Common Customer Issues

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See below for our most common customer errors that can affect pH monitoring or pH data.

There are three (3) ways customers can access data created by the TrakStation® pH monitoring system:
1. Download data to a USB from the Home and Pod Screens
2. Email Data directly
3. Access data logs using remote access

Remote access and email are only available if the TrakStation is network connected.

Fixes:

• Learn more using our Data Access Instructional  Accessing Your pH Monitoring Data

If you are still unsure how to access your data or your data looks faulty, please contact us at support@safesens.com for data analysis assistance.

If the fixture has a tighter tolerance than normal, then users may find it difficult to place and remove the sv² sensors during pH test procedures.  With a tight fixture, sv² sensors may also not seat consistently and as intended, affecting the resulting pH measurements. A sensor that is elevated in the fixture will return higher pH readings than a sensor that sits all the way against the fiber optic.

Fixes:

• If a mild degree of tightness is observed, then the sv² sensor may simply need a push of the finger during placement to seat properly.  If the fit is overly tight and placing the sv² sensors is difficult, then the components may need to be serviced in the field.  Please contact support@safesens.com to report tight fixture issues and discuss service options.

The key to pH monitoring with fluorescent technology lies in the fiber optic fixture. Photo-detectors collect light emission intensity through the TrakPod which then uses the ratio of emission intensities to determine the pH.

Stresses on the cable to the fixture (such as bending, crushing, or continuous pressure on the fiber optic cable) WILL affect pH results. Extensive enough damage to the fiber optic cable can negatively and irreparably affect your system readings. Significant cable damage requires a replacement.

Fixes:

• Feed the TrakPod’s fiber optic cable into the access port of your incubator. To prevent the fiber optic from being pinched by the shelf, feed the cable through a hole in the shelf and gently loop it back up
• Make sure to reduce damage to the cable as much as possible when installing and using pH monitoring technology on a regular basis.
• If you are monitoring pH in a cabinet-style incubator, please contact us at support@safesens.com to inquire about obtaining a door wedge to reduce gas loss and prevent damage to the optic fiber cable

When screwing in the TrakPod fiber-optic fixture, it is critical for accurate pH values to ensure that the fiber optic tip that the tip in the fixture sits flush with the fixture’s surface.

Fixes:

• When installing the TrakPod fiberoptic fixture into a cabinet style format incubator, play close attention to how the fixture sits on the cabinet shelf.
• Firmly tighten the wing nut until the fiberoptic tip sits flush with the top of the fiber optic fixture. Do not overtighten the wing nut but to cause the optic tip to sit above the fixture.

To use the Magic Mount magnets, affix the two Magic mounts to the back of the TrakStation. Make sure to clean the TrakStation surface with the provided wipe and press firmly for at least 30 seconds to allow best adhesion of magnets to tablet. The wrong orientation of the magic mount will DAMAGE the TrakStation due to its magnetic nature.

It’s also critical to affix the magic mount by pressing firmly for a FULL 30 seconds.

Fixes:

• If the TrakStation is not reacting as expected, or if there is damage to the TrakStation tablet, please contact support@safesens.com  for further assistance.

A new TrakStation will need to have the qc2 alignment tool assigned to it. It is critical to ensure that the qc2 alignment tool is entered correctly with the proper format. Check that the entered id includes the dashes. This ID is found on the qc2 alignment tool. It is also critical to confirm that the qc2 alignment tool has not expired. The qc2 tool expires after one (1) year of use.

Example ID: Z123-4567-8901-2M

Fixes:

• Check the ID to make sure all digits are accurate and include hyphens
• If the qc2 alignment tool has an inaccurate ID, please enter the Supervisor Page and re-enter the qc2 alignment tool id

During QC testing, the TrakPod checks fluorescent intensities using the qc2 alignment tool. If the intensities do not match the values encoded on the label, then the TrakPod will change the detector settings automatically. It is essential that the qc2 alignment tool is placed squarely on the TrakPod fiber, as the distance from the qc2 tool to the fiber optic will impact light intensity. It is also critical that QC testing is performed using the qc2 alignment tool and not with the sv2 sensors. Using an sv2 sensor cup instead of a qc2 will often cause subsequent pH readings to appear much lower than normal.

Fixes:

• Check the qc2 alignment tool to guarantee it is fully seated into the fiber optic fixture before starting weekly QC testing
• Press down firmly and continue to add gentle pressure to the top of the qc2 alignment tool as the QC test is performed.
• If QC testing is performed and you notice the qc2 alignment tool was not seated properly, repeat QC testing after correcting qc2 alignment tool placement
• Repeat QC2 testing using the qc2 tool if an sv2 sensor was incorrectly used by mistake

The TrakStation has been tested with multiple types of manufactured IVF culture media and is successfully used by customers with IVF media globally. The TrakStation pH reading technology should only be used with IVF media and requires the correct oil volume layer to properly monitor pH. Too low of an oil volume or an insufficient fill of oil will result in the evaporation of your media, creating a false increase in pH read values.

Fixes:

• Use 100 µL if IVF media when preparing sv2 sensors
  • Layer 50 µL of oil on top of the medium for humidified incubators, and 150µL of oil for non-humidified incubators
• Inspect the sv2 sensor for gaps in the oil layer prior to starting pH testing
• Observe your sv2 surrogate sensor for changes in media volume or color over the 7-day monitoring period to ensure evaporative effects are minimal

A lot specific pHID is printed on the blue kit packaging. The pHID is the certification code provided by the manufacturer- certain OEM partners require a specific pHID in order to function, and all pH monitoring requires an accurate pHID to be effective.

Use the pHID on the kit packaging when setting up to read the pH. The LOT and hourglass symbols refer to a lot number and the expiration date (prior to use) of the sensor, respectively.

Do not enter 25050 as your pHID for testing purposes

Fixes:

• If you notice that the pHID is incorrect, halt testing. If the testing has proceeded for multiple days, fill a new sensor and start testing with a different test name and the correct pHID. If testing has not started yet, correct the pHID and proceed with testing.

**NOTE pH data collected with an incorrect pHID is unusable. Do not include this testing in your QC verifications.**

It is best to wait the full twenty-four (24) hours for IVF medium equilibration before performing the site standardization procedure or documenting pH values for lab QC documentation. If you take pH readings during the red period of time (see graph), you are artificially reading a pH that is too high as the sensor has not fully equilibrated.

Fixes:

• If your media pH values appear low, a small manual offset change could be needed to account for the incomplete equilibration.
• If repeat testing with 24 hrs. of equilibration time still produces pH values are continuously low, contact support@safesens.com for assistance.