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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshooting Ventilator Inoperative or Safety Valve Open conditions caused by power, gas-supply, circuit, startup, accessory, or self-test failures.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Ensure Patient Safety First
Do not troubleshoot a Ventilator Inoperative or Safety Valve Open condition while the Puritan Bennett 980 is supporting a patient.
- Immediately notify respiratory therapy and the clinical team.
- Transfer the patient to another verified ventilator or approved ventilation method.
- Provide manual ventilation when clinically required and directed by qualified staff.
- Confirm effective ventilation, oxygenation, and alarm operation on the replacement equipment.
A Safety Valve Open condition may permit spontaneous breathing through the ventilator, but normal assisted ventilation may not be available. Do not rely on this condition for continued patient support.
Expected outcome: The patient is safely supported without relying on the affected ventilator.
Continue Clinical Engineering troubleshooting only after the PB980 has been removed from patient use.
2. Record the Exact Alarm and Operating State
Observe and document:
- Whether the display shows Ventilator Inoperative, Safety Valve Open, or both.
- Any accompanying air-supply, oxygen-supply, pressure, circuit, battery, or technical alarms.
- Whether the condition occurred during startup, self-test, ventilation, or a gas interruption.
- Whether the graphical user interface and status display remain operational.
- Any diagnostic code or message displayed in the alarm or system log.
Do not repeatedly reset the ventilator before recording the available fault information.
Expected outcome: The failure condition and supporting alarm information are clearly documented.
3. Verify AC Power
- Confirm the power cord is fully seated at the ventilator and wall receptacle.
- Inspect the cord and plug for cuts, loose connections, damaged blades, discoloration, or heat.
- Test the receptacle with an approved outlet tester or known-good device.
- Confirm the ventilator indicates connection to AC power.
- Avoid relying on battery power while investigating a critical ventilator fault.
If the condition clears after restoring reliable AC power, complete operational testing before returning the ventilator to service.
Expected outcome: Stable AC power is available and recognized by the ventilator.
4. Verify Both Gas Supplies
The PB980 normally requires properly connected medical air and oxygen supplies.
- Confirm the air and oxygen hoses are connected to the correct ventilator inlets.
- Confirm the opposite ends are securely connected to active wall outlets or approved gas sources.
- Inspect hoses, fittings, and inlet connections for damage, kinks, contamination, or looseness.
- Verify that supply shutoff valves are open where applicable.
- Try known-good air and oxygen hoses or alternate verified outlets when permitted.
- Review any No Air Supply or No O₂ Supply alarms.
Loss of both compressed-gas sources can place the PB980 into a Safety Valve Open condition. Reconnecting an adequate gas source may allow recovery.
If restoring the gas supply clears the condition, continue with self-test and functional verification before clinical use.
Expected outcome: Both air and oxygen supplies are present, correctly connected, and free of obvious restrictions.
5. Inspect the Patient Circuit and External Accessories
With the ventilator removed from patient use:
- Inspect the inspiratory and expiratory limbs for occlusion, collapse, kinking, or incorrect assembly.
- Confirm the expiratory filter and expiratory limb are properly installed.
- Check bacterial filters, heat-moisture exchangers, water traps, nebulizer adapters, and humidifier components for blockage or excessive moisture.
- Confirm the circuit matches the intended patient category.
- Remove unnecessary external accessories and install a known-good test circuit and test lung.
- Replace any questionable filter or circuit component with an approved known-good item.
A severe restriction, incorrect circuit assembly, or improperly installed expiratory component may prevent startup or normal ventilation.
Expected outcome: A correctly assembled, unobstructed test circuit is securely connected.
6. Perform a Controlled Power Restart
Only after the patient has been transferred and external power, gas, and circuit conditions have been checked:
- Shut down the ventilator using the normal power-off procedure when the controls remain responsive.
- Allow the shutdown process to complete.
- Disconnect AC power briefly according to facility procedure.
- Reconnect AC power and confirm both gas supplies remain available.
- Power the ventilator on and observe the entire startup sequence.
Do not repeatedly power-cycle a ventilator that immediately returns to Ventilator Inoperative.
If the ventilator starts normally, continue with self-test and complete functional verification.
Expected outcome: The ventilator completes startup without returning to the critical fault condition.
7. Run the Short Self-Test
Using the approved test circuit, stopper, and accessories:
- Initiate the PB980 Short Self-Test according to facility procedures and manufacturer instructions.
- Follow the on-screen prompts exactly.
