Has anyone working with the H's had a problem with the front touch pad and BP module shorting out from a spike of static electricity, after touching the panel. My unit is extemely dry and I tend to build up static. When I touch the panel it flashes, a conductivity alarm appears and I have to turn the machine off and on to reset the Internal Bp module. Am I crazy??????? Fres and our machine tech think I am, but it never did it in the summer when the humidity was higher. Ps. I am in Michigan and we have no humidifier on the heating system. Any suggestions?????????

kdet,

I have seen things similar to this before. Tell your machine tech to make sure all ground wires are properly connected to the modules.

quote:

Originally posted by Chuck W:
kdet,

I have seen things similar to this before. Tell your machine tech to make sure all ground wires are properly connected to the modules.

I too have seen the effect of static electricity and have not necessarily been believed when I upset a Hospal machine. However I agree with the previous mailer who recommends earth checks but you could also try some anti static clogs or shoes as used by theater staff.

quote:

Originally posted by kdet97:
Has anyone working with the H's had a problem with the front touch pad and BP module shorting out from a spike of static electricity, after touching the panel. My unit is extemely dry and I tend to build up static. When I touch the panel it flashes, a conductivity alarm appears and I have to turn the machine off and on to reset the Internal Bp module. Am I crazy??????? Fres and our machine tech think I am, but it never did it in the summer when the humidity was higher. Ps. I am in Michigan and we have no humidifier on the heating system. Any suggestions?????????

Have also experienced the same problem when we got our H machines originally back in 1992 and I live in Ottawa Can. As soon as winter rolled around we would get the problem. At that time the machines were not as well grounded as later Y's have become. We were in a hospital setting and the humidity was pretty low. We grounded every module and that seemed to help. In your case, and I do not know what kind of facility you work in, but try getting the humidity. That would help with your problem and have your tech check all grounds. If it is possible try to do a leakage current test which will also test the machines grounding capability.

Just like to say that I've seen the static problem as well, however, there were no problems resulting other than my sore finger.

You can also try throwing an antistatic sheet into the dryer when drying your lab coats.

I have not encountered any problems like this which appear to be due to static discharge. I have seen a machine exhibit similar symptoms, though. In the case of that machine the problem was that the ribbon cable from the power supply to the actuator board ( I think )was not plugged in all the way, and when the panel was even slightly pressed the lights would blink and so forth because of the slight motion of the cable associated with the depressing of the keypad.
Perhaps the way to settle the question once and for all is this: With the machine unplugged from the wall socket, check that the front panel and all grounding wires are connected and continuous to the external grounding screw with an ohm meter first. Then power the machine up, get an anti-static wrist strap, like computer technicians often use, clip the ground end to the external ground screw on the back of the machine near the dialysate hoses, the other end around your wrist, and then press the keypad. This should prevent static discharge from being a factor.
If the symptoms disappear, then static discharge may be the problem. If the symptoms stay the same it is probably not a static discharge problem. If it is a static discharge problem, just clip grounding wires to the external grounding screw and tell all your personnel to grasp the the lead when it is wintertime and they are using the pad.