Thermo 6464K, Instruction Manual

Page: 18 / 24

OM6464K Rev. 4 11 January 2004
Page 18 of 24
5. Maintenance
5.1 Care and Cleaning
• Keep the centrifuge clean to ensure good operation and
to extend its life.
• Clean the sample chamber, rotor, and lid, at the end of
each work day, and immediately after any spill. Use a
damp sponge, warm water, and a mild liquid detergent,
suitable for washing dishes by hand, such as Ivory®
liquid. Do not use caustic detergents or detergents that
contain chlorine ions. These attack metals.
• Remove stubborn stains with a plastic scrub pad. Do
not use steel wool, wire brushes, abrasives, or
sandpaper as they create corrosion sites. Never pour
water directly into the rotor chamber.
• Scrub the rotor’s tube cavities with a stiff test tube
brush that has end bristles and a non-metallic tip. After
cleaning, dry each part with a clean absorbent towel.
CAUTION
!
In the case of glass breakage, be careful to remove
ALL particles of glass from the unit! In particular, be
sure thoroughly scrub adapters and cushions with a
wire brush or replace these items as glass shards
embedded in the adapters can cause futher
breakage.
5.2 Corrosion Cleaning Procedure
The rotors and structural accessories are finished to give
maximum resistance to corrosion. To maximize the life of
the unit, continually inspect the rotor cavities for corrosion,
especially if you use chloride ion solutions such as sodium
chloride (saline), and sodium hypochlorite (household
bleach), because these solutions attack most metals.
Clean the rotor, rotor chamber, and accessories
(particularly the sample compartments and bucket cups)
thoroughly after each exposure. Inspect all surfaces under
bright light for corrosion. Be aware that small crevices
grow deeper, eventually resulting in system failure.
If you see any corrosion, remove it immediately, using the
following procedure:
1. Follow the cleaning procedure at the start of this
section.
2. Soak the product in mild hand dish-washing detergent
and scrub the product thoroughly with a stiff test tube
brush. The brush should have end bristles and a non-
metallic tip.
3. Soak the product in clear warm water for a minimum of
an hour.
4. Rinse the product in warm water then in distilled water.
5. Dry the product thoroughly with a clean absorbent
cloth.
CAUTION
!
If this procedure does not remove the corrosion,
discontinue use of the product and inform technical
service.
5.3 Storage: Keep the Unit Dry
Store parts on a soft surface to avoid damage.
Rotors and other parts should be clean and dry. Store them
open to the air, not in a plastic bag, so any residual
moisture evaporates. Face the parts upward to avoid
moisture retention in the cavities.
5.4 Decontamination Procedures
WARNING WARNING
!
If tube breakage occurs releasing toxic, infectious,
pathogenic, or radioactive material into the unit,
decontaminate the chamber.
Rotors have sealed containers that provide aerosol
containment and, if used as directed, keep spillage
confined. If breakage occurs it may be sufficient to only
decontaminate the sealed carriers.
The Decontamination Table in the previous section lists the
sensitivity of various materials to common sterilization
procedures. When using a 1-to-10 dilution of household
bleach (sodium hypochlorite) to decontaminate metal rotors
or accessories, follow decontamination by the corrosion
cleaning procedure (5.2) since chloride ions attack most
metals.
Always decontaminate for the minimum recommended
time. If you observe corrosion, remove it as described
earlier, discontinue use of the method and use an alternate
decontamination procedure.
Polypropylene sealed carriers can be autoclaved. Remove
any sample tubes before autoclaving unless they are
completely full of sample. Remove caps, stoppers, and
other tube closures before autoclaving to keep the tubes
from collapsing under pressure. Autoclave the rotor and
accessories at 121° C @ 15 psig for 20 minutes. Do not
stack polypropylene rotors during this process. After
cooling, perform a normal cleaning operation as described
above.
Repeated autoclaving seriously degrades the performance
of polycarbonate sealing covers.
5.5 Cover Interlock Bypass
The cover will remain locked if power fails. If you need to
remove samples from the unit before power is restored, use
the cover interlock bypass after the rotor has come to a
stop.To bypass the cover interlock:
1. Unplug the centrifuge.
2. Locate the hidden plastic plug underneath the front
ledge of the cabinet.
3. Use a screwdriver to pry out and remove the plug.
4. Pull the attached cord to release the cover interlock.
5. Replace the plug in the hole.
WARNING WARNING
!
Do not perform this operation routinely. The
centrifuge’s cover interlock provides operator safety. It
allows the cover to be opened promptly, whenever
rotation has stopped.