System Maintenance and Troubleshooting
4-6
EM3 AEM Monitor User’s Guide
Situation
Possible Cause
Recommended Action
AEM Monitor
does not detect
operative fault.
The text
“Replace
Instrument &
Cord”
remains
off during
Insulation Fault
condition.
Arc/Short detector
failure.
Set up the AEM Monitor with the electrosurgical
generator in the normal manner. Connect a
return electrode to the Return Electrode
receptacle of the Monitor, ensuring that the
electrosurgical generator’s contact quality
monitor is satisfied. Note: It may be necessary to
add approximately 10 ohms of resistance
between the dual foils of the return electrode to
satisfy the ESU’s contact quality monitor.
Connect a foot control instrument cord (with no
instrument connected) to the Foot Control
Instrument receptacle of the Monitor. Use a test
lead with alligator clips to short together the two
contacts of the exposed cord end. Insert an
electrosurgical pencil electrode tip into the cord
end until it makes contact with the active
conductor. Connect one end of an additional test
lead with alligator clips to one of the contacts of
the cord end, leaving the other end free. Verify
that the following occurs: all AEM Monitor fault
indicators are extinguished; the Monitor Foot
Control Instrument indicator illuminates green;
the electrosurgical generator, with the contact
quality monitoring system enabled, is in the
normal operating state. Set the electrosurgical
generator to 20 Watts in the standard coagulation
mode. (For the ConMed 5000, set the power to
35 Watts in the standard coagulation mode.)
Activate the coag output and carefully move the
free alligator clip toward the pencil electrode tip
until an arc is seen. If the AEM Monitor fails to
light the text “Replace Instrument & Cord,” return
the AEM monitor for service.