FAQ

For standard applications, the glovebox requires an inert gas supply of 6 bar (80-90 psi). The working gas can be argon, nitrogen or helium.

In addition, a forming gas is required for the regeneration of the gas purification column. The forming gas should contain 3-10% hydrogen, with the balance consisting of the same working gas used in the system (argon, nitrogen or helium).

The forming gas should be supplied through a low-pressure regulator (approximately 0-20 psi) to allow precise adjustment of the gas flow at the beginning of the regeneration process.

Connecting the system to a building exhaust system is optional and is not required for normal system operation. In most cases, a building exhaust connection is also not necessary for the installation and commissioning of a glovebox.

Although an exhaust connection is not required for proper operation, it is strongly recommended when working with potentially hazardous substances.

If the system is connected to a building exhaust system, the following components should typically be connected:

• Purge valve
• Vacuum pump
• Regeneration exhaust outlet

For most glovebox systems, the recommendations provided in our maintenance guide are sufficient to ensure reliable long-term operation.

If you have questions regarding the maintenance of your specific system or require assistance, please contact us. Our experts will advise you on the recommended maintenance procedures and help you select the appropriate spare and wear parts. A list of recommended items are also stated for each system type in our Online Shop.

The required calibration interval depends on the requirements of your application.

The sensors have a specified drift of less than 10% per year at a measurement concentration of 10 ppm. For some research applications, calibration every few years may be sufficient.

For production applications, however, annual calibration of both the oxygen sensor and moisture sensor is recommended to ensure accurate and reliable measurements.

A power outage will not damage the system. Once power is restored, the glovebox will generally continue operating in the same state it was in before the outage. If a planned power shutdown is expected, it is recommended to stop all work, switch off all active system functions and shut down the system properly.

In the event of a power surge or voltage fluctuation, the frequency inverter of the circulation blower may display a fault. If this occurs:

• Switch Circulation off
• Reset the fault on the frequency inverter
• Switch Circulation back on

The system can normally continue operating without any further issues.

This alarm appears automatically every 2,000 operating hours of the moisture sensor as a reminder that the sensor requires maintenance.

The moisture sensor should be cleaned regularly and then treated with phosphoric acid. Depending on operating conditions, this is typically recommended every 3 to 6 months. Detailed cleaning instructions can be found in your system's operating manual. After servicing the sensor, reset the alarm as follows:

1. Navigate to "Common Parameters"
2. Select "Service H₂O Probe"
3. Reset the operating hour counter to 0
4. Acknowledge the alarm

Important: Cleaning the moisture sensor is not the same as calibrating it. These are two different maintenance procedures and should be carried out independently.

This message indicates that the main valves of the gas purification system are not fully open. The valves are electro-pneumatically actuated and require a supply pressure of approximately 5.5 bar (80 psi) to remain fully open.

In most cases, this message is caused by insufficient compressed air or working gas supply pressure. How to resolve the issue:

• Check the system supply pressure
• Make sure the supply pressure is approximately 5.5 bar (80 psi)
• Adjust the supply pressure if necessary

Once the correct pressure has been restored, the main valves will open properly and the error message should disappear.

Not necessarily. The gas purification system is (optional) equipped with an integrated heat exchanger that maintains optimum operating temperatures inside the glovebox.

In hot climate regions, it is recommended to connect the heat exchanger to a cooling water supply. This helps maintain a comfortable working environment inside the glovebox and supports optimal system performance.

If the glovebox is installed in an air-conditioned laboratory where the ambient temperature is already well controlled, a cooling water connection is generally not required.

This alarm indicates that the motor protection switch of the vacuum pump (VPG 1) has tripped. The most common cause is excessive current draw by the vacuum pump. However, the alarm may also be triggered by a power surge, voltage fluctuation, or another electrical disturbance. How to resolve the issue:

1. Check the vacuum pump oil
   • Ensure that the pump is completely filled with clean oil
   • Low or contaminated oil can increase the pump's current draw
2. Reset the motor protection switch
   • After checking the oil, reset the motor protection switch in the main electrical cabinet
   • Then restart the vacuum pump
3. Measure the current draw
   • If the motor protection switch trips again, measure the vacuum pump's current consumption
4. Check the motor protection switch setting
   • Some systems feature an adjustable motor protection switch
   • In this case, the allowable current setting may be increased slightly (within the specified limits) to compensate for the increased current draw that can occur as the pump ages.

If the motor protection switch continues to trip, please contact MBRAUN Service to determine the root cause and prevent possible damage to the system.

