MELAG MELAtronic 23EN, User Manual, Page: 36 / 55

MELA tronic 23EN
36
7 Maintenance
7.1 Cleaning __________________________________________________________
The
tray rack
and the steam sterilizer
chamber
including the contact area of the door gasket and the door
opening should be inspected thoroughly at least once a week for signs of damage or soiling. If necessary, wipe
out the steam sterilizer chamber using a lint-free cloth and surgical spirits. This involves withdrawing the trays
and tray guide assembly. Stubborn spots can be removed using small amounts of a mild commercial steel
cleaning agent (pH-levels from 5 to 8). Care must be taken to ensure that cleaning agent does not get into the
pipes attached to the steam sterilizer chamber. The cleaning agent must not contain chlorine and should not
be alkaline. Do not use abrasive cleaning pads, steel wool, or brushes.
Inspect the door gasket every week for signs of damage and soiling, and if necessary clean it with a mild
commercial liquid cleaning agent (pH-levels from 5 to 8) or with surgical spirits. If necessary, the gasket can
be removed.
If water is supplied from and returned to the internal tank , then this should be inspected before refilling with
distilled / demineralized water. Whenever necessary it should be cleaned. The water storage tank should be
emptied by opening the water drain tap (Fig. 1 Pos.6) at least every two weeks and washed out with clear
water. Hard stains and oily residues may have to be removed using a little washing-up liquid and warm mains-
supply water with a suitable soft brush, followed by swilling with distilled / demineralized water. Should the
right tank need cleaning after a lengthy period of close-loop operation then this should be cleaned in the same
way, and also thoroughly swilled. Clean the conductivity sensor (Fig. 1 Pos. 14) inside the water storage
tank with alcohol and rinse the tank with clear water before refilling the storage tank with fresh purified water.
The bolt of the door lock (right side), the threads of the door latch and the door grip and the door hinge (left
side) must be regularly lubricated with silicone grease (art. no. 24355), in order to ensure that the door can
easily be locked and unlocked, without unnecessary wear.
The outer parts of the steam sterilizer can be cleaned with a mild commercial cleaning agent or with surgical
spirits.
The steam sterilizer operates with easily accessible filters. The condition of these filters is very important for
the proper functioning of the steam sterilizer. Please service the filters as follows:
If you are operating the steam sterilizer with a water-circulation system, then clean the water supply filter in
the water storage tank (Fig. 1 Pos. 17) once a week. If you are operating your steam sterilizer with a single-
use (non-reusable) water system, the water supply filter must be cleaned once a month. To clean the filter,
drain the water from the water storage tank and unscrew the coupling ring of the filter. Clean the filter insert,
and replace it in the water tank. Secure with the coupling ring. If there are visible defects to the filter (such as
tears or holes), then replace the filter.
If you are operating the steam sterilizer with a water-circulation system, then clean the
water
supply/pressure-relief filter in the sterilization chamber once every three (3) months. If you are operating
your steam sterilizer with a single-use (non-reusable) water system, then clean the water supply/pressure-
relief filter once every six (6) months. To clean these filters, use the filter spanner (wrench) to unscrew the
slotted round nut on the cover plate of the heating unit. Take off this cover plate. Now use the right-angle side
of the filter spanner to unscrew the water supply/pressure-relief filter. To clean the filter, remove the sieve
insert from the filter housing, and clean the insert and the housing. Then re-assemble the filter in the reverse
order. If the filter insert is damage, defective, or corroded, replace it.
Once a month, use the filter spanner (wrench) to remove
the flow filter in the sterilization chamber
. Clean
the filter and re-install it.
7.2 Instrument reprocessing _____________________________________________
MELAG - non-rusting materials
All parts of the steam sterilizer which come into contact with steam are made on non-rusting materials: the
pressure chamber and the door of stainless steel, steam pipes of Teflon, and screws and magnet-valves of
brass.
Film rust
The use of these materials means that no parts of the steam sterilizer can initiate rust formation. Where rust
does attack the steam sterilizer or instruments sterilized in it, tests repeatedly show that this has been brought
into the steam sterilizer on instruments (film rust).
Even top-quality stainless steel instruments can form rust if they are not handled properly, e.g. if they are
treated with the wrong chemical cleaning or disinfecting agents.