Autoclave Repair Tips

If your Tuttnauer Autoclave is failing spore tests, or the indicator strip on the Sterilization Pouch is not changing colors,
the cause & remedy is usually a pretty simple one

The leading cause for the Tuttnauer Autoclave Spore Test Failure Is the:

The Air Jet Valve on the Tuttnauer Autoclave is located inside the reservoir

While it serves several purposes, the main function of the Tuttnauer Air Jet Valve is to allow the air inside the
Chamber to escape during the heat-up stage. It accomplishes this by “bleeding” (an opening & closing process)
the air out of the chamber

If the air inside the Tuttnauer Autoclave Chamber is not allowed to escape then the temperature in the Chamber will not rise properly. In
addition pockets of air will form inside the Chamber.

These “air pockets” will have a temperature which is lower than the surrounding steam.

As long as any air remains inside the chamber, it will result in a failed sterilization cycle.

There is a second important function for the Tuttnauer Air Jet Valve. And that is to allow small amoounts of steam
from inside the Chamber to purge out.

The Tuttnauer Air Jet Valve will allow the steam to purge all during the cycle. So a slight “hissing” sound through the sterilizstion process
is normal. The process of purging the steam creates a motion
inside the Chamber. This motion inside the Tuttnauer Autoclave Chamber causes the steam to circulate and mix and that evens out the
temperature all through the Chamber.

An even temperature means that sterilization will be the same through out the Chamber. If the Tuttnauer Air Jet Valve
were to shut down and not allow this purging, then the steam would be trapped inside the Chamber motionless.

This motionless steam, with the help of the Heating Elements turning off and on, can lead to hot
and cold pockets of steam within the Chamber causing uneven sterilization.

With the unit set to sterilize at 273°F, But with the Tuttnauer Air Jet Valve blocked off, (this condition can be caused not cleaned
on a regular basis) the autoclave would run and the pressure may reach 30 psi, but the temperature would only reach
about 260°F.

This temperature is 13°F below the
programmed sterilization temperature. Sterilization consists of a process based on components of Temperature + Pressure + Time.

While the lower temperature is still hot enough, and the pressure is high enough for sterilization of your instruments to take place,
the programmed time is no longer long enough to complete the sterilization process

The cycle would fail as well as any spore testing
that was done. A Faulty Air Jet Valve Is The Most Common Reason For Tuttnauer Autoclaves To Fail Spore Tests

For this reason, it is vitally important that the Air Jet Valve on your Tuttnauer Autoclave be kept clean.

*Clean the Tuttnauer Autoclave Air Jet Valve at least once per week.

A dirty Air Jet is the number one cause of failed spore tests on the Tuttnauer Autoclave

It is required that the Tuttnauer Air Jet Valve, which is located just inside the Water
Reservoir, be cleaned once per week, or more often if necessary, to
remove any accumulated dirt and debris.

Failure to keep the Air Jet clean will result in a malfunctioning of autoclave.
This will be demonstrated by indicator strips that do not turn and failed spore tests as well as error messages on the
Tuttnauer E Series Autoclaves.

Cleaning the Tuttnauer Autoclave Air Jet Valve is a fairly simple process. The only tool you will need is a pencil, or a
pen, or a screwdriver and only takes a minute to complete

1. Remove the Water Reservoir Cover From Your Tuttnauer Autoclave For Access To The Jet Air Valve
2. With an object similar to a pencil or screwdriver snag the loop on the end of
   the clean out wire protruding from the Air Jet
3. Move that clean out wire in the Air Jet back and forth 10 times
   
   Note: It is preferred to perform this procedure when the unit is running a cycle and under
   pressure, so any loosened debris will be blown away. But, it
   can be done while the unit is idle.
4. Put the Water Reservoir Cover back in it’s place and you are all done!

“Tuttnauer Autoclave Repair Made Simple™”

When You Flip On The Power Switch On Your Tuttnauer 2540M Autoclave & The Power Light Does Not LIght Up, Here is How Find & Fix The Problem

Is Your Tuttnauer 2540M Autoclave Plugged In?

Start By Checking to make sure your Tuttnauer 2540M Autoclave Is Plugged all the way into the wall outlet.. Then
make sure it is securely connected to your autoclave.

Do You Have Power Going To The Outlet?

If not, go back to where your circuit breaker panel is and make sure the circuit breaker hasn’t tripped. If it has, reset
the breaker and try turning the power switch back on again

Is The Cord On Your Tuttnauer 2540M Autoclave Damaged Or Frayed?

Cords and plugs can break. Through repeated use, they can develop shorts and stop delivering electricity to
your Tuttnauer 2540M Autoclave.

Fortunately, they are relatively easy to test and to replace

Simply check it for continuity while flexing the cord. If continuity is lost during the
flexing of the cord, it is bad and needs to be replaced.

