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Manual Reference
Hamilton Medical HAMILTON-C3 Operator's Manual, software version 2.0.x, USA document 10103184.00. Confirm the installed software, adult/pediatric or neonatal capability, high- or low-pressure oxygen configuration, battery count, galvanic O2 cell, CO2/SpO2 options, communication interfaces, trolley, humidifier, nebulizer, and accessories before service.
Manufacturer Recommendation / AEM Status
- Between patients and according to hospital policy: Replace breathing-circuit components with sterilized reusable or new single-patient-use parts as applicable, then run the complete preoperational checks.
- Monthly, or more often if required: Inspect the rear-panel fan filters and the white air-intake filters on the outside of the HEPA filter for dust and lint; replace as needed.
- Every six months: Recharge the batteries from a primary power source for at least four hours.
- Yearly or as necessary: Replace a depleted galvanic O2 cell and replace the air-intake HEPA filter.
- Yearly: Have Hamilton-authorized service personnel perform the service-related preventive maintenance and, when the CO2 option is installed, the CO2 accuracy check.
Hamilton assigns service-related annual PM and the CO2 accuracy check to authorized service personnel using the controlled service manual. This page separates operator-accessible inspection and preoperational testing from restricted service work. Any facility change to the manufacturer schedule belongs under its approved AEM program, documented risk assessment, service history, and applicable regulatory requirements.
What This PM Procedure Covers
- Identity, software, configuration, operating hours, history, labels, and due maintenance
- Physical inspection of the ventilator, trolley, power supplies, batteries, gas connections, filters, circuit connections, display, controls, and accessories
- Monthly filter inspection, six-month battery charging, annual HEPA replacement, O2-cell status, and authorized annual service
- Startup self-test, circuit tightness, sensor calibrations, optional CO2 checks, power transfer, alarms, and ventilation performance
- Configuration-specific electrical safety and final return-to-service documentation
Required Tools and Equipment
- Current software-specific HAMILTON-C3 Operator's Manual, option instructions, reprocessing guidance, and controlled service documentation for service-level work
- Approved adult/pediatric or neonatal breathing circuit, correct Hamilton flow sensor, calibration adapter, expiratory-valve set, and compatible test lung
- Medical oxygen and appropriate high- or low-pressure accessories for the installed configuration
- Correct fan filters, white air-intake filters, annual HEPA filter, and galvanic O2 cell when due
- Compatible Hamilton batteries, primary AC power cord, DC supply, and trolley accessories as applicable
- Calibrated ventilator analyzer and CO2 reference equipment when required by the controlled service procedure
- Electrical-safety analyzer suitable for the device class and installed applied-part options
- Approved cleaning/disinfection materials, PPE, and authorized service tools
Safety: Never perform service or maintenance while a patient is connected. Provide alternate ventilation, place the unit in standby, power it down when required, and reprocess applicable components. Refer internal work, annual service-related PM, and CO2 accuracy testing to properly trained and Hamilton-authorized personnel.
Step-by-Step PM Procedure
1. Remove the Ventilator From Clinical Use
Action: Confirm no patient is connected, provide alternate ventilation, place the C3 in standby, shut it down safely when required, label it unavailable, and clean or disinfect the ventilator and reusable patient-path components according to their instructions.
Expected outcome: Maintenance can proceed without interrupting therapy or exposing personnel to contamination.
2. Verify Identity, Configuration, and Service History
Action: Record asset tag, serial number, software revision, operating hours from System > Info, patient-group capability, oxygen configuration, battery count and age, O2-cell status, CO2/SpO2 options, interfaces, trolley, and accessories. Review technical alarms, repairs, field actions, battery history, filter changes, and the last authorized annual service.
Expected outcome: The unit matches its CMMS record and all applicable tasks, options, parts, and authorization boundaries are identified.
3. Perform the Physical Inspection
Action: Inspect the enclosure, handle, display, touchscreen, control knob, alarm lamp, speaker openings, ventilation outlet, pressure-line and flow-sensor connections, expiratory-valve area, oxygen inlets, cooling openings, communication connectors, AC/DC supplies, cords, plugs, strain reliefs, batteries, trolley, rails, humidifier mount, brackets, hardware, and accessories. Confirm labels are legible and check for cracks, contamination, corrosion, fluid entry, loose parts, damaged pins, exposed conductors, blocked airflow, or insecure mounting.
Expected outcome: The complete system is clean, secure, legible, undamaged, and free of visible electrical, pneumatic, mechanical, or mounting hazards.
4. Inspect the Monthly Filters
Action: Remove and inspect the rear-panel fan filters and the white air-intake filters outside the HEPA filter. Check for dust, lint, deformation, moisture, or damage. Replace as needed, and never reinstall wet or damaged filter media.
Expected outcome: Clean, dry, undamaged filters are correctly seated with unrestricted airflow, and the monthly inspection is documented.
5. Replace the Annual HEPA Filter
Action: Verify the correct air-intake HEPA filter, remove the old filter according to the operator manual, inspect its housing and seals, install the new filter in the proper orientation, and secure the cover.
Expected outcome: A correct new HEPA filter is fully seated, sealed, and documented at the yearly interval.
6. Inspect and Recharge the Batteries
Action: Inspect each battery and compartment for damage, swelling, contamination, corrosion, or poor retention. Review age, runtime complaints, and history. At the six-month interval, connect the ventilator to primary power for at least four hours. Verify battery recognition, charge indication, estimated runtime when available, and operation on each installed battery.
Expected outcome: Each battery is intact, securely retained, fully charged, recognized, and able to support normal power transfer without a battery fault.
