EBME Forums Forums Maintenance Technical Assistance Air driven tools

All the mgps where fitted by Phoenix Pipelines products http://www.p3-phoenix.com/index.asp when the hospital was built just over 3 years ago.
The terminal units are specific and the probes come ready fitted to the kit which is from USA.

Are these 11 bar terminals for American Schrader probes ? They look like BS Probes and terminal units but are, dimensionally, totally different.

I recall NHS Estates put out a notice in 1997 stating that any equipment fitted with Schrader type probes should be upgraded with the relevant BS probe for that particular gas.

I have contacted the Medical Gas Association (MGA) who have made the following comments:


"Please note that this reply is the view of MGA and therfore may not represent the view of DH who have the overall policy lead for the HTM

HTM 02 Part A gives guidance on Surgical Air and surgical tools in a number of sections of the the HTM and that MGA recommend that it should be consulted for guidance on this subject.

Contractor has probably read our HTM entry on surgical air line pressure in a twin pressure reduction system to mean pressure at TU.

Highest stated pressure at the TU is 9 bar as a static pressure, allowing use of the 7 bar at 350 l/min at the front of the TU. higher pressure (up to 11 bar) is between first stage (plant) and locally sited regulators.

There are no plans to increase supply pressure at the TU, although we know there are some tools in USA that run at higher pressures which are covered this in the HTM by stating that a dedicated cylinder supply should be used."

I am indebted to Ian Fraser of the MGA for pursuing this matter on my behalf.

Brian