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Posted By: DaveC in Oz ValleyLab FT10 PSU problems - 04/07/17 11:00 PM
Hi all, just wanted to ask if anyone else is seeing power supply failures on the new(ish) ValleyLab FT10 ESUs? We have had three go in the past couple of months in units less than 6 months old.

Ta, Dave
Posted By: DaveC in Oz Re: ValleyLab FT10 PSU problems - 06/07/17 1:05 AM
As a quick update on this, ValleyLab/Tyco/Covidien/Medtronic service have admitted they have an issue with the PSU and are sending replacement units (whole device not just the PSU) until they have a permenant fix which is currently being look at in the US factory.
Nice to see some upfront honesty going on smile
Posted By: Geoff Hannis Re: ValleyLab FT10 PSU problems - 06/07/17 12:51 PM

Yes; indeed. smile

Do you have any information about the mode of failure(s)? For instance, was the surgeon blasting away on full power at the time?

Have you opened one of these units, Dave? Is the PSU integral, or "stand alone" (and therefore possibly supplied by an OEM)?

I wonder what will become of any re-called units ... patched up and sold as new? think
Posted By: Malcolm Re: ValleyLab FT10 PSU problems - 06/07/17 3:16 PM
Dave, at least your not not dealing with the new and improved Medtronic service centre in Holland...
last time I sent a Force Triad for repair, the down was almost 5 months.....
Posted By: DaveC in Oz Re: ValleyLab FT10 PSU problems - 06/07/17 10:37 PM
Do you have any information about the mode of failure(s)? For instance, was the surgeon blasting away on full power at the time?

Not really but all three failures have occured at switch on so the units were swapped out before any upset was caused. Only in one case did the fuses blow.
I never bothered to open the cases, units under warranty, not my problem grin
Posted By: Geoff Hannis Re: ValleyLab FT10 PSU problems - 07/07/17 9:03 AM

Ah ... only at switch-on; so there's a big clue for "fault finding" right there, then. smile

Wonder how long it will take them? think
Posted By: Snoopy Re: ValleyLab FT10 PSU problems - 07/07/17 9:16 AM
As I recall, the FT10's are shipped with 6.3 amp fuses fitted for 115 volt operation and you should swap these with the 3.15 amp fuses supplied n a little plastic bag if you are using it on 220/230. Perhaps if, for whatever reason, there is a surge at switch on, the 3.15 amp fuses just might blow quick enough to save the psu from destruction. But if you have left the 6.3 fuses fitted then maybe not. Still there must be something that is fundamentally wrong to cause the surge in the first place.
Posted By: Geoff Hannis Re: ValleyLab FT10 PSU problems - 07/07/17 9:30 AM

I suspect that's why they are generously swapping-out the units ... so that no-one else will see any "evidence". whistle
Posted By: Brekel Re: ValleyLab FT10 PSU problems - 27/07/17 9:15 PM
Originally Posted by DaveC in Oz
As a quick update on this,
Nice to see some upfront honesty going on smile

You're lucky!
We've had two fail - one the hospital bought, and then it's replacement. I just received a letter by fedex from the US claiming that they "sent an engineering team to your site" and "CONFIRMED that there MAY" be voltage transients. They claim that the internal log shows it died "as it was being turned on/off from the wall switch" rather than the front panel. I would have thought a log that detailed and specific could tell the differenc between powering on and powering off?

Plus there's the minor detail that it was turned on and running when it died. And there's no record of a TEAM, or even an individual, coming to site and conducting measurements...
Posted By: Geoff Hannis Re: ValleyLab FT10 PSU problems - 28/07/17 10:38 AM

Sounds like you've got a security problem at your hospital!

Anyway, a properly designed ESU shouldn't fail just because the cable was yanked (or whatever).

And a decent power supply should be able to withstand "voltage transients", as well.

Meanwhile, I'm trying not to waste too many (of my diminishing) brain cells trying to imagine how any "internal log" could decide that a piece of kit was being switched on and off at the wall! Maybe just a few missing front panel PWR_DOWN* signals from the log, but surely the unit wouldn't power up just by flicking the wall switch on (that is, only the front panel button - PWR_UP? - would do that)?

I'm calling BS on all that. smile

But here's a thought - how about a dodgy (sticky) front panel on/off button, or "bad" connections to same?

* I'm just guessing with that one - but I expect it's something similar.
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