7. Evaluate the Oxygen Cell and Gas Path
Action: Inspect the galvanic O2 cell, oxygen inlets, hoses, fittings, low-pressure reservoir or high-pressure connection, and related accessories. Replace the O2 cell when depleted. Connect the correct oxygen source and confirm secure, leak-free connections.
Expected outcome: Gas-path components are correct and intact, and the O2 cell is recognized and ready for calibration.
8. Complete Authorized Annual Service
Action: Have Hamilton-authorized service personnel perform the yearly service-related preventive maintenance using the software- and serial-specific service manual. When CO2 is installed, include the required accuracy check. Record the service report, parts, measurements, adjustments, software actions, and post-service verification.
Expected outcome: All restricted annual tasks are completed with no unresolved service message, fault, or overdue component.
9. Run the Startup Self-Test
Action: Connect primary power and the correct oxygen source, assemble the specified test circuit, and turn on the ventilator. Observe the alarm lamp and audible signal during startup, then confirm the C3 reaches standby without an unresolved technical alarm.
Expected outcome: Startup self-test, alarm indicators, display, controls, and standby transition complete normally.
10. Perform the Circuit Tightness Test
Action: From Standby, open the preoperational check and run the Tightness test with the complete intended circuit. Follow the on-screen instructions to occlude and release the patient end. Repeat after changing the circuit or a pneumatic component.
Expected outcome: The ventilator reports a passing tightness result and stores a current completion date and time.
11. Calibrate the Flow Sensor and Applicable Sensors
Action: Calibrate the correct adult/pediatric flow sensor, neonatal flow sensor, or neonatal circuit for the selected patient group and mode. Reverse the flow sensor and use the calibration adapter when prompted. Perform O2-cell calibration and zero the installed CO2 sensor and airway adapter when required.
Expected outcome: Every applicable calibration succeeds, with no patient-group, sensor, or circuit mismatch.
12. Verify Power Transfer, Charging, and Alarms
Action: With the C3 operating on primary power, disconnect that source and verify the loss-of-external-power alarm and uninterrupted battery operation. Reconnect power and confirm alarm reset and charging. Generate representative high/low pressure, disconnection, oxygen, apnea, power, and battery alarms using the controlled procedure, then verify visual indication, audible signal, message, priority, silence/reset, and recovery.
Expected outcome: Power transfers without shutdown, batteries charge normally, and every required alarm is detected, announced, displayed, and cleared correctly.
13. Verify Ventilation and Installed Options
Action: Connect a compatible test lung and use the software/configuration-specific procedure to check representative modes, rate, pressure, PEEP, delivered volume, oxygen monitoring, trigger response, and sensor readings. Verify CO2, SpO2, nebulizer, humidifier, communication, nurse-call, and trolley power functions when installed.
Expected outcome: Delivered and measured parameters and all installed options meet the applicable Hamilton criteria with no unresolved alarm or calibration error.
14. Perform Electrical Safety Testing
Action: Apply the current Hamilton service procedure and facility policy for the exact C3 mains-power, device-class, trolley, and installed applied-part configuration. Test powered accessories as applicable and record the analyzer, method, limits, and measurements.
Expected outcome: Every required electrical-safety measurement passes the documented criterion.
15. Restore the System and Make the Return-to-Service Decision
Action: Remove test equipment, reinstall filters, covers, batteries, and approved accessories, clean surfaces, and configure the intended circuit. Repeat the preoperational check after work affecting the circuit or pneumatic path. Confirm date/time, configuration, charge state, trolley security, and absence of technical alarms. Document parts, measurements, service reports, failures, and corrective work.
Expected outcome: The Hamilton C3 is complete, clean, current on maintenance, and either formally returned to service or clearly quarantined.
Electrical Safety Testing
The public operator manual assigns annual service-related PM to Hamilton-authorized personnel and does not publish one universal electrical-safety limit for every C3 power, trolley, and option configuration. Use the current controlled Hamilton service procedure, the facility's approved analyzer method, and the exact device class and applied parts. Do not copy limits from a C2, T1, or differently configured C3.
Analyzer / serial / calibration due:
Result =
Power configuration, trolley, equipment class, and applied parts:
Result =
Test standard, method, governing limits, and measurements:
Results =
Pass / Fail =
Pass / Fail Criteria
Pass
- Physical condition, labels, trolley, power equipment, gas connections, filters, batteries, accessories, and configuration are acceptable
- Monthly filter inspection, six-month battery charge, annual HEPA replacement, O2-cell status, and authorized annual service are current
- Startup self-test, circuit tightness, flow-sensor and applicable O2/CO2 calibrations pass
- Power transfer, charging, alarms, ventilation performance, installed options, and electrical safety pass
- The final configured preoperational check passes with no unresolved fault
Remove From Service
- The ventilator fails startup, tightness, calibration, alarm, power-transfer, ventilation, option, or electrical-safety testing
- A battery is damaged, will not charge, is not recognized, or cannot support uninterrupted transfer
- A filter, HEPA filter, galvanic O2 cell, or authorized annual service item is due and cannot be completed
- Damage, contamination, fluid entry, obstructed airflow, a damaged gas/power connection, or insecure trolley mounting could affect safe use
- The correct manual, test equipment, gas source, replacement part, or authorized technician is unavailable for a required task
Copy/Paste CMMS Work Order Procedure
Do not return the Hamilton C3 to service with a failed preoperational check, circuit leak, unsuccessful calibration, failed alarm or power transfer, unacceptable battery, overdue authorized service, failed electrical-safety result, or any unresolved condition that could interrupt or impair ventilation.