Has anyone else had any reliability problems with the chargers for the infusomat space ? we've had quite a few failures.

Yes, we have had a number of failures. When you shake tham do they rattle? I would say that quite a number of the failures we have had could be put down to them being dropped.

This is what you get when you buy [censored]!

Supposedly, someone must have looked at the thing during the evaluation process (perhaps even carrying out a Risk Assessment), but still decided to go ahead anyway!

They now have a modified charger

Rubber "bumpers"?

they hav already replaced 5 chargers , 2 more to go. Good god they are warranty replacement

Skippy,

When you refer to modified chargers, do you mean the beige ones with the modified plastic earth pin? If so, we already have these and find that the chargers are still prone going faulty when they are dropped/knocked.

We also find that if someone walks away with the pump whilst it is still plugged in, the connectors on the charger and the pump get damaged.

Ah the black plastic earth pin, whoever designed that and thought a brittle piece of plastic as a substitute for the earth pin was a good idea needs their head testing - or at least seek alternative employment.

We rejected the brauns for our equipment library and one of the factors was the mains adapter.

The neonatal unit purchased 2 off the perfusor spaces to replace the Graseby MS syringe drivers and our suspicions were confirmed. So far 3 earth pins have been broken (and they don't require much force). - does anyone have a source for just the top section? - at £60 a pop it soon mounts up.

To be fair though the actual syringe driver itself is pretty good, hence the unit has purchased 2 more.

JohnBhoy,

Are we (still) talking about the beige chargers with the removable 3 pin (UK) plug top? If so, we have been able to get BBraun to supply just the top portion. Give Andy Pritchard a call at BBraun.

Hi Yes I was refering to them, so they still have problems !!!, our trust just done a deal with braun ,and we got 400 of the blighters, that does not look too promising for future years does it.

I do believe we are talking about the same chargers - I do find this whole process a little tedious. When I contacted Braun they said I could not get just the top section and had to buy the whole adapter - Grrr!

Why can't everyone get the same answer.

Thanks for the info BSM

We have around 150 of these Braun pumps, our rep has supplied the three pin plug as a FOC swap both times when they issued the upgraded style. The latest version with the metal earth pin has had none damged so far (swapped out three months ago)

Same story here at the Royal Free, the pumps themselfs are OK, but the chargers keep breaking. In the spec for the tender we asked for intergrated chargers, they had to offer free repalcements for brocken ones even if it was user damage, to get the contract.

same problem here...i think the design of the charger is not good...the bad thing is we cannot open to repair it..

Have you tried to 'cut' the top off the charger?

We have, the rattle is nornally caused by a inductor that has broken off the board, they didn't glue it down. We have also had problems with these chargers interfering with ECG monitors, they seem to produce quite alot of RF noise.

So much for "medical quality"! Made in China, I presume, Tony?

Remind me again, if you will, about the rigorous pre-purchase process that medical equipment has to go through before being released for use in our illustrious hospitals!

Not to mention the FDA (in the States) ... and all the other "Regulatory Bodies". Odd, isn't it, that such simple items as this appears able to slip through the net. Makes me wonder (worry) about the more ... er, high tech kit!

Heres a new one for the BBraun chargers. We have had a number of them crowbarring when doing the 'Battery maintenance'. Works fine off load and on a trickle charge. As the chargers are rated to 1.6 amps you would expect them to be capable of outputing 290mA.

The symptom is braun switching on and off and adding 2 entries into the downloaded log file.

As has been said here by one of the others looks like someone is scrimping on the cost of a resvoir capacitor or its dried out.

Billy

I just wondered if anyone else is having problems with the DC connectors on these chargers.

We seem to get loads where the users break the stupid little plastic latching clip off and then the gasket on the unit means the connector pops out and the unit will not charge.

Of course this is a moulded connector, not been able to find a rewireable replacement ( YET ), and the only option is to buy a replacement PSU and a gouging price.

Speak to B Braun and, " you are the only ones experiencing this problem ".


So I just wondered......

You are not alone... We have probably had to chuck at least 6 of them for the very same reason. Haven't had to buy new ones yet as we invested in some "Space Stations" for charging.

The DC connectors,

What can we say it usually goes down to what is going to give up first the Charger end or the P2 connector.

One thing that we find which is really annoying is if that connector is broken in anyway (lost the little retaining part) and it fails to output (totally different problem) BBraun will not replace it. Appears to be there get out clause.

Just to add to it 'How many motherboards, drive mechanisms are you all going through' No need to PPM these as they are down here getting repaired before the year is up.

Cost of parts, 'Whos come across this one with them', you phone for a price say £35 and when you get the bill its £1500 and yes these are real figures. Just keep a good track of what you are getting quoted and what you are being billed.

I can here them squirming from here as this has happened on a couple of items. If I phone them now I still get the lower price!!!

As for the space stations for charging we went down this route quoted a penny, yes a penny got a bill for £550 just for the 4 bay without the top.

It does seem that they are doing the "not seen this fault anywhere else" approach.

They are swapping out dead PSU, as they fail, not offering a replacement program.

I am sad that they will not acknowledge that the PSU is not fit for purpose and do something about it.