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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshooting AutoCAT 2 WAVE battery charging, short runtime, AC power, or charger-related faults from external causes.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
Ensure Patient Safety First
Confirm whether the AutoCAT 2 WAVE is actively supporting a patient.
If the pump is in use and battery or AC power reliability is questionable, notify clinical staff immediately and make sure backup IABP support is available.
Expected outcome: Patient support is maintained without relying on a pump with an unresolved power fault.
If the device is actively supporting a patient and power is unstable, stop troubleshooting and escalate for safe clinical transfer.
Verify the Reported Power Issue
Confirm the exact problem reported by staff. Common complaints may include:
- Battery failure alarm
- Charger fault message
- Battery will not charge
- Battery runtime is short
- Pump powers on with AC but not battery
- Pump shuts down or alarms when unplugged
- AC indicator does not illuminate
- Battery indicator does not increase after charging
Expected outcome: The complaint is clearly identified before replacing parts or removing the device from service.
Check the AC Power Source
Plug the AutoCAT 2 WAVE into a known good hospital-grade outlet.
Verify that the outlet is live and not controlled by a wall switch, power strip, emergency power relay issue, or loose receptacle.
Expected outcome: The pump recognizes AC power and begins normal charging behavior.
If the outlet was the cause and the device operates normally on a verified outlet, stop and document the outlet issue.
Inspect the Power Cord
Inspect the AC power cord for cuts, bent blades, loose strain relief, damaged insulation, exposed conductors, or signs of overheating.
Confirm the cord is fully seated at the device and wall outlet.
Expected outcome: The power cord is intact, secure, and able to supply AC power reliably.
If a damaged or loose cord is found, replace it with the correct approved cord, retest the unit, and stop if normal charging is restored.
Confirm AC Power Indicator Behavior
With the pump connected to AC power, observe the AC power indicator, charging indicator, and any displayed power messages.
Expected outcome: The device should show that AC power is present and that the battery is charging or maintaining charge.
If the pump does not recognize AC power when using a known good outlet and cord, the issue may involve the internal power supply or charger circuit.
Allow Adequate Charging Time
If the battery is low or recently depleted, leave the pump connected to verified AC power long enough to confirm whether charging begins.
Avoid judging battery condition immediately after a deep discharge unless the device clearly reports a charger or battery fault.
Expected outcome: Battery level should increase or the device should show normal charging status.
If the battery level does not increase after a reasonable charge period, continue troubleshooting.
Check for Battery Runtime Complaint
If the issue is poor runtime, fully charge the device according to facility practice and perform a controlled battery check off-patient.
Monitor for sudden shutdown, rapid battery level drop, low battery alarms, or inability to maintain power while disconnected from AC.
Expected outcome: The battery supports the device for an expected clinical-use interval without rapid voltage drop or repeated alarms.
If runtime is clearly poor after full charging, the battery is likely degraded or the charging system is not maintaining the battery properly.
Verify Battery Seating or Access Panel Condition
If the battery is accessible without deep disassembly, confirm that the battery compartment, access panel, and external battery seating are secure.
Do not open sealed internal assemblies or perform board-level checks during basic troubleshooting.
Expected outcome: The battery is properly seated and there are no obvious external signs of loose connection, swelling, leakage, heat, or physical damage.
If swelling, leakage, unusual odor, or heat is present, remove the pump from service immediately.
Check for Recent Transport or Storage Issues
Ask whether the pump had been stored unplugged, transported, dropped, or left off charge for an extended period.
A battery that has remained discharged for a long time may fail to recover or may report charger-related faults.
Expected outcome: Storage or handling history helps determine whether the failure is likely battery degradation, charger failure, or external power loss.
Inspect for Environmental or Physical Damage
Look for signs of liquid intrusion, cracked housing, damaged power inlet, missing labels, unusual smell, discoloration, fan obstruction, or excessive heat.
Expected outcome: No external damage or unsafe condition is present.
If damage, heat, odor, or liquid exposure is found, remove the unit from service and escalate for bench evaluation.
Perform a Safe Power Transition Check
Only when the pump is not connected to a patient, confirm whether it transitions from AC power to battery power without shutting down or alarming abnormally.
Expected outcome: The device continues operating on battery without sudden power loss.
If the device shuts down, resets, or gives a battery failure alarm during transition, remove it from service.
Review Alarm History or Displayed Faults
Record any battery, charger, AC power, or power supply messages shown on the display.
Do not clear or ignore alarms until they are documented.
Expected outcome: Alarm behavior is captured for repair evaluation and work order documentation.
If the Problem Persists
If the AutoCAT 2 WAVE still shows battery failure, charger fault, poor runtime, failure to charge, or unreliable AC-to-battery transition after external checks, common external causes have been ruled out.
The device should be:
- Removed from service
- Labeled Out of Service
- Sent for repair or bench evaluation
The likely issue may involve the battery pack, charging circuit, internal power supply, power inlet, or related power management components. Knowing when to stop is proper troubleshooting, especially on life-support equipment.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not troubleshoot battery or charger faults while the AutoCAT 2 WAVE is actively supporting a patient unless the action is limited to safe external checks and clinical staff are managing the patient. If power reliability is in question, move the patient to another verified IABP or clinical support option before extended evaluation.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Clinical staff reported that the Teleflex AutoCAT 2 WAVE displayed a battery failure alarm and would not maintain operation when disconnected from AC power."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Verified AC outlet and power cord were good, but the pump failed battery transition testing and battery level did not recover after charging."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Removed the AutoCAT 2 WAVE from service, labeled it Out of Service, documented charger/battery fault behavior, and sent the unit for bench evaluation and battery/charging system repair."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Outlet tested with known good power
- AC power cord inspected or swapped
- AC power indicator status
- Battery charge indicator behavior
- Exact battery or charger alarm message
- Whether the battery level increased while charging
- Runtime observed during off-patient test
- Whether the pump shut down during AC-to-battery transition
- Any unusual heat, odor, liquid exposure, or physical damage
- Final device status
Final Thought
Battery and charger faults on an intra-aortic balloon pump must be treated as patient safety concerns, not routine convenience issues. Start with external power, cord, outlet, and charging checks, then escalate when the device cannot reliably charge or transition to battery power. Clear CCR documentation helps repair staff confirm the failure and protects future clinical use.
That is successful troubleshooting.