As part of our Dipslide testing service you can purchase dipslide test kits to test coolant yourself. We understand that some of you may have never conducted a dipslide test before. Therefore, to clear up any confusion, we have put together this useful step by step guide that explains exactly how to use them.
Carefully remove the sterile diplside from its tube, ensuring that no contact is made with the agar gel. This is important because it could contaminate the process and affect the results.
Immerse the gel part of the dipslide into a container which holds the coolant you want to test. Hold it in the coolant for 10 seconds to ensure full saturation. For an alternate method, you can also hold your gel slide under running coolant. It is imperative that you ensure both sides are covered.
Remove from the container of coolant or from under the running coolant and allow any excess to drip off.
Once drained of excess coolant, simply put the gel slide back into its container whilst continuing to avoid contamination of the gel. Ensure it is properly sealed and labelled with the machine details so that it does not get mixed up with any other tests.
Place the test tube into an incubator at a temperature of 30 degrees for 48 hours to check for bacteria, and a total of 72 hours to check yeast and mould levels.
Remove the slide from the incubator and assess how many colonies (dots) have grown on the slide. Compare this to the chart we have provided below to determine which one is the closest match.
Once you are happy with your reading it is important to dispose of the used dipslides in the correct way. Options include incineration, autoclaving, or disinfecting.
For a more visual guide of how to complete the dipslide testing process, watch our helpful video below.
To find out more about how often your coolant should be checked, take a read of our informative blog by clicking here.
Pennine Lubricants offer a professional Dipslide Testing service as part of our Coolant Monitoring service. Get in touch with use today to find out how we can support you with your dipslide testing need.
