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Annual Maintenance on a LIFEPAK 15 Defibrillator

Having your LIFEPAK 15 defibrillator inspected annually is not only required in many states, but it’s also highly recommended by the manufacturer to extend the life of your equipment. When your equipment is inspected by a qualified professional, it will ensure you can always rely on your equipment and it’s ready for rescue. In today’s blog, we will be explaining some of the steps our qualified biomedical technicians take when inspecting a LIFEPAK 15 defibrillator. The instructions and checklist are given to us by the manufacturer, Physio-Control, and are located in the service manual.

Physical Damage

When the device first enters our warehouse, we inspect for obvious exterior physical damage. This includes checking for loose/rattling hardware, damaged or missing rubber feet, damaged battery connector pins, therapy cable damage, spring button functionality, device cable damage, keypad damage, accessory condition, expiration dates, and the condition of the carrying case. Once the exterior is checked, it is then set up for internal inspection by engaging two fully charged batteries into the device, installing a roll of 100-mm printer paper, and connecting to a therapy cable.

Test and Calibrate

The next step is to test and calibrate the device. A way to look at these calibrations is like setting the device to factory settings.

  • Defibrillation – Connect the device to a defibrillator analyzer and start calibration. Once complete, perform the delivered energy verification test. Select the device to output energy level at 2 J, 10 J, 100 J, 200 J, and 360 J and ensure the analyzer readings match.
  • Pacing – The device self-calibrates for pacing. Simply press calibrate on the screen and it will be complete in under 60 seconds. To test, set the pacer rate on the device to 60PPM and currents at 10 mA, 50 mA, 100 mA, and 150 mA. The output is then read on the analyzer to ensure it matches the required levels.
  • Printer – The printer will begin to print horizontal tick marks. Notice the spacing of the printed tick marks. The correct interval between marks is 25 mm ± 1 mm. Use the dials to adjust the printer slower or faster to space the lines accordingly. Do the same for testing 12.5 mm.
  • CO2 – Connect the calibration gas canister to the front panel CO2 connector using a standard CO2 FilterLine and the CO2 calibration kit. Press and hold the spray nozzle to apply calibration gas until prompted to disconnect.
  • NIBP – This will calibrate the static pressure and check for leakage in the line. This is done by connecting the device to the calibration kit, hose, and pressure meter shown in the image below. To calibrate pressure, inflate the system to the required pressures, verify the information displayed on the device screen and external pressure meter agree, and verify the system can depressurize.

Functionality

The third step is to test the functionality of the device. This includes the buttons, pixels, printer, and voice commands.

  • Buttons – Press every button on the device to verify capability.
  • Pixels – The screen will flash colors white, black, red, green, blue to test LED screen.
  • Printer – Print a test strip and inspect for the following attributes:
    • The large “X” form prints without missing dots.
    • Seven horizontal lines print (one very close to the lower paper margin).
    • The character set prints clearly without broken characters.
    • Vertical lines spaced 25 mm ± 1 mm (approx. 24 to 26 mm) apart print correctly.
  • Voice – The device will begin voice prompts to confirm they are clearly audible and reproduced without distortion.

Service Log and Alerts

Lastly, the service log is checked. This is where all the error codes are shown that may appear during the inspection. Once the error codes are addressed, the service log is cleared and the service alert will be set to remind you for your next inspection in 12 months.

If you need your LIFEPAK 15 serviced or have any questions about our process, give us a call at 888-652-1882 or chat with us on our homepage!


Blaire Czarneicki, AED.US Customer Service Director, posing for a headshot. Written by Blaire Kingsmore
Customer Service Director

Blaire attended the University of Tennessee where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology- Child and Family Studies. She has been in the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) industry for over eight years and is the Director of Customer Service for Coro Medical. Blaire is also an American Red Cross-certified CPR/AED/First Aid Instructor, highly trained by each manufacturer on their specific AEDs, and knowledgeable regarding ALL State AED regulations and legislation.“I know that every day I come to work, I am playing a part in saving someone’s life. I am passionate about these devices and am always looking for new and innovative ways to spread awareness and knowledge about Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). I look forward to the day when everywhere I go, I will see an AED—when SCA will no longer take any lives.”

Last updated September 8th, 2022