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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshooting chemical delivery issues caused by empty containers, blocked pickup tubing, incorrect setup, leaks, or dosing system faults.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
Ensure Patient Safety First
Action: Do not release instruments from a questionable wash cycle for patient use. Notify Sterile Processing leadership if chemical delivery failure may have affected processed instruments.
Expected outcome: Potentially improperly washed or rinsed instruments are held for reprocessing.
Why it matters: Detergent, enzymatic cleaner, neutralizer, lubricant, or rinse aid problems can directly affect cleaning performance and instrument safety.
Verify the Reported Problem
Action: Confirm what was observed:
- Chemical container not being used
- Detergent level not dropping
- Rinse aid not dispensing
- Chemical low alarm
- Poor wash results
- Residue left on instruments
- Cycle abort related to dosing
- Chemical tubing appears empty or full of air
Expected outcome: The issue is confirmed before parts or internal faults are suspected.
Check Chemical Container Levels
Action: Verify each required chemical container has enough fluid and is not empty, nearly empty, or replaced with the wrong product.
Expected outcome: Chemical containers are full enough for normal pickup.
If the container is empty or incorrect, replace it with the correct chemical, prime if required by facility procedure, run an approved test cycle, and stop if dosing is restored.
Confirm the Pickup Tube Is Fully Inserted
Action: Inspect the chemical pickup tube or lance. Make sure it is inserted into the correct container and reaches the bottom of the chemical supply.
Expected outcome: The tube is submerged and able to draw chemical.
Why it matters: A tube sitting above the fluid level can pull air instead of chemical and mimic a pump failure.
Check for Kinked, Pinched, or Disconnected Tubing
Action: Inspect visible chemical tubing from the container area to the washer connection points. Look for kinks, cracks, loose fittings, air gaps, or disconnected tubing.
Expected outcome: Tubing is intact, connected, and routed without restriction.
If a simple external tubing issue is found and corrected, run a test cycle and verify chemical pickup.
Verify the Correct Chemical Is Connected to the Correct Line
Action: Confirm detergent, neutralizer, lubricant, rinse aid, or other chemicals are connected to their proper pickup lines.
Expected outcome: Each chemical line matches the correct container and label.
Why it matters: Crossed lines can cause poor cleaning, spotting, residue, or failed cycle chemistry even if the pump is working.
Inspect for Chemical Leaks
Action: Look around the chemical containers, pickup tubing, fittings, floor area, and washer chemical connection points for drips, wetness, crystallized residue, or chemical odor.
Expected outcome: No leakage is present.
If leakage is present, remove the unit from service if chemical delivery cannot be trusted or if there is a staff safety concern.
Check for Blocked Pickup Screens or Container Caps
Action: Inspect accessible pickup strainers, screens, or cap openings if present. Look for dried chemical buildup, clogged pickup ends, or collapsed container liners.
Expected outcome: The pickup path is open and not blocked.
Why it matters: Chemical residue can dry and restrict pickup, especially if containers sit low, run empty, or are changed inconsistently.
Confirm the Correct Cycle and Chemical Settings
Action: Review the selected cycle with Sterile Processing. Confirm the cycle is supposed to use the chemical being reported.
Expected outcome: The reported chemical is actually required during that cycle.
Why it matters: Some cycles may use different chemical steps. A chemical not being drawn during one cycle may be normal depending on programming.
Check for Alarms, Error Messages, or Dosing Warnings
Action: Record any displayed alarm, chemical low message, dosing fault, or cycle abort code. Note when it occurs in the cycle.
Expected outcome: The failure is tied to a specific chemical step or dosing event.
Why it matters: A repeatable alarm during the same cycle phase helps separate a setup issue from a dosing pump, sensor, or control issue.
Observe a Safe Test Cycle if Allowed
Action: With no patient-use load inside, run an approved test or empty cycle per facility practice. Watch for chemical pickup from the container and look for air movement or fluid movement in the visible tubing.
Expected outcome: Chemical level drops or tubing shows normal draw during the expected dosing phase.
If chemical pickup is restored, document the correction and return the unit to service after appropriate cycle verification.
Check Whether the Chemical Line Needs Priming
Action: If the container recently ran empty or tubing has visible air, follow the approved facility or service procedure for priming the chemical line.
Expected outcome: Air is removed from the tubing and chemical reaches the dosing path.
Why it matters: A dosing pump may not deliver correctly if the line is air-bound after a container change.
Compare Against Another Known-Good Chemical Line if Practical
Action: If multiple chemical lines are visible, compare the suspect line against another line that is known to be drawing properly. Look for differences in tubing condition, air bubbles, pickup depth, or leaks.
Expected outcome: The suspect line shows the abnormal condition, or all lines appear similar.
Do not swap chemicals or tubing in a way that could contaminate the washer or instruments unless approved by the manufacturer and facility procedure.
Evaluate for Dosing Pump or Internal Delivery Failure
Action: If containers, tubing, setup, cycle selection, priming, and visible leaks have been ruled out, suspect an internal dosing pump, sensor, wiring, valve, or control issue.
Expected outcome: The problem is escalated appropriately instead of guessing at internal repairs.
If the Problem Persists
If the chemical containers are correct, pickup tubes are properly inserted, tubing is not kinked or leaking, the correct cycle is selected, and the line still does not draw chemical, common external causes have been ruled out.
The washer-disinfector should be removed from service, labeled Out of Service, and sent for repair or bench/service evaluation.
Do not continue processing instruments through a washer-disinfector with unresolved chemical delivery problems. Knowing when to stop is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not troubleshoot chemical delivery problems while instruments are being processed for patient use. Hold affected loads, notify Sterile Processing leadership, move affected workflow to a backup washer-disinfector or approved reprocessing method, and verify proper chemical delivery before returning the washer-disinfector to service.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Sterile Processing reported the Belimed WD 290 washer-disinfector was not pulling detergent during the wash cycle and instruments had residue after processing."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Found the detergent pickup tube partially out of the container, allowing the line to pull air instead of chemical."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Reinserted pickup tube fully into the detergent container, verified visible chemical pickup during a test cycle, and returned unit to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Chemical container levels checked
- Correct chemical connected to correct pickup line
- Pickup tube fully inserted
- Tubing checked for kinks, cracks, air, or leaks
- Chemical low or dosing alarm present
- Cycle phase when issue occurred
- Poor wash result or residue description
- Environmental factors such as recent container change, empty container, chemical spill, dried residue, or storage issue
- Indicator lights, display messages, or dosing warnings observed
- Whether line was primed
- Test cycle completed
- Final device status
Final Thought
Chemical dosing problems should be handled as patient safety and reprocessing quality issues, not just fluid pickup problems. Start with the obvious external causes first, verify the setup, avoid unnecessary internal troubleshooting, escalate when chemical delivery cannot be trusted, and document exactly what was found and corrected.
That is successful troubleshooting.