- Do not bypass, override, or ignore a failed test.
- Record the test stage and displayed failure information if the test does not pass.
- Recheck circuit assembly, filters, humidifier selection, and patient-category configuration when the failure points to an external setup issue.
The PB980 operator documentation identifies the Short Self-Test as part of patient-circuit setup and verification.
If the test passes and the fault does not recur, complete an extended operational check before returning the device to service.
Expected outcome: The ventilator passes the Short Self-Test without Ventilator Inoperative or Safety Valve Open indications.
8. Check for Obvious Environmental or Physical Problems
- Inspect the ventilator exterior for impact damage, liquid intrusion, blocked cooling vents, or missing covers.
- Confirm external filters and ventilation openings are not obstructed by dust, linens, packaging, or equipment placement.
- Check for unusual heat, smoke, odor, vibration, or abnormal internal sounds.
- Confirm the ventilator is being operated within the facility’s approved environmental conditions.
- Stop immediately if burning odor, excessive heat, smoke, or electrical damage is present.
Expected outcome: No external physical or environmental condition explains the failure.
9. Review Alarm and Diagnostic History
When accessible:
- Review the alarm log for gas-supply loss, pressure-control failures, failed startup tests, power interruptions, or repeated technical alarms.
- Record exact diagnostic codes and timestamps.
- Compare the fault time with reported gas shutdowns, outlet work, power interruptions, circuit changes, or device movement.
- Preserve the log information for qualified service personnel.
Do not enter restricted service functions or clear diagnostic history unless authorized by facility policy and manufacturer training.
Expected outcome: Relevant fault information is preserved for repair evaluation.
10. Complete Final Functional Verification
If the condition was corrected by an external action:
- Run the required self-test successfully.
- Ventilate a test lung using representative pressure- and volume-controlled settings.
- Verify delivered pressure, volume, respiratory rate, PEEP, and oxygen concentration with appropriate test equipment.
- Confirm audible and visual alarms.
- Verify operation on AC power and battery transition.
- Confirm the Ventilator Inoperative and Safety Valve Open conditions do not recur.
- Complete all facility-required performance and electrical-safety testing.
Do not return the PB980 to clinical service based only on the disappearance of the alarm.
Expected outcome: The ventilator operates reliably, passes required testing, and is safe for clinical use.
If the Problem Persists
If the Puritan Bennett 980 continues to display Ventilator Inoperative or Safety Valve Open after power, gas supplies, hoses, circuit components, accessories, startup conditions, and approved self-testing have been checked, common external causes have been ruled out.
The condition may involve an internal gas-delivery, pressure-control, power, communication, processor, valve, sensor, or safety-system failure.
The ventilator should be:
- Removed from service.
- Labeled Out of Service.
- Sent for qualified bench evaluation or manufacturer-authorized repair.
- Accompanied by the alarm history, diagnostic codes, self-test results, and circumstances of the failure.
Do not open internal pneumatic or electronic assemblies without the required training, service documentation, tools, and test equipment. Knowing when to stop and escalate is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Never investigate a Ventilator Inoperative or Safety Valve Open condition while the PB980 remains responsible for patient ventilation. Transfer the patient first and verify the replacement ventilator before troubleshooting.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Respiratory therapy reported that the Puritan Bennett 980 entered Ventilator Inoperative with Safety Valve Open and stopped providing normal assisted ventilation."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Both compressed-gas hoses were connected, but the medical-air hose fitting was not fully seated and the ventilator could not maintain the required gas supply."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Reseated and verified both gas connections, installed a known-good test circuit, completed the Short Self-Test and functional verification, and returned the ventilator to service after all tests passed."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Exact alarm wording and diagnostic codes
- Whether the fault occurred during startup or active ventilation
- AC outlet tested
- Power cord inspected
- Air and oxygen supply pressures verified
- Gas outlets or hoses exchanged
- Circuit and filters exchanged
- Expiratory filter installation
- Short Self-Test result
- Alarm and event-log findings
- Indicator-light and status-display behavior
- Unusual sounds, heat, odor, or physical damage
- Functional-test results
- Final device status
Final Thought
A Ventilator Inoperative or Safety Valve Open condition must be treated as a loss of dependable ventilatory support. Protect the patient first, check external power, gas, circuit, and setup conditions logically, and escalate persistent failures for qualified repair. Accurate CCR documentation preserves critical information and supports an efficient, defensible repair process.
That is successful troubleshooting.