the
closed position
. When there is resistance, don’t open the lid by force. Tip the
weight (petcock) carefully to release any residual pressure and make sure that the pressure in the pan is at zero on the pres-
sure gauge. Gently push down on the brown handle, turn the lid counter clockwise and slowly lift off the lid.
2.
Always be sure there is water in the chamber before use
VERY IMPORTANT! Make sure there is deionized or distilled water in the pan. Do not turn on the heat when the pan is empty
as it may cause a malfunction and damage the instrument.
3.
Check the weight each time of use
Make sure the weight (petcock) is secure.
4.
Handle with care
Dropping or roughly jolting the instrument will cause damage and deformation leading to malfunctions.
5.
Avoid touching the pan or lid when in use—HOT!
When in use, the pan, lid and weight get very hot—avoid touching them. There is a hot sticker to warn that the lid is hot. The
circular sticker reads “HOT” at elevated temperatures.
6.
Do not operate the Decloaking Chamber near a heat, flame or gas source
Never place the instrument directly on a stove or other heat source.
7.
Keep the exterior dry
Remove foreign matter and water drops. The heating plate, sensor and the area outside of the pan must be dry and clean to
work properly.
8.
Cool down after each use
Make sure the Decloaking Chamber is cooled down after each use. Replace hot water with cool water and make sure the tem-
perature is 37 °C or less before starting again. If starting temperature is above 37 °C ,an error signal might be activated or
optimum temperature and pressure may not be obtained.
9.
Check the gasket periodically
The gasket must be consistently checked for tears or damage. A replacement gasket can be ordered (Cat. No. DC037).
A weak Steam Monitor Strip color may indicate that the gasket needs replacement.
10. Fill the pan with only 500 ml deionized water
500 ml is all that is needed for heat-induced epitope-retrieval methods. Special stains and other histology procedures may
require 1,000-2,500 ml.
11. Do not use glass containers
12. Safety Precautions
Decloaking Chamber infectious sample use is limited to tissues/specimens that are specified on Biocare's product data sheets.
Handle control slides and test FFPE slides as if capable of transmitting infectious agents, and dispose with proper precaution.
It is recommended that the specimens are handled using established good laboratory working practices. No flammable or
corrosive solvents are to be used in the Decloaking Chamber
.
