I have read reports here about Animas warranty replacement of pumps with cracks emanating from the battery compartment. I was surprised when I looked at my pump last night and saw a crack. It could have easily been missed. It’s appearance was more subtle than the pictures show.
I received this pump last May as a warranty replacement due to a software failure involving the loss of date data when changing the battery. I put this pump into service on May 2, 2014. It was manufactured in April 2014.
This may be a design weakness of the Ping or simply an anomaly. In any case, I encourage all Animas pump owners to examine your pumps, especially if your warranty expiration is near! I have two years left on my warranty, so I expect to have no problems getting this unit replaced.
A crack like this means it is no longer waterproof.
Waterproof, I dont care, crack in my out of warranty pump...boy I would be upset. I have to have a real plan in place for if this pump goes bye bye. I hope you get your 'new' pump quickly. Thanks for the reminder....sort of....
I don't really expose my pump to many situations where I need protection from water. Just the same, if I end up out in the rain or if the darn thing drops in the toilet, I don't want the electronics going kaput, especially if its out of warranty.
For the pumps that you've had cracks appear, were they relatively new? As you can see, my current cracked pump is only eight months old. This is my second Ping pump. I checked my old unit that I keep for backup. It was manufactured in 2010 and it's intact.
I am not saying this isnt a design flaw, because personally I believe it is, but according to Animas this tends to happen more when the battery cap is over tightened. It takes very little pressure to get a good seal on the o-ring. It only needs to be finger-tight. The coin slot in the top is more for removal of the cap after the o-ring takes a set. You shouldnt ever need to use that slot for installation.
That makes sense. Over-tightening would produce undue stress. In order to seat the o-ring, however, I need the help of a coin. The battery cover outside edge is recessed below the pump profile and turning it by fingertip pressure alone is difficult and awkward.
The pump that cracked while I was in Jamaica was less than one year old. Animas convinced me to return to them after they insisted that the new pumps would no longer have this problem. So much for any truth in that. I am not a happy consumer and have let them know. Alas no one from Anamas has contacted me about my concern.
I have been diligent in making sure I did not overtighten. Still cracked. I checked it before I went to Jamaica and there was no crack. Went in the pool and after 5 days the pump quit.
Happened to me as well. Knowing this is a common failure point…I hope it is fixed in the Vibe. It is reasonable to think people would try to secure the battery compartment by tightly screwing this cap down.
This is at least my fourth Ping pump, counting the replacements for warranty reasons. It is the first to suffer a crack like this. I was aware of the caution to not over-tighten and thought I complied.
The insulin pump cartridge cap is just the opposite. If I don't get that one torqued down good and tight, I get "pump not primed alarms." Those alarms are a nuisance in that they require you to disconnect from the pump site.
Yes, I hope Animas corrected this with the Vibe but I sure wouldn't bet on it.
My Ping was replaced a month ago for a similar crack. Mine was discovered while replacing the battery. I wouldn’t delay on getting the pump replaced because if part of the pump breaks off, you won’t be able to keep the battery secure. Mine definitely looked as though it could beak apart.
This was my first replacement of my Ping. I had at least four or five Medtronic pumps replaced due to cracks in the case so in general the Ping has been much more durable for me.
Thanks, Laddie. I just today re-read the thread that you started and realized that it was your thread that made me aware of this problem. (If I had a good memory, I'd be dangerous!) The crack is hairline at this point. I plan to call Animas first thing Monday morning. My back-up Ping can stand-in if needed. I started on the Ping in 2008 and got another one in 2012.
I've had some durable Medtronic pumps in the past. I kept one for almost 10 years. I didn't realize that Medtronic had crack problems too.
Mine craked after a year, it was a Vibe. I got a replacement for free off course, but the Animas rep told me a propable cause is that the lid on the battery compartment is too tight. You´re supposed to tighten it, but be at bit modest and not using much force.
My Medtronic pumps kept cracking in the same location. It was from the corner of the reservoir view window up towards the Esc button. As a middle-aged woman I wasn't and still am not hard on my pumps, after 3 or 4 pumps that cracked in the same location, I spoke with a rep who asked me how I was wearing my pump. I was using the Medtronic belt clip and it was clipped on my waistband. She suggested that I quit using the clip. She sent me a free leather case which I hated. So I started carrying the pump in my pocket with no case and with a hole cut in the pocket for the tubing to go through. I never cracked a Medtronic pump again. So very oddly there was something about their belt clip and the way I am built that caused my pumps to crack.
I called Animas customer service today to report the crack in my pump. No muss, no fuss, new pump is on its way. I appreciate their business-like routine handling of this issue.
The battery cover is accessible from the 'outside of the pump" (look at the picture above) it takes very little pressure to seat the oring, No need for a coin to tighten it.
As the battery cap is screwed down into the pump body, fully one half, 180 degrees, of the scalloped pump cover outside edge is blocked by the pump body. The scalloped design appears to be a purposeful design feature to permit finger-tightening. Maybe what's left can be used to finger-tighten the cover but it looks difficult and awkward to me. Perhaps using a fingernail to rotate and fully seat the "o" ring and cover would work.
Next time I need to change a battery, I will try to do it without a coin. I seem to remember that one would need to make the visible color of the "o" ring disappear for it to be fully seated.
