Protecting Your Equipment Investment – Proper Maintenance is the Key

Preventive maintenance of sampling and investigating equipment should be performed at regular intervals to ensure sample integrity, sample volumes, and pump flow rates. Indoor Air Quality equipment such as the Rotary Vane high volume pump, the A6® single stage impaction sampler, the WallChek™ adapter, as well many other types of equipment, need to be cleaned of contamination and sample debris on a regular basis.

Proper maintenance of high volume pumps is important to sustain consistent sample collection. To make certain the pump is operating at manufacturer’s specifications and to ensure data comparability, ACGIH recommends calibrating pumps before and after sample collection with variances not to exceed 5 to 10%. Calibration should be performed against a primary standard that can be traced to an NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) standard. These may include using a bubble meter while manually recording flow rates or using a more sophisticated electronic device such as the Dry Cal® DC-Lite Calibrator and Bios Defender™.

The exhaust of the Rotary Vane high volume pump requires cleaning due to debris or carbon dust build up in the exhaust filter. The exhaust filter, located behind the flow meter on the head of the pump, should be replaced if it appears to be obstructed. Older models of the Rotary Vane pump may have a glass jar with a filter inside, while newer models have a copper cone or silencer. Once the filter has been removed, run the pump outdoors to clear any debris or carbon dust that may have accumulated inside the head of the pump. Replace any necessary parts that appear worn or damaged and connect the new filter.

Maintenance of the A6® single stage impaction sampler is necessary to ensure sample integrity. The A6® consists of 3 stages, the cone, the jet classification stage, and the base. Each of these stages has the potential for debris collection, which can affect sample integrity. All 400 of the holes on the jet classification stage must be clear of any sample debris before sampling. An alcohol wipe, ultrasonic cleaner, or canned air may be used to clear the holes. To ensure a proper seal during sampling, make sure the o-rings are in good condition. Replacing worn out and damaged o-rings and springs is an inexpensive way to ensure proper sample collection.

The WallChek™ adapter can become contaminated over time due to highly concentrated samples, debris, and/or gypsum dust build up. To minimize interferences and cross contamination, the adapter should be cleaned between every sample. To clean the WallChek™ adapter, rinse the body and attached tubing with isopropyl alcohol or water and sling dry. The adapter may also be wiped clean inside with an alcohol wipe.

Replacement filters and basic maintenance are available from EMLab P&K Products.
For a limited time, EMLab P&K Products will completely clean and replace any parts necessary on the A6® Single Stage Impaction Sampler. For more information on IAQ Sampling Equipment and maintenance, please contact EMLab P&K Products at 888.836.5227 or email at products@emlabpk.com.