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What This Guide Helps With
Use this guide when the cleaner cannot achieve or maintain its required temperature or reports an abnormal pressure-related process condition.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Protect Processing Integrity
Do not consider a cycle acceptable if the cleaner cannot achieve the required process conditions. Remove affected loads from release and reprocess them according to departmental procedure.
Expected outcome: No instruments are released from a cycle with unverified process conditions.
2. Confirm the Exact Symptom
Determine whether the problem is slow heating, no heating, unstable temperature, failure to reach a displayed target, or a pressure-related indication during filling, circulation, or another process phase.
Record the displayed value and message without inventing expected specifications.
Expected outcome: The affected process variable and cycle phase are clearly documented.
3. Verify Proper Chamber Fill
Confirm that the unit is filling and maintaining a normal visible operating level. Heating and process control may be affected by inadequate water volume or an abnormal fill condition.
Expected outcome: Fluid level appears normal. If the level is abnormal, troubleshoot the fill condition before continuing.
4. Check Facility Utilities
Verify that required facility water and other applicable utilities are available and that external valves are open.
Look for recent building outages, maintenance, unusually cold incoming water, or utility interruptions that correlate with the problem.
Expected outcome: Required external utilities are available and stable.
5. Inspect the Chamber and Load
Confirm the chamber is not overloaded and that instruments are arranged according to normal departmental workflow.
Excessive load, unusual load mass, or improper placement may affect cycle performance.
Expected outcome: The load is reasonable and not obstructing normal process operation.
6. Verify Operator-Accessible Cycle Selection
Confirm the intended cleaning cycle was selected and that no user-adjustable setting was unintentionally changed.
Do not alter protected temperature, calibration, or service settings.
Expected outcome: The unit is operating with the intended authorized cycle configuration.
7. Inspect for Excessive Heat Loss or Leakage
Check the lid or door for proper closure and inspect externally for significant leakage, abnormal steam or vapor release, or other evidence that the system is not retaining process conditions.
Expected outcome: The chamber is properly closed and no abnormal external leakage is present.
8. Run an Appropriate Unloaded Functional Test
If safe, run a test cycle and observe whether the displayed process value rises and stabilizes normally.
Do not use an independent measurement to recalibrate the unit unless following an approved calibration procedure.
Expected outcome: The unit reaches its normal cycle condition and completes successfully. If so, troubleshooting can stop after documentation.
9. Stop for Overtemperature or Unstable Control
If the temperature rises abnormally, fluctuates significantly, or the system displays an overtemperature condition, discontinue operation.
Expected outcome: Equipment with unreliable thermal control is removed from processing service.
10. Escalate Persistent Process-Control Failure
If fluid level, utilities, loading, closure, and normal settings are correct but the unit still cannot establish the required process condition, remove it from service.
Expected outcome: Service-level evaluation is initiated rather than attempting internal heater, sensor, or control repair at the equipment location.
If the Problem Persists
External utilities, filling, loading, closure, and operator settings have been ruled out. Remaining causes may involve internal heating components, temperature sensors, pressure or level sensing, circulation performance, control electronics, or protected calibration.
The device should be:
- Removed from service
- Labeled Out of Service
- Sent for repair or bench evaluation
- Evaluated using appropriate manufacturer documentation and approved test equipment
- Repaired, calibrated, or configured only by qualified personnel
Complete appropriate functional and process-performance verification before return to service.
Knowing when to stop external troubleshooting is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
A completed timer does not prove a valid cleaning process if required process conditions were not achieved; treat the load as incompletely processed.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Sterile Processing reported that the CaviWave Pro was taking unusually long to reach its normal operating temperature."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found the chamber was not reaching a normal fill level because the incoming water supply was restricted."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Corrected the external water restriction, completed an unloaded cycle with normal filling and temperature progression, and returned the unit to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Displayed temperature or pressure-related indication
- Cycle phase where failure occurs
- Chamber fill level
- Water supply condition
- Recent facility utility interruption
- Load size and arrangement
- Lid or door closure
- External leakage or vapor
- Result of unloaded functional cycle
- Final device status
Final Thought
Verify the conditions surrounding the process before suspecting a heater, sensor, or control failure. Correct fluid, utility, loading, and closure problems first, then escalate unresolved process-control issues for qualified evaluation.
That is successful troubleshooting.