Dometic recommends that hospitals have some form of inspection/maintenance/service
arrangement in place for when the warranty period expires. This could be
hospital maintenance staff, a third party maintenance company or the local
Dometic Approved Network (DAN) engineer (visit
www.dometicapproved.co.uk for details of local DAN engineers)
There are no routine maintenance procedures necessary on a Dometic pharmacy
fridge other than inspection. Attention should be paid to ventilation and
levelling as well as a visual inspection of the rear of the fridge to look
for impact or corrosion damage. There may be breakages or failure of components
e.g. the circulation fan and these parts are readily available and simple
to change.
Inspection routine:
- Years 1-6 Annual
- Years 6+ 6 monthly
Training can be provided to maintenance staff or Estates managers – please contact Dometic UK
The Cooling unit of a Dometic Pharmacy Fridge contains approximately 100g
of ammonia along with 150g of water and some corrosion inhibitor. There
are 2 methods of failure of the cooling unit as described below.
- 1. Rupture
Older Units suffering from internal corrosion leading to blockage have
the potential to overheat leading to a rupture, inevitably in the immediate
vicinity of the heating element. The mineral insulation around the boiler
will absorb the major part of the rupture although it is likely to burst
which can disperse the insulation around the area. Hard impact damage
could also potentially cause a rupture although this is unlikely unless
it is of considerable force.
- 2. Micro-leakage
Internal corrosion may cause weakening of welds leading to microscopic
cracks. Ammonia will be smelt but it might not be immediately obvious
to staff that the fridge is the source. The leak may be so small that
the fridge does not exhibit loss of performance for days. Impact damage
may also cause a micro-leak although this is very unlikely.
- Should there be a leakage of ammonia at any time, follow standard
NHS procedure to ensure the safety of any staff or patients in the vicinity.
Smitch off and unplug the affected unit and contact Dometic UK.