This alarm indicates either that the motor protection switch of the circulation blower (GB1) has tripped or that there is a fault in the frequency inverter. Possible causes include:

• Excessive load or wear on the circulation blower
• Power surges or voltage fluctuations
• Dirty glovebox filters restricting airflow

How to resolve the issue:

1. Open the electrical cabinetLocate the frequency inverter, typically labeled "U1"
2. Note the error code displayed on the inverter
3. Turn Circulation off via the control system
4. Inspect the glovebox filters for contamination; Clean or replace them if necessary
5. With circulation switched off, reset the frequency inverter using the appropriate reset button
6. Once the error has cleared, switch circulation back on

If the fault persists: Please contact MBRAUN Service and provide:

• Your glovebox project number
• The error code displayed by the frequency inverter

Note: If the LCD display of the frequency inverter remains blank, please contact MBRAUN Service, as this may indicate a more serious electrical fault.

Yes. Before initial commissioning, the glovebox should be purged with the selected working gas (nitrogen, argon, or helium) until the oxygen concentration is below 100 ppm. Only then should the circulation be switched on.

As a general guideline, approximately 11 glovebox volumes of purge gas are required to achieve an oxygen concentration below 100 ppm. The actual gas consumption may vary depending on the installation and purging method.

Rule of thumb: Approximately one 50-liter gas cylinder per cubic meter (m³) of glovebox volume is generally sufficient to reduce the oxygen concentration below 100 ppm.

One regeneration requires approximately one-third of a 50-liter gas cylinder filled with a regeneration gas containing 2–5% hydrogen (H₂) in argon or nitrogen.

With a 5% hydrogen concentration, each regeneration consumes approximately 3,500 liters of regeneration gas; Equivalent to approximately 70–80 bar from a 50-liter gas cylinder.

If a hydrogen concentration of less than 5% is used, the required regeneration gas volume increases to approximately 7,000 liters of regeneration gas.

The actual gas consumption may vary slightly depending on the system configuration and regeneration settings.

A regeneration should be performed whenever the oxygen (O₂) or moisture (H₂O) level exceeds the acceptable limit for your application. As a general guideline, regeneration is recommended every 3 to 6 months, depending on system usage and process requirements.

The optimum regeneration interval depends on factors such as:

• Frequency of glovebox use
• Moisture and oxygen load introduced into the glovebox
• The requirements of your specific application
  
  

Before starting regeneration, ensure that the oxygen concentration inside the glovebox is below 100 ppm. If the oxygen level is still above this value, purge the system with the working gas until an O₂ concentration below 100 ppm has been reached.

The glovebox atmosphere is used to refill and cool the gas purification column after evacuation and should therefore contain as little oxygen as possible.

Before regeneration starts, the system displays the confirmation message "Are you sure you want to regenerate?". Up to this point, the process can be cancelled by selecting "NO".

Once regeneration has been confirmed with "YES" and the regeneration gas flow has been checked, the regeneration cycle can no longer be completely aborted.

Even if the regeneration gas cylinder becomes empty or does not contain enough gas, the regeneration cycle must be allowed to finish. This will not damage the system, but the corresponding gas purification column (RKM) will be locked if the regeneration is interrupted prematurely.

The remaining regeneration time can be viewed at any time on the Status page in the Regeneration Gas menu.

1 kg of activated carbon can absorb approximately 100 ml of solvent. The recommended replacement interval depends on the filter size and the amount of solvent used:

• Internal solvent filter (1 kg activated carbon): Replace approximately once per month, depending on the application
• Small external solvent filter (5 kg activated carbon): Replace approximately every 3 to 6 months, depending on the solvent load
• Large external solvent filter (8 kg activated carbon): Replace approximately every 3 to 6 months, depending on the solvent load

This is a good sign and indicates that the regeneration process is working correctly.

During regeneration, the gas purification column is heated, releasing the stored moisture (H₂O) from the purification material. The water vapor then condenses and may collect as liquid water inside the flow meter.

This error indicates that the electro-pneumatic inlet or outlet valves of the gas purification column (RKM) are not fully open or closed.

The most common cause is an empty gas cylinder or insufficient working gas supply pressure.

How to resolve the issue

• Check the working gas supply pressure and adjust it to 6 bar
• If the error message persists, replace the gas cylinder

The system can be operated with nitrogen (N₂), argon (Ar), or helium (He) as the working gas. The supply pressure should be 6 bar, using a suitable pressure regulator with the appropriate adjustment range.

The regeneration gas should consist of 2–5% hydrogen (H₂) mixed with 95–98% argon or nitrogen, depending on the selected working gas.

