Environmental Express HotBlock CURRENT - Manual (Page 9)

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HotBlock™: Operation and Instruction Manual HotBlock™ Temperature Information
HotBlock™ Temperature Settings:
The pre-set factory “set point” temperature of your HotBlock™ is 106°C. Factory
tests have shown that this temperature is “sea level safe.” Liquids in uncovered
polypropylene tubes should not boil at this setting. Please note that the set point
of the block is not the same as the temperature of the liquids being digested. The
block temperature should be optimized for the specific digestion. The temperature
of liquid contents of the digestion cup will vary according to:
• The material being digested
• The number of samples being digested
• The air movement of the digestion area
• The addition of a watch glass or reflux cap
If watch glasses are being used, the control point temperature should be
lowered approximately 10°C to avoid boiling.
Note: The maximum sample temperature tolerance for our polypropylene digestion
vessels (SC475) is 130°C.
Remember that the temperature display (current block temperature) is not the
temperature of the sample. Sample temperature will usually be 5-15° less than
the display temperature.
Adjusting the Temperature of Your HotBlock™:
1. Plug the HotBlock™ into an approved receptacle. Turn the HotBlock™ on by
pressing the button on the back of the unit. Wait until the display shows the
current block temperature (in red) and the set point temperature (in green).
2. Press and hold or tap the  or  key. The display will show the set point
temperature on the right in blue. The adjustment is from ambient to 150°C
in increments of 0.1°C. There is no need to press the green (advance) or ∞
button.
Safe-Sample™ Temperature Protection:
Your HotBlock™ is protected from runaway temperatures by a fail-safe alarm
system. In the unlikely event that the heating system fails to respond to the
controller, the Safe-Sample™ system will automatically shut the system off and
sound an audible alarm.
This alarm sequence occurs if the actual temperature of the block reaches a
temperature that is fifteen degrees higher than the set point temperature. If this
should occur, the HotBlock™ will stop heating, preventing the loss of samples. The
HotBlock™ must be turned off, then turned back on to reset the alarm.
If the alarm sounds, see the troubleshooting section of this manual, page 11-13.