Improving Spinning Performance
This is probably one of the biggest tech support calls we receive. Keeping the probe clean and always handling the spinners with a KimWipe is good practice. Aii probes normally require between 5-10psi pressure for good spinning. If you are having problems spinning, turning up the pressure is not recommended. Varian probes require 15 psi pressure.
All sites should have a probe cleaning kit consisting of a cotton swabs and an aluminum tube. If you break off about an inch of the wooden part of the swab and insert that end into the aluminum dowel, so it won’t fall out. Alternatively, you can tape the swab to the aluminum dowel. Dip the cotton swab inisopropanol or acetone and clean the stator of the probe.
If you look with a flashlight into the probe you’ll see three small holes on an angled surface. This is the surface that the spinner sits on. Clean the angled surface, about 1″ above the angled surface, and 1″ below the angled surface until the swab is clean. If you still have trouble spinning after the probe cleaning, try the 2nd spinner to see if it spins better. You should do this cleaning once every week or two.
If you do not have a probe cleaning kit, contact us and we will send you one, free of charge. If you have cotton swabs you can substitute a wooden dowel for the aluminum tube. The dowel must be at least 10 inches in length.
If you still have trouble spinning after cleaning and trying the 2nd spinner, you can send us one of the damaged spinners and we will polish it and test it for spinning.
New spinners cost $200 which can be ordered by calling customer service at 866-494-9369.
Probe service is also available which requires the user to return the probe to our office. It is required that you call our office to try to address the problems with our assistance, prior to sending us your probe. Removing the probe requires that the user re-shim from scratch, so it takes a time commitment from the user to get the instrument up and running after we return the re-conditioned probe. Normally, probe reconditioning is covered as part of the warranty, but we reserve the right to inspect the probe to make sure the spinning problem was not caused by damage or abuse of the probe or the spinners.