The regeneration gas supply pressure should be 0.3 to 0.4 bar. A suitable pressure regulator with the appropriate adjustment range is also required.

A power failure will not damage the system. During a power outage, all system valves close automatically.

Once power is restored, the system restarts and returns to the operating state it was in before the outage. If a regeneration was in progress when the power failure occurred, the system behavior depends on the installed software version:

• On some software versions, the regeneration continues from the point where it was interrupted
• On other versions, the regeneration cycle restarts from the beginning after power is restored

The oxygen sensor is generally maintenance-free, but it should be calibrated for the first time after 15 months and every 12 months thereafter.

The moisture sensor should be cleaned every 2,000 operating hours, as indicated by the system message and then re-passivated with 85% phosphoric acid. After maintenance, reset the operating hour counter to "0" as described in the operating manual.

For production systems, regular calibration of the moisture sensor is also recommended to ensure consistently accurate measurements.

A cooling water connection is not mandatory.

If the system is equipped with a heat exchanger in the gas purification system, connecting cooling water can reduce the temperature inside the glovebox. This provides a more comfortable working environment, particularly in applications with higher ambient temperatures.

Whether the glovebox needs to be connected to an exhaust system depends on the local installation conditions, particularly the room size and the available ventilation. When operating a glovebox with a 50-liter gas cylinder, up to 10,000 liters of gas may be released into the room during purging or in the event of a leak. If the system is supplied from a bulk gas tank, significantly larger gas volumes are possible.

If hazardous substances are used, connecting the glovebox to an exhaust system is strongly recommended.

The following components should typically be connected to the exhaust system:

• Vacuum pump
• Purge outlet valve
• Regeneration gas exhaust
• Overpressure relief valves
• Outlet ports of additional purge valves (if installed)

The technical requirements for the exhaust system are described in the operating manual for your system.

This error message indicates either a fault in the frequency inverter or that the motor protection switch of the circulation fan (GB1) has tripped. How to resolve the issue:

• Check the frequency inverter in the electrical cabinet of the gas purification system
• Refer to the operating manual for an explanation of the displayed error code
• Perform a reset on the frequency inverter to clear the error message
• Also check whether a fuse or the motor protection switch has tripped and reset or switch it back on if necessary

If the fault occurs repeatedly, possible causes include:

• Dirty glovebox dust filters
• A faulty circulation fan

In this case, we recommend contacting MBRAUN Service for further assistance.

MBRAUN does not provide a direct Wi-Fi connection for the myMBRAUN App. This is because the setup would require access to the customer's Wi-Fi credentials, which are typically not available to MBRAUN.

Instead, we recommend using a standard Wi-Fi router. The router connects to the existing Wi-Fi network and is then connected to the glovebox via its Ethernet port. If multiple gloveboxes need to share a single IP address, we recommend using a network switch with NAT (Network Address Translation) capability.

The setup and management of the network connection should always be carried out by the customer's IT department.

Whenever possible, the glovebox should remain powered on with circulation running. If the system must be shut down, proceed as follows:

1. Place sensitive materials in the large and/or small antechamber
2. If suitable for the materials, evacuate the antechamber. Switch off the circulation and if installed, the box cooling
3. Set the working pressure to 10–14 mbar on the control panel and maintain this pressure for approximately 15 minutes
4. Switch off all remaining active functions using the control panel or system controls
5. Turn the main switch to the "OFF" position
6. Finally, close the glovebox gas supply

If your Oxygen Sensor (O₂) continuously displays excessively high ppm values or the reading does not change at all, please check the following:

• Are there any volatile, oxygen-containing, or corrosive substances inside the glovebox? These may affect the performance of the oxygen sensor
• Check the glovebox for leaks: In particular, inspect the gloves for damage or holes, as even small leaks can lead to elevated oxygen readings

If your Moisture Sensor (H₂O) continuously displays the same reading and no longer responds to changes, please check the following:

• Inspect the sensor head: It may be contaminated, or the phosphoric acid coating may be completely depleted or dried out
• Not sure how to clean and recoat the sensor? Watch our How-to video for step-by-step instructions on how to clean the sensor head and reapply the phosphoric acid coating

If your Solvent Sensor (HC) continuously displays 0 ppm and the reading does not change, please check the following:

• Verify that the sensor is functioning properly
• Hold an alcohol pad in front of the sensor head; The displayed ppm value should change immediately
• Don't have an alcohol pad available? Contact our Service team to request a free test sample, or order an alcohol pad using item no. 2612298