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While Garver Manufacturing strives for excellence in the products we make, from time to time problems arise. This section can aide you in getting the best performance from your equipment as well as provide support for various problems. Simply select the type of unit you have to get specific help.

Centrifuges Shakers Washers Calipers

TROUBLESHOOTING CENTRIFUGES

Bottle breakage prevention & support

  

  • Don’t run on start position over 35 seconds. (Applicable to variable speed centrifuges)

  • Don’t run test on inside row of cups unless using the outside row. You may run tests on the outside cups without using the inside cups.

  • See if bottles vary in weight. If so, balance the weight evenly around the carrier.

  • Once you have had breakage, even a small piece of glass left in a cup will keep the test tube from sitting flat and the neck will break.

  • Once you have had breakage, we recommend using rubber pads in the bottom of the cup. A small piece of glass will also cause a pressure point on the bottom of the glassware and cause bottle breakage.

  • If brake is applied to hard the bottles will snap from the vertical position to the horizontal position and break the bottle necks

  • Test cup swing. Cup should move freely from vertical to horizontal positions. If cup sticks or hits the rotor arms, adjustment of the metal hanger ears on the cup is necessary.

  • Paley bottles should be placed in the centrifuge so that stopper towards the center of the rotor and the neck towards the outside.

Vibration in the machine

      

  • Operate the machine on a firm bench.

  • Keep oiled (use SAE 30 motor oil)

  • If unit vibrates when filled, weigh out bottles and balance evenly around the machine.

Tester runs slow

      

  • Is machine oiled? (use SAE 30 motor oil)

  • End play should only be 1/64th”, if more, check set screw on bottom of motor.

  • If centrifuge is several years old, e.g. 10 years or more, rotor may need replaced.

  • Inside of bowl must be kept clean from sludge and broken bottles.

  • Check for low voltage in your laboratory.

  • Glassware rotor dragging on brake

  • Set screw, ball bearings worn and/or otor shaft bearing worn.

Tester will not start

      

  • Turn machine on. Open lid and spin rotor. If centrifuge starts, shut lid and let run for 5 minutes, repeat every 10 minutes until centrifuge will start under its own power. Possibilities: motor bearings are not aligned or bearings are too tight.