Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Leak Test related questions:
1) “I
need help filling out the Leak Test
Certificate…
2) “For the activity
field, should I put the original
activity or the decay corrected activity?”
3) “I just received my
machine back from NITON and the
bottom half of the Leak Test Certificate is blank, why isn’t it filled
out?”
4) “I need the results
of my leak test back as soon as
possible, how long will it take and can you fax them to me?”
5) “Does this kit have
a shelf life?” or
“What is the maximum amount of time the kit be in storage before I use
it?”
6) “I received a kit in
the mail but I didn’t ask
for one, what should I do with it, and why did you charge me for it?”
7) “I am going to put
my machine into storage and it
won’t be used for a while, do I still need to leak test it?”
8) “Do you accept
credit cards?”
9) “I've lost /
misplaced my certificate, can you send me
a copy?”
10) “I have two
sources in my machine, do I need two
kits?”
11) “Can I use my own
kit?”
Probe related questions:
1)
“How much do you charge for probes?”
2) “Is there
a fee to change a probe’s connector
type?”
3) “How much
do you charge to replace the GM
tube?”
Leak Test Related Questions:
1)
“I need
help filling out the Leak Test Certificate…
Top Line (Device information):
Device
– the type of device that is being leak tested (Example: XRF Analyzer)
Model – that device’s model number (Example: XL309)
Serial
# – that device’s serial
number (Example:
U1234)
Manufacturer
– the device manufacturer (Example: NITON)
Second Line (Radioisotope Information):
Radioisotope
– the radioisotope of the source to be tested (Example: Cd-109)
Activity
– the original activity of the source (10 mCi)
Third Line (Source Information):
Source Model – the source’s model number (Example: XFB3205)
Source # – the source’s serial number (Example: NR1234)
Manufacturer – the source manufacturer (Example: IPL)
Fourth Line (Kit number):
Kit number – the 6 digit kit number found on the yellow
label on the plastic
bag (Example: 987654)
2)
“For
the activity field, should I put the original activity or the decay
corrected
activity?”
Put the original activity in the activity field.
This information is used to identify the
source that is being tested and
does not factor into any of our calculations when determining if the
source is leaking or
not.
3)
“I just
received my machine back from NITON and the bottom half of the Leak
Test Certificate is
blank, why isn’t it filled out?”
When servicing a machine, if NITON has no reason to
believe that the source(s)
is/are leaking, then they will perform the leak test but ship the
machine back to the
customer before the results come back.
Then,
when they get the results from us (VSSA) they fax or mail them to the
customer.
4)
“I need
the results of my leak test back as soon as possible, how long will it
take and can you
fax them to me?”
We can typically perform the analysis the same day
we receive the kit and get the
results in the mail the following business day.
If
the analysis has been paid for, then we can fax the leak test
certificate as soon as the
test has been completed. If
you would like
the certificate faxed to you, simply include a brief note that
indicates the fax number
you wish the results to be sent to.
Remember
to include some form of payment (we accept check, purchase order, VISA
or MasterCard).
5)
“Does
this kit have a shelf life?” or “What is the
maximum amount of time the
kit be in storage before I use it?”
The kit has no shelf life and can be kept in
storage as long as you want. Once
you perform the wipe on the machine however,
you should return the kit shortly thereafter.
6)
“I
received a kit in the mail but I didn’t ask for one, what should I do
with it, and
why did you charge me for it?”
Federal Regulations state that machines with sealed
sources must be leak tested at
least every six months. We therefore typically send out kits
automatically 2-4 weeks
before that six-month period has elapsed.
If
you no longer have need for leak testing you may discard the kit. If you anticipate that you
might need a kit in the
future, you may hold on to the kit as long as you want, until you need
it. The invoice
that is included in each kit is for
the analysis only, and therefore you are not charged the $30 fee until
you return the kit
to us for analysis.
7)
“I am
going to put my machine into storage and it won’t be used for a while,
do I still
need to leak test it?”
It depends on the state you’re in.
Federal
Regulations state you are allowed to store a machine for up to 10 years
without leak
testing it. When
the machine goes into
storage it must have a current leak test and when it is removed from
storage it must be
tested again prior to use. Some
states have
more strict regulations. [Some
states that
use the Federal Regulations are: MA, RI]
8)
“Do you
accept credit cards?”
Yes. We now accept MasterCard and VISA
credit cards.
9)
“I've
lost / misplaced my certificate, can you send me a copy?”
Yes. We keep electronic copies of all
certificates, and can therefore fax or
mail a copy to you. Ideally, you should have the kit number /
certificate number of the
certificate you are requesting ready when you call. If that
information is not
available to you, have as much relevant information prepared as you can
(such as source
number, unit number, approximate test date, etc.). Our copies are
available at no cost and will have our corporate stamp embossed on the
certificate.
10)
“I have
two sources in my machine, do I need two kits?”
No, you only need one kit per machine. You do,
however, need to fill out a
certificate for each source with that source's specific information.
11)
“Can I
use my own kit?”
If you need the leak test performed immediately and
cannot wait for our kit to
arrive, then you may use your own kit. All of the necessary
documentation may be faxed to
you or you may download it from this website. You must also contact us
so that we may give
you a kit number to affix to the plastic bag containing the cotton swab
as well as write
it on the certificate. In addition to placing the cotton swab in a
plastic bag, that bag
must be shipped in a padded mailer even if you ship via Fed-Ex or UPS.
Probe Related Questions:
1)
“How
much do you charge for probes?”
$295. We give discounts on quantity orders, please
call or e-mail for quote.
2)
“Is
there a fee to change a probe’s connector type?”
Yes. The cost varies depending on the type of
connector you wish to replace.
"C" connectors are the most expensive; $45 + $25 labor +
Shipping.
3)
“How much do
you charge to replace the GM tube?”
$75 + $30 labor + Shipping. Alternatively, we can
send you a replacement tube
with installation instructions to avoid the labor charge.