How To Test The Tuttnauer 2540M Autoclave Power Switch

The Power Switch on your Tuttnauer 2540M Autoclave can be defective. A simple Continuity Test is all that
needs to be done here. You should have continuity when the switch is turned on

Has The Circuit Breaker on your Tuttnauer 2540M Autoclave Been Tripped?

Reset breaker. Check for short circuit. If no short
is found, replace Circuit Breaker

Is The Power Light On Your Tuttnauer 2540M Autoclave Burned Out?

If You are getting power elsewhere, then the power light is most likey burned out. Replace The Power Light On
Your Tuttnauer 2540M Autoclave

You can also test the power light by performing a simple continuity test.

Is There An Open Circuit?

Check all of the wiring for loose, broken or burnt wires on your Tuttnauer 2540M Autoclave

Hopefully, by now you have located the reason your Power Light Is Not Working
& resolved the problem.

But if you haven’t located the problem, or have difficulty with any of the steps listed here,
or just have questions about your Tuttnauer 2540M Autoclave, please post a reply and we will be happy to walk you through it

Wally
www.AllClaveParts.com
“Autoclave Repair Made Simple”

How To Isolate Leaks & Take Corrective Action on The Tuttnauer M, MK, and Valueclave Sterilizers.

If your Tuttnauer Autoclave is Leaking around the door, you will not be able to reach or maintain the proper temperature or pressure.


If not corrected, continued use of the Tuttnauer Autoclave in this condition puts additional stress on other components, and can lead to a host of other problems.

Worse yet, Sterilization Will Not Take Place

You can quickly determine if the problem is a faulty Door Gasket or the Door Bellows is a simple and straightforward procedure. This is something you can do on your own, No Autoclave Technician Needed.

Start by visually checking the Chamber Door Gasket for any steam leaks, hissing, or water bubbles at the Door Bellows.

If steam is leaking at the Tuttnauer door closing device, then rotate the Door Gasket 180° to see if the leak follows it.

If the leak follows the Door Gasket, then replace the Gasket. If the leak does not follow the Door Gasket, then replace the Door Bellows.

Tuttnauer recommends the Door Gasket be replaced every 12 months. When was the last time you replaced your Door Gasket?

Replacing the Door Bellows at the same time as the Door Gasket is considered to be a Tuttnauer Preventative Maintenance Routine Best Practice

Properly maintaining your Tuttnauer Autoclave can lead to many years of trouble free service and significantly increase its lifespan

Wally

www.AllClaveParts.com
“Tuttnauer Autoclave Repair Made Simple”

The Water Outlet Strainer on your Tuttnauer EZ series should be cleaned on a monthly basis.

Tuttnauer’s design engineers made cleaning the Water Outlet Strainer on you EZ Autoclave easy.  No need to remove the cabinet to gain access.  No tools or Service Technican required

Just a few simple steps:

Start by unplugging your Tuttnauer autoclave from the wall outlet and allowing the autoclave to cool down before proceeding (the Strainer Cap is located on the exhaust line and gets extremely hot). 

Make sure there is no water or pressure remaining in the Tuttnauer autoclave chamber. 

The Water Outlet Strainer is located on the back of the Tuttnauer autoclave.  There are 4 components to the water strainer:

1. The Strainer Cap
2. A Gasket
3. The Strainer Element
4. The Strainer Housing     

To remove the Strainer Element for cleaning, turn the strainer clamp counter-clockwise.  Remove the cap and the gasket.  Pull the Strainer Element out.

Rinse the Strainer Element under running water.  Use a brush if necessary (a tooth brush works very well).  After the Strainer element is clean, reinstall it, along with the gasket and Cap

Having heat problems with your  Tuttnauer 2540M Autoclave?   Wondering if it could be the heating elements?  Now you can know for sure

How To Test The Tuttnauer 2540M Heater Element

This test consists of measuring the amount of resistance in the Tuttnauer 2540M Heating Element. To do this, first, turn the Tuttnauer autoclave off and unplug it from the wall

WARNING: CURRENT MUST NOT BE PRESENT WHEN MEASURING RESISTANCE.

Remove the cabinet from the Tuttnauer 2540M to give you access to the heating elements.  Then test each one.  Do not stop after you have found a defective element, test each one.

Set your volt/ohm meter on 200 ohms (200 NOT 200k). The ohms range is located within the Omega ( O )(look for this symbol) section of your meter. It is also the area with “k” ranges (ie: 2000k,. 200k, 20K and then 2000, 200).

Disconnect the wires from each heating element before testing to keep from getting a false reading. 

Place a probe from the volt/ohm meter on each terminal of the 2 terminals on the Tuttnauer 2540M element (it really doesn’t matter which color probe goes where).

For the Tuttnauer 2540M 120v model, heating element to be good, it must  measure  between 36.9 and 45.1 ohms .   If your reading is outside of this range, then it is defective and needs to be replaced.

Replacing the Heating Elements on the Tuttnauer 2540M is not difficult and does not require any special tools.  And it is something you can do.

Wally
www.allclaveparts.com
“Tuttnauer Autoclave Repair Made Simple”