At the end of page 24 in the Mac Medical Warming Cabinet manual, you will find under the Semi-Annual Checklist (point 2) that the manufacturer's recommendations are to replace the fan motors in your warming cabinet every two years to ensure uninterrupted service.
To ignore this recommendation is a sure way to foot a much larger bill in the future and potentially harm the content in the cabinet. The fan motor runs 24/7 and is the most common wearing part to cause the cabinet to overheat. When the heat from the elements is not circulating in the cabinet, it creates hot spots where all other electronics are housed. There are two concerns with a failed fan motor and a good reason to add this to your preventative maintenance procedures.
- IV fluids can be sensitive to high temperatures and should not be overheated. When a cabinet has overheated for an extended period, it is possible to render certain fluids inert and shorten the shelf life of specific solutions. Overheating fluids can mean that they should be discarded, depending on manufacturers 'IFUs. Overheated blankets may not have the same impact, but the therapeutic value of a warmed blanket comes from its accurate temperatures.
- When the cabinet overheats, the element is in the same control box as the PCB and other electronic components that can be affected when a fan fails. If the cabinet has had extended periods of high temperatures and no circulation, you will likely need to replace the PCB and other components that control your cabinet's temperature.
The fan motor is the one part that you should replace on your warming cabinet to avoid the risks outlined above and to keep your cabinet safely in service. All parts are now available in Canada from our online store found here on our online store.