Dako Pascal - Manual (Page 11)

Pascal Handbook 11
Section 3
Operating Notes
Pascal has been designed with many safety features unique from other pressure chamber
devices; however, when using heating and electrical equipment, basic precautions should
be used. This is a heating device under pressure. Please read the operating notes
carefully prior to operating the Pascal.
OPEN PASCAL LID CAUTIOUSLY
When there is resistance on the lid, do not open by force. Pressure in the
chamber may make the lid difficult to open. Tip the weight carefully to
release any residual pressure and make sure that the pressure in the pan
is at zero on the pressure gauge. Gently push down on the brown handle,
turn the lid counter clockwise, and slowly lift off the lid.
DO NOT OPERATE WITHOUT WATER IN THE PAN
** VERY IMPORTANT** Make sure there is deionized water in the pan. Do not turn on the
heat when the pan is empty. This can cause malfunction and jeopardizes the integrity of
the instrument.
CHECK THE WEIGHT PRIOR TO EACH USE
Make sure the weight (petcock) located on the vent nozzle is secure.
HANDLE WITH CARE
Dropping or roughly jolting Pascal will cause damage and deformation leading to
malfunctions.
DO NOT OPERATE NEAR A HEAT, FLAME OR GAS SOURCE
Never place the Pascal directly on a stove or other heating sources.
KEEP PASCAL CHAMBER BODY DRY
Remove foreign matter and water drops inside the body and on the outside of the chamber
pan. The heating plate, the sensor (inside the body) and the outside of the pan must be
dry and clean in order to work properly.
COOL DOWN AFTER EACH USE
In order to maintain consistency between runs, Pascal should be started at the same initial
temperature for each run. This can be done in a variety of ways. The user can cool the unit
down by adding cool water to the pan to bring the temperature down to 37 ºC, for
example. Alternatively, the instrument can be brought up to 80 ºC by setting SP1 to 80 ºC.
When the alarm sounds, the user can load the instrument, program the run parameters,
and start the run. This ensures consistency between runs. If only one run is performed per
day then this may not be an issue since the starting point will be close to the same each
day, i.e. ambient temperature.