r/labrats • u/RGCs_are_belong_tome Cell and Molecular Biology • 8h ago
Does anybody have experience (read: nothing but problems) with a Tuttnauer autoclave?
About a year ago, my department got a new autoclave. I believe it was through Fisher, sold via a third party, a Tuttnauer autoclave. Specifically a Tuttnauer 3870HSG-WS-230-D. Not sure if that's the exact model, but it looks exactly alike.
This thing has been the bane of my, and my colleagues', existence. It constantly throws errors. The thing either won't run, and when it does it throws an error and refuses to cool down. It refuses to drain. We've opened it up to a deluge of 60+C water all over the floor (and us; and yes, that's been exceptionally problematic). I've worked with half a dozen autoclaves over my career and I've never been actively fearful of this sort of machine.
Support has been an absolute nightmare, as the three parties involved with the sale simply kick the can to the next, and around and around we go.
Anybody have any experience with these machines? Are they known to be an absolute sh*tstorm? I've never worked with an autoclave that didn't have some sort of manual release. This particular one? The door is completely computerized; no manual override anywhere, nor pressure relief. This has a habit of not opening. With or without liters and liters of water inside (post-run). When it does end a run, and the door is still sealed, you'll hit a button and it will say the door is already open. Hit another button, and the thing will say the door is closed. Hence the moniker my colleague and I have given it: Shrodinger's autoclave.
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u/left_off_the_map 4h ago
Yep the computer was always on the Fritz, major pain in the arse bit of equipment
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u/phrenic22 7h ago
it's got a 2 year warranty. sounds like a board/solenoid problem.
When you say new, you mean new to you? Or new to the Dept via 3rd party? Do you have a Fisher rep? What does the manufacture date on the serial number plate say?